On March 1, 2024, the world mourned the loss of Akira Toriyama, the beloved author of Dragon Ball. In remembrance of the legendary creator, a project titled “Rock the Dragon”animation was launched. This fan-animated project brought together 20 animators who collaborated to create their own rendition of the iconic English-dubbed opening song from the DBZ series.
Despite its edgy music and catchy lyrics, the anime song remains a beloved favorite worldwide. The fan project was undoubtedly a fitting tribute to the legendary creator of the amazing series.
Despite being a fan-made project, social media was once again flooded with appreciation for this tribute to the manga legend. While some fans highlighted their favorite moment from the anime opening song, others were filled with a sense of nostalgia and praised the artists behind this project.
Please note that all opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
About Rock The Dragon Opening Fan-Project from Dragon Ball
The Dragon Ball Z anime series features an original English opening song called Rock the Dragon or Main Title. The track was created by Shuki Levy and Haim Saban, and sung by Jeremy Sweet.
On May 9, 2024, a popular YouTube channel known for its animated content uploaded a fan-made project featuring the theme song. The video utilized the original visuals from the opening song of the Rock the Dragon anime, but with a humorous twist. Additionally, the creator incorporated a mix of 3D animation and cartoon elements in the latter part of the video, resulting in a fully synchronized experience.
The video paid homage to Akira Toriyama, the late author of the Dragon Ball series, by including scenes such as Tien opening his mouth wide like a cartoon and Goku slipping on ice, reminiscent of the original anime opening.
The video was created by a team of 20 animators, specifically including Arin Hanson, KC Green, Parker Simmons, Charlie Bryant, David Liu, Nas Pasha, SmallBu, Tom Barkel with Sarah Harper, and Ashley Nichols.
Some other renowned animators are Louie Zong, Paul Robertson, Brianne Drouhard, Worthikids, Aaron Long, RubberRoss w/Giwi, Quinn Taketa, and Abby Memedokies. Their individual and collaborative works have gained them recognition for their distinct artistic styles.
Reactions to Fan-Made Dragon Ball Opening Song
The majority of the fanbase expressed their admiration for this fantastic fan-made animation. Many fans particularly enjoyed the opening sequence featuring Tien’s use of the Solar Flare. While the animation began in a typical manner, it quickly evolved into a humorous and entertaining depiction of the character.
Furthermore, fans’ adoration for this opening was reignited as they couldn’t resist proclaiming it as the top song in the English dub format, despite the scarcity of English-original anime opening tracks.
“This clip has my WHOLE heart. F*ck,”a fan pointed out.
“Favorite part,”another fan wrote.
“The ONLY good American OP of a anime,”another user commented.
Despite many fans reveling in the animation and fully immersing themselves in the moment, there was one particular fan who was taken aback by the fan project and found himself reminiscing about the first time he heard the Dragon Ball Z opening. His excitement only grew as he proceeded to write about his initial encounter with this incredible anime track.
Despite their disappointment, several artists were unable to participate in the incredible project.
“After some years of seeing folks clown on this song, seeing this be a thing brings a tear to my eye. My first exposure to DB was its debut on Cartoon Network in 1998, and it (alongside Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing, and Pokémon on The WB) ended up being my intro to anime,”a fan wrote.
“Man I wish I could be a part of something like this,”another comment read.
“Wish I could’ve participated,”another one sighed.
Overall, this fan-made project served as a pleasant reminder of a beloved opening song that many fans cherished during their youth.
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