167 Episodes Later: One Dad’s Bedtime Ritual With Dragon Ball Z and His Two Sons

When we become parents, we all imagine introducing our kids to the things we loved growing up—books, movies, shows. And, we hope that they’ll see what we saw and feel what we felt. For Lyle, a dad of two boys (ages 6 and 8), that moment came in the form of spiky hair, glowing energy, and a lot of shouting. The show? Dragon Ball Z Kai, a remake of the original Dragon Ball Z.

As a kid, Lyle remembers watching cartoons with his dad—old-school shows like Space Ghost and Johnny Quest. “He would get into them when we watched,” Lyle said. “It felt like something he wanted to share, thinking we’d enjoy them like he did—but also, maybe something beyond that. He wanted to watch them again too.”

Years later, Lyle did something similar. First showing his kids Batman: The Animated Series, then Beast Wars and Harry Potter, and eventually, Dragon Ball Z Kai. Unlike the original Dragon Ball Z (DBZ), which stretched fights over 30 episodes thanks to side quests and filler arcs, Kai is a tighter, remastered cut. Lyle thinks it’s better: “it’s significantly shorter feeling. I'm glad they got rid of the side BS.” To be clear, it’s still 167 episodes - or 83 hours - long and Lyle says it took time to get through.

From Storytime to Super Saiyan

This wasn’t a formal ritual. No big title like “Movie Night.” It was just “Time for DBZ and bed.” A few episodes a night, after dinner and showers, lying in bed. Lyle described it as his version of storytime. “I remember rocking them and reading children’s books, but I think I was itching for this time to decompress.”

Sometimes his wife, Chelsea, joins too—half-watching while scrolling her phone. Other nights, they switch it up and watch The X-Files, a show new to both parents and kids. “If we have enough time, we’ll watch that,” Lyle said. “It’s awesome. Totally new for all of us.”

Watching Big Moments Land

One highlight? Seeing the kids react to the show’s most iconic transformations. “When Goku went Super Saiyan for the first time—we all just looked at each other with wide eyes like, ‘Wow, what just happened?!’” Lyle said.

Sometimes they go deep. During the Buu saga, Goku chooses to stay dead rather than step in—hoping others will rise to the occasion. “That got them thinking about responsibility and letting others grow,” Lyle explained. “Of course, when Goku finally swooped in to save the day, they were all-in for that too.”

Even the bad guys spark conversations. “My 6-year-old, will ask, ‘Why would he do that?’ when a villain does something awful. And we get to talk about people’s choices—and how Goku always stands up to them, even when it’s hard.”

Skip Buttons and Side Conversations

It hasn’t all been smooth. Lyle says the Kai edit cuts out most of the questionable content—but not all of it. “Sometimes I just skip forward with the remote by 10-second intervals until a moment has passed.”

The kids have fully embraced the world of the show. “When they play fight in the living room, they’re blasting each other with Kamehameha’s,” Lyle said. “And they know the characters so well. Sometimes more than I do. They’ll watch YouTube videos about the backstories.”

What’s Next?

The family recently started watching Dragon Ball Daima, a new show from DBZ’s original creator, Akira Toriyama. “It’s in Japanese, so I read the subtitles for them,” Lyle said. “It’s fun because it’s totally new and unfolding for all of us.”

And after that? Sometimes they hop over to YouTube and watch a guy who keeps frogs, spiders, and lizards. “He’s great and he shows how he takes care of them,” Lyle said.

If you’re thinking about adding a “movie night” or watching tradition, a friend wrote up this guide. My big takeaway? Make the timing really predictable: do it on the same day of the week, spend a similar amount of time watching. Unpredictability seems to create disappointment and frustration. And, make sure you talk about what you watched to catch any potential new concerns or big feelings.