I have been re-watching Dragonball recently and was surprised when I noticed several things about the show made it not as innocent as it seemed when I was little. For example, I somehow completely missed that Bulma pees herself within the first couple episodes and that Goku pulled off her underwear in her sleep. 

My favorite example thus far in re-watching the series is how Goku touches people's nether regions in order to determine whether they are a boy or a girl. In one episode he does this to an old lady and her reaction is: "Oh what a randy boy!" I was very disturbed at that point.

Now, this isn't to say that I enjoy the show any less now that I have realized these details or that I think it is a dirty show comparable to hentai or ecchi anime at all. I simply think that many people considered Dragonball a very innocent kids show, and it is a good example of how anime is definitely not always just for kids even though the ages of the characters and the fact that it is animated may lead people to believe so.

What do you guys think? Are there other points in the show that really stuck out to you like the scene I gave? Are there other anime that you had the same realization with?

When I first started watching it, I realized it was pretty dirty, but once I watched it again, I noticed so much more in it. Even with all of that, it is still a great anime.

Glad to know I'm not the only one. Yeah, now that I'm further on into the series I see why I didn't notice these things when I watched as a kid. At least where I'm at right now, I feel like they've toned it down a little bit. Maybe because of the age groups that ended up being interested in the show and wanting to watch it.

draconiskitty : When I started to watch it the second time, I also found out that there are 2 versions. One of them shows quite a bit more than the other, and the other is T.V. acceptable. So it's possible that you didn't see the worse of the two.

The original "Dragon Ball" show came from a different generation.
It was focused to cater to males.
It was also intended to provide a fantasy setting to explore curiosity in a safe fictional manner to help curb deviant behavior. Remember that it was developed in Japan.

In some countries they encourage work-o-holisim. Even with the youth. There is always a standard to meet. Even families were run like a business in many houses.
So finding adult style humor in kid shows kind of served two purposes. One since many kids were eager to grow up and enter the adult world fast? Giving them a little breathing room with adult humor in controlled spaces and places ensured that they would watch more. Two it gave them something to talk about to hook in others in the "lunch room conversations".

Back to if it seems dirty???
That is open to interpretation.
The entire world of "Dragon Ball" is fictional and fantasy.
In a manner they only scrape the surface of adult worlds witch is common for kids observing adults in real life anyway.
So, in a manner you are watching a cast of friends. (Not the best of friends. But Still. A Group of characters/friends/commrads/co-workers "learning" how to interact with each other in a sort of innocent manner.)

Again. The results are comical but they were intended for an audience that values NOT being embareassed at any and all costs.

If you need a quick reference flick on such a subject then check out "Mr.Baseball." The one with "Tom Selleck"/The Dude from "Magnum P.I.".
They have many moments of "saving face" strewn through out the whole show.

In short? no one in real life acts the way the characters act in "Dragon Ball".
In a manner it is "Forbidden".
So, to see odd stuff that compromises character in a character in a kids show from that part of the world is akin to saying that no person from that land would ever conduct themselves in such a manner.

Well, Normally. Particularly during the time the show was on the air originally.
Today???
I have no Idea.
Nothing in the modern world would suprise me now.
Good Luck and thanks for the exercise at my Keyboard skills.

Good Luck To All.
I'm done. Stick a fork in me.
Peace.

I have no idea which version I'm watching. I've been watching it online on animeget, but I would assume it's at least slightly censored since I am watching it with the english voices. 

That's a really interesting take on it orionfoxgibson. Looking at it in terms of Japanese culture, the way that the show is constructed becomes much more complex. I agree that many of the incidents I think of go back to things that would cause great embarrassment if they were to happen in real life.