Mega 64, Creators of Dragon Ball Z in Five Minutes, Talk Anime, Video Games, And Surviving The Internet (Exclusive)

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It’s challenging to become popular on YouTube, but staying popular is even harder. The team at Mega64 has successfully built an online following, racking up millions of views on their channel since 2003. They usually make videos about video games, but some of their most popular content parodies anime, like their hit video, “Dragon Ball Z in Five Minutes.” Recently, we at egmr.ru spoke with Rocco Botte, Shawn Chatfield, and Derrick Acosta about how they’ve maintained their success and continue to create innovative videos.

We started our interview by asking the team about how they began creating content based on the Dragon Ball Z universe. They’ve become incredibly popular for their short, funny videos summarizing the major story arcs – like the Cell, Frieza, Saiyan, and Majin Buu Sagas – in just five minutes each. Using everyday objects and a small budget, these YouTubers recreated scenes from the anime, and their videos have racked up millions of views over the past decade. Interestingly, their passion for Akira Toriyama’s work was actually sparked by Funimation.

I remember when this whole thing kicked off! Funimation actually came to us back in 2015 because they needed a promo for Dragon Ball Super: Resurrection of F. We were brainstorming ways to help get the word out, and we quickly realized the biggest hurdle was how much backstory Dragon Ball has. You really can’t jump into that movie without knowing what’s been going on! So, we decided to create a quick rundown of everything that happened with Frieza, basically giving people the info they needed before seeing Resurrection F.

When asked if Mega64 might create new short reviews—similar to their “Five Minute” videos—for other Dragon Ball shows like Dragon Ball Daima and Dragon Ball Super, Acosta expressed optimism. He explained that he primarily watched the series as a teenager in the 90s on Cartoon Network and sometimes on Telemundo, which aired Spanish dubs of shows not yet released in English. He’d love to create adaptations based on those older episodes, noting that Dragon Ball Super had some great moments and Dragon Ball Z feels like a modern-day mythology.

Mega64 on The Video Game Industry

A lot has changed since Mega64 began, especially in the video game world that initially helped launch the comedy group. Shawn Chatfield recently talked about how video games have evolved, both positively and negatively. He remembers a particularly exciting time when they started, right after graduating high school. New ideas, concepts, and technology were rapidly changing the industry. The release of the Wii and the growth of expansive open-world games were key moments. Chatfield recalled play-testing the original Assassin’s Creed and being amazed by the simple concept of being able to climb any wall in the game.

Shawn highlighted the positive aspects of gaming, explaining that finding engaging content often requires a bit of digging. He specifically mentioned the growing indie game scene as a source of fresh ideas, and shared that his team is planning to create more videos showcasing these games. He pointed to a popular video they made about Assassin’s Creed – which focused on a funny, minor detail of the main character bumping into people – as an example of how small, quirky details can make for the most entertaining content.

Rocco agreed with Shawn’s assessment of the gaming industry, adding that while he still discovers several games he truly enjoys each year, there’s a troubling trend emerging. Some game companies are behaving poorly by creating a cycle where they spend years developing a game, then immediately lay off the entire team upon completion, especially within the ‘Triple A’ game sector. He finds this practice disheartening.

Surviving The World Wide Web

We also talked about why Mega64 has stayed so popular for so long. Derrick explained that the group’s roots in theater were key – they naturally enjoyed performing and making each other laugh. They initially planned to create a public access TV show, which eventually moved online, but they always intended to reach an audience through some medium. Derrick believes their willingness to experiment and use multiple platforms, like YouTube and Twitch, is why they’ve been successful for the past twenty-three years. They avoided relying on just one platform, which helped them stay relevant.

Mega64 is busy with several projects right now! Their Black Friday sale is happening now with tons of merchandise available. Besides continuing their popular Mega64 podcast, they’re creating a new video series called Cringe Lords, which looks at interesting things happening online. They’re also performing a live show in Los Angeles, the Mega64: Christmas Spectacular, on December 7th. Ultimately, Mega64’s passion for video games and anime is what keeps their content so engaging and helps them stay relevant.

What are your thoughts on Mega64? Share your opinion in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-23 00:12