Cha-La Head-Cha-La

is the first opening theme song of the Dragon Ball Z anime series and the sixteenth single by Japanese singer Hironobu Kageyama. It was released on vinyl, cassette, and mini CD on May 1, 1989. It is coupled with the first Dragon Ball Z closing theme, performed by Manna. "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" opened the first 199 episodes of the TV series and the first nine movies of the film series. The single sold 1.7million copies. It has been re-recorded in many other languages, with an English version performed by Kageyama himself that was released on his third greatest hits album entitled Hironobu Kageyama Best Album 3: Mixture in 1996. Background and recording "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" Hironobu Kageyama received the offer to record the opening theme song to Dragon Ball Z from the director of Columbia Records. With his background in a rock band, Kageyama said this director had previously revitalized his career by choosing him to sing the theme to Dengeki Sentai Changeman when he wanted a rock singer who could sing the upbeat theme songs that were being written for anime in increasing number in the 1980s. This director told Kageyama he would be singing the theme to Dragon Ball Z and wanted him involved from the earliest stage. Kageyama had been reading the Dragon Ball manga in Weekly Shōnen Jump for quite some time and was shocked when he was offered the job.