Anime review: Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest

Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest is a classic representation of a 1990s action flick. It's packed with fight scenes the mount the intensity, and the whole reason the Z-fighters rally to the cause of combating the scientific creations of one mad Dr. Wheelo is because they need to save some of their own. The film begins with the simple premise of Oolong and young Gohan looking to gather the Dragon Balls for themselves, but they end up witnessing an elderly scientist named Dr. Kochin asking Shenron to free Dr. Wheelo from his icy prison beneath a mountain range. Knowing that Gohan wasn't supposed to go on any adventures, he and Oolong make a promise not to tell anyone what they saw so that they won't get in trouble. But word of their trip gets out once the two fear for Piccolo's safety (following his disappearance) as well as that of Bulma and Master Roshi (having been kidnapped by Dr. Kochin).

The film focuses on this small group of characters, along with Krillin and Goku, and the story is more directed because of it. Granted, Bulma fits the bill of a typical damsel in distress, having no real use to the doctors other than bait to get the world's strongest warrior to comply with their demands. For Dr. Wheelo no longer has a body, and he wishes to transplant his brain into that of the world's greatest fighter. Unfortunately for him, the data he and Dr. Kochin collected is out-of-date and lists Master Roshi as the strongest fighter on Earth, when in fact everyone else knows that Goku has long-since surpassed him.

Dr. Wheelo sees this as an opportunity to draw out Goku's potential so he can assess the hero's capabilities. He pits Goku against three products of his own scientific genius, uses a mind-control device on Piccolo, and even reveals himself to be housed inside a giant mechanical body which he believes sufficient to pacify Goku long enough to begin the procedure. Because this film is set early in the DBZ timeline, Goku has not yet tapped into his Super Sayin abilities, and the fights are more dynamic as a result. However, there is plenty of time spent on little more than screaming and monologuing.

The World's Strongest is a decent entry into the Dragon Ball Z film series. It's certainly not the best the series has to offer, but it isn't the worst either. The 'mad scientist' routine is underwhelming, but the decision to focus on a small group of characters from the series' larger cast makes it a practical side story.

My rating: 7 (out of 10)

Anime review: Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon

Wrath of the Dragon begins pretty much the same as any other Dragon Ball Z film - things are peaceful and quiet, aside from Gohan and Videl being occasionally late to class due to their role as crime fighters. That is, until an elderly alien presents Gohan with a music box which he says houses Tapion, a strong warrior. He wishes to free Tapion, but despite the best efforts of all the Z-fighters , the box refuses to open. The group then decides to gather the Dragon Balls and spend their wish on unlocking the music box, much to the alien's delight.

After Tapion is released, it becomes quite clear that danger will follow in his footsteps. He is among the last of his race of people, and despite his best efforts to quell an ancient beast named Hirudegarn by playing his Ocarina, the monster intends to come through a rift to wreak havoc on Earth. Compounding the problem is the fact that the beast's lower body is largely beyond Tapion's control, as it manages to destroy a number of buildings before it disappears, and the elderly alien's intentions of destroying Tapion's Ocarina and granting Hirudegarn absolute freedom.

Tapion is a rather interesting addition to the DBZ universe, as he behaves like a big brother to Trunks, even though he tries his best to distance himself from the young fighter in the interest of Trunks' safety. Tapion is likely the strongest warrior from his home planet, or at least the strongest among the survivors of Hirudegarn's original rampage. His interactions with the Z-fighters actually bears some significance on the greater storyline, as his interactions with Trunks shape his character traits that are displayed in the Android and Cell sagas.

Where the movie most lacks believability is the fact that none of the main characters suspected the elderly alien of anything before opening the music box, despite his constant chuckling and mumbling to himself. These should be immediate red flags to Goku and company. Also, they fail to recognize him as an alien, referring to him as an old man, even though his skin is red and he has antennae on his head. That said, the way that this character and Tapion are worked into the film stands as one of its most original elements.

The film is paced well, offering a sufficient portion of the hour-long run to set up and develop the story before the Z-fighters and Tapion face down Hirudegarn. Goku, Gohan, Videl, Goten, and Trunks all get their fair share of screen time, while Piccolo is absent. Vegeta shows up halfway through the fight for a brief moment before he gets his butt kicked. His absence beforehand is left unexplained and his inclusion is entirely unnecessary.

In typical DBZ fashion, nearly everyone is beaten and bruised before Goku unleashes one of his ultra-powerful moves to save the day. The final moments of the battle with Hirudegarn have tense build up, but with such emphasis on Tapion, it seems like he should be the hero of the day instead. Still, Tapion's relationship with Trunks helps him to become more of a fully-realized character and less of a convenient plot device, and to that end aids Wrath of the Dragon to be one of the more original DBZ films.

My rating: 8 (out of 10)

2010 Year in Review: Anime

2011 is a mere day away, so I present my year in review of every anime series, OVA, and film I completed in 2010, as well as a brief summary of my thoughts on each and my ratings (out of a possible 10). There are some that I am still working on, and others where I have completed a season but not the entire series, and as such those series will not be included. Many of the series, OVAs, and films mentioned here already have reviews posted, so you can check those out at your leisure. For those that do not yet have reviews posted, expect them sometime early 2011.

- Ergo Proxy: A dystopian sci-fi series set in post-apocalyptic world, Ergo Proxy follows Re-L Mayer and Vincent Law in their search for the truth behind mysterious and incredibly powerful beings known as proxies. The animation quality is some of the best I've seen in any series, though the lighting effects can occasionally leave a scene darkened and difficult to see. Aside from two episodes that feel rather out-of-place, the story chugs along at a steady pace, blending action and plot to deliver a thoroughly entertaining and cleverly planned narrative. My rating: 9.0

- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack: The final chapter in the struggle between Char Aznable and Amuro Ray sees Earth and its colonies thrust into a desperate struggle once again, and the return of a number of familiar faces. In terms of animation and the accompanying soundtrack, these are superb for a 1988 release. The plot, while interesting, seems a bit rushed, even with the film clocking in at over two hours in length, and might have benefitted from being formatted into a short OVA series instead of a standalone film. My rating: 8.0


- Spice and Wolf (seasons one and two): A seies that opts to play out its tense moments with quick thinking and cleverly planned out trades and transactions as opposed to violence, Spice and Wolf is an odd formula that ends up as a far superior series than it seems to aim for. Lawrence and Holo make a hillarious duo and the situations they find temselves in time and time again are as entertaining as they are gripping and suspenseful. With a phenomenal soundtrack and some high-end animation quality, this unorthodox series is defenitely worth checking out, even if math and economics aren't your strong suit. My rating: 8.5

- Turn A Gundam: With some of the most creative (and admittedly some of the strangest) mobile suit designs of any Gundam series and a story that focuses less on military combat than its brethren, Turn A Gundam is the black sheep of the franchise. With a complex series of relations that tie the many characters together as well as a deep and often thought-provoking plot, the series brings plenty new to the familiar Gundam story. Top that off with a beautiful soundtrack and some serious attention to detail in the animation, and the end result is arguably the single best alternate universe Gundam series to date. My rating: 9.75

- Castle in the Sky: Between their encounters with pirates and the military, Pazu and Sheeta find themselves caught up in a race to find the lost city of Laputa, a castle that floats high above the clouds. Combining sci-fi and fantasy motifs, the series is as creative as it is enjoyable. There is plenty of action and humor to keep younger viewers entertained, and Castle in the Sky caters to older viewers with one of the stronger stories of Miyazaki's films. My rating: 8.75


- Samurai Champloo: Laying a hip-hop soundtrack over a beautifully artful and action-packed series, Samurai Champloo is one of the stronger TV-MA anime released to date. While there is plenty of flash and flair presented, Fuu, Mugen, and Jin play off one another through a very amusing dynamic and meet a number of eccentric and quirky characters during their search for the samurai who smells of sunflowers. While most viewers will probably seek out Samurai Champloo with the intent of finding a quick action fix, the story is surprisingly strong and the art style and music make the series all the more fluid in its execution. My rating: 8.25

- Blue Submarine No. 6: While quite a major achievement for its time, the hybrid of traditional animation and CGI shows its age. The story, while creative, comes across as a bit preachy at times, but there is plenty of action and a few surprises to keep viewers entertained along the way. My rating: 7.0

- Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust: With a title that includes the word 'bloodlust', this film isn't particularly over-the-top in regards to the blood and gore portrayed therein. The story, while a bit slow in the beginning, is thoroughly entertaining and brings some new twists to a familiar formula. Couple that with a cast of diverse and overall well-rounded characters and you've got an entertaining and original dark fantasy film. My rating: 8.0

- MS Igloo: The Hidden One Year War: The crew of the Zeon vessel Jotunheim is tasked with overseeing the testing of various experimental equipment and mobile suits during the later days of the One Year War. Engineer Oliver May provides viewers with the necessary information on each piece of equipment at the start of an episode, and is then shown interacting with his fellow crew members, wherein viewers are given a look at the varying personalities that make up the Zeon forces (explored less often in the Gundam metaseries than those of the EFSF). Fully rendered with CGI, the series looks better and better with each episode and gives and intersting look into the desperate measures taken behind the scenes during the One Year War. My rating: 8.75

- Gundam SEED: The first Gundam series to be fully rendered through digital animation, Gundam SEED provided a sort of hybrid between the alternate universe and Universal Century series. While the animation and soundtrack are both solid, the characters are almost entirely 'hit or miss', and the story feels like it is dragging on at times. My rating: 7.25

- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: Mixing teen drama and sci-fi genres isn't something that's always easy or successful, but this modern take on a high school girl who explores the possibilities of time travel is executed nearly flawlessly. It's by far one of the prettiest looking anime films released to date, with an equally solid story fueled by a small cast of quirky and entertaining characters - the strongest of these being lead character Makoto. My rating: 9.0


- Sgt. Frog (season one): A hillarious romp through pop-culture references and the zany situations which Keroro and his A.R.M.P.I.T. platoon find themselves in time after time makes for one of the funniest anime I've seen to date. Aside from one relatively weak episode, I found myself laughing the entire way throuh the series, which, while geniunely funny, doesn't seem to force its humor too much on viewers. My rating: 9.5

- Dragonball Z: Fusion Reborn: One of the Dragonball Z films tied less directly to the main storyline of the series, Fusion Reborn follows Goku and Vegeta as they fight a powerful evil entity known as Janemba and attempt to restore the natural rhythm of Earth and the Other World as the barriers between these have been broken. The story is rather basic in its premise and tries to dish out as much action as possible in less than an hour. While the conclusion is a bit abrupt, the pacing overall is decent and a few nods to the original Dragonball along the way mix things up a bit from the standard formula of most DBZ films. My rating: 7.25

- Axis Powers: Hetalia (seasons one and two): One of the most creative interpretations of the events surrounding World War II, Hetalia portrays each nation as a single person and stereotypes them based on national traditions and culture. The main character is Italy, and as such the majority of the first season spends more time focused on the Axis Powers, but the Allies get their fair share of screen time in season two. Each episode clocks in at roughly seven minutes, so the series is relatively short, but at the same time geniunely hillarious. My rating: 9.0


- Full Metal Alchemist (season one): One of the most popular and critically acclaimed anime series of all time, Full Metal Alchemist follows brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric as they search for the Philospher's Stone in order to try and restore their bodies, which they forfeited most of during a failed attempt to resurrect their dead mother. During their journey, the brothers deal with the state military, Ishbalan refugees, and Homunculi (creatures of a human nature, but still distinctly inhuman). The animation is some of the best for its time, and the story is sure to keep viewers drawn in all the way up to the season finale. My rating: 9.75

- Howl's Moving Castle: A young woman named Sophie finds herself caught up in the conflict between magician Howl and his ties to the state and military. Like many of Miyazaki's works, the story includes a lot of fantasy elements and can easily be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. However, a few loose-ended story elements and a clunky conclusion drag this film down a bit more than most of Miyazaki's other works. My rating: 7.75

- Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles: Part sequel, part resurrection of the Robotech series, The Shadow Chronicles is an intracite conspiracy that invloves the humans who want to regain control of Earth from the Invid, and the ever-watchful Haydonites. The story is entertaining, though a bit predictable during latter scenes. The characters play off one another interstingly enough, and the animation quality is fairly impressive for a 2006 release. While overall the film is good, some cheesy elements make it fall short of being great. My rating: 7.75

- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: As important a role as Gundam Wing played in introducing North American viewers to Bandai and Surise's wildly popular metaseries, the characters therein lack any apparent depth or believability. The animation is sub-par for 1996 and the soundtrack lacking creativity. It certainly had its place during the late 1990s, but in comparison to other series in the franchise, Gundam Wing hasn't aged particularly well. My rating: 6.75

- Dragonball Z: Bojack Unbound: In the midst of a major fighting tournament, Bojack and his minions - previously imprisoned by King Kai - arrive to try and spread chaos. Once again, the Z fighters are called into action to stop this threat. Unlike some of the other DBZ films, Bojack Unbound is quite closely tied to the events of the main series. Heavy on action, the film includes a fair amount of humor and doesn't try to take itself too seriously during lighter moments. My rating: 7.5


- Paprika: Following the theft of the DC Mini - a device capable of recording dreams and allowing others to enter a user's dream through simultaneous use - Paprika, alter ego to Dr. Chiba Atsuko, begins searching the dream realm for whoever stole the device and what they intend to with it. As the film progresses, the lines between reality and dreams begin to blur. With a creative soundtrack and a number of twists along the way, Paprika is one of the most brilliantly executed anime films released in years. My rating: 9.75

- 009-1: A sort of spiritual sequel to Cyborg 009, the plot and mood of 009-1 are darker and more mature, borrowing many inspirations from James Bond and other spy films/books of the 1960s and 1970s. More often than not, the characters of 009-1 fail to see their full potential achieved, as the story is almost exclusively focused on agent 009-1 (who, in turn, is very well-rounded by the series' finale). Each episode is a distinctly seperate narrative, though some attempts late in the series are made to tie subplots together with marginal success. All in all, the series is more about action with flash and flair than it is about a deep story, and it executes the former in a most dazzling manner. My rating: 7.5

- Azumanga Daioh: A slice-of-life comedy that follows a group of girls through their high school education, Azumanga Daioh caught me by surprise due to how genuinely funny it is without forcing too hard the delivery of said humor. The characters are all eccentric and quirky enough that they play off one another nicely, but hardly ever reach the point of being downright annoying. There isn't much that connects any of the episodes until late in the series, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as casual viewers can enjoy it just as much as more hardcore anime fans. My rating: 8.75

- Paranoia Agent: The first and only series helmed by Satoshi Kon, Paranoia Agent follows those affected (whether directly or indirectly) by a baseball-wielding assailant on rollerblades known as Lil' Slugger. As the series progresses, the question of who Lil' Slugger really is and what he is capable of becomes increasingly prominent. Part psychological thriller, part mystery series, Paranoia Agent proves once again the genius of Satoshi Kon through inventive plot twists, a colorful cast of characters, and narratives that viewers must piece together along the way. My rating: 9.5

- MS Igloo: Apocalypse 0079: Picking up shortly after The Hidden One Year War, Apocalypse 0079 shows how the Zeon forces became even more desperate and dependent on their experimental technology as the EFSF began dominating space battles. The characters are more believable this time around, and Monique Cadillac receives about as much screen time as Oliver May. With a phenomenal soundtrack that empasizes the series' desperate and tense mood, and CGI quality that surpasses its predecessor, Apocalypse 0079 is not only a fantastic Gundam OVA, but a great sci-fi OVA as well. My rating: 9.75

- Death Note: A constant battle of wits between high school student Light Yagami and master detective L serves as the premise for one of the most critically and popularly acclaimed anime series in years. With an interesting and believable cast of characters fueling the events that unfold, top-notch animation quality, and a powerful soundtrack, it's no wonder that the series recieved as much praise as it did. Even with some issues during the final third of the story, the pacing of Death Note is nearly perfect throughout. My rating: 8.5


- After War Gundam X: One of the stronger of the alternate universe series released in the late 1990s, Gundam X depicts a post-apocalyptic world in which scavengers known as 'vultures' roam the recovering wasteland of Earth. Garrod Ran serves as one of the youngest and most entertaining lead characters in any Gundam series, and the remainder of he cast is fleshed out via colorful and relatively believable characters. The animation is solid, but the series really shines through with arguably the best soundtrack from any series in the entire franchise. My rating: 8.5

- Mobile Suit Gundam F91: Originally planned to be a full series, then scaled down to a short OVA, and finally released as a two-hour movie, Gundam F91 works well as a bridge between the events of Char's Counterattack and Victory Gundam. The main characters a quite entertaining, though admitedly some of the secondary and tertiary characters come across as a bit flat. Despite its fast pacing, the story is quite solid and dishes out an excellent balance of action and plot while paying homage to older Gundam series. My rating: 8.25

PS2 review: Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2

Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is one of the best DBZ games released for the Playstation 2. However, while it is a decent enough fighting game, there are some issues with the controls and levels of play difficulty. Though load times are relatively short, the fact that each individual mission needs to load before players can commence it becomes annoying fairly quickly. Players are given the option to tackle each mission under three degrees of difficulty and are able to replay these at their leisure, so if a player decides that level one difficulty was too easy on a certain mission they can go back and replay it on the level two difficulty setting. However, this isn't likely to happen to many players, save perhaps for longtime fans of the Budokai series, as the three levels of difficulty are incredibly unbalanced. Level one comes off as far too easy, and after a short time with it even newcomers will feel that level one difficulty is a cakewalk. From there, one would expect level two to provide a decent challenge and level three to be for hardcore Budokai fans who have spent hours upon hours mastering the game's specifics. This is not the case, however, as level two will deliver a serious beating to anyone who attempts to take it on. Enemies on level two difficulty give players practically no time to dodge or block attacks, unleashing a most unforgiving barrage upon them. Even if players manage to hold up a block against the CPU, there's little guarantee that the CPU won't charge up its attack enough to break through the block and then render the player immobile long enough to continue the aforementioned assault. With that in mind, it's highly unlikely that many gamers will choose to even attempt level three, as the majority of level two missions have only a marginal success rate.

The fact that this is a fighting game means that players can expect to be using the same controls over and over again. However, there a number of variations on these basics that can be achieved by holding the joystick up, down, left, or right while performing an attack to get a slightly different punch, kick, or beam attack. Players can charge up their energy with the L2 button. When fully charged, their character will be able to unleash physical attacks without pause for a brief time frame, or unleash the energy in the form of a much stronger beam or rush attack. If a player is knocked around hard enough, they will be temporarily rendered immobile and must recover by repeatedly pressing the circle button. This isn't a bad recovery system, but the circle button is so out of the way in the basic control scheme that a rotating a joystick or pressing one of the trigger buttons would have been much more fluid and practical. While each character has the same basic set of attacks, there are some slight differences that make them distinctly different in their play style. For example, Piccolo can reach over twice the distance of most characters with his grab-and-toss attack, first form Cell can sap health from his foes while grabbing them, and Super Buu can release an energy wave around himself that also acts as a self-destruct giving players the option to gamble with Buu's remaining health in order to take down their opponent(s).


In regards to the characters included in Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2, there are over 120 playable, and a handful that merely show up in the single player adventure mode for the sake of the story. The majority of these characters are from DBZ, though there are a number of guest inclusions from Dragonball and Dragonball GT. Initially, players are granted use of the original Z fighters, and while this allows for a decent balance of play styles, advancing through the single player mode will result in the unlocking of more greatly varied characters and play styles. While one might think this would ultimately litter the multiplayer character roster, the fact is that each different form of the various DBZ characters is considered to be a separate character, and said different forms can be accessed from a single push of a button while hovering over a character's picture icon. So while there are technically 120+ characters to choose from, players should keep in mind that Goku, Super Sayin Goku, SS2 Goku, and SS3 Goku count for four out of those 120+.

The main story mode is every DBZ fanboy's (and fangirl's) dream. Players can advance through every story from Dragonball Z, beginning with the Sayin Saga and ending with Goku's final showdown with Kid Buu. Most of the films and specials see inclusion, though Broly's inclusion is only that of his first film. While it is a riot to play through the Freiza Saga, Android Saga, and Cell Games, the films and some of the lesser story arcs get kicked to the curb and see the same battlefield reused time and time again. A prime example would be Bojack Unbound, wherein players fight a half-dozen matches against Bojack and Zangya on the same battlefield. However, a few of the film story arcs, including Super Android 13 and Cooler's Revenge only include a handful of matches and wrap up quickly enough that it doesn't seem nearly as mind-numbingly repetitious.

Aside from the main story mode, players can compete in tournaments to earn in-game money, advance through a series of battle to level up characters, and engage in duels against the CPU or a second player. The difficulty levels in these modes make a lot more sense in regards to balance than those in the single player mode, though sometimes the hardest difficulty in duel mode can be surprisingly easy. Players can use Z fusion to give their characters health and attack bonuses in the style of an RPG, and can visit the store to buy and sell various upgrades or items.


The art style hides many of the PS2's graphical limitations from the time of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2's release by giving everything a cel-shaded look. Overall this both makes the game look better and maintains a similar feel to the anime. The soundtrack is completely original, and while it doesn't use any pieces from the show's original soundtrack, it's all very fitting to the game just the same. The majority of the voice actors from the Funimation English dub provide the voices of their respective characters in the game, so players can expect the same voice acting - which, in my opinion, is top-notch. However, players are able to switch to the Japanese voice actors if they desire.

Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is easily one of the best Dragonball Z games as well as one of the more solid anime-based games released to date. A huge roster of playable characters, fluid game mechanics, and a variety of game types makes it a solid fighting game. Inclusions like the Z Fusion and level-up system make the game more player-driven and interactive. It isn't a perfect game and DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2's shortcomings stick out like a sore thumb amidst everything the game accomplishes well, but it's incredibly enjoyable and carries much of the anime's charm and excitement.

My rating: 7.75 (out of 10)

Anime review: Dragonball Z - Bojack Unbound

Picking up shortly after the defeat of Cell and Goku’s death, Mr. XS Cash is hosting a fighting tournament as a multi-billion dollar birthday present for his son and convinces Hercule to take part in the final fight. Cash accepts entrants the world over to take part in the first few free-for-all rounds, and invites a few alien warriors to compete in the final matches. Needless to say, the Z fighters make short work of the other entrants, though a few of them are pitted against one another and Yamcha, Tien, and Piccolo do not make it past the semi-finals.

In the Other World, Goku and King Kai are watching the tournament, cheering on the Z fighters. When King Kai becomes aware of Bojack’s presence on Earth, he explains to Goku that he and the other Kais sealed Bojack away ages ago. When Goku transported Cell to King Kai’s planet in order to avoid Earth’s destruction, the seal was broken and Bojack and his henchmen set free.

With Goku dead, the film manages to balance the involvement of the other characters very well. Obvious inclusions, such as Gohan, Krillin, Piccolo, and Trunks gain much of the spotlight, but Tien, Yamcha, Bulma, and Chi-Chi receive larger roles than I would have guessed. Even Oolong and Master Roshi appear to add some humor to the film.


Unlike some of the later Dragonball Z films, Bojack Unbound ties into the overarching story quite well, referencing previous events from the television series. It is easily one of the funniest works in the Dragonball Z series, borrowing some of its comedic style from the earliest episodes of Dragonball Z as well as the original Dragonball. From Krillin’s uneasiness in the tournament to Hercule’s overinflated ego, the film does a great job of not taking itself too seriously during the lighter moments.

The film’s pacing in rather fast, even for a Dragonball Z film. The first twenty minutes or so focus on the tournament and make everything seem as though it’s flowing along perfectly smoothly. Once Bojack’s minions appear, the action really picks up and keeps speeding along until the film’s conclusion. There isn’t much of a wrap-up at the finale, but such is the case with most Dragonball Z films.


The original voice actors of the television series have returned, for both the Japanese and English versions. The few new voice actors, being those portraying Bojack and his minions have a rather minimal number of lines. Bojack and Zangya are voiced well enough, though Kogu, Bido and Bujin could have used some extra attention in the English dub. This doesn’t detract the story much as their involvement is purely for combat purposes. The soundtrack basically follows the same formula as that in the television series or any other Dragonball Z film, so it’s nothing spectacular or overly complex, however fitting to each scene it might be. The animation is pretty much the same as any other work from the franchise - it might not be anything spectacular by today's standards, but for the time of its release, Bojack Unbound looks quite good.

Bojack Unbound is one of the more enjoyable and light-hearted Dragonball Z films released. It ties in very well with the main series, but viewers don’t really have to be familiar with the television series or other films to follow along. The Z fighters are very entertaining, though Bojack doesn’t exactly flesh out much as the lead villain. All in all it’s a fun film that’s a quick watch, but it doesn’t really present anything particularly new to the franchise.

My rating: 7.5 (out of 10)

Anime review: Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn

Dragonball Z has been heralded by many as the greatest action anime series of all time. But often overlooked are the movies that accompany the overarching series, from humble beginnings with Dead Zone to much more ambitious projects such as Cooler’s Revenge and Broly: The Legendary Super Saiyan. While some films are more directly tied to the main series than others, few of the films require much background information for new viewers, making them very accessible and easy to enjoy.

In 1995, with the Majin Buu saga well under way, the film Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn was released and set the stage for a battle that would travel from Earth to the afterlife. As Goku and Pikkon enter the final round of the Other World Tournament, an accident with an evil-purification machine causes one of King Yemma’s underlings to absorb the energy and mutate into a gigantic being of immense power. The creature, known as Janemba, wreaks havoc on the Other World and causes elements of it to collide with Earth. Goku and Pikkon decide to hold off on completing the tournament for the time being and head out to investigate the cause of all the unusual phenomenon.

On Earth, Chi-Chi and Videl are having a chat about Videl’s potential future with Gohan when the barrier between worlds is broken. The dead rise again all around the world and Gohan and Videl decide to fight them off while Goten and Trunks search for the Dragonballs. Hercule even receives a brief moment of spotlight, as he finds it nearly effortless to pick off half-decomposed zombies.


Having experience exclusively with the English dub of any Dragonball works, It’s nice to see that all the English voice actors return to reprise their respective roles. There are a number of characters completely absent, such as Yamcha, Krillin, and Piccolo, but that has to do with the original Japanese script. Even so, it would have been nice to receive some sort of explanation as to where they were during all of these events – Piccolo especially, considering he was supposed to be training Goten and Trunks to perfect their abilities as Saiyans. As for the three main characters, Pikkon is included largely for comic relief - while it would have been interesting to see him go toe-to-toe with Janemba, he wouldn’t have stood much of a chance and - in Dragonball fashion – this is a story about Goku at its core.

Making a much-welcomed return is Vegeta, who regains the use of his body after the events set in motion by Janemba. Full of pride as ever, Vegeta tells Goku that he has plenty of strength to defeat Janemba, only to subsequently have his butt handed to him. The two then must use the fusion technique to form Gogeta and take down the menace of Janemba. And that’s the real selling point of this film – the fusion technique used to form someone other than Gotenks.

Speaking of Gotenks, while Goten and Trunks play a significant role in fighting off zombies on Earth, Gotenks doesn’t show up until about the last ten minutes of the film, as if the creators wanted to include a reminder to viewers as to what was happening with Majin Buu in the main series. Gohan’s major role in the film is summoning the dragon Shenron. Shenron explains that he is unable to intervene in the dead arriving on Earth, as the source of the problem is in the Other World.


A brief appearance by Frieza explores who all has been brought back from the dead, though Gohan swiftly deals with him. The inclusions of Dracula and Hitler (the latter of whom spends a fair portion of the film ordering his troops to fire upon Goten and Trunks) add some cheap laughs to the story and are reminiscent of the storytelling style of the original Dragonball. All in all, the events on Earth provide some prime examples of the consequences of Janemba’s actions, but don’t really advance the plot much. The conclusion of the film is a major letdown, as everything just sort of ends without much time spent on wrapping the story up, though the film in its entirety is a mere fifty minutes long.

The story isn’t as serious as that of Tree of Might or Cooler’s Revenge, but it isn’t as goofy and loosely-tied together as the Majin Buu saga. Fusion Reborn does a good job of balancing elements of the older Dragonball Z style with the newer material. The plot may seem a tad forced and the main villain rather plain, but the pacing is strong and the film doesn’t overstay its welcome.

My rating: 7.25 (out of 10)