Thankfully, someone at Pioneer had the sense to release an uncut subtitled version of Dragonball Z. Dragonball Z: The Movie is a fast paced and violent martial arts adventure that will likely please many anime fans. The Dragonball films often have little in common with the TV series, and Dragonball Z:The Movie also stands outside the TV series in terms of continuity. However, unlike some of the other films in the series, this title doesn't come across as a watered down retelling of a previous plot line.
One flaw of film spinoffs of anime series is that the directors and writers assume that the audience is already familiar with the characters. In Dragonball Z: The Movie this doesn't matter as much because the emphasis is on amazing action sequences. Most of the minor comical characters of the series (such as Oolong) are ignored, and the action revolves around the core group of Goku, Piccolo, Kami, and Gohan. The film's new villain is Garlic Jr, a demonic Namek whose character design recalls the TV series' Emperor Pilaf. Garlic Jr uses his henchmen to seek revenge on Kami, to gather the dragon balls, and to kidnap Gohan, Goku's son.
This isn't the kind of film that one watches for psychological depth. Unlike other action oriented anime, the plot is streamlined and easy to follow, and the ending leaves one with a feeling of closure. It definitely isn't suitable for children under ten or so to watch without their parents. I can't say why without giving away some key plot twists, but the film's violence (unlike the TV series dub) never ends with the phrase "blasted into another dimension" when a character is killed. There are also some prime examples of Toriyama's humor which parents may not share.
The only criticism I have of the film is its price. Yes, subtitled films draw a smaller audience and according to the laws of supply and demand, this requires a higher price. But the film is usually on sale for 24 American dollars or more, an obscenely high price for something under an hour long. Pioneer could have released *two* Dragonball movies on one tape for that price, which would have made it a far better value.
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