Dragon Ball Z: The Freeza Saga Review By Rashad Moore
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	Audience:	PG
	Genre:	Action/Fighting
	Contains:	psychic fighting, animated violence, blood
	Rating:	D

Being an avid fan, I could think of a few good reasons why my faith in Dragon Ball Z was nearly shaken....1.)The awful new music and dubbing. 2.)The slow, cumbersome writing, that marred what could've been a more spectacular battle. We patiently waited for the new episodes of the 365 episode fight fest that is Dragon Ball Z, and we got what we asked for, while I couldn't be happier, watching the rest of the Freeza Saga made me wonder, Is this what it is going to be like from now on?

When we last left Gokuu, he just arrived on the Planet Namek, but at the same time, Vegeta, Gohan, and Krillin were incurring the wrath of the Ginyu Force. Gokuu easily dispaches Racoome and easily frightens Jeese and Burter with his superior power. But while this battle is won, the war is far from over the much more powerful Captain Ginyu has the ability to swtich bodies, and not to mention Freeza himself, who proves to Gokuu and his friends that he is the most powerful and dangerous foe in the galaxy. Will Gokuu suceed? And will the legend of the "Super Sayajin" ever come true?

First, let me give credit where credit is due, we definitely must thank Funimation for grabbing the rest of the Freeza Saga, and dubbing so many episodes for us in such a short time. While I really miss the original American voice actors(Which matched each character perfectly.) and the awesome music from Kussa Mahehi and Shuki Levy(as hard as it is to believe.) Bruce Falconer's new score just isn't up to snuff, and ends up sounding like an early 80's cartooon. While it isn't all that bad, it makes me wish they

had just stayed with the original Japanese music instead. Now here is where the gripping begins, while the conclusion of the battle with the Ginyu Force ends with very good intentions, I can't help but think that the battle with Freeza(who is the most deadliest foe in the galaxy.) could've been more intense and thrilling, as was the memorable battle between Gokuu and Vegeta at the end of the Sayajin Saga. Instead the viewer is annoyingly teased by the slow writing and bad animation. The Freeza Saga ends with a bang, but the the animation quality drops, and the fights become so slow and drawn out over on so many episodes and the numorous, annoying and pointless cliffhangers, that we hardly give a flip about what happens to the characters. The spectacular choreography of the earlier battles are gone, and the need for poetic justice on Freeza, turns the show into one long road trip with the viewer constantly wanting to yell, "Are we there yet?!" It is worth it to see Gokuu go "Super Sayajin" for the first time, but even afterwards, the results are dragged down by the drawn out writing.

Overall, I consider the Freeza Saga the low-point of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, lacking both action and fighting. Surely there are more new episodes to come, with the "Dead Zone's" Garlic Jr. and then the Android Saga and the arrival of Trunks, we can only hope the show gets better in the future.

Available on Cartoon Network. Image shown is not created by atek studios. Review by Rashad Moore. Dec 99.