Dragon Ball Movies

Dragon Ball - The Movies

Following the success of the Dragon Ball TV Animation, Toei produced 3 short theater movies, (50 mins each approx.) which were shown in Shonen Jump Anime Fairs. From what I understand, Shonen Jump Anime Fair are held twice a year (Spring and Fall), and feature 2 or 3 short movies based on Jump characters. All the Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z Movies were first shown in these fairs.

Other movies based on Toriyama's work were also made for Shonen Jump Anime Fairs : Dr.Slump Movies (I don't know how much) and also Pink, from a short manga story from Toriyama. Any other precisions would be welcomed.

Notice : The DB and DBZ movies are often mistakingly called OAV. This term is wrong as they were shown in theater, so they are not "Original Animation Videos". On the other hand, all the movies are later issued on video tape and laserdisc, so they could be mistaken for animation released only on video.

Olong, Puar, Lunch, Kamessenin, Songoku, Krilin, Yamcha, Bulma, Ten Shin Han and Chaoz!

The format of the DB movies is different than the one of the DBZ movies. Each one is very different. The first movie is a retelling of the first storyline of Dragon Ball (Manga books 1-2, Anime episodes 1-13) with some changes to the plot and new characters. The second movie begins with the story of Goku's training (Manga book 3, Anime episodes 14-18) but developp in a totally new story. The third movie is the craziest of the three, taking almost all of the mid-period DB characters from the Red-Ribbon era to the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai (Manga 5 to 12, Anime episodes 29-115 approx) and placing them in totally different roles (for example, Chaozu is an emperor), but recreating most of the important scenes of this period, such as the battle against Tao Pai Pai.

For further plot details of the movies, I recommend reading the excellent summaries of Curtis Hoffmann. Personaly, I think all the DB movies are quite good and very funny to watch. The quality of the animation is very close to the TV serie, but of course better since it's a movie. All the 3 movies are fast-paced and can provide a great introduction to the series, especially the first one. The second movie is particularly funny, and is my favorite of the 3. The 3rd one is perhaps too confusing for new fans because of the constant arrival of new characters, but very enjoyable for heardcore fans for it's excellent realisation.

The 6th DB Coffee-Table book deal with Movies and TV Special, and the 3 DB movies are fully featured there. There is also a preview for the movie that described below

In early 1996, after the end of the DB Manga and the DBZ Anime, instead of doing a movie based on the new TV Animation Dragon Ball GT, Toei produced a new movie based on the original Dragon Ball series! So there is now a fourth DB movie. From what I read, the plot is based on the first 8 manga books, namely : from the beggining to the defeat of the Red Ribbon army by Gokuu. As this movie is done in 1996, the style of the drawing reflect the evolution of Toriyama : the early DB character are now drawn as late DBZ character : exit the round from, enter the thin line and saiya-jin hair!

Perhaps there is a plan to re-do the entire storyline that way? (It's just an assumption, but it could be GREAT!) I have yet to see this movie, but the quality of images I saw was brillant and FAR superior to those of the first 3 movies. On the other hand, the new character designs is much different from the manga - some don't look so well.

There is an ad for this movie at the end of the DBGT early episodes... And it looks terrific! What I said about it is not true : it looks like it will be the very best DB movie ever : the story of the 8 first books with 90's animation and computer enhanced images. Something to look for!

In their early attemp to bring Dragon ball in the USA, Harmony Gold translated the first and the third DB movies, putted them together and called the whole thing a "Dragon Ball special feature". The reason why the first and third movies were putted together is probably only to make it 1h30 long, but because of that it doesn't make sense... when it shift from movie 1 to 3, a lot of characters appear without explaination, almost all of them with changed names. Good dubbing, but very bad writing, everything is changed without any reason and heavily censored.

FUNimation translation.
What is known as the "Dragon Ball Season Opening Special" or "Dragon Ball Pilot Movies", is in fact the first Dragon Ball Movie. It was titled "Curse of the Blood Rubies" and slightly edited to fit a one hour time slot, as a season opening special for the recent showing of Dragon Ball on American TV. I have read reports that in some areas, the movie was cut in 2 episodes shown separetaly before the beggining of the serie, leading to much confusion. "Curse of the blood rubies" will be isued as video in the USA this fall, released by Vidmark. Check the page of Vidmark for further information and a quicktime movie.

Dragon Ball Movies Info