Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest – They Almost Had Me

One of the more grounded movies in the Dragon Ball Z mythos

Coming off the heels of Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone is the second movie in the non-canon DBZ movie series, Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest. This is one that I can admit I hadn’t seen and knew very little about. I was familiar with the character of Dr. Wheelo, but I don’t have many memories, if any at all, of watching this movie when I was younger. However, I wish I would have because this is a fantastic movie. Let’s get into it.

Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest follows the evil scientist, Dr. Wheelo, and his assistant, Dr. Kochin, as they attempt world domination. To achieve that, they plan to swap Dr. Wheelo’s mind with the strongest fighter in the world so he can have the ultimate body – strong in mind and body. After they kidnap Master Roshi, thinking he’d still be the world’s strongest fighter after 50 years, they collide directly with Goku, who shows them exactly who the world’s strongest is.

You can always count on Krillin to make a creative entrance then proceed to get knocked out

The usual cast shows up this time around—Goku, Chi-Chi, Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, Bulma, Master Roshi, and Oolong. The only character who seemed like they had no purpose for being there, as they literally contributed nothing to the story, in my opinion, is Chi-Chi. It was her usual spiel about Gohan needing to study and grow to be a great scholar. However, other than Chi-Chi, every character has some moment that ties into the story and helps it progress.

Going from Dead Zone to The World’s Strongest, it’s great to see how the movie quality doesn’t go down. Both movies have had the events flow together seamlessly, and the tone is definitely “early 90s DBZ.” Both movies are stellar in their rights, but you’d be surprised by how similar they are. Of course, the events aren’t a one-to-one match, but it all marches to the same beat.

Goku and Piccolo team up to take down the villain…again

I’ll give you an example at the very beginning of the movie. Dead Zone starts with Piccolo training and getting taken out by Garlic’s henchmen. The World’s Strongest begins with Piccolo training himself, and he gets taken out by Dr. Wheelo’s henchmen after saving Gohan and Oolong. As stated earlier, the events don’t exactly mirror each other, but they are similar enough. And that’s not the only instance either. Goku has a moment after he makes it to Dr. Wheelo’s base, where he takes on Dr. Wheelo’s Bio-Warriors, three powerful villains. Goku struggles briefly but becomes highly disrespectful and takes them out without another thought.

About 65% of the movie went in the same direction as Dead Zone. The villain successfully got their wish granted. One of Goku’s loved ones was kidnapped by the villain. Goku goes to rescue them and is joined by Krillin. Piccolo shows up, and Goku and Piccolo fight. Gohan becomes extremely angry due to the pain that Dr. Wheelo is causing Goku and Piccolo and lets out a tremendous roar with some powerful shockwaves that go straight toward Dr. Wheelo and Dr. Kochin.

To “survive” Dr. Wheelo’s brain is encased in a metal shell

That’s where I became exasperated because it felt like they were going to repeat Dead Zone with Gohan taking out the big bad and saving the day. Thankfully, they didn’t go that route. An epic final battle ensues, and Goku comes through with a Spirit Bomb. Keep in mind, this is the Saiyan Saga Spirit Bomb, so it’s not some big grandiose thing like the Spirit Bomb against Kid Buu or, admittedly, Omega Shenron.

The World’s Strongest is meant to be set shortly after the Saiyan Saga. Multiple things point to this being true. Gohan is a bit more brave. Piccolo is no longer evil. Goku uses Kaioken more than once. Goku uses the Spirit Bomb. It makes you wonder how they had time to do this before going to Namek because Goku was in the hospital for a good minute, and it was a very short while before he went to Namek.

Early DBZ wasn’t a party without these 3

I enjoyed the fights that were shown. Master Roshi held his own against the Bio-Warriors for a good minute, Piccolo gave Goku a good challenge in their battle, and Goku destroyed all his fights. It’s just amazing seeing Goku progress as he does. In every movie, he gets better and better.

There weren’t really any complaints I had besides feeling too similar to Dead Zone. It was a great Dragon Ball Z movie, and after only dealing with Dr. Wheelo in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3, it was nice to understand the story. Next up is Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might. Let’s see if the movies can sustain this momentum.

Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest

Story
Action
Pacing

Summary

Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest is a solid follow-up to Dead Zone. While both movies seem similar for the most part, The World’s Strongest pulls a gotcha moment toward the end that sets things up for an epic final battle. Packed with an engaging storyline, thrilling action, and steady pacing from start to finish, Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest easily ranks among the top-tier Dragon Ball films.

4

Dragon Ball, Reviews

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Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone – It Was Almost Perfect

It’s a shame this isn’t canon. It’s a phenomenal start to Dragon Ball Z.

Dragon Ball Z had a multitude of movies that came out in the late 90s/early 2000s. None of these were considered canon, but many fans love them. You better believe I’m one of those fans. While I admit that there are a lot of issues with many of them, I’m a Dragon Ball fanatic and thoroughly entertained regardless. Last week, I shared my thoughts on Dragon Ball: The Path to Power, and this week, I have the pleasure of reviewing one of, in my opinion, the best Dragon Ball Z movies, Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone.

Although Dead Zone and the other DBZ movies aren’t considered canon, they’re meant to be viewed along the same timeline. Dead Zone is the very first Dragon Ball Z movie that was released. It’s also the only movie that is set after the end of Dragon Ball but before the end of Dragon Ball Z. I bring this up because it’s a Dragon Ball Z movie, but it does have a good amount of spirit that Dragon Ball had towards the end of its run. It was a nice balance that worked in the movie’s favor. The transition from Dragon Ball to Dragon Ball Z was smoother in this movie than between the two shows.

Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone has a really simple story. An alien named Garlic Jr. wants to wish for immortality in a plan for revenge, so he kidnaps Gohan to use the Dragon Ball on his hat. It’s up to Goku to save Gohan from Garlic Jr. and his henchmen. As I stated in my Path to Power review, Dragon Ball has always benefitted from having straightforward stories like this one, and it makes for an exciting story.

It’s not a DBZ movie without a Kamehameha

Another thing that works in Dead Zone’s favor with this being set before Dragon Ball Z is that the story isn’t a flashy movie with outlandish battles. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy them. However, I never mind a grounded DBZ story, as it gives certain characters a chance to shine. Goku, Piccolo, Kami, and Gohan each have an opportunity to do some fantastic work. Goku goes to town on Garlic Jr’s three henchmen, Ginger, Nicky, and Sansho – at the same time, might I add. At the beginning of the movie, Piccolo gets jumped but returns to the fray and gets a good lick back.  The Guardian of the Earth, Kami, is also shown to have some fight left in him as he tries to stand against Garlic Jr., even going as far as to try and kill himself to defeat Garlic Jr.

As for Gohan’s shining moment, know Goku isn’t the one to save the day. As for how it’s done, watch the movie and see what happens. This movie accomplishes something that I thought wasn’t possible. It made me like Kid Gohan. In Dragon Ball Z and even some other films, Kid Gohan is as annoying as can be. And don’t even get me started on how he is in the video games. But in Dead Zone, Gohan is legitimately a kid who’s been kidnapped. The movie does a great job of showing how similar Gohan is to Goku and hinting at Gohan’s potential inside him.

Beast Gohan has been there since the beginning

Krillin also shows up in the movie and saves Goku from an attack, but other than that, he doesn’t get much action. He’s essentially there to be Gohan’s babysitter. It’s understandable; I just would rather have seen Krillin get a good moment in battle, too. Bulma and Master Roshi briefly appear along with Ox King and Chi-Chi at the beginning. While they may show up on the screen briefly, they help move the story along. With their presence, it helps with the pacing of the movie. It’s not too fast, and it doesn’t drag. With how enjoyable the story is, it’s hard to believe how quickly the movie passes by. That’s not saying much, though; the movie is only 41 minutes long.

The one character I had an issue with in the movie is Garlic Jr. Think of a bootleg Emperor Pilaf from O.G. Dragon Ball or Dragon Ball Super, or even the trash beginning of Dragon Ball GT. Yes, Garlic Jr. resembles Emperor Pilaf and even shares the same voice actor with him. However, that’s where the similarities stop. Garlic Jr. is actually evil. He wants revenge for having his father trapped in a Dead Zone and will do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. He can even transform into a hulking version of himself. But for how determined and powerful he is, Garlic Jr. is an idiot.

I guarantee that head is filled with nothing but hot air

The one part of the story that bothered me was evident toward the movie’s beginning. As stated earlier, Piccolo was jumped at the start of the film by Ginger, Nicky, and Sansho, and they believe that they’ve killed him. Even Garlic Jr. believes it, delighting that Kami is dead as well. However, Kami is shown to be alive in the very next scene. With Garlic Jr. knowing that if Piccolo dies, Kami will die as well, it’s hard to believe that he doesn’t know that if Kami dies, the Dragon Balls will cease to function, which means that his wish for immortality would be unable to be granted. It’s a huge plot hole that I didn’t discover until I watched Dead Zone again.

Seeing Piccolo and Goku team up was great in this movie, and we almost got the rematch between Goku and Piccolo if it weren’t for Garlic Jr. having immortality. However, that presents another issue I found within the story. Goku and Piccolo began fighting as they believed that they defeated Garlic Jr. However, Garlic Jr. rises as they start fighting and yells that he can’t be killed, then opens a portal to his own Dead Zone, which begins sucking up the entire planet. It’s shown that Goku and Piccolo are still fighting when this is happening, and I’m sorry, but it’s ridiculous that they didn’t hear any of that.

Who doesn’t love a good Goku and Piccolo team up?

Aside from these small details, I really did enjoy this movie. The action was great. The fight scenes were animated wonderfully. The story was enjoyable, and the pacing was just right. For the first Dragon Ball Z movie, it’s a really good one. And I’d argue that this should have been the definitive introduction to Dragon Ball Z, but I’m fine with it not being content. I’m definitely going to check out the filler Garlic Jr. Saga in Dragon Ball Z in the coming days. Two excellent movies down, 18 more to go. Next up, Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest!

Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone

Story
Action
Pacing

Summary

Being the first Dragon Ball Z movie, Dead Zone does a great job of ushering in a new generation of Dragon Ball. While not canon, Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone can easily be considered the de facto introduction to Dragon Ball Z, combining a strong story, great action, and solid pacing to entertain viewers of all ages.

4.5

Dragon Ball, Reviews

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Dragon Ball: The Path to Power – A Creative Reimagining

Get reintroduced to the world of Dragon Ball.

Growing up, Dragon Ball Z was one of, if not THE most popular anime on TV. Nerds and jocks were able to co-exist peacefully when it came to Dragon Ball Z. And honestly, you’d think that’s where it all started. Dragon Ball, the original show, wasn’t as big in America as overseas. DBZ, on the other hand, was all the rage due to the intense action and fight scenes. But don’t sleep on Dragon Ball. It’s an amazing show that does a great job of telling the origins of Goku and how he came to be the man we know him to be in Dragon Ball Z.

Dragon Ball: The Path to Power is a movie that gives fans a better understanding of the origins of Dragon Ball. It combines elements from two important sagas in Dragon Ball. The very first saga, the Emperor Pilaf saga, and the third saga, the Red Ribbon Army saga. I say these two sagas are important because they do a great job of not only introducing the audience to the world of Dragon Ball but also showing just how special Goku is in that world. But those are topics for another time.

The movie does a great job of mirroring the humor from the original show.

There are some major differences between the OG Dragon Ball show and this movie, The Path to Power. Goku and Bulma meet exactly as they do in the show. Bulma hits Goku with her car, Goku throws the car accusing it of being a monster, then Bulma shoots Goku which has no effect due to his unknown Saiyan heritage. However, that’s one of the very few similarities to the actual show. Instead of Emperor Pilaf being the villain, as he is in the very first saga, he’s not featured or mentioned in the movie. The Red Ribbon Army takes center stage for the villain role in this movie, but it works. Emperor Pilaf is a bit too cartoony, and you can tell the movie is trying to be more on the serious side for the most part.

If you’ve seen the original show, you should know the storyline. Goku and friends are on a quest to find the Dragon Balls, and so is the Red Ribbon Army. Goku and their friends want to wish for silly things to benefit their lives, such as a perfect boyfriend or the ability to speak to girls without fear, whereas the Red Ribbon Army wants to wish for world domination. This naturally sets them on a course to cross paths and come to blows. That’s it. That’s the story. It’s a simple one, and that’s why Dragon Ball has been so popular over the years. The straightforward approach of “I want to be the strongest” has always resonated most with the audience, and it’s still evident even in this movie. It’s not the exact case, as this is more a story of adventure and good versus evil, but it’s the same Goku we’ve come to know and love.

While some characters are missing from the movie, Krillin and Arale, it doesn’t take away from the movie. As stated before, Goku meeting Bulma is the same as the show. Most other introductions are relatively the same, with the only real difference being how Goku and Bulma meet Oolong. And it’s a miniscule difference. Instead of Oolong terrorizing a village and tricking them into giving him the girls of the village with his shapeshifting powers, he’s alone in a forest. He blocks Bulma and Goku from going any further, disguised as a giant robot. The same concept exists; he tries to use his shapeshifting to take Bulma, but we all know Goku is fearless, and Oolong’s ruse is up.

The voyage to find the Dragon Balls seemed easier in this movie.

Yamcha, Puar, and Master Roshi also show up in pretty much the same way as the show. Yamcha and Goku were originally rivals, and it’s crazy to see how strong Yamcha was back then. When he and Goku fight, he sends Goku flying a good distance. It’s funny that he’s become the laughingstock of the series when he was so beast back in the day. Puar is still always at Yamcha’s side, and they reference Oolong and Puar’s time in shapeshifting school, but Oolong is the only one to shapeshift in the movie.

Probably the biggest change to the established mythos is the character of Android 8. Goku met Android 8 in Dragon Ball during the Red Ribbon Army saga. In the show, Android 8 is a kind individual who hates violence. In fact, the only violence ever seen from Android 8, dubbed Eighter by Goku, is when one of the Red Ribbon Army generals, General White, shoots Goku. Android 8 is so upset by the thought of his friend being hurt that he punches General White out of a tower. Android 8 in The Path to Power is a bit different, being a mindless drone and attacking Goku from the start until he recovers his emotions. But even in the end, he comes to Goku’s rescue and helps Goku fight Staff Officer Black during the final battle.

Usually, I prefer more action than was shown during The Path to Power, but it was an entertaining movie the entire way through. Whenever there was action, it was done magnificently. Master Roshi’s Kamehameha was still epic. Instead of being used to put out a fire on a mountain, Master Roshi destroyed part of the Red Ribbon Army’s fleet with it. Mirroring the show, Goku mastered the move almost immediately, but the movie takes it to a whole new level. Goku’s first Kamehameha is a massive beam that takes out the rest of the armada.

OG Kid Goku wishes he was this proficient with the Kamehameha wave.

The movie also leans into Goku’s unlimited potential as a child. The feats that Goku achieves are insane and it seems like this movie highlighted Goku’s strange strength more than anything, especially during the final battle. Dragon Ball Z was when things became a screaming fest for powering up, but that’s exactly what happened in the climax of the Dragon Ball: The Path to Power. When Goku thought he had lost Android 8, he screamed and unleashed the mightiest Kamehameha – one that Kid Goku had never even come close to in the original show.

As many changes were made between the movie and the show, this is still a Dragon Ball film. It did an awesome job of introducing this world to a new generation, and it’s definitely a movie that I recommend checking out if you’re into Dragon Ball. The pacing could stand to slow down just a bit, but the show suffers from the same fate when it comes to how fast events happen. I’ll always prefer the OG Dragon Ball sagas, but I wouldn’t be opposed to watching The Path to Power again. Now I need a video game adaptation of Dragon Ball in the same vein as Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.

Dragon Ball: The Path to Power

Sagas Retold
Action
Pacing

A Creative Reimagining

While taking creative liberties, Dragon Ball: The Path to Power does a wonderful job of retelling two pivotal sagas from the original Dragon Ball show. Things move a bit fast, and there could stand to be a bit more action, but it’s a solid Dragon Ball movie and does a great job of retelling the origin story of Goku and his friends.

4

Dragon Ball, Reviews

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