DBZ TV Special #1 - Bardock
My Rating:
6.5 of 7 - Riviting plot, underlies Furiza saga. Released in: Japan, America (Bardock, Father of Goku)
Japanese Release Date: 10/17/1990
Producer: Toei
Synopsis: The Bardock Special opens with a shot of Planet Vegita and one simple statement made by the narrator. "On the Planet Vegita, a baby has been born..." From that, the scene switches to the planet Kanassa, where some Oozaru Saiya-jin are wreaking havoc on the native fishmen. The morning after, we learn through conversation that one of them, Bardock by name, is the father of a new baby boy named Kakarotto. He goes on to explain that a mineral on the planet creates a pyschic ability in the Kanassa-jin. Bardock makes a few disparaging comments about his son's low potential when he is attacked by the last surviving member of Kanassa. The attack is extremely short-lived, as the alien simply taps bardock on the back of the head before getting blasted. Before he dies, the alien makes a prophecy that Bardock will see the death of his people, and the death of himself. After Bardock completely destroys the alien, he passes out. Meanwhile, in Furiza's spaceship, Furiza overhears Zarbon and Dodoria making some comments on the problem of the Saiya-jin power, and quietly comes to a decision about them. He sends Prince Vegita off to clear a small planet, and begins making preparations. Back on Planet Vegita, Bardock's team goes ahead to the next target: Planet Meat (Bardock himself is recovering in the regeneration tank). Bardock wakes up shortly afterward, knocked somewhat off-balance by a dream of everyone dying, and takes a quick check on his son's power level before rushing off to join his fellow teammates. On Meat, Bardock finds nearly all of his group dead, except for Toma, who is mortally wounded. Toma explains that it was all Furiza's doing, and to escape before Bardock is also murdered. Bardock cleans the blood off all of their faces with a rag, which he wears it as a bandanna before facing Dodoria's four henchmen (who had killed his friends). The henchmen go down easily, but he is smacked around like a doll by Dodoria, who leaves him for dead. Bardock recovers, and has another prophetic vision similar to the ones that he had been experiencing earlier as he travels back to Planet Vegita to warn the other Saiya-jin. Shortly after landing, he makes the connection of what is going to happen. Bardock attempts to warn the other members of his race, but they all laugh him off. He decides to take matters into his own hands, and attacks Furiza's ship directly. After Bardock mows down a couple hundred footsoldiers, Furiza himself hovers out of his ship. Bardock uses his full might on Furiza, but his opponent is just too powerful. With the death ball that also destroys Planet Vegita, Bardock is killed. Just before he dies, Bardock has one final vision of the future: That his son would be the one to destroy Furiza. Meanwhile, a lone Saiya-jin space pod lands on a small, insignificant blueish planet in the Sol system, and its one passenger is discovered by an old man named Gohan.
My Thoughts: The Bardock special is easily the best part of DB/Z/GT, movie or series. It reaches a level of emotional drama and intensity that actually borders on mainstream anime. The music all came from the original series- except for a techno piece of BGM that served as Bardock's theme. The music that was chosen, however, was some of the best from the series, and really, truly fit the mood of the special in all but about one or two minor parts. My only complaints about it are that the animation was basically the same as it was in the series, and that it was too darn short. 40 minutes wasn't enough to really portray the storyline of how Dragonball began. The ending alone is enough to make most people cry; especially the end credits.
DBZ TV Special #2 - Trunks
My Rating:
6.5 of 7 - Gives us a look into Trunks' past (or is it future?).
Released in: Japan, America (History of Trunks)
Japanese Release Date: 2/24/1993
Producer: Toei
Synopsis: The Trunks Special opens with a scene that was barely averted in the regular DB timeline: Goku dying of the heart disease that he picked up on Planet Yardrat. The scene switches forward thirteen years later, after Android #17 and #18 have effectively wiped out all of the Z Soldiers, as well as the majority of Earth's Population. You are treated to a scene of them destroying the city of Pepper Town, and Trunks, now 13, deciding to do something to save the people there. He arrives too late, and nearly gets killed, but is rescued by Mirai (adult) Gohan. Trunks then persuades Gohan to train him to fight back against the androids, and the two train for five years. All the while, Trunks is steadily trying to reach Super Saiya-jin during training, but fails every time (Although he does come close once or twice). Meanwhile, the androids attack a local amusement park (The last one in existence), and Gohan and Trunks try to fight them. Both are defeated rather quickly, and Gohan loses his arm. The two just barely recover before the androids attack yet another city. Gohan decides to face them alone, but Trunks insists on coming along. Gohan tricks him and knocks Trunks unconscious to keep him from dying, and Gohan faces the androids for what he knew would be the last time. Shortly afterward, Trunks wakes up and follows where Gohan went--only to find him dead. In a heart-wrenching scene, Trunks develops the rage necessary to finally reach Super Saiya-jin. The scene switches forward another three years, to when Trunks attempts to fight the androids by himself. He fails again, but survives the battle, and then realizes what he has to do. Using the time machine built by his mother, Trunks travels twenty years in the past to avert their doomed future.
My Thoughts: The Trunks Special is an incredible DBZ special that not only explains some of the backstory in the series, but also crosses over into mainstream anime character and plot depth in some places. It consists mainly of "plot," and less of action, though, so some young DBZ fans will be turned off by it. However, most people should not find the presence of an actual storyline in something DBZ-related to be a letdown, and will see it for what it truly is: an outstanding film. The music is basically good throughout. Like so many other DB-related movies/specials, the only flaw is its brevity.
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