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DragonBall Z: "Dead Zone"

Episodes Reviewed: N/A, dubbed edited

Overall Grade: A+

In my own opinion, the best out of the three DBZ movies shown in the U.S.

This is basically the introduction to DBZ, although it doesn't make much sense when you fit it into the DBZ plotlines. Ah, well.

Fighting, shooting ki blasts, martial arts mayhem.

Ch. Development: N/A

I suppose the beginning was pretty dramatic. I never saw the true beginning of this film for reasons unknown.

Lots of fighting, but the last four in the 10-scale are saved for ultra-violent films with gallons of blood.

That part where Gohan gets drunk and starts pissin all over the place was hilarious!

Another good job by the Ocean Group.

The original dialogue, that is.

Censorship: Language, violence

We never get to see the "true" beginning of this movie, featuring Piccolo's defeat at the hands of Garlic Jr.'s henchmen. Also, some dialogue is changed.

Dead Zone, my preferred version of the title, is the movie that introduces us to Gohan, as well as Dragonball Z itself. My guess is that Dragonball follows Goku as a boy at the beginning, then follows him as he grows, until it ends after he marries; and so Dragonball Z is supposed to follow Gohan as a boy at the beginning, etc. etc. But enough of that...

Dead Zone is my favorite of the three americanized DBZ movies because it is less bastardized that "Tree of Might" (yuck) and isn't as predictable as "World's Strongest Man." Gohan is captured, and it's up to Goku to save him. Of course, it's not like Chi Chi gave him up without a fight. And what a short fight it was! At least people get to see that Chi Chi isn't as weak as some american kids new to the show believe her to be. Well, sure it doesn't show her as someone strong either, but... anyway, Goku has to save Gohan, and watch out for Garlic Jr., who has found all 7 Dragonballs and is the first to successfully wish for immortality. Strangely, Garlic seems to feel the need to not show his true strength all the time, which is strange. How does he intimidate anybody? I mean, he could show up at a village and the villagers'll go "Ah! Oh, wait, it's just some thing with fangs." Then Garlic'll transform and then the villagers'll go "Ahh! He should've done that earlier!" It's a waste of time, that's what it is. Damn... rambling.

Well, Goku has to somehow beat an immortal, save Gohan and defeat henchmen who have the ability to kill Piccolo. Of course, that's what they think; Piccolo doesn't go down that easily. Eventually, everything falls into place and makes sense. It's not very dramatic, and so the cool factor goes down a bit. It's an OK movie that can kill time without you feeling like you're only doing this 'cause you're bored.

That's My Story and I'm Sticking to it!