DRAGON BALL Z: ORA NO GOHAN WO KAESE!!

DESCRIPTION

CAST

ANIME ActionDragon Ball Z
SPECIAL ActionDragon Ball Z: Kyokugen Battle!! Sandai Super Saiyajin Special

REVIEWS

• 

  Kuropiko

  50/100
  Dragon Ball Z: Return My Gohan! is a stunning dull film with so little depth that I don't know why I reviewed it

  There isn't really a whole lot you can say about this movie.

  Dragon Ball Z: Return My Gohan! isn't a very interesting film. While colourful and well animated are two of its primary descriptors, it doesn't really do much else for me or for Dragon Ball as a whole. It exists, seemingly, just to keep making more Dragon Ball films, which is fine, they look good and they do a good job at wasting 40 minutes. But, I have to question why these movies continue to be talked about at all.

  There's not much to talk about, in fact, a lot of that discussion I just mentioned could more accurately be described as "discussion". All 13 of these movies, with very few exceptions, have the same discussions. Where could it fit in the timeline, how big is Garlic's power level, why are certain characters around at this point in time or have knowledge of things they shouldn't know? These are the same questions that get tossed around, and you invariably always see the same answers (except the power level thing, we won't talk about that).

  Beyond that, the film is, well, dry. I'm just going to stop procrastinating on this and get right to the point. This film is a blatant retread of the fight with Raditz from the first 5 episodes of Dragon Ball Z, except with some added jobber side enemies. Now, I like the fight with Raditz, but that's because it has interesting reveals, the Piccolo / Goku dynamic shows shades of character progression, you get introduced to Gohan and see how the rest of the cast react, and you get an amazing cliffhanger at the end. None of that is in this movie, and obviously none of that could be in this movie. It can't be anything more than a showcase, so to speak. It shows off the characters as they are at that current point in the anime or manga, which is fine, that's all it was meant to do.

  But, the real question after that is, what is left to say? To be less pretentious and wordy, how am I supposed to write a review on this greater than 2200 characters? Put simply, you'd need to stretch a lot of this out and wax philosophically about nothing, to the point where you don't even know what you're writing. Now, this isn't me bloating the word count of this review, this is my posing a legitimate point as to the lack of depth this film, or rather, "film" (it's 40 minutes) provides. I can't say much else, and I don't see why anime films should be held to the same reviewing standards in terms of length as anime shows. Even a one cour anime will be invariably longer and most likely have more to talk about than the average feature film, most of which run 90 - 120 minutes. Older anime films, in particular adaptation side films like this one, run on the short side. I don't see why they need to be held to the same standard, it feels haphazard.

  This is a running theme throughout most Dragon Ball films. They are very lacking in substance to say the least, and I'm going to be honest, of the first 6 films, this one definitely has the most to talk about, namely because you got fun facts like the different name variations and some smaller things I'll mention in the post script. These films, not to shatter any lofty expecatations, are very much made just to get Japanese kids in a theater during the Spring or Summer holidays, and there's nothing wrong with that, just take this review as a warning that this films, and for the most part every other Dragon Ball film, isn't worth your time. You're not going to get some great filler adventures with the characters, from this point on every film follows a loose outline of brief downtime followed by fighting, fighting, and more fighting. The one saving grace this film has is its colours honestly, while every Dragon Ball film has great animation (except Movie 6), few really have the beautiful colour work this one has. The next three will be in rather drab shades of white or gray, so savour these moments.

  In summary, Dragon Ball Z: Return My Gohan! isn't the best. Sadly, it also isn't the worst Dragon Ball Z has to offer. I dread the next few films. Also, just a side note, no, this film wasn't meant to be watched in 4:3, it shows parts of the image not meant to be seen, it was intended for a 16:9 presentation. I notice a lot of people getting mistaken on that subject, so I'll just write about it here.

  Post-Script:
  It's kind of weird how like, Toei is still committing to the thing they did with the first 3 Dragon Ball films, where they redo an arc or two, usually with all the same characters but a different antagonist (Movie 3 being the exception). What makes this one even weirder is that it's not a recap, it's a genuine prequel, at least for the anime (and yes it is, as the later Garlic Jr. arc in the anime is a sequel to this film). It makes me wonder if they have planned to do more films in the same style as this, but that never really happened outside of Movie 8, which takes place after Cell, and Movie 13, which is post-Buu.

  Another thing about the film, this one and its sequel, The World's Strongest Guy, both have a bit where Masako Nozawa performs a song in character as Gohan, and both are really cute. It's really odd how this never got continued as well, perhaps a lot of Dragon Ball anime original content is just ideas that never got continued (we'll talk about that one in my Dragon Ball Super review).

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• 

  WhatAGoodShow

  80/100
  A prequel to Dragon Ball Z that will play a role in the anime. The perfect mixture of pre-Z and Z.

  Dragon Ball Z movie 1: Death Zone is a movie that can be watched before even starting Dragon Ball Z, but it requires finishing the original show if you want to know who the characters are.

  The story is about the son of the God of Earth's former rival Garlic Jr who wants revenge for his father's defeat and create a world for demons. To do that, he and his henchmen ambush Piccolo who is God's evil counterpart to indirectly eliminate him since the lives of God and Piccolo are connected. Because of circumstances, the main character's son has been kidnapped too.
  It is up to Goku, Krillin and Piccolo to stop Garlic Jr and save Gohan.

  It is a simple story with a rather unique premise for Dragon Ball. This is the only Dragon Ball movie God is involved and one of rare accessions he is involved in combat. Not to mention, we get more insight about his past and Garlic Jr doesn't feel like an antagonist that came out of nowhere like many other Dragon Ball antagonist.

  Visually this movie strikes as unique since in terms of presentation it really feels like a movie and not like an extended episodes. Even the use of colors are unique for Dragon Ball which frequently uses bright colors such as blue and green and fights are in daytime. In this movie, they use more eerie colors like reddish orange for the sky and a more darker color pallett on the fighting stage and antagonists giving a more demonic or scary feel.

  Action and humor are Dragon Ball's bread and butter and Death Zone combines them well since it is the transitioning period between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, it can combine them excellently. Gohan is often used for the comic relief scenes but even in combat we see these when Goku fights Garlic Jr's henchmen which displays great use on weapons too which were useful back then.
  This movie is also the first time two characters who are enemies put their differences aside and work together. That being Goku and Piccolo showing how much of a threat Garlic Jr is that even the strongest characters up to this point have to work together.

  However there is some criticism. While many Dragon Ball Z movies don't fit the main story it doesn't hurt ignoring them or seeing them as what ifs. But if you want to watch Dragon Ball Z with filler and all, you are required to watch this movie since it will play a role in an arc of Dragon Ball Z. Meaning that not being able to explain the inconsistencies between anime series and film can be off putting since the characters meet Gohan in Z the first time but this movie can only work before watching Z in terms of fitting into the main story timeline of the anime adaptation of Dragon Ball.
  The last criticism is how the badguy is defeated because he is at fault mainly and another point might be considered a Deus Ex Machina which did get build up in the movie. But it isn't too bad when you watch or have watched Dragon Ball Z since it happens often and is someone's character trait that will get a payoff at some point.

  Overall this movie is good. Little short and lacks the transformations of the good guys many fans are hoping from Dragon Ball, and the main antagonist might not be that memorable, it still is an experience you will enjoy.

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