Watches
June 19, 2023
Slightly better than the first Dragon Ball Z film, but not by a lot. I can't quite get a feel for the mood they're gunning for here. On the one hand, there's still a lot of goofiness, on the other, it's a lot more serious than its non-Z predecessor. I'm okay with the silly bits, but not so much with the parts that are supposed to be flashy and cool, which present the majority of the film.
The plot is as simple as can be. Two genius scientists gather the 7 Dragon Balls and wish to face the strongest man on Earth. One of the scientists wants to put his brain inside this vessel to become the most feared person on the planet. Roshi and Son Goku turn out to be the chosen ones, and they'll have to fight some pretty tough opponents to keep the Earth a safe place to live.
The first half of the film is spent on the setup, after that it's mostly just big fights without any clear sense or narrative. As there is no doubt who will come out as the winner, it's just not very tense or exciting. The animation is basic, the art style rather crude. It's a bit of a mystery to me why this series became so popular, but if it keeps the lighter mood then I might just get through it.