10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
3 retellings, 3 Hours Wasted Well, January 7, 2006
This review is from: Dragon Ball Movie Box Set (2, 3, 4) (DVD)
This box includes mvoies 2, 3, 4. Why not 1? Because Kidmark sold the rights to Dragonball and lost all records of their license. Anyway all of these movies are retellings of different sagas.
So anyway,
Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle
STORY: B-
The story is plain terrible, Son Goku and Kuririn are instructed by the perverted Muten Roshi to save a sleeping princess from the Devil's Hand. As Son and Kuririn fight each other until they both realize the only way to survive is to fight together. After Son Goku shows Kuririn mercy and compassion by saving his life, he agrees. Then Bulma and the gang get into the adventure as soon as they ask Muten Roshi were Goku is. Bulma gets kidnapped by Lucifer. Lunch also joins the battle as she tries to get the sleeping princess. When Son Goku finally finds Bulma and the gang is reunited, they realize what they may be looking for, may end up killing them. Yeah, then you're classic Shonen anime ending.
Art: A (for 1989 the art is pretty clean)
I'm sure some might be saying that the art for this movie sucks, but think, this movie is from the late 80s. Compared to most anime and cartoons of this time, this art is beautiful. Although to the eye of a modern fan, this art is grainy and really icky.
Dubbing: C+
The story is intact, the puns and jokes that were changed were based on 80s and Japanese culture so that was necessary, the voices are so-so. The incredibly catchy first 13 episode theme song for the English version was used, but that kind of bugs me, they kept everything except the theme song. Lucifer's voice isn't as Dracula like as I thought FUNImation would make it. That's good. Bulma sounds a lot like a snob, Son Goku sounds pretty childish and not that confident at all, everyone else is prety good. Muten Roshi's voice actor doesn't sound that strong as it is in the next movie.
Subbing: A-
The subs for the Japanese version are excellent. Yamucha, Kuririn, Lunch, Old Man Roshi, ect. were used for names except for one name. For some reason, Steven J. Simmons always translates Son-kun to Goku, and Son Goku to Goku, completly ignoring Goku's last name.
Overall: B, Son Goku and Kuririn's original adventure to become Roshi's students was hardly any better than this one anyway.
Dragon Ball: Mystic Adventure
This is combining Tournament, Lietenuant Blue, Tienshinhan, Red Ribbon Army sagas.
Story: A
Son Goku and Kuririn have finally completed their training and get to fight in the championships hosted by Emperor Chaozu. Around the same time, Pilaf has finally completed his Dragon Radar. Shen and Tao steal the device and hide away Chaozu's wife so Chaozu thinks that he can bring his wife back by gathering the Dragon Balls. Chaozu has no idea what he is putting himself into. All of Chaozu's men plan on using the Dragon balls to take his kingdom over. Bulma, Yamucha, Puar, and Oolong are also searching for the Dragon Balls and wind up at the Championships to get the Dragon Balls from Chaozu. Upa and Bora also join the tournament because it was the only to avoid death. Son Goku, Kuririn, and Muten Roshi try to help Bora win the tournament so Chaozu can learn the truth about what his soldiers are doing. As soon as Tao gets into the tournament, Bora is knocked into a statue and is dead. Son Goku became so mad that he charged Tao just to have all of his attacks be blocked, including the Kamehameha. Tao knocks Goku using the Dodonpa. As he searches Bora for the Dragon Ball, he realizes Goku had it and tracks him down. Clearly outmatched, Son Goku is assisted suddenly by the robot girl Arale and he 'father' Senbei. By combining their strange powers, they defeat Tao. Son Goku flies back to the Tournament just in time to watch Upa being strangled to death. Son Goku kicks the giant robot in the gut. Shen is now cornered by Tien and Chaozu, but Chaozu has lost all hope of living and Tien is confused should he keep loyalty to his master, or his king and best friend? Tienshinnhan uses his new attack against Shen and the gang has all the Dragon Balls, Upa and Goku smile.
Art: A
*same reasons as above*
Dubbing: B-
The voice actors finally have a hang of things, and Bulma has a new voice actor. But, a lot of dialouge has been changed. The story remains intact anyhow.
Subbing: A
Steven J. Simmons is perfect, he uses Son Goku and Son-kun now. The incredibly strange repeated words, well to English speakers anyhow, are ignored. Otherwise the subs are perfect.
Overall: A=
Dragon Ball: The Path to Power (The Road to Ultimate Strength)
This movie takes The Saga of Goku/Emperor Pilaf, Red Ribbon, and General Red seasons and puts them into one 82 minute movie. This movie was made in 1996 in Japan to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Dragon Ball. In America, it has no such connection.
Story: A+
Emperor Pilaf always was a dull enemy compared to the Red Ribbon Army. Son Goku is an orphan with incredible strength, ect. we know the story, which is why this deserves an A+.
Art: A
The art is as good as art gets. The animation is solid, the characters are shaded, and all of that other stuff that Toei usually misses weren't present. This would've been perfect if Son Goku wasn't constantly changing his outfit between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball GT every other frame! It seems that for most of the action sceens and sceens before fights break out, Goku is in his Dragon Ball GT outfit. This outfit was used for this movie as a type of advertisment for the piece of crap Toei was to release one year later.
Dubbing: A
The dubbing is excellent. The original audio track was used, including the excellent song My Heart is Charmed Everytime I See that Glowing Smile (translated, it is so much shorter in Japanese). Most of the lines are the same, but for some reason, FUNImation doesn't use the more kid friendly lines for many Bulma sceens in this movie, guess it was because they seemed so 90s. Unigame lines were changed to tortise jokes, Son Goku doesn't know his grandfather is dead. That's pretty much it.
Subbing: A+
Ha-chan, Son-kun, Yamucha, Pue-ru, Nyoibu, Kinto Un, ect. and other names/namepuns were used in the subtitles. Most repeated words were repeated, it's all there. It seems that the 10th anniversary of a phenomenon is what makes people work their hardest.
Overall: A
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dragon Ball Anima Rocks!!!, November 18, 2008
This review is from: Dragon Ball Movie Box Set (2, 3, 4) (DVD)
I started watching Dragon Ball Anima on TV when it was original released in the US and fell in love with it!
Dragon Ball is the story of a young boy named Goku. He's a care-free kid, who just happens to have a tail! He also posses super-human strength and has an unbelievable fighting ability.
There's also seven Dragon Balls and once all are collected, they can summon the Eternal Dragon who will grant the finder one wish!
There is a lot of action, with different types of enemies plus allot of laughs!
This box set contains 3x great movies with similar plots and characters.
If you're a true hardcore Dragon Ball fan, then you have to add this to your collection!!!
Movie #1
Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle:
Tells the story of Krillin and Goku when they first became students of the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi. Roshi gives them a series of tests, and whoever comes out ahead will be his student. He assigns the lads a hard task of going to Devil's Hand and rescuing a beautiful.
The task isn't as easy as it sounds since the Princess is guarded by a vampire-demon named Lucifer and his army of ogres will try at anything to stop our heroes from rescuing her!
Movie #2
Mystical Adventure:
This quest has Goku and Krillian once again training under Master Roshi, and when completed, he enters them in the World Martial Arts Tournament. In a change from the original show this time the Tournament is run by Emperor Chiaotzu. In any case, the Emperor's Vizier, Master Shen, has been collecting Dragon Balls. He's been telling the Emperor it is to gain the return of his kidnapped wife, but in reality he's doing it so he can use them to overthrow Chiaotzu and reign in his place.
Movie #3
The Path to Power:
This best Dragon Ball movie in this series! It starts at the very beginning, with Goku living alone with just the Dragon Ball that his grandfather left him. He meets Bulma, a girl looking to collect the Dragon Balls so that she can wish for the perfect boyfriend. Not wanting to give up the ball his grandfather gave him, Goku joins her on the search. Along the way they meet the usual supporting characters, Roshi, Oolong, Yamcha, and more. Before they can collect all of the balls however, the Red Ribbon Army attacks and wants it from them!
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