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The word “lost” gets thrown around more often than it probably should, but when a VHS tape sells for over $500, something special is going on.
In 1994, the same year that they became a company, FUNimation produced an English dub of the first Dragon Ball theatrical film, titled “Curse of the Blood Rubies”. Perhaps you have seen their 2011 re-release with the Texas voice cast. Perhaps you have seen their 1995 release with the Canadian voice cast.
It is unlikely that you have seen the original 1994 version.
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Episode #0481! Mike, Ken, and Randy discuss “Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot”, the latest… action open-world fighting role-playing Goku Experience…?! Tune in for our in-depth review, your thoughts on the game, and much more!
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Spring cleaning has been the name of the game here at Kanzenshuu HQ over the last couple weeks. Decades-old VHS tapes, figures, and magazines are seeing the light of day for the first time in quite a while! Most of this is simply to get everything tidied up, but there have been a few key items shoved deep in the dungeon, boxed within boxes on the highest shelves, that we have been wanting to dig back out…
First thing’s first: the English dub of Dragon Ball Z that aired on American syndicated television networks spanning two broadcast seasons between 1996 and 1998 was produced by FUNimation. The music may have been by Shuki Levy (well, actually Ron Wasserman!), and the voices may have been recorded at Ocean Studios in Canada, but the people writing, editing, and producing the episodes in 1996 were the same people writing, editing, and producing the episodes in 1999 (just with a more-different replacement score and another all-new voice cast). We good here? 👍
For years, many fans were confused by episode listings online: episode 51 of FUNimation’s Dragon Ball Z English dub was clearly called “No Refuge From Recoome”. It was right there in the home release for all to see (this particular clip taken from the 2013 “Dragon Ball Z: Rock the Dragon DVD Box Set Collector’s Edition” DVD set):
So why were the listings wrong, and why only for this one episode? Why did these long-since-abandoned episode guides have the episode listed as “The Relentless Recoome”…? Were it a simple typo it might be easier to understand, but this was a completely different title.
I always vaguely remembered the situation here, but having long since packed away all of my recordings, it became increasingly difficult to “prove” what happened. I would occasionally tweak a few website, forum, and Usenet searches to rattle my brain cells, but I would more often than not just find my own damn posts about it from twenty-odd years ago. Perhaps my favorite recent example was tossing the question out on Twitter, and having someone from the old alt.fan.dragonball days remember asking the same question there in 1999… and it was me that answered them!
Well, it was time to dig it out. Roll the tape, please!
So when DBZ dub episode 51 first aired in syndication in 1998, it was titled "The Relentless Recoome". People started questioning where that episode title came from in listings, 'cuz the home release & later airings called it "No Refuge From Recoome". Our recording was found! 👍 pic.twitter.com/P27QHWWcRN
— Mike (@VegettoEX) May 24, 2020
This truly appears to only have been in the episode’s debut broadcast; even Chris Psaros’ DBZ Uncensored lists the episode title change as a nebulous piece of hearsay, and that was still relatively contemporary with the original broadcasts!
While certainly not a priority compared to most of our other projects, we do plan to cover this original two-season run of episodes in our forthcoming wiki, and getting this original episode title card in there was a wonderful feeling:
Feels good to get this in there. pic.twitter.com/pCAtydcuzw
— Mike (@VegettoEX) May 25, 2020
I have no idea why the episode title was changed, and it seems a bit pointless to speculate so many years removed from its original airing. Regardless, it is a fun little piece of trivia, and it is wonderful to have it finally documented for posterity!
Follow along with @kanzenshuu on Twitter (and hey, me too @VegettoEX!) for more quick looks at the archives and some of our upcoming projects, and keep tuning in to the podcast for ongoing chats with our editors about all of their great work!
Initially slated to begin releasing on 28 March 2020 and following several delays due to “various circumstances”, Banpresto’s Ichiban KUJI “Dragon Ball: History of Rivals” figure line is finally set to begin releasing on 23 May 2020. Similar to other figure lines released under the Ichiban KUJI (一番くじ; “Number One Lottery”) title, a set number of figures are awarded as random prizes for tickets purchased at local bookstores, hobby shops, or arcades. A customer may purchase any number of lottery tickets, which they randomly draw from a box, with each corresponding to one of the prizes. The “History of Rivals” figure line lottery tickets will retail for ¥1,800 and includes six possible prizes.
The main figure line will include Yamcha (Prize A) and Broli (Prize B), who were the first and latest of Goku’s rivals, as well as Goku himself (Prize C), which features interchangeable normal and Super Saiyan Blue (SSGSS) heads. The fourth prize is a set of four figures dubbed the “Dragon Archives”, which features smaller versions of the same characters as the main line. However, the Yamcha-related figures included relive the dramatic Dragon Ball heist scene from Dragon Ball chapter 9. The fifth prize is a set of replica key artwork (genga) sheets of 8 popular scenes from throughout the franchise, along with newly colored sheets of each respective scene. Finally, “Prize F” is a set of 8 clear files featuring famous quotes from the respective characters printed on each side. A quote sticker is also included with each clear file.
The final “Last One” prize, which is the prize awarded to the customer who purchases the last remaining lottery ticket, is an alternate colored version of Yamcha from “Prize A” with a special Pu’er figure. To help promote the upcoming figure line, Bandai released a promotional video featuring Tōru Furuya and Naoko Watanabe, the voices of Yamcha and Pu’er, to showcase the various prizes.
In addition to the promotional video, the voice actors provided comments to the official Dragon Ball news site:
古谷:久しぶりにヤムチャとプーアルの会話を演じることが出来てとても嬉しかったです。
しかも、ヤムチャらしい台詞ばかりで大満足でした。
Furuya: After a long time, I was very happy to be able to portray a conversation between Yamcha and Pu’er. Even more, I was very satisfied with the lines that seemed to suit Yamcha well.
渡辺:光栄な一番くじキャラクターが、まさかのプーアルフィーチャー(笑)。久しぶりの「ヤムチャさま～」連呼収録に嬉しさが溢れました！
Watanabe: It’s an honor that the featured “Number One Lottery” character is the rainy day Pu’er (laughs). After such a long time, I was very pleased with the repeated recording of “Yamcha-sama~”.
The official Ichiban KUJI Twitter account is also running a special promotional campaign from May 22 thru May 24 to give fans the opportunity to weigh in and determine who is Yamcha’s true rival. Simply retweet the official accounts promo tweet with a comment stating which of the following characters is Yamcha’s rival (Tenshinhan, Vegeta, or Saibaimen) with the hashtag #ヤムチャのライバルは誰だ:
Of the responses received, 320 will be selected and entered into a lottery for random prizes. After the voting has ended, six of the entries will be selected at random and awarded the complete set of prizes.
Bandai Namco Holdings has posted a ¥57.665 billion (approximately $536 million) profit for the full fiscal year of 2020, compared to a ¥63.383 billion profit last year.
Dragon Ball came in as the company’s best-performing franchise for the year, pulling in ¥134.9 billion (yet another jump over last year’s ¥129 billion), beating the company’s forecast of ¥115 billion.
In terms of general toys and hobby merchandise (non-video games), the franchise also jumped slightly from ¥20.4 billion last fiscal year to ¥20.7 billion this year, noting “[f]avorable performance of products for the mature fan base” for both Japan and overseas.
The company’s network entertainment business (which includes traditional video as well as mobile games) saw a drop in network content from ¥211.1 billion last year to ¥200.9 this year, with a similar drop in home video game content from ¥102.1 billion last year to ¥99 billion this year. The company specifically noted that, “[c]ommemorative events for DRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLE did well in Japan.”
At this time, the company is not disclosing projected forecasts for fiscal 2021, noting: “In Japan and overseas, the influence of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection is expected to continue for the time being. The results forecast for FY2021.3 will be disclosed promptly when it becomes possible to make a reasonable calculation.”
Following yesterday’s third episode premiere, the official Super Dragon Ball Heroes website announced a title and summary, but not debut streaming timeframe, for the upcoming fourth episode of the Super Dragon Ball Heroes promotional anime‘s new “Universe Creation Arc” (under the larger umbrella of the game’s current “Big Bang Mission” update series):
A Creeping Shadow! The Mysterious Dr. W!
As Goku and friends engage in a fierce battle with Tullece and Bojack, an ominous black light unleashed by Dogi-Dogi rains down upon them. Meanwhile, Son Goku: Xeno and Vegeta: Xeno battle Dr. W. In defiance of the attacks they make against him, Dr. W continuously evades them. What could be the goal of this fearlessly grinning man?!
The self-described “promotional anime” began its free online streaming in July 2018, with the initial six episodes covering the “Prison Planet” arc, then moving on to the “Universal Conflict” arc. Back in March, the series re-branded again for the new “Universe Creation Arc” alongside the arcade game’s own update to the “Big Bang Mission” series. Though the promotional anime series’ original trailer was available worldwide, the subsequent episode postings themselves have been region-locked to Japan. No home release of the promotional anime has been announced.
Super Dragon Ball Heroes is itself an update and hardware revision to the original Dragon Ball Heroes, a card-based arcade game in which players arrange teammates on a playing field for turn-based battles. Dragon Ball Heroes has seen a variety of multimedia spin-offs and support pieces. Yoshitaka Nagayama’s Super Dragon Ball Heroes: Big Bang Mission!!! manga (a follow-up to the previous Dark Demon Realm Mission! and Universe Mission!! series) currently runs in Shueisha’s bimonthly Saikyō Jump magazine, while Toyotarō’s Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission ran from 2012-2015 in Shueisha’s monthly V-Jump magazine. Three portable game adaptations — Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission, Ultimate Mission 2, and Ultimate Mission X — were released on the Nintendo 3DS. A fourth home version, Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission, launched on the Nintendo Switch and PC on 04 April 2019 and internationally (a first for the series) 05 April 2019.
Ahead of the character’s formal release today (22 May 2020), a short promotional video for Son Goku (Ultra Instinct) was released showcasing some of his special moves. The character is available individually for ¥500/$5, or as part of the game’s optional $24.99 “FighterZ Pass 3” covering five total characters.
The video concludes with a glimpse at the in-game alternate colors, player lobby character, and Z-Stamp that will accompany him for those that pay for access to the character.
The 3-on-3, “2.5D” fighting game is developed by Arc System Works and is currently available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Steam). A first “FighterZ Pass” with eight additional playable characters is available for $29.99, with a “FighterZ Pass 2” available for $24.99 adding another six. Thus far, Kafla and Son Goku (Ultra Instinct) comprise two of the five additional characters from “FighterZ Pass 3”. Said additional paid characters are also all available piecemeal at $4.99 each.
Dragon Ball FighterZ was originally released 26 January 2018 in North America and Europe, and 01 February 2018 in Japan, across the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Alongside its Japanese release, Bandai Namco announced that they had shipped two million copies of the game, making it the fastest-shipping game in the franchise’s history. The game also shipped on the Nintendo Switch back in September 2018.
Continuing onward from previous chapters, Shueisha and Viz have added the official English translation of the Dragon Ball Super manga’s sixtieth chapter to their respective Manga Plus and Shonen Jump services, moving further into the original “Galactic Patrol Prisoner arc”. Alongside other initiatives including free chapters and a larger archive for paid subscribers, this release continues the companies’ schedule of not simply simultaneously publishing the series’ chapter alongside its Japanese debut to the release date, but to its local time in Japan in today’s July 2020 issue of Shueisha’s V-Jump magazine in Japan.
The Dragon Ball Super “comicalization” began in June 2015, initially just ahead of the television series, and running both ahead and behind the series at various points. The manga runs monthly in Shueisha’s V-Jump magazine, with the series’ sixtieth chapter coming today in the magazine’s July 2020 issue. Illustrated by “Toyotarō” (in all likelihood, a second pen-name used by Dragon Ball AF fan manga author and illustrator “Toyble”), the Dragon Ball Super manga covered the Battle of Gods re-telling, skipped the Resurrection ‘F’ re-telling, and “charged ahead” to the Champa arc, “speeding up the excitement of the TV anime even more”. Though the television series has completed its run, the manga continues onward, entering its own original “Galactic Patrol Prisoner” arc. Viz is currently releasing free digital chapters of the series, and began their own collected print edition back in 2017. The ninth collected volume is due out next month.
The Dragon Ball Super television series concluded in March 2018 with 131 total episodes. FUNimation owns the American distribution license for the series, with the English dub having wrapped its broadcast on Cartoon Network, and the home video release reaching its tenth and final box set back in January.
The official website for Shueisha’s annual Jump Victory Carnival event announced today that this year’s event has been cancelled in light of attendee safety concerns during the current pandemic, and that there are no plans to reschedule this year.
Known as the “Saikyō V-Jump Festa” for 2012 and 2013 (named for Shueisha’s Saikyō Jump and V-Jump publications), the event was renamed as “Jump Victory Carnival” in 2014. The event is held twice each summer, once in Osaka and once in Tokyo, featuring a wide range of Shueisha properties, parter productions, and more.
Attendees of the event each year receive an “Official Guidebook”, which contains various promotions, maps for the show floor, and bonus manga chapters, generally those of spin-off and supplemental manga authors. Dragon Ball has received bonus chapter inclusions each year, beginning in 2012 with a two-page Dragon Ball SD chapter from Naho Ooishi. Last year’s guide featured bonus chapters of Dragon Ball Super, Super Dragon Ball Heroes: Dark Demon Realm Mission!, Super Dragon Ball Heroes: Universe Mission!!, Dragon Ball SD, and DeSpo FighterZ; summaries and reviews of these chapters can be heard on Episode #0478 of our podcast.
April 26 is a special day for a very different franchise: the date references LV-426 (426 -> April 26), the moon where the crew of the Nostromo encounters the titular “Alien” in the original 1979 film.
In this fun Twitter thread, take a quick tour through some of Akira Toriyama’s and Dragon Ball‘s references to this original film — you’re bound to learn something new!
In celebration of #AlienDay (April 26, in reference to LV-426 from the Alien franchise), here is a brief tweet thread looking at the most obvious (and some not-so-obvious!) Alien references in the Dragon Ball series. Did you catch all these? Are there even more?! Read on! (1/5) pic.twitter.com/fRA8RqaZtn
— Kanzenshuu (@kanzenshuu) April 26, 2020
