Back on 17 July 2012, a few days after the new Dragon Ball Z movie was first announced, Toei released an official press statement for the movie. We unfortunately did not notice it at the time, and frankly, we stopped looking after scriptwriter Yūsuke Watanabe publicly confirmed our suspicions via his Twitter account. That being said, for the sake of completeness and to drive further fan discussion (i.e. speculation), now seems like as good a time as any to post it. The beginning of the press release highlights all of the franchise’s accomplishments and massive popularity worldwide. However, we have jumped down to the end and translated the real heart of the release covering different aspects of the movie:
The global phenomenon Dragon Ball is being made into a movie using Toei Animation’s latest technology, consistently realized as a Toriyama work, with the original author Akira Toriyama himself deeply involved from the script stage for the first time. An episode from between the animation series “Z” and “GT”, or in other words from the blank decade between the end of the battle with Majin Boo in chapter 517 of the manga and chapter 518, will be depicted for the first time.
Such well-known and charming characters as Kuririn, Piccolo, and Vegeta will all make an appearance. A new story in the official history of Dragon Ball is born, neither a spin-off nor a side-story, one that can be enjoyed by both children and parents, manga fans and anime fans.
All-in-all, the press release mostly contains information that has all been well-documented in our news posts up until now. There are however a few key points worth noting, such as the movie being a part of series’ “official history” and that it’s something both new and older fans of either the manga or anime will enjoy. Now all we need are some plot points, and as soon as they are available, we’ll be sure to get them to you!
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“A new story in the official history of Dragon Ball is born, neither a spin-off nor a side-story…”
IT BEGINS.
So this is gonna be DB’s answer to “Strong World” in terms of making a canon-movie? Interesting. While Kuririn I can see, I guess Piccolo and Vegeta are “charming” in their own way. XD
I’m happy Kuririn is in the movie, I’ve really gotten to enjoy Ms. Tanaka’s performances (her Luffy is incredible!). Piccolo’s a cool character in general, and I still think he has the most creative and interesting attacks of the entire cast. Vegeta, I just love seeing him and Goku interact; whenever ridiculous stuff happens to Vegeta, especially when Goku either intentionally or unintentionally causes it, it makes me smile.
Interesting that they didn’t mention Goten or Trunks there; gives me hope the two of them don’t steal the plotline. >_> I do like them, but they’re kind of far down on my list of characters I’d want to see more of, at least in child form. The older Goten and Trunks at the end of Z are a bit more interesting to me since so little was shown about them.
I’ve always kind of been buffet-style with my own head-canon; picking and choosing as I go along; but I guess at least this kind of solves one of the debates about the movie. What is or is not “canon” has never been a big deal to me, I just hope for an enjoyable story.
Yes to needing some plot points; I feel like a beat reporter lately combing around for updates on the plot. XD
Thank you for the translation!
Wow. With the fact that they’re hyping this up to be a part of the “official history”, this had better be good. Not just the same old slate that we got for the prior 13 Movies.
For the second time in my life, I’ll have to agree with Gozar.
I believe they are attempting to present this new movie as “canon”.
They say that the character they list only make an appearance. Which means that the other character shown on the promotional material play a mojor role: Goku, Gohan, Goten and Trunks.
“the blank decade between the end of the battle with Majin Buu in chapter 517 of the manga and chapter 518, will be depicted FOR THE FIRST TIME.”
Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but…that Tarble and Avocado thing….it’s still within that “blank decade”, right? So……second time, right? lol
rukura…. SSSHHHHH….. don’t ruin the moment. 😉
”Wrath of the Dragon” is also within that “blank decade”, so it’s the third time
as well as DBZ episode 287 (Majin Buu in the city) and DBZ episode 288 (party at Bulma’s house)
Also, they say it’s between DBZ and DBGT, then immediately say it’s between the last two chapters of the Manga. Defaq?