Tanooki's DragonBall Z Movies 1, 2 and 3 Box Set Review.

[Tanooki Kuribo]

So this box set is officially called "DragonBall Z: First Strike". I don't like this "naming box sets" fad FUNimation has going on.

Surprisingly, these movies were NOT in thin DVD cases. Why not? I have no clue. The Brolly movies were in thin cases, this is just going to look odd next to other DragonBall movie DVDs. Seriously is Brolly going to be the only thin case DVD set? That just doesn't make sence..oh..oh thats right its FUNimation, nevermind. What was I thinking?



By now you have probley all seen the covers of these DVD's so I'll just show you the backs. They actually have awesome art. Not so much for movie 2 but on the back of movie 3's cover there is some new art. At least I think its new art. I've never seen this picture before of Gohan smashing things with Yamcha and the others fleeing. Its new to me. Has anyone else seen this before?





Now for the actual movies...



Movie 2. If this was your favorite DBZ movie then I have some good news. The script seems like a mix of about 70% the original Pioneer script and 30% is new FUNimation script (my own theroy). I don't know if this was done on purpose or maybe they just followed the Pioneer script a little to close but, Gohan actually calls Piccolo "Mr. Piccolo". Its kinda cool and kinda...not. I mean they haven't made Gohan call Piccolo Mr.Piccolo since FUNimation started dubbing with there in house voice cast. Why start now? Oh well. Also, we all knew they were going to replace the music for the "I Love Mr.Piccolo" song. What replaced it? Well its just really weird slow music, then fast music then slow music ... its just wired. I think that about covers movie 2... and now onto movie 3 (prepare for the worst)



Movie 3: Ok. The shits hitting the fan(boy), and FUNimation is throwing the shit. What happened? Wasn't this suppost to be UNcut? Ha! The alternate Cha-La opening is GONE! Gohan does NOT go out and collect the DragonBalls in this version, you are to assume he already has them! Instead they have the Cha-La (TV version) playing with there crappy music. I was shocked, they never did anything like this before (maybe for TV ) but not for an uncut DVD release.I (and Iam sure a lot of other people out there) thought they would just play the animation with some of there own music. I don't know what to think about that. Anyways, the script isnt as good as movie 2. For this release it also seems like a mix of different dub scripts. I'd say its about 40% Pioneer Edited TV Version, 40% new FUNimation script and 20% Pioneer DVD release (my own theroy).

The music for this release is actually pretty good. It'll never take the place of the original Japanese score. but for a FUNimation Dragonball dub ... its all right ( I think).

I ripped a few clips just for this topic. Only about a minute or two long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdjFiqtp0ug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJW01ORyVU8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYEQThKCFeU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnz1cLSfFdo

Enjoy.

[Brad Redfield]

Surprisingly, these movies were NOT in thin DVD cases. Why not? I have no clue. The Brolly movies were in thin cases, this is just going to look odd next to other DragonBall movie DVDs. Seriously is Brolly going to be the only thin case DVD set?

The alternate Cha-La opening is GONE!

Actually, I've seen regular-sized (non-thinpak) Brolly DVD sets at Circuit City and Borders.

And does the missing opening apply to the english dub only? Or is it cut out of the japanese track too?

[Tanooki Kuribo]

Actually, I've seen regular-sized (non-thinpak) Brolly DVD sets at Circuit City and Borders.

Wow, hmmm. Thats pretty cool... I guess.

And does the missing opening apply to the english dub only? Or is it cut out of the japanese track too?

Yea, its only cut in the English version. The Japanese version has it.

[Taku128]

Actually, I've seen regular-sized (non-thinpak) Brolly DVD sets at Circuit City and Borders.

Wow, hmmm. Thats pretty cool... I guess.

And does the missing opening apply to the english dub only? Or is it cut out of the japanese track too?

Yea, its only cut in the English version. The Japanese version has it.

Thank god

[fps_anth]

Surprisingly, these movies were NOT in thin DVD cases. Why not? I have no clue. The Brolly movies were in thin cases, this is just going to look odd next to other DragonBall movie DVDs. Seriously is Brolly going to be the only thin case DVD set?

The alternate Cha-La opening is GONE!

Actually, I've seen regular-sized (non-thinpak) Brolly DVD sets at Circuit City and Borders.

Yeah, I saw them at my Best-Buy too..I though it was because I'm in Canada, but I guess not.

I would pick this up, but I just dropped 60 bucks on eight tankobans, two kanzenbans and Landmark. My manga store had everything 50% off!

[Brad Redfield]

I would get this too, but all my money for the week is spent.

Say, how does the picture stack up compared to the Pioneer releases?

[BrollysKin]

I am waiting before I buy ANYTHING untill Funimation releases more information on these "remastered" copies that they may be getting.

[Li'l Lemmy]

Hmm. Does the Dead Zone DVD retain the commentary from before? Do the other two movies have commentaries?

[Tanooki Kuribo]

Hmm. Does the Dead Zone DVD retain the commentary from before? Do the other two movies have commentaries?

The commentary is on the Dead Zone disc. The other two do not have a commentary.

[Maphisto86]

Aww geeze Toonaki! I feel like some despised minority here a Daizex ( i.e. a fan of the FUNI dub) .

Well it's a marketing scheme with the names for the box sets but really I couldn't care less. At least I can find them all instead of having every odd numbered movie. I hope to get all these sets though I will pass if Funimation is going to release a "cleaner" looking footage version in the future but I doubt that will happen for awhile. Dragonball/Z/GT is the proverbial cash cow right now despite the "fad" in North America being over. Then again I more interested in having revamped episodes. As long as the movies don't look like they where cut from a ten year old VHS tape or they edited in walkietalkies for ki blasts I'll like it .

[Kaboom]

They look nice, although they're still mispronouncing "Kaio-ken." Oh, well. Smexy release nonetheless.

[Chuquita]

I really like this new VA for Turles. I only wish they had commentary on all three movies. Who does the commentary on Movie 1 out of curiousity?


And by commentary is that an actual track of VA people talking about the movie as it plays or is it like that "Goku VS Vegeta" thing on the very first redub dvd?

[Li'l Lemmy]

In the case of Dead Zone, it's an actual audio track played over the movie. Can you believe it?!

Personally, I thought it was a fun listen. Chuck Huber (Garlic Jr.) and the movie director got together to watch and comment on the movie, go into details about recording sessions, theorize on what wishes they would ask of Shenron, discuss DragonBall on the whole and do Christopher Walken impersonations, among other things.

How many times do you think Gohan has said "Daddy"?

[Casual Matt]

And does the missing opening apply to the english dub only? Or is it cut out of the japanese track too?

Yea, its only cut in the English version. The Japanese version has it.

Thank god

My thoughts exactly. So the set is out? I totally have to take a run to Wal-Mart and see if I can pick this up.

[Li'l Lemmy]

My thoughts exactly. So the set is out? I totally have to take a run to Wal-Mart and see if I can pick this up.

Well . . . not exactly. I don't know how, but Tanooki is always getting the damned releases earlier than the rest of us. Did you know he picked up Movie 13 at a convention a month before its official release?!

This particular set "officially" releases on Tuesday (11/14), though Best Buy might have it a day or two early.

[Tsukento]

Well . . . not exactly. I don't know how, but Tanooki is always getting the damned releases earlier than the rest of us. Did you know he picked up Movie 13 at a convention a month before its official release?!

This is not suprising as cons tend to have merchandise earlier than release date. I got my final volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist on DVD about two weeks earlier than they were supposed to be released at a con.

Anywho..meh. I'm really not liking how the music sounds like your generic dub episode background music. :\ I'll be sticking with my Pioneer releases. At least the silence and background music made up for the terrible editing that occured in Seasons 1 & 2.

Also..WHY is Goku pronouncing Kaio-Ken incorrectly? :\ They actually got it right in the previous dub after pronouncing it wrong and now they've gone back to "Kay-oh-ken."

[Li'l Lemmy]

Eh? When did Schemmel's Goku pronounce it correctly? I thought Vegeta was the only one to actually use the proper pronounciation.

At any rate, this is probably going to be the only bilingual release of these three movies for at least the next couple of years-- and all in one box. I know there's a big Pioneer vs. FUNi debate concerning the dub, but ya can't say no to those fantastic Daimao subtitles when it comes to the original!

I'm getting this!

EDIT: Sorry, Tsukento; I misread your complaint. So Schemmel's Goku didn't get it right after all, and it was only the Pioneer version's who did. And so the order of the dub universe is restored.

[VegettoEX]

Aww geeze Toonaki! I feel like some despised minority here a Daizex ( i.e. a fan of the FUNI dub) .

You are.

[Maphisto86]

Aww geeze Toonaki! I feel like some despised minority here a Daizex ( i.e. a fan of the FUNI dub) .

You are.

Damn VegettoEX! That's hurts in a way I can't honestly comprehend... well I can it's sorta like that pain you get when *the following has been censored by the FCC *. Seriously.... ouch! There is no Santa Claus!!!!!

Anywho... I have to know... is Tullece's new dub va really Chris Patton?

If you can read this Mike, then the FUNI dub rocks!!!! And you eat children. For shame!

[VegettoEX]

Well, I wouldn't say we/I hate you... but you're certainly the minority.

Like I always said, I don't understand what it is about this site (and later our podcast) that we have to offer to dub fans. We don't cater to you, and we never will. But whatever! If you find things of interest, that's cool... just know that we're not watching the same show .