My Specials and Movies Marathon

[Valerius Dover]

Ok, well, after finishing Dragon Ball Z, it only makes sense to go on to the Z Specials and Movies that I've put off until after finishing the series. We went ahead and saw Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku and Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks back-to-back.

-These are easily the darkest parts of the series, both being apocalyptic backstories.

-Bardock's crew members (Tora, Fasha, Shugesh, and Borgos) really should've gotten more screentime.

-Dameon Clarke's Gohan sounds jarringly different after being used to Kyle Hebert's performance in the Buu Arc.

-Surprisingly, everyone else sounds perfect, just like the series. Frieza, Zarbon, Dodoria, Nappa, Bulma, and the Androids all sound just like they do in the series.

-The music is good, but awkwardly placed in some scenes. You'll have a rock song playing in a slow paced scene, something that never really happened in the series. It's also odd hearing Insert Songs in English.

-Yo, let's rap about Gohan's Senzu Bean, dawg.

-The scene where Trunks finds Gohan is very well done. Great Insert Song placed here.

-The Opening is hilarious placed against that footage, although fitting for Vegeta and Nappa's walk.

-The Ending for Bardock has two songs back to back. Also, it doesn't fade out or anything.

-The Ending for Trunks has the series ending theme, rather awkward when placed against that footage. Plus, it ends early.

[DragonBoxZTheMovies]

Dude, watch these specials in Japanese. Seriously. This isn't putting down the English dub for the sake of putting down the English dub, they are literally worlds apart. If there is any point in the series that emphasises the differences between the two, it's these two TV Specials. I do have a bit of a soft spot for the English versions of both of them, more so Trunks than Bardock, since they were dubbed during that period where DBZ was really at its peak in English-speaking territories, but neither of them hold up well at all. And the scripts are entirely different. Unfortunately the English versions are littered with all of the negative things that plagued their dub of the series at the time. There is so much excessive dialogue. But enough negativity; musically, the Japanese version of the Bardock Special is phenomenal. I literally cannot recommend the original version of that special enough. The Trunks Special is kinda up to the standard you'd expect, but there is truly something special about the former. In terms of atmosphere and emotion, it's outstanding.

I hope I don't sound like I'm trying to put down your viewing preferences of the show too much, but seriously; Bardock Special, Japanese mono, subtitles (if you want). Do it. Again, I can't recommend it enough.

[Valerius Dover]

I'll do it eventually, of course, but it would make no sense for me to see them in Japanese after seeing the series in English. I'm staying consistent all the way through, which includes selecting the US soundtrack option. I'll see them in Japanese when I see the series in Japanese.

[Bullza]

Yeah I'd have to say this is the one case where the original Japanese music was better. Why they didn't just give the movies the Faulconer score from the show I'll never know.

[Valerius Dover]

Yeah I'd have to say this is the one case where the original Japanese music was better. Why they didn't just give the movies the Faulconer score from the show I'll never know.

Most likely it was part of marketing them as Movies, so they used different music than what is in the series, and even Insert Songs.

[Lord Beerus]

I'm also in the boat of watch the original Japanese version over the dub. It's a completely experience on some occasions, especially with the TV specials.

[Dyno]

So glad to see someone got the same strong feeling for Bardock's TV Special. Easily the best animation of the series with the best character designer in there, Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru.

I'm also glad that my country got the essence (not 100%, or course) of the original japanese version, the voice actor for everyone was awesome, gosh, Wellington Lima did an almost-perfect Bardock (so did Sonny Strait, I also watched it in English too XD).

[Valerius Dover]

Oh, forgot to note something. The "E-arth" joke was actually pretty funny.

As far as the dub goes, I have no problem with script and music changes as long as it's entertaining and gets the general idea. The more different a dub is, the more entertaining it'll be to watch the original afterwards.

[Valerius Dover]

Oh, forgot to note something. The "E-arth" joke was actually pretty funny.

As far as the dub goes, I have no problem with script and music changes as long as it's entertaining and gets the general idea. The more different a dub is, the more entertaining it'll be to watch the original afterwards.

EDIT: Oh, yeah, and another thing. A few oddities. The eyecatchers in Bardock are silent. No sound, no music. In Trunks, they have the second jingle from the series, a brief excerpt from the Faulconer score. Also, the narrator reads "Planet Vegeta" out loud but does not do the same for "Planet Kanassa", which isn't translated at all.

[thaman91]

Oh, forgot to note something. The "E-arth" joke was actually pretty funny.

As far as the dub goes, I have no problem with script and music changes as long as it's entertaining and gets the general idea. The more different a dub is, the more entertaining it'll be to watch the original afterwards.

EDIT: Oh, yeah, and another thing. A few oddities. The eyecatchers in Bardock are silent. No sound, no music. In Trunks, they have the second jingle from the series, a brief excerpt from the Faulconer score. Also, the narrator reads "Planet Vegeta" out loud but does not do the same for "Planet Kanassa", which isn't translated at all.

Did you know that the original televised versions (Toonami and Nicktoons) of these TV specials had more Faulconer music in them? I don't know all the details on why but here are a couple examples of both specials' televised credits:

Bardock:
1.) http://youtu.be/i4t4p1Sy_tU?t=23m45s
2.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHTc69v6AJI

History of Trunks:
1.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg3ri0jnHs8

[Valerius Dover]

^Whoa! Neat find! I did not know that.

-The Trunks ending there is a little repetitive but fits the footage better than the standard series ending, which is a little too chill for this sequence.

-I take it the Falconer music was placed to replace all the Insert Songs? That makes me wonder what was in the scene where Trunks finds Gohan's body instead of Prelude.

[thaman91]

^Whoa! Neat find! I did not know that.

-The Trunks ending there is a little repetitive but fits the footage better than the standard series ending, which is a little too chill for this sequence.

-I take it the Falconer music was placed to replace all the Insert Songs? That makes me wonder what was in the scene where Trunks finds Gohan's body instead of Prelude.

I don't think the Faulconer music replaced all the songs but it did replace a few of them. If I recall, I think the song that played when Trunks finds Gohan's body is kept in tact. The Nicktoons site actually used to have these versions online but now all full episodes/movies/specials from there have been removed.

[Dbzfan94]

Oh, forgot to note something. The "E-arth" joke was actually pretty funny.

As far as the dub goes, I have no problem with script and music changes as long as it's entertaining and gets the general idea. The more different a dub is, the more entertaining it'll be to watch the original afterwards.

EDIT: Oh, yeah, and another thing. A few oddities. The eyecatchers in Bardock are silent. No sound, no music. In Trunks, they have the second jingle from the series, a brief excerpt from the Faulconer score. Also, the narrator reads "Planet Vegeta" out loud but does not do the same for "Planet Kanassa", which isn't translated at all.

Did you know that the original televised versions (Toonami and Nicktoons) of these TV specials had more Faulconer music in them? I don't know all the details on why but here are a couple examples of both specials' televised credits:

Bardock:
1.) http://youtu.be/i4t4p1Sy_tU?t=23m45s
2.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHTc69v6AJI

History of Trunks:
1.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg3ri0jnHs8

That's actually really cool. I wish I had those recorded when they came on Toonami

[clutchins]

^Whoa! Neat find! I did not know that.

-The Trunks ending there is a little repetitive but fits the footage better than the standard series ending, which is a little too chill for this sequence.

-I take it the Falconer music was placed to replace all the Insert Songs? That makes me wonder what was in the scene where Trunks finds Gohan's body instead of Prelude.

I don't think the Faulconer music replaced all the songs but it did replace a few of them. If I recall, I think the song that played when Trunks finds Gohan's body is kept in tact. The Nicktoons site actually used to have these versions online but now all full episodes/movies/specials from there have been removed.

Most of the replacements happened with songs that played over scenes leading into the eyecatches. But in Trunks, the opening scene with Gohan walking into Goku's room has Android 16's theme I believe and all through the opening Dale Kelly narration is that song mostly. The two best occurrences of the score change are the ending songs for each special. I know the name of the song in Trunks is called "Goku is Falling" but I don't know the one for Bardock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5v541SD3Wc

This is the song in the clip and it just continues looping over the credits because it's actually just a few bars long.

[thaman91]

Most of the replacements happened with songs that played over scenes leading into the eyecatches. But in Trunks, the opening scene with Gohan walking into Goku's room has Android 16's theme I believe and all through the opening Dale Kelly narration is that song mostly. The two best occurrences of the score change are the ending songs for each special. I know the name of the song in Trunks is called "Goku is Falling" but I don't know the one for Bardock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5v541SD3Wc

This is the song in the clip and it just continues looping over the credits because it's actually just a few bars long.

The Bardock credits song is "Trunks Story": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8qN8uC_byY

[clutchins]

Most of the replacements happened with songs that played over scenes leading into the eyecatches. But in Trunks, the opening scene with Gohan walking into Goku's room has Android 16's theme I believe and all through the opening Dale Kelly narration is that song mostly. The two best occurrences of the score change are the ending songs for each special. I know the name of the song in Trunks is called "Goku is Falling" but I don't know the one for Bardock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5v541SD3Wc

This is the song in the clip and it just continues looping over the credits because it's actually just a few bars long.

The Bardock credits song is "Trunks Story": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8qN8uC_byY

Ironically enough, haha. I could hear the song right in my head but I just didn't know the name. Thanks!

[samuraix123]

Oh, forgot to note something. The "E-arth" joke was actually pretty funny.

As far as the dub goes, I have no problem with script and music changes as long as it's entertaining and gets the general idea. The more different a dub is, the more entertaining it'll be to watch the original afterwards.

I liked that too! ''Look we don't name em we just send ya there little buddy'' haha loved that.

[Valerius Dover]

Ok, so now I've gone ahead and seen the first two Movies, Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone and Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest.

Movie 1 Notes:

-I finally get to learn the full extent of Garlic Jr.'s backstory, neat. I actually saw the Garlic Jr. Saga first.
-Ginger, Nicky, and Sansho are pretty fun henchmen, I guess.
-Gohan peeing on Krillin....
-Drunk Gohan sequence! So, that's how drunk babies act...
-Mark Menza's music is pretty decent. If this is what GT sounds like, then I don't see a problem with it.
-Oh, the ending has a remix of the Opening theme, neat. Why wasn't THIS the ending in the series, or at least the Buu Arc?
-The Opening Animation is the one that's missing on the Orange Bricks.....
-The Ending Animation is a simplified version of the first ending.

Movie 2 Notes:

-Dr. Wheelo seems very different from other villains in the franchise.
-Dr. Kochin was a robot all along?
-Misokatsun, Kishime, and Ebifurya seem very run-of-the-mill, with only Kishime even getting lines.
-Yay, Oolong! And Master Roshi moments, too!
-Nathan Johnson's score here is excellent! An homage to old sci-fi alien movies!
-Gohan gets a really weird sequence with a catchy tune playing (said tune also returns at the end of the movie).

[theoriginalbilis]

Movie 1 Notes:
-I finally get to learn the full extent of Garlic Jr.'s backstory, neat. I actually saw the Garlic Jr. Saga first.
-Ginger, Nicky, and Sansho are pretty fun henchmen, I guess.
-Gohan peeing on Krillin....
-Drunk Gohan sequence! So, that's how drunk babies act...

I've always enjoyed Movie 1. It's not too long, action-packed, and still has that sense of fun that's lacking in later DBZ movies. Even Garlic Jr. comes off as a fairly interesting villain in movie form.

-Mark Menza's music is pretty decent. If this is what GT sounds like, then I don't see a problem with it.

Actually, I believe it was Nathan Johnson who scored Movies 1, 2, and 3. The dub OPs/EDs were by Menza though. The "remastered" Double Features and TV series all use a mish-mash of different composers for the dub.

SUB-FAN SOAPBOX TIME: I feel like Menza's style might work better for a short movie, but lots of dub fans feel that his GT score comes off as much more dire and repetitive, which works against the tone of the series, which is supposed to be a mix of the adventurous tone of DB, and the action/drama of DBZ. Seriously, Menza uses some kind of variation of the "Step Into the Grand Tour" melody almost constantly. Imagine hearing this type of music, with little to no variation, for 64 straight episodes, 22 mins each, totaling 1,408 minutes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpKKVgG9wQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEitNUVEJ5I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fTIwd8X2jg

Even the Faulconer Productions score had more variation. I will give Menza props for one thing, his opening theme for the Z Movies is pretty decent. I feel like it fits the "tone" of DBZ better than a lot of his other stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqrv1gf3NXU

As for Nathan Johnson, his work is serviceable; but I can't remember a single standout track that guy did.

[Valerius Dover]

^Hmmm, odd. Menza is credited in Movie 1, but it does sound more like Johnson's style most of the time, however the more typical Menza guitar is definitely in there at points. So, actually who knows what the deal is here.

Oh, some notes I forgot to give. Dead Zone doesn't ever show the title on screen for some reason. Also, The World's Strongest has some minor swearing in it, mostly from Dr. Wheelo.