Bardock TV Special ranked #5

[Grimlock]

In the famous Youtube channel "WatchMojo.com" for doing TOP 10 something, the most recent one was anime prequels. Dragon Ball franchise was honored to appear on this list. "Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku" appears in the top 5 best prequels of animes.

Rather than discussing if you agree with the list, let's focus on Dragon Ball, of course. Do you think that TV Special was really that good? What were your first impressions when you watched at the first time, and what are your thoughts on it nowadays?

[TheBigBoy]

I like the glimpse into the Saiyan life and "work." I think Bardock getting cursed to see the future is a little contrived, but whatever.

I would love to see a full spinoff based on the pre-destruction of Planet Vegeta Saiyans...but considering they're not a nice group of people who commit genocide for hire...that might be tough to do.

Also, Solid State Scouter is awesome.

[sintzu]

Yeah I personally loved it. I think the team behind it could've done an even better job if they could've made an entire arc revolved around that time frame.

[SaiyanGod117]

What a coincidence, I just rewatched the Bardock TV Special a few minutes ago. As for my opinion of it, the special was decent, there's nice bits of symbolism, visual metaphors, and other storytelling elements that separate it from the conventional Dragon Ball film. Although, I felt like they could have expanded and added little bit more development to Frieza's motives on destroying Planet Vegeta. On the plus side art and animation was top notch, but it felt dated in some parts. (Probably because I was watching it on Kissanime.)

[WittyUsername]

I think the Bardock special is great. It's so unlike a typical Dragon Ball story, but in the best possible way. I'd go so far as to say that it, along with the Trunks special, are among the best pieces of Dragon Ball material that we've had. Some people might take issue with how dark they are compared to the rest of the Dragon Ball franchise, but I think it's pretty appropriate in both of these cases, considering the subject matter that they deal with.

In terms of what I thought when I first watched the special, I remember enjoying it then as well. That being said, my first exposure to the Bardock special was the Funimation dub, which had a radically different script from the Japanese version, unfortunately.

[KorgDTR2000]

I just watched it for the first time in close to fifteen years a couple days ago. Really blew me away, I forgot how good it was.

I'm a real sucker for that brand of sci-fi though. Far off planets, weird aliens, cool colors, a heavy atmosphere that isn't too artsy or self-indulgent, underlined with a badass score that blends traditional and electronic sounds. The Bardock special scratches an itch that I don't get to scratch much.

[nickzambuto]

What a coincidence, I just rewatched the Bardock TV Special a few minutes ago. As for my opinion of it, the special was decent, there's nice bits of symbolism, visual metaphors, and other storytelling elements that separate it from the conventional Dragon Ball film. Although, I felt like they could have expanded and added little bit more development to Frieza's motives on destroying Planet Vegeta. On the plus side art and animation was top notch, but it felt dated in some parts. (Probably because I was watching it on Kissanime.)

Dude, that avatar tho

[Cipher]

Wow. I can't believe the Bardock special was finally recognized as the fifth thing to ever exist.

That's wonderful for fans!

[Ki Breaker]

I loved it the first time I watched it, it was before joining kanzenshuu, and I still love it as much as the first time, if not more now

[Baggie_Saiyan]

No, I don't think it is that good. We knew Saiyans were brutes and not good, we knew Freeza blew them up, we weren't supposed to care for Bardock as a character. Like what is the actual point of the special? If someone were to watch all of DB but not this special their experience would be altered in the slightest. I still enjoy it don't get me wrong but I don't think it is as good as people seem to make it out to be. Compare it to the Trunks special for example, that was character we were supposed to care about & that special further fuelled our emotional connection to that character.

[Super_Divine_Genki]

I watched Dragon Ball Z: A Lonesome, Final Battle - The Father of Z Warrior Son Goku, who Challenged Freeza about two weeks ago, which had been the first time in at least 10 years that I'd seen it. This is one of the best productions to come out of the franchise, imo, and seeing chibi Vegeta and Nappa in those small bits is one of the highlights. Although the ending -- with Son Gohan Sr. finding baby Goku -- could be seen as a possible inconsistency, with baby Goku being portrayed as super cheerful rather than feral. But that was a small snapshot in time and can easily be overlooked. The ending song, Hikari no Tabi, is one of my favorites and always reminds me of Son Goku, of course.

My first exposure to seeing this special was through FUNi's dub VHS, prior to the bi-lingual DVD being released. As per usual back in those days, seeing it in its original form afterwards was like watching an entirely different take. It's jarring with how completely different the tone, atmosphere, and vocal deliveries (subtlety) are between the two.

I know that this is virtually 100% a TOEI story, but it's so good that I accept it as canon.

[LuckyCat]

Bardock - Father of Goku is simply one of the best things to come out of the franchise. I'm not even a big fan of the Freeza saga, but I can never get enough of this special and echo the sentiment that more shows during this time period would be welcome.

Wow. I can't believe the Bardock special was finally recognized as the fifth thing to ever exist.

I know, right? Watchmojo has some of the most banal top 10s.

[ekrolo2]

No, I don't think it is that good. We knew Saiyans were brutes and not good, we knew Freeza blew them up, we weren't supposed to care for Bardock as a character. Like what is the actual point of the special? If someone were to watch all of DB but not this special their experience would be altered in the slightest. I still enjoy it don't get me wrong but I don't think it is as good as people seem to make it out to be. Compare it to the Trunks special for example, that was character we were supposed to care about & that special further fuelled our emotional connection to that character.

The pointlessness of Bardock's story is something that actually makes it worthwhile, ironically.

Unlike Trunks' story where key events happen to shape him and eventually a better future for all, Bardock's is one of complete failure. Literally nothing he is or does matters in the least and he dies just like any other random gnat from Freeza. In a series like Dragon Ball where good, even a selfish good, almost always wins out over evil, having a story set in it about a bastard who's wrong by his even worse boss and tries to defy him only to fail on every level possible warrants seeing.

[8000 Saiyan]

This TV special is one of my favorite things in all of Dragon Ball. The animation is absolutely gorgeous and the story and voice acting are great.

[KorgDTR2000]

No, I don't think it is that good. We knew Saiyans were brutes and not good, we knew Freeza blew them up, we weren't supposed to care for Bardock as a character. Like what is the actual point of the special? If someone were to watch all of DB but not this special their experience would be altered in the slightest. I still enjoy it don't get me wrong but I don't think it is as good as people seem to make it out to be. Compare it to the Trunks special for example, that was character we were supposed to care about & that special further fuelled our emotional connection to that character.

We do care for Bardock as a character though, because the special humanizes him in spite of his horrible actions. It's the same reason we watch The Sopranos. Horrible people can make for very interesting protagonists, and its this edge that makes the Bardock special so interesting as a piece of Dragon Ball media.

[Lord Beerus]

As far as side-stories go, it's only bested by the Future Trunks TV special. It's always very unique to see a Dragon Ball story through the eyes of what was basically a villain. And that's what Bardock was. A cold hearted bastard who love the thrill of combat and bloodshed. And seeing him try his hardest to battle against demise that was destined to occurs make the Bardock TV special all the more unique. He was bound to fail and die miserably. It such an un-Toriyama-esque choice of narrative, but that's what makes the story all the more unique and intriguing. Bardock couldn't prevent the unpreventable.