Get those wallets out, guys, because FUNimation has managed to once again turn out our pockets to buy a scrubbed up version of something we already own. But this time, it’s definitely worth it.
June 28th, get ready for Part Five of the 20th anniversary DBZ remake, Dragon Ball Z Kai. Unless you’re one of the lucky sunnvabitches who preordered to avoid natural sunlight. In which case, bravo.
Left with a terrible yet expected cliffhanger back on Namek, Part Four abruptly ends with megabaddie Frieza going toe to toe with the blindly raging, freshly dyed-blonde Super Saiyan Goku. Part 5 will pick up back on Namek as they duke it out to the backdrop of a dying planet and continue on through Episodes 53-65, where we will learn the mysterious past of Trunks, the origin of the Androids and ultimate finish with femme fatale #18 kicking some serious Saiyan butt.
But wait, we’re at episode 53 and Namek is already combusting? Shouldn’t we still be watching Dende become an orphan, Bulma’s underwater escapades, or Zarbon prancing around in leg warmers? Don’t worry, there was more than enough filler to chop while managing to leave the story intact without feeling rushed. For the 20th anniversary of DBZ, Toei Animation went to work cutting down from 291 episodes to 99 in order to more closely follow the manga, resulting in a faster paced story. FUNimation took their cue and sat down to redub the dialogue, which is being treated with more respect than ever before for an English dub of a Dragon Ball product. Episode titles are faithful translations of original Japanese titles and the DVD versions are all uncut, which means blood and profanity galore. Redubbed, revised, and remastered? Totally down, even if it means Goku’s childlike innocence is shattered by no-no words.
Following the story as Toriyama originally planned could mean that we end with Epic, but wont see our favorite Fail stay puft, Majin Buu. Call it filler, but The Adventures of Buu & Mr. Satan! were hilarious in that fork to the eye kind of way. Mixed feelings on my part, but that’s what I have my original Drag-On orange box sets for, so I’ll be happy either way.
Still not convinced? Check out the Part Five trailer and tell me you’re uninterested. I dare ya.