Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure

Lore & Background

The film's plot follows young Goku and Krillin training with Master Roshi for a World Martial Arts Tournament in the country of Mifan. Emperor Chiaotzu seeks his lost 'Ran Ran,' while Minister Master Shen uses a Dragon Radar taken from Emperor Pilaf to locate the Dragon Balls, claiming to wish for Ran Ran but actually plotting to kill Chiaotzu with Mercenary Tao and Tien's help. General Blue reveals Ran Ran is in Shen's room and is killed by Tao. Bora and Upa bring the final Dragon Ball to Mifan to demand soldiers leave Korin Tower's land. Bora is tricked into the tournament and killed by Tao. Bulma, Oolong, Launch, and Puar seek the Dragon Balls for Bulma to wish for a boyfriend, but the balls are dropped into a moat. Tien spares Chiaotzu, blows away Shen, and returns Ran Ran (a porcelain doll). Goku kills Tao with Arale's help, throws the final ball into the moat, and summons Shenron, whom Upa asks to resurrect Bora.

Reader's Guide

Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure is significant as the third Dragon Ball film and the last before the Dragon Ball Z series began. It adapts characters from two major manga arcs into an original story, avoiding original characters. The film sold 1.9 million tickets in Japan and earned ¥650 million in distribution rental income. Its legacy includes multiple English dubs: a Harmony Gold USA dub broadcast in select U.S. test markets, a Funimation dub released in 2000, an AB Groupe dub for European markets, and a Malaysian Speedy Video dub. The film was also edited and combined with the second film into a compilation titled Dragon Ball in the Philippines. Subsequent Funimation releases restored previously cut footage, though some versions used freeze-frames to obscure Japanese credits. The film remains a notable entry in the early Dragon Ball film series, bridging the original series to the Dragon Ball Z era.

Did You Know?

• The film was released as part of a quadruple feature at the Toei Manga Matsuri festival along with Bikkuriman 2: The Secret of Muen Zone, Tatakae!! Ramenman, and Kamen Rider Black: Terrifying! The Phantom House of Devil
• Harmony Gold USA's dub changed character names, censored parts, and replaced the opening and ending sequences with altered versions.
• The film was edited and combined with the second Dragon Ball film into a compilation titled Dragon Ball, released in the Philippines by Regal Home Video in the mid/late 1990s.
• Funimation's 2000 dub was released on VHS and bilingual DVD, but the initial release cut the introduction, a cameo sequence, and the original closing credits.