Dragon Ball: Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return!!

Lore & Background

The film is set two years after Kid Buu's defeat by Goku. Mr. Satan, feeling guilty that his new hotel honors what most of Earth believes to be his victory over Kid Buu, invites Goku, Vegeta, and their families to a banquet. During dinner, two Saiyan spaceships land and a mysterious Saiyan and his wife confront the heroes. Vegeta's younger brother, Tarble, introduces himself and explains that he was deemed weak by their father King Vegeta and sent to a distant planet before the destruction of Planet Vegeta by Frieza. He also introduces his wife Gure, a small alien humanoid. Tarble asks his brother for help dealing with Abo and Kado, soldiers from remnants of Frieza's army, who are causing havoc on his planet.

Reader's Guide

The film was first announced in the April 21 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine, stating it would premiere along with One Piece: Romance Dawn Story at the Jump Super Anime Tour to celebrate Shōnen Jump's 40th anniversary. The story was based on an original concept by Akira Toriyama, revisiting the comedic story-telling seen early in the series. The film introduced three new characters: Tarble, Gure, and the brothers Abo and Kado, who can fuse into Aka. The short was streamed on Jumpland from November 24, 2008, to January 31, 2009, and later released on DVD via mail-in offer exclusive to Japanese residents. It was also included as a bonus feature on the limited edition home release of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods in 2013. A manga adaptation illustrated by Naho Ōishi was published in V Jump in 2009, and a film comic version was released in a single tankōbon volume on September 3, 2010.

Did You Know?

• The film was the first animated Dragon Ball film in twelve years, following The Path to Power.
• Vegeta's younger brother Tarble appears in this film and is later mentioned in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Super: Broly.
• The fused form of Abo and Kado is called Aka, and Goten and Trunks jokingly call him 'Abokado', a reference to avocado.
• The film was streamed on Jumpland from November 24, 2008, to January 31, 2009.