Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone

Lore & Background

The film acts as a prelude to the Dragon Ball Z television series, despite continuity inconsistencies. It is the only Dragon Ball Z film to receive a follow-up within the series, the Garlic Jr. arc, which takes place between the Frieza and Android arcs. The canonicity of this arc is debated as it does not appear in the original manga. The plot follows Garlic Jr., who abducts Gohan to retrieve a Dragon Ball and wishes for immortality. Goku, Piccolo Jr., and Kami work together to defeat him, and Gohan's latent power ultimately traps Garlic Jr. in the Dead Zone.

Reader's Guide

Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone marks the transition from the original Dragon Ball series to the Dragon Ball Z era. It introduced Garlic Jr., a villain whose story continued in the television series, making it unique among the films. The film sold 2.2 million tickets in Japan and earned ¥800 million in net distribution rental income. Its North American release by Funimation and Pioneer Entertainment included multiple dubs and home video formats. The film's music includes the opening theme 'Cha-La Head-Cha-La' and the ending theme 'Come Out, Incredible Zenkai Power!'. Critical reception from GameFan magazine gave the DVD release a B− rating. The film's legacy includes ongoing debate about its canonicity and its role as a bridge between the original Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z storylines.

Did You Know?

• The film was released at the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival along with the 1989 film version of Himitsu no Akko-chan, the first Akuma-kun film, and the film version of Kidou Keiji Jiban.
• In Funimation's English credits, Christopher Sabat is miscredited as playing the Ox King, a mistake carried over to the 2006 dub of The World's Strongest.
• The 2005 English dub score was composed by Nathan Johnson, not Mark Menza as some sources state.
• The film is the only Dragon Ball Z film to get a follow-up within the television series, the Garlic Jr. arc.