The Dragon Blog: January 2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Dragon Ball Z ep 41 - Kind-Hearted Aliens - There's the Five Star Ball Already

The team have at last reached Planet Namek, and ahead of schedule to boot!

Dragon Ball Z ep 39 - Friends or Foes? Children of the Mysterious Giant Spaceship

Seven days have passed since launch, and Bulma is bored out of her mind.

Dragon Ball Z ep 38 - Blast-off for Planet Namek! The Terror Awaiting Gohan and Co.

At Capsule Corp. House in Metro West,

Dr. Brief, Bulma, and a team of scientists (and Tama!) work on restoring Kami-sama's spaceship.

Bulma calls up Kuririn with the great news about her and Mr. Popo's trip to Jupiter.

(omg that is the cutest Bulma hair + outfit combo ever)

Dragon Ball Z ep 37 - Mysterious Yunzabit! The Search for Kami-sama's Spaceship

Son Goku, the man who defeated Piccolo Daimao, single-handedly brought down the Red Ribbon Army, twice runner-up and champion of the Tenka-ichi Budokai, student of the god of master arts, god, and god's god, and the most powerful man on Planet Earth, has one weakness... Hospitals. He screams and cries in agony as the nurses do something as simple as change his bandages. That's not to say how he feels when they show him a needle... So unnerved by his cries, Kuririn and Gohan decide to sneak out out the hospital.

Review: Super Dragon Ball Z (Playstation 2)

(All images taken from Gamespot, unless otherwise noted.)

In late 2005, Super Dragon Ball Z was released into arcades across Japan (and eventually Europe), and later ported globally to the Playstation 2 in 2006. Noritaka Funamizu's company Craft & Meister developed the game, Funamizau himself famous for his work on Street Fighter II. Despite this, Super Dragon Ball Z remains one of the most obscure Dragon Ball Z video games since the fandom boom in 2002. The Budokai and Sparking! series both received a number of sequels and spin offs, yet this fighting game was seemingly left behind, despite praise by critics.

When I first bought this game, I didn't like it. I played it for a week or so, but something about it didn't click with me. So I shelved it. For years. About a month ago, I decided to dust it off and play it again. Once I started playing it, I knew I had to review it for the Dragon Blog. So without further ado, Super Dragon Ball Z...

Review: Saiyan Saga (DBZ episodes 1 - 36)

Dragon Ball Z has begun with a doozy. And now that I'm done with the first storyline, let's have a review! If you're interested, here are my previous "Saga" reviews: Dragon Ball, the Goku era (DB episodes 1 - 81), Tenshinhan Saga/22nd Tenka-ichi Budokai (DB episodes 82 - 101), Piccolo Daimao Saga (DB episodes 102 - 123), and Piccolo Junior/23rd Tenka-ichi Budokai (DB episodes 124 - 153). If you're curious about how my rating system works, check out the beginning of the Goku era review. Now then, let's rock this dragon!!!

Bonus Content! Saiyan Saga edition

I'm Raditz.

From Dragon Ball Z episode 1.

Dragon Ball Z ep 36 - We're Off Into Space! The Star of Hope is Piccolo's Homeland

Goku, Kuririn, Gohan, Yajirobe, and even the deadly Vegeta lick their wounds after the battle against the Saiyan invasion. With the fight at last ended, Muten Roshi, Karin-sama, Bulma, and Chichi arrive in Bulma's airship to take our heroes home.

Dragon Ball Z ep 35 - Cause a Miracle! Son Gohan, the Super Saiyan

Muten Roshi, Karin-sama, Bulma, and Chichi fly toward the battle field where the fight with Vegeta is drawing to its conclusion. Using his powers of ki detection, Karin navigates across the skies. Muten Roshi is privately troubled. Five presences he cannot sense... Tenshinhan, Yamcha, Chaozu, Piccolo, and Goku.

Chichi is more concerned about Gohan.

(Gurl, you dancing with the devil now.)

In Defense of Nappa

Look around the internet for Nappa fanart. Or Nappa fanfiction. You're not likely to find much, and most of which you find is certain to be directed at the non-canonically Team Four Star version of the character. Who is Nappa? It sounds like a rhetorical question on a Dragon Ball blog; Obviously he's one of the four surviving Saiyans in the original manga, partner to Vegeta and Raditz. But that's not what I meant. Very little is known about Nappa, comparative to the other four Saiyans. Goku and Vegeta we understand and can infer many things about, due to their roles in the series. Raditz too is lent some credence above Nappa from nepotism. (Goku and Bardock nepotism, naturally.)

Gohan and Vegeta duke it out midair,

as Goku gives Kuririn the Genki Dama to finish Vegeta once and for all.

Dragon Ball Z ep 33 - Don't Die, Father!! This is the Depth of Gohan's Power

Gohan and Kuririn race back to the battle field, determined to save Goku from his fate against the monstrous Oozaru Vegeta. As they approach, Kuririn catches sight of Vegeta's transformation and is stricken with horror! The beast that Goku once turned into before his eyes at the 21st Tenka-ichi Budokai, now, in the flesh... only this time, it's Vegeta!!

Dragon Ball Z ep 32 - Battle Power x10!! Vegeta's Great Transformation

Gohan and Kuririn pause on their way to Kame House when they see Vegeta's artificial moon in the sky. From that direction, they can feel Vegeta's tremendous ki. As an Oozaru, Saiyan Battle Powers are increased ten fold. So although Vegeta used up a lot of ki to make the artificial moon, it's paying him back in spades. Unable to leave Goku to his fate alone, Gohan resolves to return to the battle field. Kuririn, reluctantly, joins him.

Dragon Ball Z ep 31 - Now, Goku! A Final Technique with Everything on the Line

The proceeding episode of Dragon Ball Z is the most metal episode so far reviewed of the franchise here on Dragon Blog (Z). As such, I highly recommend that while you look over this blog entry, you listen to this song. (Dethklok - Black Fire Upon Us, in case the link gets broken again.)

Dragon Ball Z ep 30 - A Hot, Unbounded Battle! Goku vs. Vegeta

Gohan initially hesitates to leave his father alone to fight against Vegeta. Kuririn comforts Gohan, telling him not to worry about Goku, but to think about his mother. With Chichi in mind, Gohan and Kuririn turn toward Kame House, leaving Son Goku to fight the Saiyan Prince Vegeta.

Dragon Ball Z ep 29 - Father is Awesome! Kaio-ken, the Ultimate Finishing Technique

Dragon Ball Z ep 28 - Ferocity of the Saiyans! Kami-sama and Piccolo Both Die

Dragon Ball Z ep 27 - Leave It To Me! Gohan's Great Burst of Anger

Their three hours reprieve from fighting ended, and Goku still not at the battle field, Nappa takes the stage once again. Kuririn, Piccolo, and Gohan have only one card left to play: Grabbing Nappa's tail.

Dragon Ball Z ep 26 - An Intense Three-Hour Delay! The Kinto Un Bullet-Express

Vegeta explains his motivation for the three-hour wait to the impatient Nappa. Kakarotto is a traitor to the Saiyan race, and they will make him pay by killing his son and friends in front of his very eyes. Nappa takes a shine to the idea, but insists he get to fight the other three, and Vegeta can have Kakarotto.