[Review] Dragonball Z: The History of Trunks Remastered

Last Updated on Thursday, 14 January 2010 12:14 Written by Josh Dunham Thursday, 14 January 2010 08:41

Review by: Josh Dunham

Director: Daisuke Nishio
Animation Production: Toei Studios

Distributed by: Funimation

There are certain laws that nature must follow: Everything burns… everything, vampires should not sparkle, ninja and pirates will always be at war, and Funimation will always make money off Dragonball.

There’s no beating around the bush: if you like Dragonball Z, then you’ll like History of Trunks. Don’t expect a deep story or multi-layered characters. Instead, gear up for giant energy explosions, sudden changes in hair color, the trademark martial arts action that has given the series its staying power for the last 25 years, and a whole lot of yelling.

For all three people who don’t know, History of Trunks takes place in an alternate timeline in which Goku dies from a rare virus during the Android Saga. Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, given that Goku has died before and revived with the dragonballs. Unfortunately the dragonballs are no longer in existence, since Piccolo fused with Kami, the being whose life sustained the dragonballs, to gain more power to fight the murderous Androids. Despite the noble effort, Piccolo is killed along with the rest of the Z fighters with the exception of Goku’s son, Gohan. Thirteen years pass, and Gohan grows into a man, taking Trunks as his pupil to shut the Androids down.

The premise of the movie is creative and it gives a nice back-story to Trunks and his motives. The real question that remains for potential buyers is, “Why should I pick up yet another release of a Dragonball Z film?”

The third U.S. DVD release of History of Trunks boasts some considerable advantages over its previous counterparts. For starters, the film is not stretched in an awkward manner to fit the screen, nor does it look magnified. It is simply presented in an easy to see and clear widescreen format. The film has been cleaned to crystal clarity to the point that the animation almost looks modern aside from the older art style. Compared to the original VHS version, the difference is astounding.

One nice touch is the inclusion of the Japanese music with the English dub, for those wanting to view the film in a more original form, but don’t want to read subtitles. However, fans that prefer the old American score might be disappointed, since the film lacks an option for it. Another dual-edged feature is the addition of the Japanese eye-catches. Though they are a welcome addition for hardcore fans, casual viewers may find them distracting, or even an annoyance, since their timing and music often clashes with the mood of the scene before it.

Overall, the new features could go both ways. Fans who are looking to complete their Dragonball collection will find exactly what they are looking for, while those satisfied with previous versions may want to wait until the next re-re-release comes around.

Rating: B-

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