Dragon Ball Super - Broly - The Movie
Director- Tatsuya Nagamine
Cast- Various
Country of Origin- Japan
Distributor - Funimation
Number of discs – 2
Reviewed by - Tyler Miller
Date- 06/11/2019
The Dragon Ball series has been one of the most successful anime products in recent years. In 2018 the fourth (or fifth if you count Dragon Ball Z Kai), series Dragon Ball Super wrapped with a grand battle royale. Instead of following Goku and friends on more space travel, Toei Animation announced another feature film, this time being a character remake of the fan favorite Broly.
The Previous version of Broly was a showcase for everything that people make fun of in Dragon Ball. Power levels, power ups, loud screaming, glowing hair, and lots of filler. So I didn’t expect much going into the film. As big of a Dragon Ball fan as I am, I just can’t stand the previous Broly. Luckily this film was scripted by Akira Toriyama and wisely follows his winning formula of quirky comedy and impressive martial arts setpieces.
The movie takes place after the ending of Dragon Ball Super’s Universe Survival Saga, Goku and friends are back to training and the series’ favorite villain Frieza has returned. The film starts with a flashback to the events before Planet Vegeta’s destruction, where we see a young saiyan named Broly shot out into space. Little does anyone know that he has secret powers and unmatched fighting strength. His father Paragus steals a spaceship and chases him to a desert planet.
Flash forward to the present where Frieza is trying to find all seven of the Dragon Balls so he can have a mysterious wish. The last Dragon Ball is on Earth, and on their way they discover the now growth Broly and his deranged father Paragus. With revenge on their minds, Paragus soon shows off Broly’s impressive power. Now a fight between Earth’s Warriors and The missing Sayian can begin.
The plot is pretty basic even for Dragon Ball, but This movie is a shiny example of the series at it’s best. Unlike the previous Broly films scripted by Takao Koyama, This movie is driven by likeable characters and breathtaking animation. The budget and color scheme has made it one of the best in the series of films. Koyama’s stories for Broly were episodic and followed plotting from the series Dragon Ball Z. The original character of Broly was just pure killing power and muscle. A complete vacuum of drama with a lack luster design. Here Akira Toriyama makes the characters likable with a new back story for Broly that enriches the series and adds new ideas into the mix. Broly is still muscle, but now has a trio of friends and is the victim of his father’s blind rage.
The movie is quickly paced and has a sharp script. Bringing back Frieza and company was a wise choice. Here he is still a threat but can still have fun with his vanity. His interplay with Broly is also classic Toriyama slapstick. It’s a refreshing and endlessly watchable movie. I saw it twice in theaters (with Funimation giving the film a decent english dubbed track) and now I’ve seen it three more times for this review. It’s one of the best.
Funimation gives the movie a nice release with an impressive 1080p HD transfer. The colors pop and the focus is sharp. The Blu-ray comes with 5.1 Japanese Surround mix and it does disappoint. The sound is crisp with no hiss or pops. The musical score is deep and feels the room. One of the better sounding discs of 2019 so far. The English 5.1 surround mix is also included. As far as dubs go this is some of Funimation’s best work. The disc comes with some extras including an Interview with the cast, Are you smarter than a voice actor game, A Q&A, and a trailer gallery.
