No Anime Movie Will Ever Be Better Than This 30-Year-Old Dragon Ball Anime
Anime movies like Perfect Blue, Angel’s Egg, and Akira are regarded as modern classics that every film fan, no matter their interest in anime, should watch at least once. On top of this, numerous television anime franchises have made the jump to the big screen, exploiting the cinema’s grander screens and higher budgets to throw their already beloved characters into epic adventures that could never happen on TV. Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon is a perfect example of the latter category, because it is one of the best Dragon Ball films ever made and one of the greatest anime movies ever created.
Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (dubbed Dragon Ball Z: Dragon Fist Explosion!! If Goku won’t do it, Who Will? in Japan) marks a fascinating milestone in Dragon Ball history. As it came out under a year before “Goku’s Next Journey,” the final episode of Dragon Ball Z, it was considered the final Dragon Ball Z movie for many years (as the next film would be 1996’s Dragon Ball: The Path to Power, which retold the story of the original Dragon Ball) until Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods restarted the franchise in 2013.
Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon Broke the Template for Dragon Ball Movies
It’s easy to see why Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon is beloved. One big reason for the film’s enduring success is its decision to move the spotlight away from the usual characters. The majority of the runtime is focused on Tapion and the other newly introduced characters. Of the returning cast members, it is Gohan and Trunks who receive the most spotlight time, with Goku and Vegeta only really appearing during the final battle. While this may seem odd on paper, in practice, it’s a fantastic decision as it allows the writers to tell a unique storyline with a solid beginning, middle, and end, without having to worry about the grander Dragon Ball canon.
Wrath of the Dragon sidesteps a common issue many Dragon Ball films suffer from: weak plots. Due to the movies having to fit within the main show’s canon, most Dragon Ball Z movies follow an identical pattern: a new villain invades Earth for some reason, forcing Goku to fight them and stop their evil world domination/destruction plan, making most films feel like an extended monster-of-the-week TV episode rather than a complete movie. However, as Goku and his friends are tangential to this movie’s plot, the writers were able to go all-out and create new lore and a more complex story.
This is best shown with Tapion, as he is much more complex than most Dragon Ball movie-exclusive characters. Watching him slowly warm up to Trunks and open up to him is very moving. On top of this, his radiating sadness at letting Hirudegarn free makes him feel like a complete and emotionally complex character, which is an impressive feat in a film that only runs for 51 minutes.
Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon Is the Ultimate Movie Experience for Fans and Newcomers Alike
Hirudegarn is a fantastic villain for a movie. While kaiju-like enemies have appeared in Dragon Ball before, they are uncommon enough that Hirudegarn feels special. Giving the creature a markedly different origin from Goku’s previous foes means the writers could make the beast immensely powerful and terrifyingly durable.
Not only does this add some tension to the battle, as it feels like Goku could actually lose, but it also gives the writers a chance to have all the Z-Fighters showcase their best moves, meaning everyone gets a moment in the spotlight. Combine these elements with the monster’s fantastic design, and you’re left with one of the most memorable fights in Dragon Ball Z movie history. Hirudegarn acts as a fitting coda to the franchise.
Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon is one of the most beloved Dragon Ball Z films for good reason. The film’s decision to shift the focus to a new set of characters means the film feels more cohesive. Wrath of the Dragon works as a stand-alone piece, something that can’t be said for most Dragon Ball movies.
However, despite this shift, the film still features everything Dragon Ball fans want from a movie, with a fantastic new antagonist (both Hirudegarn and Hoi) and an epic final clash that includes the newest Super Saiyan forms and fusion teaming up to take the foe down in bombastic style. Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon is a must-watch film for both Dragon Ball fans and anime fans who want to dip their toes into the world of Dragon Ball Z without committing to the complete series.
