Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks

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Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks
CoverhistoryTrunks.jpg
Region 1 VHS Cover
ドラゴンボールZ 絶望への反抗!!残された超戦士・悟飯とトランクス
(Doragon Bōru Zetto Zetsubō e no Hankō!! Nokosareta Chō-Sensh i •Gohan to Torankusu)
Anime television film
Directed byYoshihiro Ueda
Written byHiroshi Toda
Music byShunsuke Kikuchi
StudioToei Animation
Licensed by
AUS
Madman Entertainment
Funimation
Original networkFuji TV
English network
US
Cartoon Network (Toonami)
ReleasedFebruary 24, 1993
Runtime48 minutes
Wikipe-tan face.svg Anime and manga portal

Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks, known in Japan as Dragon Ball Z: Defiance in the Face of Despair!! The Remaining Super-Warriors: Gohan and Trunks (Japanese: ドラゴンボールZ 絶望への反抗!!残された超戦士・悟飯とトランクス, Hepburn: Doragon Bōru Zetto Zetsubō e no Hankō!! Nokosareta Chō-Senshi • Gohan to Torankusu) is a TV special anime based on Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga series. Originally airing in Japan on February 24, 1993, between episodes 175 and 176, the special is based on an extra chapter of the manga series. It depicts an alternate version of the future in which Goku dies from the heart virus and a teenage Trunks tries to defeat the androids as they ravage Earth.

Plot[]

A few years following Goku's victory against Frieza, he returns to Earth and succumbs to a viral heart disease. Goku's death, being the result of natural causes, means that he can no longer be revived with the Dragon Balls. Six months later, Piccolo, Vegeta, Krillin, Tien Shinhan, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu are killed by Android 17 and Android 18. With the death of Piccolo, Earth's guardian, Kami, dies as well and the Dragon Balls are rendered permanently useless - making it impossible for anyone to be revived.

Thirteen years later, the androids terrorize the planet while the sole survivor of the battle, Gohan, repeatedly tries to stop them but is unsuccessful. He agrees to train Trunks, the teenage son of Vegeta and Bulma, who is eager to help him defeat the androids. Gohan attempts to provoke Trunks enough to trigger his transformation into a Super Saiyan but is unsuccessful. As the two rest from their training, the androids attack an amusement park and Gohan challenges them once again. Despite being a Super Saiyan, Gohan is overwhelmed and Trunks comes to his aid. Android 18 easily defeats Trunks requiring Gohan to defend him. As Gohan hides with his unconscious pupil in his arms, the androids, unable to find their targets, bombard the entire area with energy blasts and leave. The pair are nearly killed and Gohan gives Trunks his final healing Senzu bean in order to save his life. Trunks awakens to find that Gohan has lost his left arm in the attack and brings him home to Bulma who saves his life. Once healed, Gohan resumes Trunks' training. Not long after, a huge explosion erupts within a nearby city. Gohan seemingly allows Trunks to join him in the battle this time, but renders him unconscious and departs alone. Gohan fights the android duo but his lack of an arm puts him at a major disadvantage and is eventually overwhelmed and killed. Trunks awakens and hurries into the city to find his deceased master laying face down in the street. Trunks, enraged and devastated over the death of his teacher and best friend, finally awakens his Super Saiyan transformation.

Three years pass and Trunks assists Bulma with building her time machine when a warning on the television indicates that the androids are attacking a nearby city. Despite Bulma's warnings, Trunks confronts them but is easily defeated and somehow manages to survive. He awakens in his house with his mother at his side, and finally decides that the time machine is their best hope in stopping the androids. Once healed, Trunks prepares to depart with medicine to cure Goku's heart disease in hand. He travels nineteen years into the past with the hopes of changing his future.

During the ending credits, Trunks' arrives in the past, kills Frieza and King Cold, meets Goku and his allies, and 17 and 18 emerge.

Cast[]

Character name Japanese voice actor English voice actor
(Funimation, 2000 - original/2008 - remastered)
English voice actor
(AB Group, c. 2003)[1]
Trunks Takeshi Kusao (teen)
Hiromi Tsuru (baby)
Eric Vale (teen)
Stephanie Nadolny (baby)
Doug Rand (teen)
Jodi Forrest (baby)
Gohan Masako Nozawa Dartanian Nickelback (adult)
Stephanie Nadolny (child)
David Gasman (future)
Jodi Forrest (child)
Bulma Hiromi Tsuru Tiffany Vollmer Jodi Forrest
Android #17 Shigeru Nakahara Chuck Huber Doug Rand
Android #18 Miki Itō Meredith McCoy Sharon Mann
Krillin Mayumi Tanaka Sonny Strait Sharon Mann as Clearin
Chi-Chi Naoko Watanabe Cynthia Cranz Sharon Mann
Ox-King Daisuke Gōri Mark Britten (original)
Kyle Hebert (remastered)
Paul Bandey
Vegeta Ryō Horikawa Christopher R. Sabat Doug Rand as Vejita
Yamcha Tōru Furuya Doug Rand
Tien Shinhan Hirotaka Suzuoki John Burgmeier Sharon Mann as Tenshin
Piccolo Toshio Furukawa Christopher Sabat Ed Marcus as Big Green
Master Roshi Kōhei Miyauchi Mike McFarland Ed Marcus as Genius Turtle
Puar Naoko Watanabe Monika Antonelli Jodi Forrest
Oolong Naoki Tatsuta David Gasman
Turtle Daisuke Gōri Chris Sabat Ed Marcus
Announcer Shinobu Satouchi Unknown David Gasman
Shopkeeper Shinichiro Ohta Unknown David Gasman
Woman Naomi Nagasawa Unknown Unknown
Clerk Kazunari Tanaka Unknown David Gasman
Narrator Jōji Yanami Dale Kelly (original)
Kyle Hebert (remastered)
Ed Marcus

Notes[]

Goku is listed in the credits of this special, despite not having any lines.

Music[]

Funimation Soundtrack[]

The following songs were present in the English version of Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks, as well as its accompanying soundtrack CD, with exception to most of Dream Theater's music, "Home" being the only track showcased in the soundtrack from them and "Prelude" by Slaughter. The soundtrack also contained remixes of other songs.

  1. Bootsy Collins with Buckethead - Shackler
  2. Neck Down - Garden of Grace
  3. Triprocket - Immigrant Song
  4. Dream Theater - Regression
  5. Dream Theater - Overture 1928
  6. Dream Theater - Fatal Tragedy
  7. Dream Theater - Through Her Eyes
  8. Dream Theater - Home
  9. Dream Theater - The Dance of Eternity
  10. Dream Theater - Beyond This Life
  11. Slaughter - Prelude
  12. Slaughter - Unknown Destination

However, the TV special on Double Feature, there is an alternate audio track containing the English dub with original Japanese background music by Shunsuke Kikuchi.

Reception[]

Anime News Network's reviewer Chris Shepard stated: "It is interesting... Gohan and Trunks are both understandable characters who I was really able to get into and sympathize for during their battles" but also felt a "good understanding of the happenings of the TV series is recommended". He also felt that the action sequences were exceptional and did not "overdo themselves". He expressed some disappointment in the English dub as the storyline sounded "completely alien" to the Japanese subtitles. For his final grade he noted "[the] Dub doesn't contain the original music... [it] isn't true to the original" but was pleased overall.[2]

John Sinnott of DVDTalk praised the television special, seeing it as being separate from the other episodes of Dragon Ball. He believed this to be a positive attribute. Regarding the Blu-ray release of the film he was less impressed with the color and aspect ratio, citing them as not particularly "exciting". However he expressed joy at Funimation leaving the original Japanese soundtrack and the English voice dubs in, describing them as "enveloping". For fans of Dragon Ball he recommended watching the episode as it "worked a lot better than the average theatrical film since they follow DBZ continuity and expand the story while filling in details". Like Shepard the Sinnott review advised those who are not familiar to the Dragon Ball franchise to avoid the episode but that fans will enjoy it. In conclusion he felt the film was enjoyable at best.[3]

Releases[]

It was released on DVD and VHS in North America on October 24, 2000. Later a double feature was released with a second special and Bardock – The Father of Goku with digitally remastered widescreen format on DVD on February 19, 2008, then on Blu-ray released on July 15, 2008. The second special was re-released to DVD on September 15, 2009 in a remastered-widescreen single-disc edition.

References[]

  1. ^ "Dragon Ball Z: Big Green Dub Cast - Behind The Voice Actors". Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  2. ^ "DVD Review by Chris Shepard: Dragon Ball Z The History of Trunks". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  3. ^ "Dragon Ball Z — The History of Trunks / Bardock: Father of Goku (Blu-ray". John Sinnott. DVDtalk.com. August 20, 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-15.

External links[]

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