Dragonball Evolution
Dragonball Evolution
Main page

Dragonball Evolution

logo
Community Hub0 subscribers
What are your thoughts?
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Dragonball Evolution

Dragonball Evolution is a 2009 superhero film based on the 1984–95 manga series Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama. Directed by James Wong from a screenplay by Ben Ramsey, and produced by Stephen Chow, it stars Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum, James Marsters, Jamie Chung, Chow Yun-fat, Joon Park, and Eriko Tamura. In the film, the teenager Goku reveals his past and sets out to fight the evil namekian alien warlord Demon King Piccolo who wishes to gain the powerful Dragon Balls and use them to take over Earth.

Dragonball Evolution was released in Japan and several other Asian countries on March 13, 2009, and in the United States on April 10. It grossed $56.5 million worldwide against a production budget of $30 million and was considered a box-office disappointment at the time. The film received generally negative reviews from critics. Dragonball Evolution was intended to be the first of a series, though its reception caused Fox to cancel all subsequent films. The film has been accused of whitewashing and has had a negative effect on future anime-to-cinema adaptations, due to its casting, lack of loyalty to the source material, and failure at the box office.

Two thousand years ago, the Namekian Demon King Piccolo came to Earth and wreaked havoc. Seven mystics were able to seal Piccolo away using a powerful enchantment called the Mafuba. However, he breaks free in present-day and, with his ninja-like henchwoman Mai, begins searching for the seven Dragonballs, killing anyone in his path.

On his eighteenth birthday, martial artist and high school senior Goku is given the four-star Dragonball by his Grandpa Gohan. Returning home from a party hosted by his crush Chi-Chi, Goku finds his home destroyed by Piccolo, who was looking for the Dragonball. Before he dies, Gohan tells Goku to seek out martial arts guru Master Roshi, who has another one of the Dragonballs.

Goku then meets Bulma of the Capsule Corporation, who has invented a device that locates the Dragonballs. Goku offers Bulma protection in exchange for helping him find Roshi. After finding him in Paozu City, Roshi joins their search and begins helping Goku master his ki. During their search for another Dragonball, they fall into a trap set by the desert bandit Yamcha, whom Roshi convinces to join them by promising some of the royalties for Bulma's invention. Together, they fight off an ambush by Mai and obtain the next Dragonball.

As the group continues their quest, they visit The World Martial Arts Tournament where Chi-Chi is competing; she fights Mai in a match, who steals a sample of her blood. Chi-Chi briefly joins the group as they travel to a temple where Roshi consults his former teacher Sifu Norris and begins preparing a new Mafuba enchantment to reseal Piccolo, while Chi-Chi helps Goku in his training to learn the most powerful of the ki-bending techniques: the Kamehameha Wave. That night, Mai arrives having used Chi-Chi's blood to assume her appearance. Unable to tell Mai from Chi-Chi, Goku accidentally knocks out Chi-Chi and is shot by Mai, who steals the team's Dragonballs. Goku, Bulma, Yamcha, and Roshi go in pursuit of Mai and Piccolo.

Having acquired all seven Dragonballs, Piccolo arrives at the Dragon Temple and begins to summon Shenron, but is stopped by the timely arrival of Goku's team. During the ensuing battle, Piccolo reveals to Goku that he is his minion, Ōzaru the Great Ape, having been sent to Earth in a spaceship as an infant to destroy it. As the solar eclipse transforms Goku into Ōzaru. Roshi attempts to use the Mafuba on Piccolo, but he doesn't have enough energy allowing Piccolo to break free. Ōzaru chokes Roshi to death, but his dying words enable Goku to fight back Ōzaru and restore to himself. He engages Piccolo in a final battle, seemingly defeating him with the Kamehameha Wave. Goku then uses the Dragonballs to summon Shenron, restoring Roshi back to life. As the group celebrates, Bulma declares that the Dragonballs have scattered, and that they must search for them again. Before heading out, Goku meets with Chi-Chi and apologizes for knocking her unconscious, and they begin a sparring match.

In a mid-credits scene, Piccolo is revealed to be alive and treated by a mysterious woman.

See all
User Avatar
No comments yet.