The Best Dragonball Z Movies

Have you ever seen an animated feature in the US with more than four or five theatrical movies? Chances are, you have. In Japan, popular anime series Dragonball Z has had more than double that number: thirteen, to be exact. As an up and coming Dragonball Z fan, how can you shift out the good ones from the bad? Hopefully this article will help you. Many of the Dragonball Z movies are admittedly quite formulaic, but you can shift out the gold from the dirt if you look hard enough. Here are five of the most highly recommended Dragonball Z films I believe that you should check out.

1. Dead Zone
If you want to start your DBZ movie experience, the first movie is the way to go. Goku's son Gohan gets kidnapped by the evil Garlic Jr., who wants to use his Dragonball, along with the other six he's collected, to summon the Eternal Dragon and grant his wish for immortality. It's up to Goku to save the day, of course. This movie serves as a good introduction to several key characters, including Goku, Gohan, Krillin, and Piccolo. Fighting is a lot more hand to hand than in later movies, when energy blasts become more commonplace. The action is intense and enjoyable. Garlic Jr. makes a memorable villain, actually going through with his wish for eternal life, making him quite the formidable opponent.

2. Cooler's Revenge
After his defeat of the powerful villain Freiza, Goku is ready to take it easy on a nice relaxing camping trip. The relaxation doesn't last long, as Frieza's brother Cooler has come to Earth to avenge his death. The result is a frantic struggle for survival. All of the characters get to showcase their talents here. I found myself constantly wondering exactly what was going to happen next. Unlike many of the movies, this one actually seemed to have a decent storyline outside of mindless fighting. Cooler is a vicious and evil character, and Goku's battle against him proves to be quite impressive, especially when he takes it to the next level. To find out what I mean (chances are you already know, though), watch the movie yourself.

3. Return of Cooler
My personal favorite of all the movies. Goku and his friends head off to visit planet Namek, but they discover that it has been invaded by a strange metallic star. Upon further inspection, they come to see that Namek is being used to help fuel the star, which in turn is giving power to a powerful villain long thought to be destroyed: Cooler! This is the first movie featuring tough-as-nails anti-hero Vegeta, and he gets his chance to shine in a great double-battle against the newly constructed Meta-Cooler. As with the last movie, we actually have semblances of a story here, with actual twists and turns one wouldn't have expected. Instead of Goku pulling another lame technique out of the hat, we actually get a significantly more creative ending for Cooler, one I'd rather not spoil. Of course, be sure to check out Cooler's Revenge before this one.

4. Fusion Reborn
Widely regarded as the best DBZ movie, it tells the story of a strange monster that has somehow appeared in the otherworld and is throwing everything off balance. While Gohan, Goten, and others do battle against Hitler (that's right, Hitler) and fallen foes from long ago, Goku does battle against the monster Janemba, who proves to be too much for the Saiyan, even at his maximum strength. The only solution: fusion with Vegeta. This leads to what many believe is the crowning achievement of DBZ cinema: the battle between Janemba and the newly-born Gogeta.

5. Wrath of the Dragon
The final DBZ movie, and another of my personal favorites. Tapion the righteous hero has been freed from his prison, but along with him comes trouble in the form of the terrible monster Hirudegarn. After forming a close bond with his friend, young Saiyan Trunks must make a tough decision: kill his newfound friend in order to save the world! The pace is much slower than that of the other movies, taking it's time and getting a nice, deep story set up before it hits the ground running. Many of the characters get focused, and several tender moments are shared. Unfortunately, one certain character suddenly takes the focus at the end of the movie unnecessarily, which kind of brings the movie down, but it's still a fine movie and a nice departure from the "action action action" formula of most of the other movies.

Don't let my personal preferences keep you from checking out the other eight movies out there, of course. But if you have to watch certain ones, these are the ones I highly recommend. And if you can find great enjoyment out of the others, then all the better!