New Dragon Ball movie in 2013!!

So this was announced in July, but no one I knew actually had mentioned it lately.  In the last eight or so years, Dragonball fans have been waiting for something new.  Dragonball Kai, especially the english version, was something that we all enjoyed.  Having consistent voice acting, with cursing, original music (for this series) and no filler was a dream come true given the way the original series was handled in the U.S.  To be fair though, it was the same show, but remastered and not something new.

We got Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return in 2008...

Which was a nice revisiting of the characters, but other than Vegeta having a brother, this movie plotwise didn't bring anything to the table.  It was there to make DB fans giddy, laugh a little and didn't have any serious action.  It was fun to see the characters again for the first time in years (for Japan, well over a decade).  It was never released in the U.S. and never dubbed in English.

Then last year we got Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock. 

This was made in conjunction with Dragon Ball Heroes, which was a card based arcade game.  There were a lot of anime sequences made for this game, mostly in game or for advertisement purposes, but there was the fact that Bardock had a Super Saiyan form in the game.  There was a manga made to explain this and then an anime based on it.  This took a 180 from the jokey tone of the Yo! Son Goku and was completely serious.  The story began Bardock's journey to becoming a hero.  Depending on whether you've seen the dubbed movie Bardock: Father of Goku or the original japanese version (in the dubbed version he had noble reasons for challenging Frieza, but in the Japanese, not as much), so this was a real journey for him.  He has done nothing but kill for Frieza up until this point.  Also this creates a stroyline where Bardock didn't die, but was thrown back in time due to the explosion of his planet.  This isn't fully explained and could be made into it's own series where Bardock travels around in the past.  The story itself is a little cliche, but it has it's moments and should please most Dragon Ball fans.  This and Yo Son Goku may not be canon.

Oh... then there also Dragonball Evolution...

I don't even know what to say about this.  It's the live action American film... remember how Godzilla fans don't like the 1998 movie?  This is how Dragonball fans feel about this movie.  I could do a whole article about this and probably will at some point, but... this didn't help us not want something new from Dragon Ball.  Plus it ruined the chances of a REAL Live Action Dragon Ball Z movie.

In July, which I missed somehow and only found out recently...there is a new in continuity Dragon Ball movie announced for 2013 and will be released in Japanese theatres.

The movie looks to be in 3D with 2D characters, but that might only be the trailer.  This movie will not be a side story, but will matter in the story of the Dragon Ball Universe.  It happens in the ten years between the defeat of Kid Buu and when Goku meets Uub for the first time.  Akira Toriyama will be involved with the movie, but not write it, which is a little disappointing.  It releases on March 30, 2013.  That's all we know right now.

With it being released in theatres, it will be a long time before American audiences see this.  The OVA was only released a couple of years ago in a video game, with no DVD/Blu Ray release date set.  Yo and Eo Bardock still haven't been released in the U.S. and the youtube videos above are the only way to watch them.  Funimation owns the rights to these and should be putting all three on a triple feature DVD set, but there are no plans for that as of yet.

The theatrical movie may not be uploaded to youtube for a long time after the release.  Toei Animation may be the reason that the other three haven't been released, but who knows...

The dream is that Funimation works something out and we get a real theatrical release of this movie in the U.S.  It would be limited more than likely, but if dubbed in the quality of DBK, well worth it.  I'll keep an eye on this, being that I'm excited, but I don't want to spoil the entire plot and ending for myself.  Hopefully it doesn't involve a spirit bomb and Goku saving the day.  I know... but this is a staple for the movies... Fuck that.  The movie needs to be original and fresh.  Maybe Vegeta wins the day or it takes an all out effort on everyone's part to defeat the enemy.  Maybe the most powerful are fighting while the others have to solve some mystery at the same time. 

The other thing I'm hopeful for is the return of Future Trunks and new forms.  Vegeta, Broly (who I sincerely doubt will make an appearance) and Future Trunks all have Super Saiyan 3 forms in the video games, but no real explaination has been given for this.  This would make it to where Goku isn't the most powerful (if this in in continuity with GT, then he cannot become a SSJ4... if not?).  It looks like Gohan is still in his Ultimate/Mystic form (this is hard to tell for sure), this would correct the mistake made in GT, or explain it.  GT is widely considered to be semi-canon or non-canon for fans, but Toei's announcement mentioned GT as happening after this so... who knows?  Dragon Ball GT is another whole article...

Whatever the case we're all hoping for a U.S. release.  Theatrical is very unlikely, but maybe someone can start a petition or something?