10 Weird Things That Happen In Almost Every Dragon Ball Z Movie

Goku Discovers A New Technique Or Transformation Out Of Nowhere

Convenient Ki Breakthroughs Regularly Save The Day

Dragon Ball Z’s movies do their absolute best to connect to the franchise’s canon and tell stories that can plausibly fit into certain pockets of bigger sagas. However, Toei’s team that worked on the Dragon Ball Z movies weren’t always in direct conversation with Akira Toriyama or even the primary team that was working on the anime. This would lead to certain liberties being taken with Goku’s abilities and transformations. Dragon Ball Z loves to build to a finale where a new attack is used to save the day. Dragon Ball Z’s use the Spirit Bomb in this capacity until it reaches diminishing returns.

These movies decide to create their own special attacks and transformations, which prove to be incredible, but then never return again because they’re not proper canon. This results in some exciting battle innovations by Goku, such as his Pseudo Super Saiyan form, Kaio-Ken x100, Spirit Bomb Super Saiyan, and his mighty Dragon Fist. Admittedly, Goku’s Dragon Fist does return in Dragon Ball GT, which was made by the same Toei team. The majority of these exciting movie breakthroughs ultimately feel lackluster because they’re reduced to one-off events and not dependable battle tactics.

9All The Movie Villains Are Inhuman Monsters

Grounded Human Threats Have No Place in Dragon Ball Z’s Movies

Part of what makes Dragon Ball such an entertaining series is that there’s such a wide range of characters. Dragon Ball Z’s movies are excellent occasions to return to some of the series’ most successful villain archetypes, whether it’s Saiyans, Namekians, or Androids. Demons and aliens are also par for the course in these movies and they’re all villains who genuinely feel alien in nature.

Dragon Ball Z's Wrath of the Dragon is an excellent movie that could have functioned as a much stronger anime series finale.

Dr. Wheelo is the most “normal” of the Dragon Ball Z movie villains. He may have started life as a brilliant human scientist, but in Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest he’s a disembodied brain who battles in a giant mecha body, while protected by his monstrous Bio-Warriors. This inhuman villain trend is even present in the original Dragon Ball’s movies, which feature demonic antagonists like Lucifer and King Gurumes.

8The Dragon Ball Z Movies Reference Non-Canon Characters

Dragon Ball Z’s Movies Create Their Own Canon

Many Dragon Ball fans can watch the anime and not worry about what’s supposed to be canon or not. However, the movies certainly muddle this territory to some extent. It’s extremely rare for a character who originated in a Dragon Ball Z movie to wind up in the manga. However, there is communication between Dragon Ball Z’s anime and these periodic movies.

It’s for this reason that many non-canon anime original characters migrate over to Dragon Ball Z movies and gain greater authority in the process. Pikkon, for instance, makes a strong first impression in Dragon Ball Z’s Other World Saga, but proceeds to do some of his best work in Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn. The reverse also happens and characters who make their debut in Dragon Ball Z’s movies, like Garlic Jr. or Gohan’s pet dragon, Icarus, show up in Dragon Ball Z filler episodes.

7Villains Are Very Successful With Their Dragon Ball Wishes

Many Dragon Ball Z Movies Hinge On A Devious Dragon Ball Wish

While it’s quite rare, Dragon Ball’s canon does depict a few instances where the villains are successful with their Dragon Ball wish, like when Demon King Piccolo gets his youth – and corresponding power – restored. Curiously, there are many Dragon Ball Z movies that don’t just feature wishes being granted by Shenron, but also for unscrupulous individuals. Dragon Ball Z’s very first movie, Dead Zone, even allows its villain, Garlic Jr., to acquire immortality with the Dragon Balls.

Dr. Kochin uses the Dragon Balls to free Dr. Wheelo’s frozen body and kickstart the movie’s events. Lord Slug, much like King Piccolo, regains his youth with a Dragon Ball wish. Wrath of the Dragon’s Hoi is also able to bring Hirudegarn’s chaos to life through his Dragon Ball wish that releases Tapion. It’s interesting to see how the Dragon Balls are more of a threat than an asset in Dragon Ball Z’s movies.

6Dragon Ball Z’s Supporting Characters Get To Shine In The Movies

Many Unsung Heroes Get Their Due

Dragon Ball Z’s movies are certainly guilty of finales that revolve around Goku, Vegeta, and occasionally Gohan, but they still do quite a good job when it comes to giving the rest of the anime’s huge cast their fill of action. Dragon Ball Z’s second and third films really showcase the original Z-Fighter team and it’s always appreciated when weaker characters like Yamcha, Master Roshi, Chiaotzu, and Tien get to be useful. Similarly, Piccolo is invaluable throughout Dead Zone, Lord Slug, and Cooler’s Revenge. Future Trunks is a fan favorite Dragon Ball Z character who is really only explored in the Cell Saga.

Broly isn't the only iconic Dragon Ball Z movie villain who deserves to be made canon by Dragon Ball Super.

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That being said, Future Trunks is celebrated in three separate movies – Super Android 13!, Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan, and Bojack Unbound – that give the Saiyan some of his best moments. There are even multiple opportunities for Videl to remind everyone that she comes from a martial arts background when she takes on Broly in Broly - Second Coming and helps Gohan keep the peace in Wrath of the Dragon.

5Each Antagonist Is Stronger Than The Last Movie’s Villain

Dragon Ball Z Embraces A Graduated Strength System To Its Enemies

Dragon Ball Z’s ongoing anime tells an intricately serialized story, and it’s difficult to just randomly jump into any story saga and watch the series in a random order. However, any fan who has a base level knowledge of Dragon Ball can basically adopt this approach with Dragon Ball Z’s movies. They can really be enjoyed in any order, barring the entries that are direct sequels to others. Dragon Ball Z attempts to create greater stakes and a sense of progression by internally deciding that each Dragon Ball Z movie villain is stronger than the last. This means that the characters are always moving forward and defeating more impressive enemies, even if the heroes haven’t necessarily mastered any transformations since they were last seen.

It makes sense that each Dragon Ball Z movie villain is more powerful than its predecessor, but it’s also occasionally a little hard to believe. This becomes increasingly nebulous when Dragon Ball Z’s final movies are considered. Bio-Broly is allegedly stronger than Broly, which doesn’t seem right, but it’s hard to properly gauge since he’s largely battled by Goten and Trunks. Alternatively, Super Saiyan 3 Goku isn’t strong enough to defeat Super Janemba, but he can defeat Hirudegarn – albeit with a new attack. Goku and Vegeta don’t need to resort to fusion in order to be victorious against Hirudegarn.

4DBZ Movies Include A Broad, Silly Scene That Caters To A Younger Crowd

Dragon Ball Z Isn’t Afraid To Let Out Its Inner Child

Dragon Ball Z often gets reduced to an exaggerated action anime, but it had its start as a hilarious gag comedy series. Dragon Ball’s humorous roots sometimes come up unexpectedly, and many tonally inconsistent shifts occur in Dragon Ball Z’s movies. Dragon Ball Z films are typically very tight stories that largely revolve around a handful of battles. Action is these films’ priority, which always makes it such a surprise when several minutes get devoted to a ludicrous gag for the younger crowd. It’s important that Dragon Ball never forgets its roots and continues to appeal to a younger generation of fans.

These silly, light-hearted sequences occur throughout the movies, but the two most prominent examples are in Dead Zone and Bio-Broly. Dead Zone includes a bewildering alcohol-induced fantasy where Gohan gets unintentionally inebriated. Meanwhile, Bio-Broly allows Goten and Trunks to lead the charge, and their juvenile energy takes over the whole movie. It’s one of the reasons that Dragon Ball Z: Bio-Broly is a particularly polarizing movie.

3Goku Is Typically Involved With The Villain’s Defeat

A Growing Goku Obsession Becomes Repetitive

There’s nothing wrong with an anime that reserves most of its major victories for its main character. Goku is hardly a lone wolf when it comes to his cinematic adventures, but he’s usually the central star when everything is said and done. Goku’s victories across these movies are incredible, but they result in a predictable formula that frequently weakens the movie’s final act. This doesn’t mean that Dragon Ball Z’s supporting players aren’t useful in their own ways, but it’s rare that they’re responsible for the finishing blow. Goku even weasels his way into victories in battles in which he shares absolutely no connection.

Goku is Dragon Ball’s main character, so it’s only natural he gets to save the day and defeat the main villain – but this isn't always the case.

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Goku breaks Other World’s rules and delivers a definitive attack to Bojack in Bojack Unbound that helps Gohan secure the win. Additionally, an errant Dragon Ball wish seemingly summons Goku to Gohan and Goten’s Family Kamehameha against Broly in Broly - Second Coming. The only film in which Goku is truly hands-off from the final battle is Bio-Broly, but even then the movie gives Goku an obligatory appearance and sets up a future showdown between Goku and Broly.

2DBZ Movie Antagonists Are Always Killed

Combat Builds To A Predictable, Safe Conclusion

Goku is a character who, more often than not, airs on the side of redemption and rehabilitation over retribution. Some of Goku’s best friends are former foes and past rivals, which has emboldened him with the belief that everyone deserves a second chance. Despite this philosophy, Goku conveniently kills the central villains in all of Dragon Ball Z’s movies so that they’re not around to cause future trouble in the anime.

However, there are still ways to finish a fight that don’t include murder. It’s definitely weird to see Goku adopt such a casual approach to murder and that all these compelling villains meet grisly ends. The few instances where villains manage to return in sequels, like Cooler and Broly, are largely predicated upon chance and divine intervention, only to meet their ends in their subsequent installments.

1The Villains Experience A Radical Transformation That Ushers In The Final Act

Movie Villain Transformations Are Expected At This Point

Another running Dragon Ball tradition that’s especially prominent in Dragon Ball Z’s movies is the idea that every major villain has at least one additional form at their disposal. Dragon Ball Z popularizes this trend, and it’s an element that’s present in nearly every movie. It’s an effective way to trigger Goku’s own transformations, but it also helps signal the movie’s final act.

These villains’ final forms, in practically every case, are far superior to their base states. There’s so much creativity on display when it comes to the shift from Garlic Jr. to Super Garlic Jr., Cooler’s final form, and Janemba’s terrifying evolution into Super Janemba. It’s a pattern that Dragon Ball Z’s movies are conditioned to embrace, rather than just starting the movie with the stronger, superior version of these villains.