The Black Star Dragon Ball Saga is the introductory arc of the Dragon Ball GT series, taking place five (according to the Daizenshuu) years after the end of Dragon Ball Z. This is also the part of the series that attempts to recapture the spirit of Dragon Ball, with its more comical and adventurous tone rather than the action-heavy nature of Dragon Ball Z.
Due to this, many fans were disappointed, so Funimation cut the first 16 episodes of this saga and began Dragon Ball GT with episode 17, and a recap episode at the start. However, they have now released the first 16 episodes of this saga under the title The Lost Episodes. In Japan, it aired beginning February 1996 while in the United States it aired in early 2005. This saga in the US is part of Season One.
Plot
Goku's ordeal
Goku and Uub finally done with their training
Five years after Goku and Uub left the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament in the Peaceful World Saga depicted at the end of Dragon Ball Z, the series begins with Goku and Uub fighting in the depths of Kami's Lookout, and damaging it in the process. Meanwhile, three robots sneak their way into the Lookout. The robots are being controlled by none other than Emperor Pilaf and his assistants, Shu and Mai. They are much older since last seen in Dragon Ball. The three have come to the Lookout to find the Black Star Dragon Balls, alternate Dragon Balls that were created by Kami before he and King Piccolo separated. However, these balls had been hidden away.
An Accidental Wish
Mr. Popo and Dende take a break
Emperor Pilaf is still plotting against Goku
While the three discuss the nature of the Dragon Balls and gathering them so they can summon Shenron, Goku and Uub exit from the depths of the lookout, revealing that Uub has officially finished his training. After the two are fully healed, Uub bids Goku, Dende, and Mr. Popo farewell and leaves as he goes back to his village. Goku grabs a bite to eat and is on the verge of following Uub out of the Lookout while he is about to leave the lookout to return home as he tells Dende and Mr. Popo that he hasn't been home for so many years and thinks that his wife, Chi-Chi is going to be mad at him for being gone so long when he sees the mysterious light as Emperor Pilaf activates the Black Star Dragon Balls, calling forth Ultimate Shenron for his wish. However, before Pilaf can make his wish to take over the world, Goku walks in on them in the middle of the summoning after asking what is going on here and Emperor Pilaf remembers him after asking Shu and Mai that this guy looks very familiar despite the fact that such a long time had passed. He orders Mai and Shu to kill Goku with their rockets, but Goku easily halts the missiles in midair without setting them off and tells the gang that they never change. This causes Emperor Pilaf to get angry and he blurts out that he wishes Goku was still a child, so that he could defeat him, unaware that the red dragon is listening. The red dragon overhears the accidental wish and then grants it, as Goku is magically lifted and is put into a gold bubble and his body and clothes begin to shrink, turning Goku back into a twelve-year-old child, much to Pilaf's dismay.
The Bad News
Goku is turned into a child as a result of Emperor Pilaf's wish
King Kai hears about someone had made a wish upon the Black Star Dragon Balls and tells Goku the only way he can return to normal is to use the Black Star Dragon Balls and summon Shenron, but Goku says that he kinda likes being the size of a kid again and thinks it is no big deal despite the obvious trepidation of King Kai, Dende, and Mr. Popo, and he heads back to Earth after Mr. Popo informs Goku that the Black Star Dragon Balls are scattered in the entire galaxy after the wish is made than the regular Dragon Balls. While moving around the city, he runs into his granddaughter, Pan as she is stopping a bank robbery while she is on a date with her boyfriend, although she does not seem to recognize him at first as she thinks that it's a boy who is about to get hurt by the robbers and tells the unknown little boy to get out of the situation. Not until a visiting Master Roshi points him out and recognizes Goku after Roshi asks Goku of how he became small and Goku tells Roshi that Emperor Pilaf used the Dragon Balls and made a wish that he was small again before asking if Chi-Chi will become mad at him for being gone so long does she realize who the boy is as Pan becomes horrified. Later, Goku breaks the news of his downsizing to Chi-Chi, his son, Gohan, and his daughter-in law, Videl, who are all dumbfounded by this recent mishap. However, it gets worse as King Kai brings news that when a wish is granted using the Black Star Dragon Balls, the planet that the balls were used on eventually explodes within one year's time, due to the huge amount of energy needed to grant the wish. Making matters more dire is that the Black Star Dragon Balls are spread across the entire universe rather than the planet. The only way to stop Earth from complete destruction is to find all the Black Star Dragon Balls and bring them back.
Blast Off
The Spaceship built by Bulma
Soon, Bulma goes to work on a spaceship while Goku, who recruits Trunks and Goten (with the help of Vegeta, replacing Gohan (who was originally going to help Goku on the journey)) prepares for their journey. On the day of the launch, Trunks and Goku enter the ship, but Goten receives a call from his girlfriend and he stands outside to talk on his cell phone just as he is about to climb aboard the spaceship with Trunks and Goku. Videl and Gohan search for Pan after Videl asks Gohan if she has seen Pan, but she is nowhere in sight. Inside the ship, Pan is waiting for Goku and Trunks to enter. She presses the ignition switch and the ship leaps into space. Goten is left behind and goes back to dating his girlfriend as a loose component of the ship falls off and lands by Bulma's feet.
Planet Imecka
Don Kee enjoys his wealth
After crashing on planet Imecka, Goku, Trunks, and Pan stay at a hotel. Once they realize that they are being charged a fortune for every little aspect of the room, they decide to leave. When they return to the location of their spaceship, they realize it is taken by the Imeckian Army. Also, they are forced to pick up a robot, who they later name Giru, since the robot swallows their Dragon Radar and fuses with it, thus becoming the group's radar for the journey. With the assistance of his bodyguard Ledgic and his thugs Sheela and Gale, the leader of Imecka, Don Kee, has made a fortune on the planet, bankrupting the rest of the population. After he tries to have Goku's ship torn apart for scraps, Goku, Pan, and Trunks try to save their ship.
Sheela and Gale are caught by surprise
After coming across Imecka's forces to retrieve the ship, they are labeled as criminals and are posted in the wanted ads across the city. When they realize that the citizens of Imecka are extremely poor and are living in poverty, Goku decides to return to Don Kee's castle and step up to the greedy Lord Don Kee. And after Goku, Pan, and Trunks attack Don Kee's mansion compound and easily defeat Sheela and Gale, Don Kee is forced to unleash a few traps. These prove to be insufficient and Ledgic appears from behind the three meddlers.
Ledgic reveals a deadly attack
Ledgic unveils a few attacks against Goku, including expanding chains and razor-sharp dual blades, which he magically summons. Even after posing to be a formidable foe and revealing to Goku that he is well aware of Goku's Saiyan ancestry, Ledgic is still toppled by Goku's attack. Admiring Goku's skill, Ledgic decides not to struggle against him. Don Kee then commands Ledgic to get up and defeat them, but Ledgic decides to kick him aside instead. Goku has freed the people of Imecka and they thank him. They continue their journey for the Black Star Dragon Balls.
Zoonama with Trunks, who is dressed under the guise of a woman and goes by the name Trunksette
Goku, Trunks, and Pan land on another planet and they find that a monster named Zoonama is causing earthquakes by flicking his whiskers in order to scare the people into giving him a bride. Goku and Pan disguise Trunks as "Trunksette" and he pretends to go away with Zoonama. Once they find out that he is not in control of the quakes and they happen spontaneously, Zoonama asks for forgiveness from the town and just as Goku, Pan, and Trunks are about to depart and continue their journey, a mysterious fellow steals their Dragon Ball.
The Luud Cult
The Para Para Brothers plot to nab the Dragon Balls
The thief is revealed to be Bon Para of the Para Para Brothers. Along with Don Para and Son Para, he returns the Dragon Ball to Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy of the Luud Cult. Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy is dressed in a robe and wields a long whip. It is revealed that Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy is collecting energy to feed into Luud, a huge mechanical menace who is currently inactive. Followers of the cult watch as Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy turns one of his subordinates into a doll for failing to retrieve a Dragon Ball. It becomes apparent to the Para Para Brothers that failure is not an option. They are told that another Dragon Ball was in the possession of Goku, Trunks, and Pan. They brought one back but foolishly missed another. They are sent back to retrieve the ball.
The Para Para Brothers place Trunks, Goku, and Pan under a dance trance
The Para Para Brothers follow Goku, Pan, and Trunks into the intergalactic beehive Beehay, where they assume the trio will be eliminated by Mouma. However, as the three are successful in surviving the dangers, the Para Para Brothers decide to step in and steal their remaining Dragon Ball and reveal a body-hypnotizing technique to them: a break dance called Para Para Boogie which they can't control. After they are placed under the hypnosis, the Para Para Brothers try to steal the other Dragon Ball. They are almost successful in their endeavor, but they are followed by the angered Z Fighters, who move to knock them out while they were approaching the Luud Cult.
Pan is turned into a doll and added to Dolltaki's collection
They proceed to tie up the Para Para Brothers and drag them to the Luud cult. Once there, they toss them in front of Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy. The Cardinal is not in a forgiving mood and the Para Para Brothers are then turned into dolls and fed to Luud for their failure. Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy turns Pan into a doll as well, but before he can eliminate her, Dolltaki steps in and decides to add her to his doll collection. Dolltaki is a central orator for the Luud cult and he gives a speech to Luud's followers for sacrificing themselves for the greater good. As Goku and Trunks are occupied by Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy, Dolltaki begins to play around with his new Pan doll. He receives a transmission from Dr. Myuu, who tells him to feed the doll to Luud, as it holds a tremendous amount of energy, but Dolltaki protects the doll, expressing his strong liking for the doll.
Mutchy attacks Goku
After Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy is defeated, it is revealed that his whip has a mind of its own as it transforms into a golden monster with extended arms named Mutchy. This demonic incarnation proceeds to battle Goku on a platform and is posing to be a threat until he is blasted from behind by Trunks. After Luud is unleashed and activated, the humongous Machine Mutant goes on a rampage, battling Goku. Its eyes light up as its arms rotate extremely quickly, resembling propellers. Goku's blasts bounce off as if they were nothing. Then, as Dolltaki is also fed to Luud along with Pan as a last resort by Dr. Myuu to conquer the fighters, Luud becomes super-powered and continues to attack Goku.
Dr. Myuu transmits his message to Dolltaki
Inside of Luud, the people who were turned into dolls try to contemplate a plan to take down Luud. The Para Para Brothers sing a tune which forces Dolltaki to reveal Luud's weakness. After it is revealed that Luud's weakness lies in a red cell above his heart, Goku must time his attack to fall in sync with Luud's interior. After some unsuccessful attempts, Goku is able to take down the enormous machine by targeting the correct spot.
Luud poses a threat against Goku
Everyone who was inside of Luud is released and they are no longer dolls. Rather, they are freed and returned to their normal state. Goku, Pan, and Trunks continue their journey. Dolltaki makes a journey of his own in order to report back to Dr. Myuu. However, he is met with General Rilldo instead, who informs him of his failure. He then proceeds to relay a message to Dolltaki that Dr. Myuu ordered his execution. Rilldo eliminates Dolltaki with a direct blast to his face and proceeds to contact Dr. Myuu.
Planet M-2
Dolltaki returns to report to Dr. Myuu, but is executed by General Rilldo for failure
Giru reveals that planet M-2 is his home planet and that they should make a stop there. The Z Fighters oblige. They find the planet nearly deserted except for a few robots designed similar to Giru running around. Giru then leads the heroes into the hands of their enemy. The heroes are unaware of Giru's past and the fact that he is an operational instrument of General Rilldo's base. It is further revealed that Giru was sent to lure the heroes there in order to extract their Dragon Balls and their biological data.
This is an apparent trap as General Rilldo's Sigma Force proceeds to capture Goku and Trunks. The Sigma Force includes the robot units of Commander Nezi, Ribet, Natt, and Bizu. The Sigma Force robot elites, led by Commander Nezi, take Pan away in order to use her as a guinea pig in their operations. Goku and Trunks are attacked by Bizu, one of the Sigma Force. Bizu proceeds to absorb them into his construct as they try their best to combat the robot. The story is continued in the Baby Saga.
Characters
Major characters |
Supporting characters |
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Battles featured
- Goku vs. Uub
- Goku vs. Pilaf, Mai and Shu machines
- Goku and Pan vs. Robber
- Pan vs. Martial Artists
- Goku, Trunks and Pan vs. Imeckian Soldiers
- Trunks vs. Ledgic
- Goku (Base/Super Saiyan) vs. Ledgic
- Goku and Trunks vs. Spider
- Goku, Trunks and Pan vs. Mouma
- Goku, Trunks and Pan vs. Bon Para, Don Para and Son Para
- Pan vs. Luud Cult members
- Goku vs. Leon
- Goku and Trunks vs. Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy
- Goku and Trunks vs. Mutchy
- Goku (Base/Super Saiyan) vs. Mutchy
- Goku (Base/Super Saiyan) and Trunks (Base/Super Saiyan) vs. Luud
- Goku and Pan vs. Luud
- Goku and Trunks vs. Sandipede
- Giru vs. Sandipede
- Goku and Trunks vs. Bizu
- Pan vs. Ribet
Releases
Funimation DVD Volumes
- Lost Episodes - Reaction (1-3)
- Lost Episodes - Rejection (4-6)
- Lost Episodes - Ruination (7-9)
- Lost Episodes - Conviction (10-12)
- Lost Episodes - Activation (13-16)
Funimation Remastered DVD Sets
- Dragon Ball GT Season One (1-34) (only episodes 1-16 are part of the Black Star Dragon Ball Saga)
 Reaction  Rejection  Ruination  Conviction  Activation Remastered Box Set Season One DVD |
Episode list
Black Star Dragon Ball Saga (16 episodes)
| Ep# | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | "A Devastating Wish" |
| 2 | "Pan Blasts Off" |
| 3 | "Terror on Imecka" |
| 4 | "The Most Wanted List" |
| 5 | "Goku vs. Ledgic" |
| 6 | "Like Pulling Teeth" |
| 7 | "Trunks, the Bride" |
| 8 | "Whisker Power" |
| 9 | "Lord Luud" |
| 10 | "Dance and Attack" |
| 11 | "Lord Luud's Curse" |
| 12 | "The Last Oracle of Luud" |
| 13 | "The Man Behind the Curtain" |
| 14 | "The Battle Within" |
| 15 | "Beginning of the End" |
| 16 | "Giru's Checkered Past" |
Video Game Appearances
The events of the Black Star Dragon Ball saga were covered in Dragon Ball GT: Transformation.
Trivia
- Goku's outfit has been changed to a new color scheme in the first episode having a blue Gi with ochre pants, pink wristbands, and white stockings replacing the old color scheme that Goku wore in the last three episodes of DBZ where he had a turquoise Gi with dark green pants, orange wristbands, and orange stockings, although the white sash and black kung fu shoes were retained. His skin color was also changed from a light skin color to a tan skin color. The blue Gi also resembles his first Gi from the beginning of Dragon Ball.
- Beginning with this series the Original Japanese dub was changed to have the original background music composed by Akihito Tokunaga replacing Shunsuke Kikuchi.
- The episode Pan Blasts Off had the highest TV rating for GT with a 19.7% rating share.
Gallery
 Goku vs. Uub                    Goku and Uub finally finished from their training      Pilaf sees Goku once again  Goku stops the missiles  Pilaf and the gang after discovering that Goku is strong enough to stop the missiles Pilaf wishes that Goku was a kid so he could defeat him  Ultimate Shenron hearing the wish  Ultimate Shenron granting the wish  Goku about to be turned back into a child  Goku being turned back into a child  Goku after being turned back into a child  Dende and Mr. Popo become shocked to see Goku as a child again     Poperu        Pan telling the unknown little boy to get out of the fight with the criminals  Pan prepares to fight the criminals       Goku tries to convince Master Roshi that he is Goku after Roshi becomes confused  Roshi discovering that Goku has returned and is now a child  Pan horrified after discovering the little boy is her grandfather    Chi-Chi crying after discovering that her husband is now a child   Gohan asking his father how does it feel to be a child again     |
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| ← Peaceful World Saga | Baby Saga → |
| Anime | |
| 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 Japanese version includes: 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 | |
| Manga | |
| This saga is TV Original and not based on the manga. | |