Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might (ドラゴンボールZ 地球まるごと超決戦, Doragon Bōru Zetto: Chikyū Marugoto Chōkessen; lit. "Dragon Ball Z: Super Showdown for the Whole Earth") is the third Dragon Ball Z movie. It was originally released in Japan on July 7, 1990, between episodes 54 and 55 of Dragon Ball Z, with it premiering at the 1990 Toei Anime Fair which was additionally dubbed Akira Toriyama: The World (as the other two movies premiering at the fair were based on works by Akira Toriyama). It was translated into English by FUNimation Entertainment in 1998.
Summary
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Krillin, Roshi and Bulma camping in the woods
In the movie, the Z Fighters face a new threat that starts with the burning of a forest, caused by the impact of a cosmic object, in which Gohan and Krillin rescue the forest animals and a small dragon named Icarus. Although they are able to restore the forest to its normal state with the Dragon Balls, Icarus does not return and stays with Gohan, much to Chi-Chi's fury. Goku then shows a nearby cave to let Gohan keep the dragon with him. Later, the cosmic object that crashed and caused the forest fire earlier reveals itself to be a probe, and shortly thereafter, the Earth is visited by an unfriendly group of aliens under the leadership of a Saiyan. Upon arriving, they plant a seed which grows the Tree of Might, a plant that sucks the life of the planet on which it was planted and leaves it a desert. At King Kai's request, Goku, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, and Chiaotzu investigate and try to destroy the Tree, but they are unsuccessful. They are then confronted by the aliens whilst their leader watches from inside the spaceship. Eventually, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu are defeated by the aliens, with only Goku remaining as the one who can hold his own against them.
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Goku using the Kaio-ken in front of the Tree of Might
During the ensuing battle, Chiaotzu is rescued by Gohan, who had just arrived, and demonstrates his incredible fighting skills by easily taking out Lakasei. He is then encountered by the aliens' leader Turles, a Saiyan who bears a striking resemblance to Goku. Turles gives Gohan a choice to either join him or die. Gohan refuses to join Turles, and is saved in time thanks to the arrival of Piccolo. However, Turles ambushes and blasts him from behind, having Gohan where he wants him. He notices Gohan's regrown tail and creates an artificial moon, forcibly turning Gohan into a Great Ape and sets him on Goku, who is almost crushed to death in Gohan's hand until Icarus arrives and calms Gohan down. But when Turles attacks Icarus, Gohan is angered and turns on Turles, who fires an attack at Gohan. Before the attack can make contact, Goku manages to cut his son's tail off and restore him to normal. Cradling the little one in his arms, Goku promises to defeat Turles. Turles's henchmen attack Goku, who uses the Kaio-ken and makes quick work of them while Piccolo unsuccessfully fights Turles again. Goku and Turles then fight, with Goku having the upper hand, until Turles pushes his power further by eating a fruit from the Tree of Might. With his new power, Turles dominates Goku and beats him to the point that he is no longer able to fight, even with the use of the Kaio-ken x10 (x20 in the FUNimation dub).
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The energy absorbed by the Tree of Might returns to Earth
Slowly recovering while Turles is distracted by the rest of the Z Fighters, whom he dispatches of, Goku decides to use the Spirit Bomb. Despite gaining energy from the living, he is not able to attack Turles as he counterattacks with the Calamity Blaster, neutralizing Goku's Spirit Bomb. Unable to gather more energy from living beings, Goku decides to steal energy from inside the Tree of Might itself. Eventually successful in creating the Spirit Bomb, Goku fires it at Turles, who tries to counter with his own ki wave. He is carried up the trunk of the Tree of Might and destroyed along with the Tree when the Spirit Bomb explodes. With the terror now over, the Z Fighters return to their normal lives once again.
Timeline placement
Daizenshuu 6 states that the movie takes place after Goku's arrival on Namek, but before the Z Fighters battle with Frieza.
The only time that the movie could take place is after Goku, Krillin and Gohan returned from Namek, early in the three years the Z Fighters are training to prepare for the Androids. All of the Z Fighters are alive, with Yamcha's gi back having the King Kai symbol to support that they were killed during the Saiyan Saga and resurrected at the end of the Namek Saga. Also, Goku is able to increase his Kaio-ken up to 10 fold, which was not possible until he got to planet Namek to defeat Frieza.
Releases
Poster for the festival in which The Tree of Might, Pink and Kennosuke-sama were first shown
In Japan, the film was first shown as part of a triple feature with two other adaptions of Akira Toriyama's manga, Pink and Kennosuke-sama, at the 1990 Toei Anime Fair (a semi-annual convention featuring Toei Animation's OVA and film adaptations of more or less known manga).[1] The movie was later released on both VHS and Laserdisc in Japan. They were in a 16:9 format, cropped from its original 4:3 format. It was then released later in Japan as part of the well-known "Dragon Box" DVD sets, remastered from its original film masters and in a 16:9 anamorphic widescreen format (there was much controversy from fans over the decision to crop the movies from its original 4:3 format, which died down when Toei announced that the films were originally animated for widescreen viewing). Containing all four Dragon Ball and all [originally] thirteen DBZ movies, the boxed set was released with great critical and audience reception.
Pioneer VHS release
In the U.S., The Tree of Might was first released by FUNimation and Saban as a three-part television episode that premiered in first-run syndication on November 17 and 22, 1997, as part of their short-lived joint production run of the series. This version of the movie was dubbed by the original Ocean Group voice cast and was edited for content, just like their dub of the series. It later aired on Toonami on May 29, 1999 as part of a DBZ marathon of the first three movies.
The film was released to VHS and DVD by Pioneer on March 17, 1998. This home video release was uncut and featured a new dub by the Ocean Group (with a few cast changes) that was much closer to the original Japanese script, as well as the original Japanese background music. This was most likely done to make the film consistent with Pioneer's VHS/DVD releases of the first two DBZ movies, Dead Zone and The World's Strongest. It was also released for the first time in a 4:3 format.[2] The DVD version of the movies was also bilingual. There was some slight controversy over this dub's audio track, because despite being advertised as "uncut," many sound effects were added or replaced in the dub. Visually, however, there were was no editing whatsoever, and the audio track for the Japanese dub does not contain these sound effects. The film was later re-released by Pioneer on October 9, 2001 as part of a DVD box set titled "Dragon Ball Z: Uncut Movie Trilogy," also featuring Dead Zone and The World's Strongest.[3]
Double Feature
After FUNimation acquired the exclusive DVD rights for the first three DBZ movies from Pioneer in 2004, it released The Tree of Might on November 14, 2006, along with Dead Zone and The World's Strongest, to a DVD box set titled "Dragon Ball Z: First Strike."[4] It contained a brand-new in-house dub (without the added sound effects from the Pioneer release) and the original Japanese dub. However, the new in-house dub did not use the original Japanese background music, instead opting for a replacement score. It also contained a new script that was not quite as accurate to the original Japanese dialogue as the Ocean Group's uncut dub had been.
Movie 5 Pack
FUNimation re-released this film to DVD and Blu-ray in September 16, 2008, alongside the movie Lord Slug, digitally remastered and in a 16:9 format, as a "Double Feature" DVD. For this release, three audio tracks were included: the original Japanese dub, the new in-house dub with the replacement musical score, and the new in-house dub with the original Japanese music.[5] Neither of the dub tracks have the added sound effects from the Pioneer dub, and only use the sound effects found in the original Japanese dub.
On November 1, 2011, FUNimation re-released it as part of a DVD box set titled "Dragon Ball Z: Movie 5 Pack," also featuring Dead Zone, The World's Strongest, Lord Slug and Cooler's Revenge. However, these are the same disks found in the double features.
On August 13, 2013, The Tree of Might along with Dead Zone and The World's Strongest was re-released yet again by FUNimation as a part of the "Dragon Ball Z: Rock the Dragon Edition" DVD set, this time exactly the way they were when they aired on Toonami. The difference is most notable for this movie, as the "Rock The Dragon" edition contains the original edited Saban/Ocean dub featuring Ian James Corlett as the voice of Goku and Master Roshi, Alec Willows as Oolong and Ted Cole as Turles. Previously, this dub of The Tree of Might had never before been released to home video.
Cast
Music
- Opening Theme (OP)
- "Cha-La Head-Cha-La"
- Lyrics: Yukinojō Mori, Music: Chiho Kiyooka, Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto, Vocals: Hironobu Kageyama
- "Cha-La Head-Cha-La"
- Ending Theme (ED)
- "Marugoto"; まるごと (The Whole World)
- Lyrics: Dai Satō, Music: Chiho Kiyooka, Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto, Vocals: Hironobu Kageyama & Ammy
- "Marugoto"; まるごと (The Whole World)
Characters
Heroes
Villains
Supporting characters
Major battles
The Crusher Corps. prepares to fight the Z Fighters
- Tien & Chiaotzu vs. Rasin & Lakasei
- Krillin vs. Amond
- Yamcha vs. Cacao
- Goku vs. Daiz & Cacao
- Gohan vs. Lakasei
- Great Ape Gohan vs. Goku
- Great Ape Gohan vs. Turles
- Goku vs. Amond, Daiz, Cacao, Rasin & Lakasei
- Piccolo vs. Turles
- Goku vs. Turles
- Piccolo, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien and Chiaotzu vs. Turles
- Goku vs. Turles
Trivia
- The power levels reported by Turles' scouter are: Gohan - 10,000, Piccolo - 18,000, Goku - 30,000. They are a lot higher than the power levels reported by Vegeta's scouter in the Vegeta Saga (see list of Power Levels).
- Goku is shown holding his Power Pole on the film poster, even though he does not use it in the film.
- The animation in the opening theme is part of the movie itself, as it shows the gathering of the Dragon Balls by Gohan and his friends to restore the forest. The "Rock the Dragon" opening for the FUNimation dub of Dragon Ball Z uses footage mostly from this movie.
- This is the first theatrical appearance of King Kai in a movie, though his techniques (Kaio-ken and Spirit Bomb) debuted in the previous movie. This is also the first appearance of Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu in a Dragon Ball Z movie; though Yamcha had appeared in all three Dragon Ball movies, and Tien and Chiaotzu also had first appeared in the third Dragon Ball movie.
- This is the only movie (and only time in the entire series, for that matter) in which Yamcha wears a gi with the Turtle School symbol on the front and the King Kai symbol on the back. His gi of choice after being resurrected in the series is the opposite (King Kai front, Turtle back).
The Ferris Wheel that says "D.B.Z."
- In one scene of the movie, there is a Ferris Wheel that says D.B.Z.
- In the Ocean dub and Japanese version, first mentions of Frieza are made precluding to later fights with Frieza in the television series.
- In the edited dub of this movie, Turles' hands holding Gohan's eyes open are moved to Gohan's shoulders, despite the fact that his hands were clearly visible on Gohan's face in "Rock the Dragon".
- In the edited Ocean dub, the scene where Gohan is falling nude is edited using digital light covering him up. The scene where Icarus wakes up a nude Gohan is edited using a digital bush, also covering Gohan.
Gallery
The Tree of Might Dragon Box DVD Gohan saves Icarus Krillin uses a Kiai to repel a forest fire Gohan uses a Kiai to repel a forest fire The seven Dragon Balls Shenron is summoned Animals in the restored forest Turles' spider-like pod Turles' spider-like pod Turles and the Crusher Corps. arrive on Earth Goku and Gohan Gohan drawing breath Gohan back at home Chi-Chi scolds Gohan Gohan with Icarus Goku, Gohan, and Icarus in a cave Amond prepares a Planet Bomb Amond fires the Planet Bomb The effect of Amond's Planet Bomb Amond's Planet Bomb causes an explosion The effect of Amond's Planet Bomb The Seed of Might Gohan plays with Icarus Gohan baths Icarus Gohan and Icarus in a field Bulma yelling at Yamcha Goku with his friends Gohan at home The Z Fighters prepare a Combined Energy Wave Chiaotzu firing a Dodon Ray Tien fires the Tri-Beam Krillin's Kamehameha fired at the Tree of Might Yamcha's Kamehameha fired at the Tree of Might Goku's Kamehameha fired at the Tree of Might The Z Fighters' energy attacks Z Fighters firing energy attacks at the Tree of Might Krillin, Tien, Chiaotzu Turles' henchmen Chiaotzu and Tien preparing a combined blast Tien and Chiaotzu's Combined Energy Wave Tien and Chiaotzu's Combined Energy Wave hits the fusion of Rasin and Lakasei Rasin and Lakasei split when hit with the combined blast Lakasei hits Tien in the face Rasin headbutts Chiaotzu Lakasei and Rasin dance Lakasei and Rasin dance Lakasei and Rasin pose Lakasei and Rasin pose Tien's Solar Flare blinds Lakasei and Rasin Lakasei and Rasin blinded by Tien's Solar Flare Krillin prepares a Destructo Disk against Amond Krillin launches his Destructo Disk at Amond Amond spins on himself Amond launches an energy disk Amond launches an energy disk Amond's orange disk struggles with Krillin's yellow disk Krillin gets his disk back Amond gets his disk back Amond surprised by Krillin's technique Yamcha charges a Spirit Ball against Cacao Yamcha controls a Spirit Ball to attack Cacao Cacao faces Yamcha Cacao dodges Yamcha's Spirit Ball Cacao is hit by the Spirit Ball Cacao rams on Yamcha Cacao battles Yamcha in midair Cacao stops Cacao reveals the technology inside his armor Cacao charges rocket propulsion Cacao uses rocket propulsion Cacao goes to the sky Cacao high in the sky Cacao high in the air Cacao uses his Cosmic Attack Cacao defeats Yamcha with the Cosmic Attack Cacao hit by Goku's Energy Wave Cacao on the ground Goku Daiz shoots a Meteor Ball Goku fires an energy blast at Daiz Goku's Energy Wave vs. Daiz's Meteor Ball Daiz cannot handle Goku's blast Daiz loses the Energy Clash against Goku Goku charges an Energy Wave Goku fires another Energy Wave at Cacao Cacao is hit by Goku's Energy Wave Daiz and Cacao charge an energy sphere Daiz and Cacao fire their Combined Energy Wave Daiz and Cacao's Combined Energy Wave The Combined Energy Wave hits its target The Combined Energy Wave explodes Goku uses an Energy Shield against Daiz and Cacao's attack Goku confronts Cacao and Daiz Goku blasts Cacao and Daiz Daiz hit by Goku's Double Kamehameha Cacao hit by Goku's Double Kamehameha Chiaotzu flies away from Rasin Rasin fires a Gemini Shot at Chiaotzu Rasin's Continuous Energy Bullets Rasin's Continuous Energy Bullets Chiaotzu is hit by Rasin's attacks Rasin's Gemini Shot Chiaotzu nearly hit by Rasin's Gemini Shot Gohan's Ki Blast saves Chiaotzu from his opponent's attack Gohan fires a Masenko Gohan's Masenko approaches Rasin Lakasei charges an energy attack Lakasei fires his attack Lakasei's Gemini Shot heads towards Gohan Gohan charges a Masenko Gohan's Masenko vs. Lakasei's Gemini Shot Gohan headbutts his opponent Turles grabs Gohan Piccolo arrives Turles holds Gohan Turles throws Gohan at Piccolo Turles about to blast Piccolo in the back Turles before blasting Piccolo in the back Piccolo getting hurt protecting Gohan Turles's Ki Blast hits Piccolo Gohan transforms into a Great Ape Gohan transforms into a Great Ape Turles charges a Ki Blast to destroy the Power Ball Turles fires his Ki Blast at his Power Ball Goku faces off against Great Ape Gohan Goku almost gets crushed by Great Ape Gohan  Icarus confronts Great Ape Gohan Turles charges a finger blast Icarus dodges Turles' finger blast Turles' finger blast Turles' blast hits Icarus Great Ape Gohan fires a Chou Makouhou Turles launches a Ki Blast Turles fires his Ki Blast Turles' Ki Blast reaches Great Ape Gohan Turles prepares a Kill Driver Turles charges his Kill Driver Turles fires his Kill Driver Goku using a Destructo Disk Goku fires his Destructo Disk Goku's Destructo Disk cuts off Great Ape Gohan's tail Turles' Kill Driver misses Gohan The explosion the attack causes Goku blocks an attack Goku uses a Kaio-ken Goku using the Kaio-ken Turles punching Goku Goku uses the Kaio-ken Turles dodges one of Goku's attacks Turles punches Goku Turles knees Goku Turles prepares a Double Axe Handle while Goku is stunned Turles uses his Double Axe Handle on Goku Turles prepares his Full Power Energy Barrage Wave Turles fires the Energy Barrage blasts Turles' Energy Barrage hits Goku The blasts rain down on Goku The explosion caused by the blasts Goku's Kiai used into the ground Turles Piccolo tries to grab Turles using his Mystic Attack Piccolo fires a Special Beam Cannon at Turles Turles blocks Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon Piccolo confronts Turles Turles prepares an energy wave Turles charges the Meteor Break wave Turles blasts Piccolo Turles blasts Piccolo Turles blasts Piccolo Turles defeats Piccolo Turles kicks Goku Turles knee strikes Goku Turles prepares a Double Axe Handle Turles bashes Goku Goku is knocked out Turles steps on Goku's head Turles crushes Goku Turles blasts Goku with an Energy Barrage Wave Turles ruthlessly blasts Goku with the Energy Barrage Wave Krillin knocked out Amond shocked by Goku's power Rasin is killed by a punch to the face Lakasei is killed by a kick to the face Cacao is killed by a kick to the head Amond is killed by a knee strike to the stomach Amond hurt Cacao defeated D.B.Z Ferris Wheel Goku uses the Spirit Bomb Turles uses Calamity Blaster Turles fires Calamity Blaster Turles's Calamity Blaster Goku's Spirit Bomb vs. Turles' Calamity Blaster Calamity Blaster breaks through Spirit Bomb Turles' Calamity Blaster Z Fighters challenge Turles Turles use punches Tien in the stomach Goku The Tree of Might's energy The Tree of Might's energy Goku's Spirit Bomb Goku launches his Spirit Bomb at Turles Turles uses Calamity Blaster again Turles prepares to throw the attack Turles fires his Calamity Blaster Turles firing the Calamity Blaster Turles is destroyed by Goku's Spirit Bomb Goku's Spirit Bomb destroys the Tree of Might Turles destroyed along with the Tree of Might The Tree of Might explodes The Tree of Might exploding Icarus and Gohan |
