Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest
Film poster
Directed by	Daisuke Nishio
Produced by	Chiaki Imada Kōzō Morishita
Written by	Takao Koyama (screenplay) Akira Toriyama (original series author)
Starring	Masako Nozawa Koji Nakata Toshio Furukawa Hiromi Tsuru Naoki Tatsuta Mayumi Tanaka Kouhei Miyauchi Mayumi Shō Kōji Yada Kenji Utsumi Joji Yanami
Music by	Shunsuke Kikuchi
Release date(s)	March 10, 1990
Running time	58 min.
Language(s)	Japanese / English

Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest (ドラゴンボールZ　この世で一番強いヤツ, Doragon Bōru Zetto: Kono yo de Ichiban Tsuyoi Yatsu; lit. "Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest Guy") is the second Dragon Ball Z movie. It was originally released in Japan on March 10, 1990, between episodes 39 and 40. It was translated in America by FUNimation Entertainment; FUNimation and Bridge Entertainment's title is The Strongest Guy in the World.

SummaryEdit

The movie begins with Gohan and Oolong searching for the Dragon Balls that have all been gathered in the frozen Tsumisumbri Mountains (with the latter obviously wanting to wish for underwear). Before they reach them, Shenron is summoned by Dr. Kochin, who wishes for his mentor, Dr. Wheelo, to be released from his icy prison. Meanwhile, Piccolo is ambushed by three mysterious warriors and knocked out cold while trying to defend Gohan and Oolong. Later on, Gohan has a weird dream about him and Piccolo.

Kochin then kidnaps Master Roshi and Bulma, thinking that Roshi is the world's strongest and a suitable body for Wheelo, whose own body was destroyed, leaving him only as a brain. Roshi is tested by Kochin's Bio-Warriors, and, despite putting up a decent fight while being outnumbered three to one, is ultimately defeated. Bulma then reveals that Goku is the strongest, just as he approaches Wheelo's fortress to save his friends. Meanwhile, Goku and Chi-Chi confront Oolong and Gohan on what they know about the group who kidnapped Bulma and Master Roshi.

After reaching the fortress, Goku is attacked by the Bio-Warriors, but easily defeats them with the Kaio-ken, and is also joined by Gohan and Krillin. They then arrive at Wheelo's lab where Bulma is being held, but run into Piccolo, who was brainwashed into returning to his old ways when he was captured earlier. Goku and Piccolo then fight each other, but Gohan's anger causes the mind-controlling device on Piccolo to break. Kochin tries to shoot Krillin and Bulma with his machine gun-arm, but is beaten by Roshi.

Wheelo then breaks out of the wall, revealing his brain to be inside a huge robot and killing Dr. Kochin accidentally. Realizing that he was being controlled, Piccolo attacks Dr. Wheelo, only to be brushed aside. As Wheelo jumps into the air, Goku, Krillin, and Roshi fire the Master-Student Kamehameha, which does nothing to Wheelo. Goku, Gohan, Krillin, Piccolo, and Roshi then attack Wheelo, but are unable to win. Goku then fires his Kaio-ken Kamehameha and shoots Wheelo into space. Wheelo decides to destroy the Earth with his Planet Geyser energy wave and move on to another world, but Piccolo and Gohan are able to stop him for a while. Meanwhile, Goku has been collecting energy for a Spirit Bomb; when it is ready, Goku launches it at Wheelo and destroys the mad scientist.

CharactersEdit

HeroesEdit

• Goku
• Gohan
• Piccolo
• Krillin
• Master Roshi

VillainsEdit

• Dr. Wheelo
• Dr. Kochin
• Kishime
• Ebifurya
• Misokatsun
• Bio-Men
• Piccolo (under control of Dr. Wheelo)

SupportersEdit

• Bulma
• Oolong
• Turtle
• Chi-Chi

Major battlesEdit

• Piccolo vs. 4 Bio-Men
• Master Roshi vs. 4 Bio-Men
• Master Roshi vs. Kishime, Misokatsun & Ebifurya
• Goku vs. Misokatsun
• Goku vs. Ebifurya & Kishime
• Goku, Gohan & Krillin vs. Ebifurya & Kishime
• Goku vs. Piccolo
• Gohan, Krillin & Master Roshi vs. Dr. Kochin
• Goku, Piccolo, Gohan, Krillin & Master Roshi vs. Dr. Wheelo
• Piccolo, Gohan & Krillin vs. Dr. Wheelo
• Goku vs. Dr. Wheelo

Timeline placementEdit

The events of this movie clearly happen after the Vegeta Saga, as Gohan has already trained with Piccolo (he knows him and wears his clothes) and Goku has already trained with King Kai (he wears his emblem on the back of his clothes, and uses both the Kaio-ken and Spirit Bomb). Gohan also has a flashback that shows when Piccolo died saving his life from Nappa's Bomber DX. However, Piccolo is alive in the movie, which does not happen until the Frieza Saga, and Goku is back on Earth, which does not happen until the Trunks Saga. Therefore, the movie most likely takes place in the three years the Z Fighters are training to prepare for the Androids.

ReleasesEdit

The movie was originally 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 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. The controversy died down when Toei announced that the films were originally animated for widescreen viewing. The boxed set was released (containing all four Dragon Ball and all thirteen Dragon Ball Z movies) with great critical and audience reception.

In the United States, it was released in May 27, 1998, after the release of the first movie, Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone, and shortly after the release of the third movie, Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might, by FUNimation Entertainment and Pioneer, in VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD. These three movies were uncut, and contained both the Ocean Group dub and the original Japanese dub. They were also released for the first time in a 4:3 format.^[1] The three movies were re-released together by Pioneer on October 9, 2001, in a three-movie boxset, called "Dragon Ball Z - Movie Boxed Set".^[2]

After Funimation acquired the exclusive DVD rights for the first three movies from Pioneer in 2004, it released The World's Strongest again in November 14, 2006, along with Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone and The Tree of Might movies, in a "First Strike" DVD boxset.^[3] It contained a brand-new in-house dub and the original Japanese dub.

Funimation re-released this film in May 27, 2008, alongside Dead Zone, digitally remastered and in a 16:9 format, as a "Double Feature" DVD.^[4]

This movie was also re-released by FUNimation in a movie five pack on November 1, 2011, along with Dead Zone, The Tree of Might, Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug, and Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge. However, these are the same disks found on the double features.

CastEdit

MusicEdit

• Opening Theme (OP)
  1. "Cha-La Head-Cha-La"
     • Lyrics: Yukinojō Mori, Music: Chiho Kiyooka, Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto, Vocals: Hironobu Kageyama
       • Song Lyrics

• Insertion Song (IN)
  1. "Pikkoro-san Da~isuki♡"; ピッコロさん　だ~いすき♡ (I Lo~ve Mr. Piccolo♡)
     • Lyrics: Chiroru Taniho, Music: Takeshi Ike, Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto, Vocals: Masako Nozawa (Son Gohan)
       • Song Lyrics

• Ending Theme (ED)
  1. "Ikusa (I-KU-SA)"; 戦（I・KU・SA） (The Battle (I-KU-SA))
     • Lyrics: Dai Satō, Music: Takeshi Ike, Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto, Vocals: Hironobu Kageyama
       • Song Lyrics

ReceptionEdit

Like with Dead Zone, Anime News Network grades with with a C+.

TriviaEdit

• This is the second Dragon Ball Z movie, and its name is similar to the original second episode of the anime, "The World's Strongest Team". Also in the AB Group release of the movie had a cover featuring Goku and Piccolo as they went off to fight Raditz in that episode.
• The wish Oolong wants to make with the Dragon Balls in this movie is exactly the same wish he made in the Dragon Ball anime (specifically the episode "A Wish to the Eternal Dragon"). However, Shenron will not grant the same wish more than once.
• A scene that takes place during the anime, Piccolo sacrificing himself to save Gohan from being killed by Nappa, is shown when Gohan falls asleep during studying.
• Bulma's appearance in this movie is nearly identical to her appearance while a spectator during the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. Master Roshi's clothes are also very similar to the ones he wore when he, Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu were collecting the Dragon Balls in the King Piccolo Saga.
• The villains in this movie are named after food from Nagoya, the city Akira Toriyama is from.
• In the Ocean dub, Dr. Wheelo's name is pronounced Dr. "Willow" while in the FUNimation dub it is pronounced as Dr. "WHEE-LO" as it is spelled.
• This movie is known for using the correct Japanese pronunciation of "Kaio-ken" in the Ocean dub. Although in FUNimation's redubbing of the movie, it is still pronounced "KEI-O-KEN".
• Goku did not turn Super Saiyan when it was needed, showing strain at the use of a Kaio-ken x4 and still wearing King Kai's symbol.
• This movie starts the three-movie chain for main villains killed by Goku using a Spirit Bomb. Dr. Wheelo, Turles (from The Tree of Might) and Lord Slug (from Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug) are all killed by Goku's Spirit Bomb.
• Scenes from this movie are shown in the Dragon Ball Z Original English anime opening, "Rock the Dragon".

GalleryEdit

Oolong recalls when he stole the Dragon Radar Roshi asleep with a Dirty Magazine Oolong climbs a mountain Oolong's wish Gohan and Oolong Dr. Kochin making a wish Shenron Piccolo kills a Bio-Man Kishime Ebifurya Misokatsun Kishime, Ebifurya and Misokatsun's combined attack on Piccolo Gohan in the ice Gohan in a dream A dizzy Gohan Master Roshi fights the Bio-Warriors Planet Geyser used on the village near South City The village destroyed by Dr. Wheelo's technique Goku on the Flying Nimbus Goku leaves to save his friends Goku arrives at Wheelo's fortress Goku faces Misokatsun Goku punching Misokatsun Goku fires a Double Kamehameha Goku fires a Ki Blast Goku attacks Misokatsun Goku ready to penetrate Misokatsun Krillin and Gohan Krillin attacked by Kishime Krillin frozen Gohan attempts to stop Piccolo from fighting Goku Gohan mad Gohan enraged The button on Dr. Kochin's cane Dr. Kochin fires a blast from his cane Gohan blocks the blast Gohan enraged again Dr. Kochin forms his hand into a gun Dr. Kochin shoots at Krillin Krillin dodges the bullets Dr. Kochin's true form is seen as he is electrocuted Dr. Wheelo emerges Piccolo, Gohan, Goku, Master Roshi, and Krillin Goku fires the Kaio-ken Kamehameha Wheelo's energy wave vs. Goku's Kamehameha Wheelo and Goku increase the powers of their Energy Waves Goku hits Wheelo with his Kaio-ken Kamehameha Krillin and Goku Piccolo faces Wheelo Piccolo charges a Mouth Energy Wave Krillin knocked by Dr. Wheelo Goku gathers energy Goku prepares the Spirit Bomb Goku with his Spirit Bomb Goku about to launch the Spirit Bomb Goku launches his Spirit Bomb Goku's Spirit Bomb vs. Wheelo's Planet Geyser Dr. Wheelo is defeated Dr. Wheelo hit by the Spirit Bomb Dr. Wheelo destroyed Goku and Gohan Goku and Gohan Add a photo to this galleryAdd a photo to this gallery

ReferencesEdit