Dragon Ball Z Ep 6: No Time Like the Present

This episode begins with Piccolo telling the others that Goku disappeared at death because Kami, the guardian of Earth, took him for some unknown purpose.  Bulma, being curious as to how Raditz was able to find Goku so easily, is told by Piccolo that the device on Raditz' face is some sort of scanner that detects people.  This information isn't the only thing revealed to our heroes.  Piccolo also regrows his arm that was lost in the Raditz fight and tells everyone that he is taking Gohan to train him because he just might be the most powerful person on earth.

Meanwhile, in the afterlife we meet Goku again.  He has earned a chance to travel a path to King Kai on a trail called Snake Way.  All we know about it is that it is dangerous and Goku is told that if he falls of of it there is no coming back.  When he arrives at the entrance we find out Snake Way is 10,000 miles long and only one person has ever made it!  Before starting his journey he sends a message back to his friends not to wish him back for 1 year (that is how long he will train with King Kai).

Back on Earth Piccolo explains to Gohan what is happening and begins his training.  Very quickly Gohan's true power is revealed and Piccolo tells him he will help him learn to harness it.  Piccolo will have no mercy on Gohan, which is something new for the pampered child. 

I give this episode 4 out of 4 stars   

Dragon Ball Z ep 3: Unlikely Alliance

The episode opens with Goku down and unable to get up.  His brother Raditz wants him to kill 100 earthlings in 24 hours or threatens something bad will happen to his son Gohan.  Frankly, with what we know about Raditz already, there is no reason to believe he is lying about hurting or killing Gohan, this is one bad guy.

On top of all of that, Raditz has decided to conquer the earth and clear it of life, so they can sell it as the Saiyans do with other planets.  Though things seem hopeless, Goku remembers something that could aid him.  When he had a tail, it hurt him when someone grabbed it.  The same trick may work on his brother if he can get a hold of his tail.

Next thing you know Piccolo shows up on Roshi's island and it looks like things just went from bad to worse but Piccolo makes an interesting offer.  Piccolo suggests him and Goku should team up, forming an unlikely alliance, in order to defeat this new more powerful foe.....with the understanding that as soon as Raditz is defeated they become enemies again.  It's not the greatest deal ever but what choice to they have?

Meanwhile, Raditz gets a reading on his scouter that can't be correct.  His crying nephew Gohan has a power level higher than his Dad's and Piccolo's combined!  He assumes his scouter is broken until Goku and Piccolo show up and that confirms what his scouter was reading off to him.  How could such a little child, who doesn't even train, be so powerful?

Goku and Piccolo reveal they are both wearing weighted clothes and when removed their power levels a little higher but still no match for Raditz and he easily moves past them both and attacks without them even being able to react to it.  The episode ends with a standoff that it looks like our heroes just can't win.

I give this episode 3.5 out of 4 stars. 

Dragon Ball Z Ep 2: Reunion

Here we go, episode 2!  Things really swing into gear in this one.

We open on a little get together of some classic Dragon Ball characters like Krillin, Bulma and Master Roshi.  Not much has changed with them, besides not seeing each other for years.  Krillin wants a girlfriend, Bulma is mad at Yamcha for going out with another girl and Master Roshi is, well, still Master Roshi.

Goku and Gohan then shows up on Roshi's Island with everyone else.  We find out that Gohan isn't allowed to train in martial arts because his Mom thinks it's a waste of time and instead spends his time studying (which is why he is such a wimp unlike his Dad at that age).  Goku apparently hasn't been training much either but is still stronger (as noted by Master Roshi) then he was 5 years ago.

Here is where the revelations really start.  Goku's brother Raditz shows up and explains that Goku is an alien who was sent to Earth to destroy it (making Goku like Superman, just coming to another planet for the opposite purpose).  Because Goku hit his head as a baby he forgot his mission and started over with a blank slate.  He then grew up to be the hero we all know.  We find out why Goku turns into a giant ape when there is a full moon, it's an ability all Saiyans (Goku's race) have.

Raditz wants to recruit Goku for a job, but when Goku turns him down we quickly learn Goku is no match for his brother who has been out fighting powerful beings his whole life.  Since Gohan still has his tail (which is what lets Saiyans turn into giant apes) Raditz decides to recruit him instead.  At this point we see that DBZ is going to be very large scale and have epic battles with beings far beyond anything we have seen so far in DB.

4 out of 4 stars

Dragon Ball Z Ep 1: The New Threat

Hey guys, welcome to my first Dragon Ball Z review.  I have seen every episode before, but it's been a while so I have the pleasure of rewatching them for this review.

Where else to start but at the beginning?  The New Threat is the first episode of the series and picks up 5 years after Dragon Ball ended.  Our heroes have been experiencing a time of peace but things are about to change when a mysterious new villain arrives.

This episode mostly just introduces us to several of the main characters, including Goku, Chi-Chi (Goku's wife), Gohan (Goku's son), and Piccolo (the strongest villain from the original Dragon Ball).  It also introduces a new villain we know nothing about except that he can from another planet, somehow knows Goku (but for some reason calls him a different name) and is very strong (stronger than Piccolo). 

Though it's a fairly tame episode for this series it does it's job of showing what happened to some of the characters from the original Dragon Ball series, or introduces them to us for the first time if you have never seen the older series (you don't have to have seen the old series to enjoy this one, you will just know a lot more about the main characters back stories and connections to each other). 

This episode peaks a Dragon Ball fans interest to see what is going on and to find out who this new villain Raditz is and if he is stronger than Goku.  Though it's not that action packed it does set everything up for a future fight.

I give The New Threat a 2.5 out of 4 stars.