Dragon Ball Z Movie Collection Six: Fusion Reborn/Wrath of the Dragon is the final such collection in the series. After his brief absence for most of Collection Five, Goku has returned, and is a much more central presence in this collection, though he still isn’t quite the main character in Wrath of the Dragon.
The stakes in Fusion Reborn are the highest they have been in a Dragon Ball Z movie up to this point, except maybe for Bojack Unbound. While the threat posed by most villains in the series is limited to Earth, in Fusion Reborn the heroes find themselves against a foe who threatens all of reality.
Fusion Reborn is a prime example of how strange Dragon Ball Z can be. The series has always employed oddball humour, but this movie incorporates it much more cohesively into the plot than earlier movies did despite the increased danger facing the heroes. When he first shows up, Janemba is deceptively goofy, and much of the humour comes from watching him bounce around with little regard for his surroundings. There isn’t a distinction between the action and the comedy, rather the comedy underscores the whole movie constantly, giving it the feel of an action comedy rather than an action with comedy. This is a balance the movie pulls off, thanks to the oddball (at first) nature of the villain, and the subplot, which sees Goten and Trunks deal with a horde of escapees from hell (including one notable cameo).
Wrath of the Dragon is a different kind of Dragon Ball Z movie. It moves away from the tone that Dragon Ball Z had established and back to fantasy feel of the original Dragon Ball. The heroes use the Dragon Balls to free Tapion (an ancient warrior) from his prison, but he brings a terrible monster with him. Said monster is a departure from the norm these movies, and one of only a small handful of giant Dragon Ball Z antagonists. It doesn’t have a plan, or a vendetta, it is almost like a monster from the Godzilla franchise turned up in Dragon Ball Z, and it is a refreshing change of pace.
This movie also provides something of a character arc for Trunks, who gets close with Tapion and forms a brotherly bond with him. This provides the films emotional core and it is done well. The connection between Tapion and Trunks feels natural and has space to develop over the course of the story. The whole thing has a wistful tone to it that is rare for this franchise.
Fusion Reborn shows the comedy that the series is known for more effectively than previous films in the series, and Wrath of the Dragon is old school fantasy, complete with giant monster. Together they end the collections of Dragon Ball Z movies on a high note. Each provides something a little different while also offering a glimpse into the heart of the series, making them two of the more faithful Dragon Ball Z movies to be produced.
Extras: Trailers, Japanese Audio, US Audio with Japanese soundtrack
DRAGON BALL Z MOVIE COLLECTION SIX: FUSION REBORN/WRATH OF THE DRAGON / CERT: PG/ DIRECTORS & SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: SEAN SCHEMMEL, JIM FORONDA, KENT WILLIAMS, ROBERT MCCOLLUM, JASON LIEBRECHT, KARA EDWARDS, LAURA BAILEY, CHRISTOPHER R SABAT / RELEASE DATE: MARCH 12TH
