Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound

(released in Japan simply as Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound) is a 1993 Japanese animated science fantasy martial arts film. It is the ninth feature film in the Dragon Ball Z series. The movie premiered in Japan on July 10 at the Toei Anime Fair, screening alongside Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: N-cha! From Penguin Village with Love and Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie.

Plot

The antagonist, Bojack, was created by Takao Koyama and designed by series creator Akira Toriyama. This film marks the final Dragon Ball Z appearance of Kōhei Miyauchi as Master Roshi; Miyauchi died two years after the film’s release. It follows Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan and precedes Dragon Ball Z: Broly – Second Coming. A wealthy family hosts an intergalactic martial arts tournament on Earth, drawing fighters from across the galaxy—including Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Tien Shinhan, Yamcha, and Krillin.

All except Yamcha advance with ease, worrying Mr. Satan, who recognizes them from the Cell battle and knows he will have to face the winner. In the semifinals, Trunks defeats Tien; Piccolo, annoyed by the lack of challenge, forfeits against Krillin. Gohan, Trunks, and Krillin reach the finals, each set to fight an alien opponent. But the fight promoter realizes the aliens appearing are not the staged impostors he hired.

Trunks faces a sword-wielding alien named Kogu; Krillin is beaten by a female alien, Zangya; Gohan confronts the mysterious Bujin; and another contestant, Doskoi, is killed by the alien Bido. Meanwhile, Mr. Satan—faking a stomachache to avoid fighting—gets trapped in a transport pod and sent to the battlefield. Trunks, surprised by his opponent’s lethality, transforms into a Super Saiyan to kill Kogu but is then struck down by an unseen foe. Gohan continues fighting Bujin until he finds Trunks and Krillin incapacitated.

Bojack arrives and explains his plan to conquer the universe. Tien and Yamcha join the fight but are quickly defeated by Bojack’s minions. Gohan battles them as Bojack watches in amusement. In the Other World, Goku and King Kai observe with concern.

King Kai reveals that centuries ago, the galactic warlord Bojack was sealed inside a star by all four Kais; when Cell exploded on King Kai’s planet, Bojack was freed. Gohan is overwhelmed by the trio of minions and nearly killed by Bojack until Piccolo saves him. Piccolo challenges Bojack but is swiftly defeated. Trunks also attacks Bojack but is paralyzed by Bujin’s energy absorption and nearly impaled by Bido’s spear before Vegeta’s surprise arrival saves him.

Bojack pummels Vegeta and assumes his “full power” form while Trunks is overwhelmed by the minions. With Vegeta, Trunks, and the others incapacitated, Gohan fights Bojack alone but is paralyzed by the combined energy absorption of the minions. Bojack attacks Gohan, but the sudden arrival of Mr. Satan’s pod distracts them. Gohan prepares to fight again but is struck down by Bojack and his minions; Goku watches helplessly as his son is bear-hugged and tortured.

Breaking the rules of the Other World, Goku uses his instantaneous movement technique to transport himself to the fight and strikes Bojack before he can kill Gohan. After offering advice and reassurance, Goku places his son safely on the ground and vanishes. Reinvigorated by his father’s words, Gohan transforms into Super Saiyan 2. Now immune to their attacks, Gohan effortlessly kills Bido and Bujin; Zangya is killed when Bojack blasts her toward Gohan.

Bojack is impaled through the abdomen by Gohan’s fist. As a last resort, Bojack powers up a massive energy blast, which Gohan counters with a Kamehameha wave. The beams clash, and Bojack is killed. Exhausted, Gohan falls in delight as Goku praises him from the Other World.

Cast

After the battle, the warriors and their friends laugh while watching news reports that Mr. Satan defeated the alien intruders. On the roof, Vegeta and Piccolo sit, unimpressed by the cheerful tidings. A third English version, produced and released exclusively in Malaysia by Speedy Video, features an unknown cast. Opening theme: “Cha-La Head-Cha-La” (lyrics by Yukinojō Mori, music by Chiho Kiyooka, arranged by Kenji Yamamoto, performed by Hironobu Kageyama).

English dub soundtrack

Ending theme: (lyrics by Dai Satō, music by Chiho Kiyooka, arranged by Kenji Yamamoto, performed by Hironobu Kageyama). The English dub soundtrack for the Funimation release was composed by Mark Menza. The Double Feature release includes an alternate audio track with the English dub and original Japanese background music by Shunsuke Kikuchi, an opening theme of “Cha-La Head-Cha-La,” and an ending theme of “Beyond Galaxies Rising High.” At the Japanese box office, the film sold tickets and grossed ().

Releases

The film was released on DVD and VHS in North America on August 17, 2004. It later appeared in a Double Feature set with Super Android 13!

(1992) on Blu-ray and DVD on February 10, 2009, both in full 1080p HD remastered 16:9 aspect ratio with an enhanced 5.1 surround mix. A remastered thinpak DVD collection was released on December 6, 2011, containing the second four Dragon Ball Z films. AB Groupe released the film in Europe under the title Dragon Ball Z: Super Guy in the Galaxy.

It was the last Dragon Ball Z film to have an English dub produced by AB Groupe, marketed as the 9th volume in the VHS/DVD set by Bridge Entertainment in the Netherlands, followed by Bardock – The Father of Goku, The History of Trunks, and Dead Zone.