To non-fans, the Dragon Ball franchise is as omnipresent as any other long-running series. Between the sheer amount of re-releases, videogame tie-ins, parody spin-offs, not to mention the endless supply of figures, there’s always something new to talk about when it comes to the Dragon Ball world.
But that wasn’t always the case.
For Dragon Ball fans in early 2008, the series began to feel like it was spinning its wheels. For as many videogames and re-releases as the series continued getting, fans definitely felt like it was getting into a rut of sorts. It never felt quite like the old-timer trying to stay relevant, but the lack of anything outside of a story re-telling in a videogame or two did feel like we were past the series’ peak popularity. So for Weekly Shonen Jump to release new animated Dragon Ball content in 2008 (the first notable Dragon Ball feature since its 13th movie in 1995, but still a stone’s throw away from the Battle of Gods movie in 2013) was a pretty big deal. Made to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Shonen Jump, Yo! The Return of Son Goku and Friends!! was shown alongside anime titles from series like One Piece, Bleach and Gintama in a tour that spanned 10 cities across Japan—Dragon Ball being the only series from the lineup not currently running in Weekly Shonen Jump.
It didn’t feel like the series ever left for non-fans, but for those keeping up with the franchise, hearing this announcement felt like a king returning to reclaim his throne.
From the get-go, Yo! The Return of Son Goku and Friends!! feels like a natural continuation of the original anime. Beginning with its classic opening theme CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA, the entirety of the opening animation is a modern recreation of the Z-era’s opening. Small little updates like Goten and Trunks running from a dinosaur, where the original had a young Gohan doing the same was sign enough that the special would be crafted with some real TLC. And as expected, the special delivers, with use of the original anime’s background music, as well as the return of the entire cast of voice actors. To think that so much work was done to revive a series for a mere 30-minute special is outstanding.
The special’s premise itself is simple enough and stated rather matter-of-factly by the narrator: now two years after Majin Boo’s defeat, Earth is experiencing some well-deserved peace with exception to some villains that were so inconsequential that we’re only now hearing of them. Right from that synopsis alone, you know just what kind of story you’re getting, and if you’re not the obnoxious fan that defines the series solely by testosterone-fueled fisticuffs, then you’ll be in for a treat.
If the narrator’s introduction wasn’t enough to establish that the special would lean towards the comedy side of things, the special’s color palette would. For a shonen, this special doesn’t shy away from bright, inviting colors for its backgrounds. And even for updated character designs, everyone is given more subdued tones in comparison to the sharper colors of the original (and even the current!) anime. Even during more action-heavy scenes where characters are really throwing blows at each other, the special doesn’t hesitate to give some bright outlines around scenery to keep the overall feel lighthearted. We know that these new villains aren’t a major threat, but the special frames it in such a way that you don’t mind at all.
When Vegeta’s long-forgotten brother, and simply adorable in-law crash land to Earth in a manner almost mocking Vegeta and Nappa’s initial landing oh so long ago, they warn of remnants from Freeza’s army that have chased them back to Earth. Not being a fighter himself, Vegeta’s brother Tarble begs for assistance. This constant setup of expectations, followed by an immediate deflation of the subject pretty much makes this special tick. New concepts and characters that initially come off as forboding or incredibly central to the story are immediately kicked to the curb in favor of character-centric throwbacks and well-timed slapstick. And it never feels off or like a tease becase the series knows how strong the cast has become at this point and is relishing in the peace time that they’ve so rightfully deserved.
Upon the Freeza remnant goons landing, Goku and co let the younger characters Goten and Trunks fight them instead—the rest watching the fight while continuing to eat a feast as prepared by Mr. Satan’s employees. And indeed, seeing the kids trade blows with the overly confident Abo and Cado (the puns remain strong in Dragon Ball) while the adults watch with smiles on their face feels like a snapshot out of a bizarro family barbecue. There’s this sense of camaraderie among this large cast of misfits, former enemies, love interests, and literal gods that you enjoy simply because you haven’t caught up with them for so long.
Even when the special dips into slightly serious territory and Abo/Cado fuse into a more serious foe, the special makes a point to balance the throwbacks with the natural beats of a shonen fight. You have Goten and Trunks fuse into Gotenks, but he makes a point of borrowing a few moves from the older cast. Actually seeing the return of Yamcha’s Wolf-Fang Fist, or Tenshinhan’s Volleyball Technique were welcome throwbacks that kept the fight light on its feet and heavy on the nostalgia. The special raises the nostalgia further when the human fighters use their signature attacks to help clear the area during the ensuing chaos. And even as Goku inevitably steals the show to deliver the final blow, you never feel cheated since it was never a question of “will this foe be defeated?” but instead a question of “will these dinner party guests ever get back to eating?”
To call Yo! The Return of Son Goku and Friends!! “fun” would be to sell it short. Even ten years later, it’s a well-paced special that perfectly balances its comedy and its action, and was the perfect predecessor to modern additions to the series like Dragon Ball Super that continued off concepts that the special revitalized after so long. It’s just a shame there has yet to be any legal means of watching it.
[Source: kanzenshuu.com]
