Dragon Ball Evolutionis one of most notoriously bad anime adaptations of all time. The live action version of Akira Toriyama’sDragon Ballseries is universally reviled by fans and the creator alike, who feel that it butchers his martial arts adventure in every area imaginable.On top of that, it’s just a lousy movie in its own right. That said, a broken clock is right twice a day, and positive viewers can find a few redeeming qualities.
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The film translates certain aspects of the manga well, at least compared to everything else. Granted, not many of these perks exist (and they always come with a qualifier), butDragon Balldevotees may still appreciate their presence as a small comfort.
7Master Roshi
It seems like stunt casting to get martial arts superstar Chow Yun-fat as Master Roshi. He looks nothing like the character aside from the Hawaiian shirt, and he’s about thirty years younger than his supposed apprentice, Gohan. That said, he’s easily the most entertaining part of the film. Going all-in with the goofball antics, his quirky energy lights up every scene. On the flipside, he’s also credible when conveying sagacious wisdom. This means he nails both extremes of the character.
Roshi the Turtle Hermit is a renowned martial arts master with a childish side.He imparts his knowledge with immense gravitas, but he has a mischievous attitude and hunger for finer things. When not messing with people, he likes to kick back and figure out how to satisfy his lecherous vices. It’s a bizarrely funny contrast, one which Chow Yun-fat captures with surprising skill.
6Piccolo’s Appearance
The character who looks the most familiar to fans is James Marsters asDemon King Piccolo. He’s got the green skin, bald head, pointy ears, and glowering presence. True, he’s eerily reminiscent of the Romulans from J.J. Abrams’sStar Trekflick (which released the same year), but that appearance is suited to a Namekian.
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As a result, his look is closer to the source material than anyone else’s. The only real problem is that his antennae lie flat on his head rather than hang down. However, this is a small gripe compared to everything else this design gets right.
5The Dragon Balls Themselves
Admittedly,there’s not much to mess up in this area. The eponymous orbs are a bunch of orange spheres with varying numbers of red stars on each one. It’s a simple design, but it works. Simplistic designs are often the most iconic.
Moreover, this particular one translates well to live action. The Dragon Balls in the movie not only maintain their basic appearance, but the filmmakers add a glowing, fire-like effect in their core. This indicates their magical origins while not distracting from their base aspects. As a result, it elevates the orbs beyond simple props or inanimate objects, which is what they easily could have been with their minimalist appearance.
4Bulma’s Capsule Bike
As the heroes begin their adventure,Bulma tosses out a device which morphs into a motorcycle. It’s plain that this is the movie’s version of capsules: pocket-sized devices containing houses, vehicles, and other objects.
The first one Bulma uses in the manga is also a motorcycle. Considering how many events the script swaps around, this demonstrates a surprising moment of loyalty. Granted, the activation is different from the puff of smoke that the capsules usually use. Here, it expands and assembles itself akin to aTransformer. Despite that stylistic departure, though, the functionality remains the same. That’s more than you’re able to say for most of the movie’s devices.
3Evil Containment Wave
The initial plan to stop Piccolo in the manga is the Mafuba, otherwise known as the “Evil Containment Wave.” It involves capturing the demon in an energy field and sealing him in a container. Roshi learned this technique from his master and tries to use it himself. Unfortunately, it fails and costs him his life.
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The movie recreates this scenario. Roshi gets the container from a monk, enacts the technique, and tragically fails. It’s ultimately the fight withGoku’s Oozaru formthat kills him, but the Mafubadoesleave him weakened. It’s one of the few tense moments in the final battle as a result.
2Yamcha’s Profession
Late in the film, the story introduces a new character named Yamcha. He traps the heroes in a hole and demands a toll. He takes pride in this scam, clearly having done it dozens of times. As underhanded as that is, it tracks with his introduction in the manga.
The desert bandit comes in as a brash rogue,extorting riches and capsules before suffering a humiliating defeat by Goku and a crippling crush on Bulma. The difference is that he contributes more to that original story, such as quelling Goku’s Oozaru transformation. In contrast, the movie’s Yamcha joins the crew and does nothing. At least his setup is promising, though.
1Mai Working For Piccolo
Conquering the world is a big job, and a king needs subjects. That’s whyEmperor Pilaf and his cohortsserve at Piccolo’s beck and call. He, Shu, and Mai provide info on the Dragon Balls and accomplish menial tasks around the Demon King’s airship. They basically do anything that lets them live a little longer.
Mai also serves Piccolo in the film. Here, though, she’s his chief lieutenant and runs covert ops on his behalf. She even nabs the remaining Dragon Balls from the heroes. Sure, it’s strange that the filmmakers omit Pilaf and Shu, but that may be a good thing given how annoying they are in the anime. Not to mention, Mai doing the heavy lifting saves the writers from constantly having to introduce new characters in the form of Piccolo’s thuggish monsters. In that respect, such streamlining makes sense.
