Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Dragon Ball Super – Part 8 (a Neo-Tokyo 2099 Anime on Blu-ray Disc Review) (2017)

For the most part, if you are a fan of “Dragon Ball”, a fan that love the characters and the action-driven storyline, you’re going to enjoy this action-packed volume 8 of “Dragon Ball Super”. Recommended!

TITLE: Dragon Ball Super – Part 8

DURATION: (Episodes 92-104) 325 Minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (16×9), English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Funimation

RATED: TV PG

Release Date: July 2, 2019

Originally created by Akira Toriyama

Directed by Kimitoshi Chioka

Script by Atsuhiro Tomioka

Produced by Kazuya Watanabe, Kohei Obara, Kyotaro Kimura, Makoto Seino

Character Design by Tadayoshi Yamamuro

Music by Norihito Sumitomo

Art Design by Shinzo Yuki

Anime Production: Toei Animation

Featuring the following voice talent:

Masako Nozawa/Colleen Clinkenbeard as Son Gohan

Masako Nozawa/Sean Schemmel as Son Goku

Hikaru Midorikawa/John Burgmeier as Tenshinhan (Tien)

Hiromi Tsuru/Monica Rial as Bulma

Masaharu Satou/Mike McFarland as Kame-sennin

Mayumi Tanaka/Sonny Strait as Krillin (Kuririn)

Naoki Tatsuta/Brad Jackson as Oolong

Naoko Watanabe/Cynthia Cranz as Chi-Chi

Ryo Horikawa/Christopher R. Sabat as Vegeta

Brina Palencia as Chiaotzu/Puar

Tohru Furuya/Christopher R. Sabat as Yamcha

Toshio Furukawa/Christopher R. Sabat as Piccolo

Ayano Hirano/Justin Cook as Dende

Eiji Hanawa as Jiren

Eiko Yamada/Carmen Smith as Mai

Kouichi Yamadera/Jason Douglas as Beerus

Kozo Shioya as Majin Buu

Masakazu Morita/Ian Sinclair as Whis

Miki Itou as Cyborg #18

Mitsuo Iwata as Champa

Takeshi Kusao/Alexis Tipton as Trunks

With Buu out of commission, and in order to complete their roster, Goku recruits an old enemy as the 7th Universe’s final teammate. However, the other universes aren’t keen on letting this new foe join the fight. The stage is set, and the Tournament of Power finally starts! Can the Z Fighters last against an onslaught of targeted aggression, or will personal grudges mark the beginning of the end?!

As the 7th Universe finally recruits their ten members, Goku is shocked to find out that Buu is out of commission and is in a deep slumber.

Desperate for a 10th member to fight alongside with them in the Tournament of Power featuring all universes, who are fighting to keep their universe from being destroyed, Goku recruits an old enemy to be part of the team.

Who does Goku end up recruiting and can he be trusted?

Find out in “Dragon Ball Super – Part 8”!

What is “Dragon Ball Super” about?

With the completion of the hugely popular anime series “Dragon Ball Z”, while a new story was created titled “Dragon Ball GT” (1996-1997) and not based on Toriyama Akira’s previous work, Toriyama would return to create an overall plot outline for a new series titled “Dragon Ball Super” produced by Toei Animation.

The series is considered as the true sequel to “Dragon Ball Z” and would take place four years after the DBZ storyline.

The series began airing in Japan on July 2015 and concluded on March 2018 with a total of 131 episodes having aired. Funimation has released part 8 which consists of episodes 92-104 which sets up the beginning of the Tournament of Power.

Present and Future Grand Zeno decide to do a major tournament but this time involving all Universes! And whoever loses, will have their world destroyed.

As the group tries to recruit their ten team members, Universe 7 which is Goku’s universe, finds out that Buu is in a slumber and can’t wake up. Because of this, he must desperately find his tenth member and he has an idea, and that is to recruit one of his enemies from the past… Frieza. But first, he must find a way to bring him back from the dead!

As we are introduced to various fighters from other universe, in Universe Six, we see Cabba trying to teach Caulifla on how to become a Super Saiyan. But what happens when they try to get Caulifla’s protegee, Kale, to become a Super Saiyan?

With the stakes so high, can Goku trust Frieza to be a team player for this tournament?

VIDEO:

“Dragon Ball Super” is created in 1080p High Definition (16×9 HD Native). The episodes are colorful and absolutely vibrant. Great detail with character designs and wonderful animation for fight scenes. I saw no major softness, banding issues or artifacts during my viewing of the series.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Dragon Ball Super” features a wonderful soundtrack on Blu-ray. The series is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English) and Dolby TrueHD 2.0 (Japanese). Featuring the return of the original Dragon Ball Japanese and also English voice dub talent, the quality of the series voice acting continues with this series.

Because the English is mixed and utilizes more channels, there is a dramatic difference in sound, although for those with a modern receiver and have a solid 5.1 or 7.2 setup, can easily switch their receiver to stereo on all channels for the Japanese soundtrack for a more immersive soundscape.

There are online stores showing that the Japanese is Dolby Digital 2.0 but this is incorrect, it is indeed a lossless Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 soundtrack. And both soundtracks sound great!

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Dragon Ball Super – Part 8” comes with the following special features:

Dragon Ball Super: Two Humans and an Android – (11:18) Sonny Strait (voice of Krillyn), Mike McFarland (voice of Master Roshi) and Chuck Huber (voice of Android 17).
Textless Opening Songs
Textless Closing Songs

I grew up watching “Dragon Ball” and “Dragon Ball Z” (as well as “Dragon Ball GT”) and at the time, I was a college student watching these episodes in straight Japanese until over a decade later, they were released on DVD and eventually on Blu-ray courtesy of Funimation.

I played the Japanese video games and always purchased the Japanese animation magazines every month back when Tower Records existed in the US.

So growing up with the anime series and now as an adult with a teenage child who watches “Dragon Ball”, it’s a bit of a surreal feeling that the storyline of Goku and friends are continuing for a new generation of anime fans but also entertaining both young and old.

Part 8 kicks off the “Tournament of Power” arc in which Goku must recruit ten fighters to compete in one of the most difficult tournament ever, as this time, the stakes are high as the losing team’s world will be destroyed.

Just when Universe 7 feels they recruited everyone, Buu ends up throwing a wrench when he goes into a slumber and will probably sleep for a long while. This leads Goku recruiting an enemy from the past as his tenth member… Frieza.

But Frieza is still in a killing mood and has managed to strategize and make himself stronger even in death, in hopes he can get his revenge on Goku.

And as Frieza is recruited, can he be trusted to be a team player?

Needless to say, with the Tournament of Power and many universes fighting to keep their planet alive, everyone fights in this awesome, action-packed volume!

Overall, another wonderful “Dragon Ball Super” Blu-ray + DVD release! Because it’s tournament time again, it’s a familiar feeling which fans of the original “Dragon Ball” and “Dragon Ball Z” will be familiar with. A lot of action is featured in this latest volume and the team battles are fantastic to watch, especially for those who have wanted to see the Z Warriors reuniting for the “Tournament of Power” and also seeing a former enemy of Goku, being brought back to fight for Universe 7!

Recommended!

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