Anime Series Reviews - DBZ: The Bardock Special

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Anime Series Review:
DBZ: The Bardock Special

Titles

English: Bardock: Father of Goku
Japanese: A Final, Solitary Battle: The Z-Warrior Son Goku's Father Challenges Furiiza. Also known as the Bardock Special.

Rating

Total Number of Episodes

1 TV Special

Episodes Seen

1 TV Special

Version

Japanese subtitled and English dubbed

Voice Acting

The Japanese voice cast is skilled, and they fit their roles well. Bardock's English voice is one of the only good casts in the English cast.

Music

The music for the Japanese version is very good. With BGM titles like "Solid State Scouter" and the beautiful vocal "Hikari no Tabi", there's a little something for everyone. The English track pales in comparison.

Animation

The animation is up to standard for the series. It is in Toriyama-sensei's traditional style, which people seem to either love or hate. It is a bit simplistic compared to other anime styles, but I like it just fine. Not too dated, but not overly new-looking, either.

Plot Summary
(May contain spoilers. You've been warned!)

The Bardock Special was released as an accompaniment to the Furiiza Saga of the TV series. It tells the story of Bardock, who is the father of Son Goku.

We are first introduced to Bardock and his team as they are attacking the planet Kanassa while in Oozaru form. After their assault, the team sits talking. We learn that Bardock's son was born recently. As the group talks, a lone Kanassa-sei-jin suddenly attacks Bardock, landing a two-fingered blow at the base of his skull, which causes him to collapse momentarily. His friends quickly knock the native back, giving Bardock time to rise. The man then informs the Saiya-jins of the extent of what he had just done. The natives of Kanassa-sei were a psychic race. Thus, they had been haunted with visions of their own deaths. With that single blow, the man had bestowed the same power on Bardock. Angered by this information, Bardock quickly kills the man, and he and his team head back to Vegeta-sei.

Later, as Bardock sleeps in the regeneration tank, we learn that his team has been assigned to Meat-sei. Upon learning that their commander isn't ready, they decide to go without him. Meanwhile, Bardock begins having visions; of death and destruction. When he awakens, he asks his doctor where his team is. Once he learns of their mission, he rushes off to join them. As he races down the hallway, he stops when he hears a baby crying. Upon looking through a window, he sees that the child is his own son, Kakarotto. He lingers here only momentarily, then heads off to join his team.

Upon reaching Meat-sei, he finds the bodies of his team scattered across the landscape. In shock, Bardock rushes to the side of his friend, Toma, who he finds still alive. The dying man tells him what had happened: they had been attacked by Furiiza's henchmen! He then warns Bardock to return to Vegeta-sei, to warn the other Saiya-jin about Furiiza. Having said that, he dies in Bardock's arms. As Bardock slowly rises to his feet, he is confronted by Furiiza's remaining henchmen. Enraged, he attacks and kills them all. He then races back to Vegeta-sei, where he learns that his son has been shipped out to a planet called Earth.

He then rushes to warn the other Saiya-jin of Furiiza's treachery. They laugh at him, causing him to decide to confront Furiiza on his own. He plows through the horde of soldiers surrounding Furiiza's ship, screaming the tyrant's name. Finally, Furiiza comes out of his ship, a Deathball hovering over his finger. Bardock challenges him, then launches a ki blast at him. Laughing, Furiiza enlarges his Deathball, then hurls it at the planet below him. As it hits him, Bardock has one final vision; he learns that his son, Kakarotto, will be the one to defeat Furiiza in the future.

After the destruction of Vegeta-sei, we see an old man walking along in the country. He stops when he hears a baby crying. Upon looking a large hole, he finds a baby inside a Saiya-jin space capsule. He picks the child up, and decides to keep him, giving him the name Son Goku.

Objectionable Material

Violence - No more than the usual DBZ episode, though there is a decent bit of blood
Nudity - Just a few brief shots of an infant. Also, as Bardock is getting out of the regeneration tank, you see him briefly from behind.
Sexual Situations - None
Profanity - Standard DBZ level...occasional curses in battle, but nothing extreme.
Mature Ideas/Issues - None, really.

Kat's Rating

I love the Bardock Special. It has such an incredible story...the music was done extremely well (especially the choice of "Hikari no Tabi" for the ending theme)...This is one of my all-time favorite DragonBall things.

Dub vs. Sub

See my review.

Manga vs. Anime

I'm not sure if there is a manga equivalent to the Bardock Special. If there is, I have not read it yet.