Dragon Ball Movie 3: Mystical Adventure

LittleChomp Sep 3, 2010

5.5

Anime in 200 Words: Dragon Ball Movie 3: Mystical Adventure Premise: This movie is a reinterpretation of the second World Martial Arts Tournament and the repeating quest for the dragon balls, but unlike the other three Dragon Ball movies, it’s successful! Required Watching: I suggest you watch through the second martial arts tournament, because knowing who Chiaotzu and Tien Shinhan really are is nice when viewing this movie. Canon Issues: Chiaotzu isn’t royal and he never held a tournament. Beyond that, the World Martial Arts Tournament was never related to the dragon balls; they were always alternating arcs! Redeeming Qualities: This movie actually took things like the Crane Hermit’s manipulative nature and the friendship between Tien and Chiaotzu into account when making the film. Instead of being a disastrous retelling, this movie seems more like a “what if?” scenario. Problems: There are two inherent weaknesses in this film. One, it’s a spin-off movie, and two, it’s altering the canon plot. Overall: I watched Dragon Ball before Mystical Adventure, so the score is probably a bit lower than it would have been if I had only watched this movie. Still, everything considered, Mystical Adventure is as entertaining as an average anime.