Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge[a] is a 1991 Japanese animescience fictionmartial arts film and the fifth Dragon Ball Z animated feature film, originally released in Japan on July 20 at the Toei Anime Fair. It was preceded by Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug and followed by Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler. Set in an alternate continuity to the main story, the movie introduces Cooler, the estranged older brother of Frieza, who travels to Earth to challenge and defeat Goku after hearing that he defeated Frieza.
Plot
Cooler watches as his younger brother Frieza destroys the Saiyan home world. His henchmen prepare to destroy a space pod fleeing the doomed planet that is transporting a Saiyan infant to Earth; but Cooler allows it to go, accounting that it is Frieza's responsibility. More than twenty years later, this Saiyan, Goku, defeats Frieza. After learning of his brother's death, Cooler takes his men – Salza, Neiz, and Dore, on a mission to reclaim his family's honor. On Earth, Cooler's forces ambush Goku and his friends while they are on a camping trip. Goku is badly wounded when he protects Gohan from an energy blast launched by Cooler.
Krillin and Oolong find shelter in a cave with Goku, while Gohan travels to obtain the magic Senzu beans that can heal his father. Cooler orders his men to completely obliterate the forest, believing Goku is in hiding. After obtaining the beans, Gohan is ambushed by Cooler's men before Piccolo arrives to save him. Piccolo kills 'Dore and Neiz, but Cooler arrives and impales him with an energy beam. Salza manages to track Gohan to the cave and destroys the beans. However, Gohan successfully heals Goku with a spare one. Krillin and Gohan are quickly defeated by Salza but Goku soon emerges. Cooler taunts Goku by further injuring Piccolo. Goku incapacitates Salza and attacks Cooler.
After Goku proves to be a worthy opponent, Cooler reveals that he discovered a new transformation above Frieza's capabilities. Goku is pummeled by Cooler, who boasts and mocks him. However, after seeing a bird die from wounds inflicted by their fight, Goku reflects on the well-being of his loved ones. Goku retrieves the deceased bird and transforms into his Super Saiyan form, using his energy to revive it.
Cooler finds himself grossly outclassed by Super Saiyan Goku. Cooler powers up an enormous energy sphere and launches the attack with the hopes to destroy Goku and the Earth along with him. After Goku manages to resist and overpower the attack, he sends it hurdling toward Cooler who is launched into space and collides with the sun. As he is incinerated, Cooler realizes that Goku was the Saiyan infant he spared decades ago. As he laments over his mistake, he is disintegrated.
Goku, drained after his victory, is found by his loved ones. They celebrate and search for Piccolo when Salza reappears and prepares to kill them, but he is killed by Piccolo, who fires a Special Beam Cannon through him from afar. Gohan yells out for Piccolo who is nowhere to be seen. Piccolo, having recovered, drinks some water and gazes skyward.
^Despite that Christopher Sabat did lines as Korin in the Funimation dub, Mark Britten is nonetheless credited as Korin; Britten had already left Funimation by the time this film was dubbed. Eric Vale dubbed over one of Korin's lines with different dialogue for the 2008 version of the dub.
A fourth English version released exclusively in Malaysia by Speedy Video features an unknown voice cast.
The Double Feature release contains an alternate audio track containing the English dub with original Japanese background music by Shunsuke Kikuchi and an ending theme of "The Incredible Mightiest vs. Mightiest".
The 1996 dub made by Creative Products contained English versions of the Japanese opening and ending theme songs, performed by Gino Padilla along with a children's chorus known as the Age of Wonder.[5] These songs were featured on the album Dragon Ball • Dragon Ball Z: Songs of a High Spirited Saga - Volume I, along with other English versions of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z songs.
Releases
It was released on DVD and VHS in North America on January 22, 2002. It was later released in Double Feature set along with The Return of Cooler (1992) for Blu-ray and DVD on November 11, 2008, both feature full 1080p format in HDremastered16:9 aspect ratio and an enhanced 5.1 surround mix. The film was re-released to DVD in remastered thinpak collection on November 1, 2011, containing the first 5 Dragon Ball Z films.[6][7]
Other companies
Creative Products Corporation made an English dub for the Philippines, combined with its follow-up film, to make a feature-length film titled Dragon Ball Z: The Greatest Rivals. This feature was released in over 30 Metro Manila theaters on July 11, 1996. Later that year, on November 6, it received an extremely limited VHS release, only sold at Dragon Ball-based promotional events that were hosted by Gino Padilla, who performed the theme music for this version.[8]
Reception
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (May 2024)
Notes
^Also known by its Japanese title Dragon Ball Z: The Outstanding Strongest vs. Strongest (Japanese: ドラゴンボールZ とびっきりの最強対最強, Hepburn: Doragon Bōru Zetto: Tobikkiri no Saikyō tai Saikyō), or by Toei's own English title Dragon Ball Z: The Strongest Rivals
![[icon]](File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small}
