Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Dragon Ball Z: Season 9 Blu-ray Movie Review

Dragon Ball Z Season 9 is the epic conclusion to the long-running anime series (even if the anime was eventually rebooted in the hit sequel-series Dragon Ball Super). Adapted from the original manga by Akira Toriyama, the ninth season includes episodes 254-291. The set focuses on concluding the Majin Buu saga (and the entire epic tale comes to an end). The ninth season of Dragon Ball Z wraps up the epic action-adventure with a send-off sure to please die-hard fans.

Can Majin Buu be defeated? The dangerous fighter has transformed once more. Humanity is on the brink of destruction. Majin Buu has become an ultimate force to be reckoned with. Can Goku and Vegeta defeat him? The former opponents must put aside their differences – and fuse as one. The ultimate “Super Saiyan” is formed as Goku and Vegeta merge into a fighter that can defeat Buu. Everything hangs in the balance as the final fight for Earth unfolds.

The animation remains one of the highlights of the anime production. Dragon Ball Z is a superb production. Everything about the art style is phenomenal: the background art-work, the landscapes, and the character designs are creative and engaging. The series oozes plenty of style and the hand-drawn animation looks superb. The animators brought forth a lot of great energy to the final season and the results are impressive.

The action scenes are entertaining as well. The final saga of Dragon Ball Z doesn't disappoint in that regard. Goku and Vegeta team up to defeat Buu and there are a lot of epic fight scenes that are truly entertaining. The results are clear: action-packed fun. The action will have fans of the edge of their seats.

The concluding episodes of Dragon Ball Z actually wrap-up the storyline in a surprise way: offering fans an epilogue (of sorts). The last several episodes are focused on the characters and not the fight scenes (as much). The storyline has some nice call backs to the original Dragon Ball (and there is something neat in store: a tournament that brings Goku back to the stage). These episodes focus primarily on giving a proper send-off to the characters that made Dragon Ball Z so memorable. Everything seems nostalgic in the final moments and some fans might feel emotional by the conclusion.

Daisuke Nishio (Dragon Ball) managed to imbue the final season of Dragon Ball Z with plenty of action and energy to keep the series entertaining to the ending. As head director of Dragon Ball Z, Nishio managed to give fans what they wanted: a send-off to the heroes. Akira Toriyama made a masterful story that managed to find a proper balance of action and heart. No fan should miss it.

Dragon Ball Z: Season 9 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation Entertainment, Dragon Ball Z: Season 9 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The 30^th anniversary edition features a brand new restoration of the film materials which has been restored to its original aspect ratio (for the first time in high-definition). A significant upgrade.

The previous season sets released by Funimation were a disaster (in either the orange-brick DVD editions or the original Blu-ray season sets). The original full-frame aspect ratio was cropped to widescreen. The framing was horrendous. So many shots were destroyed by the framing. The animation wasn't preserved as intended.

The 30^th anniversary edition finally allows fans to experience the series as intended. The animation looks more naturalistic. Color timing is arguably the best it has ever been. This is a worthwhile presentation and fans will appreciate the improvements. While the video still has a few drawbacks (most noticeably some DNR application), the 4:3 framing is more than enough reason to pick up these sets if one only had the 16:9 cropped versions.

The only other Dragon Ball Z release from Funimation which is arguably superior in some regards (the Dragon Box editions) are long out of print, can cost thousands of dollars to complete, and aren't in high-definition. The Dragon Box editions were not DNR'ed but used an older master. For most fans, these new 30^th anniversary discs are the clear winner: better colors, high-definition, and 4:3 framing (as the animators intended). A huge upgrade.

Dragon Ball Z: Season 9 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes several lossless audio options to appease fans: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (with the original Japanese music score), English Dolby TrueHD 2.0 (with the U.S. broadcast music), and Japanese Dolby TrueHD mono (with English subtitles). The release sounds quite impressive and the surround sound presentation offers some nice improvements in the audio staging. There are some nice sound effects in the surrounds and the music score is expanded. The track is clear and dialogue is crisp. An engaging presentation.

Dragon Ball Z: Season 9 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes in exclusive steelbook packaging. The release features an impressive character-art. The steelbook has a nice purple finish. The finish is partially glossy with a holio-like effect which is similar to holographic trading cards. As one holds the steelbook, the angle showcases the art in an extraordinary way. The steelbook print quality is terrific and makes a big impression. This is a genuinely nice collectors edition that fans of the series will be pleased to own.

Textless Opening Song (HD, 1:51)

Textless Closing Song (HD, 1:39)

Dragon Ball Z: Season 9 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dragon Ball Z: Season 9 is a nice send-off to the beloved action-packed anime series. The epic saga reaches a conclusion – even if the series would be rebooted years later (in Dragon Ball Super). Fans won't want to miss the ending. The epic conclusion is worth the wait. The Blu-ray release features a brand new restoration in the original 4:3 (full frame) aspect ratio and fans can toss aside the previous (now defunct) 16:9 cropped versions. The steelbook packaging is a cool added bonus, too (with a nice purple sheen that shines). A must-own.