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| DragonBall: Magic Begins | 
 enlarge | List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $12.99
You Save: $6.96 (35%)
Buy New/Used from $5.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 22 reviews)
Sales Rank: 36544
Category: DVD
Actors: Eddie Chan, Don Wong, Ju-hee Lee, Marilyn Chow, Wong Chung Yiu
Directors: Joe Chan, Leung Chung
Publisher: Tai Seng
Studio: Tai Seng
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
Label: Tai Seng
Format: Color, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Live, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD
Running Time: 95 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.6
ISBN: 6305884862
UPC: 601643750941
EAN: 9786305884866
ASIN: 6305884862
Release Date: June 27, 2000
Theatrical Release Date: 1993
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Ouch September 23, 2007
Easily one of the more painful movies I've ever seen. I love bad movies, and this one is terrible. You know within the first 5 minutes that this film is going to be a painful ordeal. I suggest you grab a few friends to help you mock the film. The MST3K (If you don't know, you'd better call somebody) treatment is the only reason to give this one a go.
 Outrageously awesome. September 15, 2007
No, this is not a joke review, i'm one hundred percent serious. I thought this movie was great. It's more or less the exact same story as presented in the first arc of the show-or as told by the movie, Dragonball: The Path to Power.
Every character is there, Goku, Bulma, Oolong, Yamcha, Roshi, Pilaf, they're just under different names-probably due to the translation differences (this wasn't a Japanese movie, it's Chinese). Many events are ripped STRAIGHT OUT OF THE EPISODES-such as Goku fighting with animals for his dinner, him attacking Bulmas car, Oolong as a sex crazy pig abducting girls, Yamcha and Goku's fight, and so on.
Is it campy, cheesy, badly dubbed, and with subpar special effects and fight scenes? Well let me remind you that while it is a movie based on Dragonball, IT IS ALSO A B-RATED CHINESE KUNG FU MOVIE! Watch any kung fu martial arts movie from especially the seventies or so and you'll see they're exactly the same. Many of these are considered cult classics.
Long story short, you can't go into this movie thinking it's gonna be some kind of Hollywood blockbuster special effects masterpiece like the Matrix, you have to expect it to be a low budget Chinese kung fu movie based on a childrens cartoon show. You wouldn't watch a kindergarten theatre production and expect to see Broadway level material would you? This is the same principal.
Lower your expectations and you're never dissapointed.
 Definately a B-movie November 15, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Watch this movie only if you like B-movies, because as a film by itself, it isn't very good. Graphics are laughable, and the dubbing at times was badly translated, not to mention the fact that the movie is clearly titled Dragonball, when the actual balls are refered to throughout the movie as "dragon pearls." The acting is worthy of daytime soap, and some of the make-up was a scary reminder of the 80's, but the movie is a fair representation of the anime series. Basically, do not buy this unless you have seen the series at some point, and can enjoy a b-movie.
 Funniest movie in the entire monkey boy universe September 26, 2004
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This movie was definitely the funniest movie ever made. Nothing can compare to a little boy carrying a cardboard crocodile and getting shot by a gun that shoots out little sparkles. How can you imagine something funnier than a fat asian smacking his man boobs and his face and becoming a busty hawaiin drag queen? It's impossible my friend, and this movie takes everything. You have led a useless life if you have never seen this movie. I laughed to the point of not being able to breathe and felt dizzy with utter hysteria. I love this movie with all of my monkey boy heart. This movie will let all your dragon pearl wishes come true, my esteemed colleagues.
Perfect Live Action Dragonball Movie May 18, 2004
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This movie will make a lot more sense to you if you compare it to the Dragonball series, NOT to Dragonball Z. The Magic Begins includes most of the characters in the show and introduces Goku as a little boy still living with his grandfather in the woods. Goku is in possession of the four star dragon ball (called "dragon pearl" here) and the evil King Horn is out to gather the remaining six balls so he can summon the dragon and make an evil wish. Goku must find the remaining dragon balls before King Horn gets his hands on them, and in doing so, runs into a wacky cast of characters along the way.
The movie sticks very closely to the show: Goku has his power pole and later gets the flying nimbus from Master Roshi; when Goku and Bulma first meet she's the first girl Goku's ever seen, and they meet when Goku is carrying an alligator back to his home for dinner, just like in the show. Oolong is a shapeshifter and Yamcha is scared of girls and challenges Goku at every turn. The hilarious Master Roshi is a perv as always, and his scenes with Oolong as Bulma are also straight from the show.
You have to have a sense of humor to truly appreciate this movie. The special effects are lacking and the dubbing is awful, but the fight scenes are fun and the plot's pretty good. If you appreciate Toriyama's Dragonball at all, you're sure to find a good time in this movie.
Here's a list of characters as they relate to the show, as far as I can tell:
Monkey Boy - Goku
Grandpa Sparkle - Grandpa Gohan
Seetoe - Bulma
Westwood - Yamcha (Westwood's wise cracking bird is probably Puar)
Pig Fairy - Oolong
Turtle Man - Master Roshi
King Horn - Emperor Pilaf (Pilaf's cronies are probably Mai and Xiu)
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