Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks

A few years following Goku's victory against Frieza, he returns to Earth and succumbs to a viral heart disease. Goku's death, being the result of natural causes, means that he can no longer be revived with the Dragon Balls. Six months later, Piccolo, Vegeta, Krillin, Tien Shinhan, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu are killed by Android 17 and Android 18. With the death of Piccolo, Earth's guardian, Kami, dies as well and the Dragon Balls are rendered permanently useless - making it impossible for anyone to be revived.

Thirteen years later, the androids terrorize the planet while the sole survivor of the battle, Gohan, repeatedly tries to stop them but is unsuccessful. He agrees to train Trunks, the teenage son of Vegeta and Bulma, who is eager to help him defeat the androids. Gohan attempts to provoke Trunks enough to trigger his transformation into a Super Saiyan but is unsuccessful. As the two rest from their training, the androids attack an amusement park and Gohan challenges them once again. Despite being a Super Saiyan, Gohan is overwhelmed and Trunks comes to his aid. Android 18 easily defeats Trunks requiring Gohan to defend him. As Gohan hides with his unconscious pupil in his arms, the androids, unable to find their targets, bombard the entire area with energy blasts and leave. The pair are nearly killed and Gohan gives Trunks his final healing Senzu bean in order to save his life. Trunks awakens to find that Gohan has lost his left arm in the attack and brings him home to Bulma who saves his life. Once healed, Gohan resumes Trunks' training. Not long after, a huge explosion erupts within a nearby city. Gohan seemingly allows Trunks to join him in the battle this time, but renders him unconscious and departs alone. Gohan fights the android duo but is eventually overwhelmed and killed. Trunks awakens and hurries into the city to find his deceased master laying face down in the street. Trunks, enraged at the death of his teacher and best friend, finally transforms into a Super Saiyan.

Three years pass and Trunks assists Bulma with building her time machine when a warning on the television indicates that the androids are attacking a nearby city. Despite Bulma's warnings, Trunks confronts them but is easily defeated and somehow manages to survive. He awakens in his house with his mother at his side, and finally decides that the time machine is their best hope in stopping the androids. Once healed, Trunks prepares to depart with medicine to cure Goku's heart disease in hand. He travels nineteen years into the past with the hopes of changing his future.

During the ending credits, Trunks' arrives in the past, kills Frieza and King Cold, meets Goku and his allies, and 17 and 18 emerge.

Anime News Network's reviewer Chris Shepard stated: "It is interesting... Gohan and Trunks are both understandable characters who I was really able to get into and sympathize for during their battles" but also felt a "good understanding of the happenings of the TV series is recommended". He also felt that the action sequences were exceptional and did not "overdo themselves". He expressed some disappointment in the English dub as the storyline sounded "completely alien" to the Japanese subtitles. For his final grade he noted "[the] Dub doesn't contain the original music... [it] isn't true to the original" but was pleased overall.[2]

John Sinnott of DVDTalk praised the television special, seeing it as being separate from the other episodes of Dragon Ball. He believed this to be a positive attribute. Regarding the Blu-ray release of the film he was less impressed with the color and aspect ratio, citing them as not particularly "exciting". However he expressed joy at Funimation leaving the original Japanese soundtrack and the English voice dubs in, describing them as "enveloping". For fans of Dragon Ball he recommended watching the episode as it "worked a lot better than the average theatrical film since they follow DBZ continuity and expand the story while filling in details". Like Shepard the Sinnott review advised those who are not familiar to the Dragon Ball franchise to avoid the episode but that fans will enjoy it. In conclusion he felt the film was enjoyable at best.[3]

It was released on DVD and VHS in North America on October 24, 2000. They later released the double feature with an second special and Bardock – The Father of Goku with digitally remastered widescreen format on DVD on February 19, 2008, then on Blu-ray released on July 15, 2008. The second special was re-released to DVD on September 15, 2009 in a remastered-widescreen single-disc edition.

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks

• Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks at IMDb