Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler

The Namekian people, now living in peace on a new planet after their home world was destroyed by Frieza years prior, find New Namek under siege by a mysterious, sentient spaceship that has latched onto and began attacking their home. The Namekian boy Dende, now the Earth's guardian, senses the plight of his people and telepathically calls on Goku for help.

Goku, Gohan, Krillin, Piccolo, Oolong, Yajirobe and Master Roshi travel to the New Namek and upon arrival encounter an army of large robots abusing the Namekians. They learn that Cooler, who Goku was thought to have defeated, is alive and responsible for the invasion. Cooler, now with a metallic body, reveals that he is going to absorb the planet and its lifeforms to power his ship, the Big Gete Star. Goku fights Meta-Cooler while the others battle his robots who have durable armor that they struggle to penetrate. All of the warriors except Piccolo are captured along with a village of Namekians. Piccolo manages to destroys all of the robots in one large energy attack before making his way to rescue those who were captured. Elsewhere, Goku struggles against Cooler's new metallic form which gives him the ability to regenerate himself. Cooler also reveals his ability to use the instantaneous movement technique, an ability which Goku also uses. Cooler explains that the Big Gete Star constantly monitors his body, and fixes any damage it might incur and improves his design to increase his power and durability. Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan which is also ineffective against the metallic tyrant and just before he is strangled to death by Meta-Cooler, Vegeta saves his life. The two Super Saiyans attack Cooler together and they manage to destroy him. However, the Big Gete Star recreates one thousand manifestations of Meta-Cooler, tipping the balance of power decisively against the Saiyans. Goku and Vegeta attempt one final defense but are captured and transported to be converted into fuel.

As the Big Gete Star is leeching their Super Saiyan power, Cooler explains that after his defeat, a computer chip floated among the debris of spacecraft and absorbed everything in its proximity and formed a spaceship. Despite having collided with the sun, small fragments of Cooler's remains, including pieces of his brain, were fused with the main computer allowing him to subsequently take control, and that effectively Cooler and the Big Gete Star are one in the same. Goku and Vegeta begin to release all their energy which overloads the system. They then encounter the true biological Cooler, who attempts to crush Goku, but his hand is severed by Vegeta, giving Goku enough time to blast him with the last of his energy which finally kills him. Piccolo arrives and encounters a Meta-Cooler which explodes. All of the Meta-Coolers and robot soldiers subsequently explode and the heroes escape before the Big Gete Star leaves New Namek's orbit and explodes.

Goku and Vegeta fall from the sky near their allies and everyone rejoices in the victory. Vegeta is nowhere to be seen but Goku acknowledges him for his crucial role in defeating Cooler. In his spaceship, Vegeta crushes the computer chip that created the Big Gete Star.

A fourth English dub released in Malaysia by Speedy Video features an unknown cast.

• OP (Opening Theme):
  • "Cha-La Head-Cha-La"
    • Lyrics by Yukinojō Mori
    • Music by Chiho Kiyooka
    • Arranged by Kenji Yamamoto
    • Performed by Hironobu Kageyama
• ED (Ending Theme):
  • Hero (Kimi ga Hīrō) (HERO(キミがヒーロー), "Hero (You’re The Hero)")
    • Lyrics by Dai Satō
    • Music by Chiho Kiyooka
    • Arranged by Kenji Yamamoto
    • Performed by Hironobu Kageyama and Yuka

It was released on DVD and VHS in North America on August 13, 2002, over 10 years after its initial release. It was later digitally remastered and released in Double Feature set with Cooler's Revenge for Blu-ray and DVD on November 11, 2008, in feature full HD 16:9 aspect ratio 1080p format. The film was re-released to DVD on December 6, 2011 in remastered-widescreen set containing the second four Dragon Ball Z movies.[6]

• Official anime website of Toei Animation
• Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler at IMDb
• Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia