Dragon Ball Z has one of the largest, and most loyal fan bases of any franchise, anywhere. It comes as no surprise that the live action DBZ flick that was released back in 2009 was met with such vitriol and overall hatred, that it rarely gets mentioned outside of being the butt of a terrible movie joke. There hasn’t been a good enough excuse for not having a good live action version either, as Dragon Ball merch in general is still very popular. Look no further than the recently released anime movie Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F, and its massive success both in theaters and on DVD for proof of its profitability.
Enter Dragon Ball Z: Fall of Man, a fan film made to satisfy even the most hardcore DBZ fans palettes. It’s set in an alternate future where the only living DBZ fighter is Trunks, and he’s made it his sole mission to defeat the monstrous android Cell. The 28 minute film takes a very dark, yet serious tone that immediately distinguishes it from its often goofy animated parent. Throughout the first act, we’re shown how easily Cell dispatched of all the other fighters, leaving Trunks as the sole survivor. The film is mostly narrated within Trunks voice, and the main action doesn’t take place until about halfway through. Once Cell and Trunks finally do lock up, they have a fast paced, well choreographed fight scene set against the dark and stormy skyline of West City.
This is definitely the finest fan film that I’ve seen set in the DBZ universe and could easily sit at the top as the best. But don’t take my word for it, check out the full film below.
