Dragon Ball is back in the headlines, and we have its next anime to thank. Not long ago, the world learned the hit franchise has a new anime in the works under creator Akira Toriyama. As you can imagine, Son Goku has taken over the fandom as shonen fans are eager to see his next adventure. But right now, well – we can only encourage you to check out one of the most infamous pieces of Dragon Ball history as it is streaming now.
It wasn’t long ago fans realized Dragon Ball’s unofficial and totally viral live-action movie had hit streaming. If you head over to Freevee, you can find Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins streaming for free with ads. It is an absolutely wild ride, and the history behind the live-action bootleg is even more unbelievable.
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If you do not know about Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins, well – the first thing to know is that it is far from official. The Taiwanese live-action feature was released in 1991. And yes, it is loosely based on Toriyama’s manga. Directed by Chun-Liang Chen, Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins is an incredible piece of anime history, and every fan owes it to themselves to binge it.
After all, the movie follows a hero named Monkey Boy who stands in for Son Goku. Trained by Turtle Man (or Master Roshi), Monkey Boy is sent on a mission to avenge an old man named Sparkle (Son Gohan Sr) who is killed for his Dragon Ball. From there, the plot deviates as Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins reckons with King Horn and a martial artist named Westwood (Yamcha). And of course, the film is littered with martial arts action for better and for worse.
Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins is not what fans would call a good live-action take on Toriyama’s iconic series, but it is not the worst out there. Dragonball Evolution still holds that title as the ill-fated Hollywood movie is still considered one of the worst adaptations done on film. If you want to give Dragon Ball another shot in live-action, Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins is a good place to start, and even its lowest points will make you chuckle over how insane it is.
Have you ever seen this Dragon Ball adaptation before? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!
