Dragonball Evolution is the 45th episode of Screen Junkies comedy series Honest Trailers. It was written by Spencer Gilbert, Dan Murrell and Andy Signore. It parodies the 2009 fantasy action-adventure film Dragonball Evolution. In addition to regular narrator Jon Bailey, it features Lawrence "MasakoX" Simpson and Nick "Lanipator" Landis of TeamFourStar reprising their roles from Dragonball Z: Abridged. It was published on December 24, 2013, based on viewer requests. It is 4 minutes 57 seconds long. It has been viewed over 9.3 million times.
Watch Honest Trailers - Dragonball Evolution on YouTube
"An adaptation that steals from everything except the source material." ~ Honest Trailers - Dragonball Evolution
Script[]
(multiple comments requesting the trailer pop up)
Happy holidays. This year, we got you the trailer you've requested the most... for some reason.
After 42 volumes of comics, 18 movies, and 15 seasons of television, one live-action adaptation will ignore everything people loved about the Dragon Ball franchise, in America's biggest insult to Japanese culture since Hiroshima.
Dragonball Evolution
Prepare for Fox's half-assed attempt to cash in on their expiring rights to Dragon Ball; it's an adaptation that steals from everything except the source material, featuring elements of... The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Twilight (?!), and... The Last Airbender?
Roshi: Shadow Crane Strike is the most basic of all the air-bending techniques.
Oh, come on!
When the Sith Lord Piccolo escapes his ancient prison... somehow, Goku, a student at Video Game High School, must find the Dragon Balls before something about an eclipse... or else something about... Ōzaru, the evil monkey werewolf. It... doesn't make any sense; can I get a little help here?
(teleportation sound)
DBZA Goku: We'll take it from here, Honest Trailer Voice Man Voice!
Thanks, guys; I'm totally lost.
DBZA Piccolo: All right, listen up. Dragon Ball is the epic saga of a martial artist who-- (shows the film's depiction of Goku) Wait... That's Goku?
DBZA Goku: Well, this is an outrage! I never went to school!
DBZA Piccolo: Also, I don't... think you're white?
DBZA Goku: I'm a Saiya-genie!
DBZA Piccolo: Anyway, it's about No-ku here's quest to collect all seven wish-granting Dragon Balls before-- (shows Piccolo next to Mai) Whoa! When did I get a hot Asian sidekick? Maybe this movie isn't so bad...
Roshi: I am Muten Roshi, the invincible! (laughs)
Goku: My grandfather is dead.
Roshi: (instantly stops laughing)
DBZA Piccolo: Nope, it sucks.
DBZA Krillin: And along the way, Goku is joined by his best friend, Krillin! ...Who should be showing up in the movie any second now! ...Any second.
You're not in the movie.
DBZA Krillin: DAMMIT! (Krillin Owned Count: 1)
I gotta be honest, guys; this still seems pretty stupid.
DBZA Goku: But, like, the show is way better! I fly around on a magic cloud, fight a shape-shifting man-pig...
DBZA Krillin: And help a 300-year-old man get laid! Have we sold you yet?
Not really. But thanks for trying.
DBZA Goku: You bet! Bye-bye, Honest Trailer Man Voice Man!
(sounds of crashing through the ceiling)
Hey! My roof!
DBZA Goku: Sorryyyyy...!
Ugh...
Power up for a movie that doesn't just sound bad; it looks bad, as the epic ki attacks from the cartoons are replaced with CGI hand farts. (montage of characters performing ki attacks as fart sound effects play)
Squirm as the awkward level goes over 9,000, in a movie full of... long pauses...
Chi-Chi: You're different.
(long pause)
Goku: It's...
Chi-Chi: I like different.
(long pause)
...terrible dialogue...
Goku: Grandpa! I'm so happy to see you!
...and Justin Chatwin's forehead vein.
So, gather up all your balls -- Hehe... -- for the one wish that everyone can agree on: make this movie never exist.
Starring...
(teleportation sound)
DBZA Vegeta: How dare they make a movie about Kakarot and not invite me?!
Oh, God, not another one...
DBZA Vegeta: I am Vegeta, prince of all Saiya-- (shows the film's depiction of Yamcha) Oh, my God, is that the beta male? Looks like a tiger with Down syndrome... Never mind; bullet dodged.
Would you like to do the honors?
DBZA Vegeta: Of course I will. Starring: Geico (Justin Chatwin as Goku); Teetees (Jamie Chung as Chi-Chi); The Mask (James Marsters as King Piccolo); The Ki Maker (Randall Duk Kim as Grandpa Gohan); Crouching Tiger, Dead Career (Chow Yun-fat as Master Roshi); Nobody's Favorite Ghostbuster (Ernie Hudson as Sifu Norris); Mighty Joe Young (Ian Whyte as Ōzaru); and Not Lara Croft (Emmy Rossum as Bulma). Oh God, what a steaming pile...
Dragonball Evolution
DBZA Vegeta: So wait, Kaka-not wishes a guy he just met back to life at the end of the movie, but he just lets the man who raised him from birth stay dead? ...I can dig that.
Trivia[]
- This Honest Trailer was published to coincide with Christmas. There was no reason to make this Honest Trailer except that it had been so highly requested by fans.
- Screen Junkies have produced Honest Trailers for several other terrible adaptations of things you love, including Ghost in the Shell, Transformers, The Last Airbender, Super Mario Bros, Warcraft, Mortal Kombat, Catwoman and Daredevil (2003), to name a few. See list of Honest Trailers for more.
- Additionally, Screen Junkies have produced Honest Trailers for multiple Japanese anime movies/shows including Pokemon: The First Movie, Naruto, Tokyo Ghoul, Fairy Tail, One Piece, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Bleach, Sword Art Online, Attack on Titan, One-Punch Man, and Hunter x Hunter. See Honest Trailers Anime for more information.
- An Honest Trailer Commentary for this episode was recorded and was available on the Screen Junkies Plus until the website/app was discontinued. Screen Junkies don't currently have any way of releasing the video.
Reception[]
Honest Trailers - Dragonball Evolution has a 98.0% approval rating from YouTube viewers. Uproxx said the Honest Trailer "reminds us how much Dragonball Evolution sucked." Nerd Bastards wrote that the Honest Trailer contained "some funny parts for sure, but it really just makes me sad. Sad that something with such a fantastic amount of memorable material to draw from, got a quick, “Let’s make a Buck” attempt at bringing the franchise to the big screen." Kotaku wrote that the Honest Trailer's line "America's worst insult to Japanese culture since Hiroshima" "might be going a bit far, but otherwise Screen Junkies' Honest Trailer treatment of the abysmal Dragonball Evolution is spot-on."
Production credits[]
Video thumbnail for Honest Trailers - Dragonball Evolution
Directed by Andy Signore
Series Created by Andy Signore & Brett Weiner
Episode Written by Spencer Gilbert, Dan Murrell and Andy Signore
Edited by Dan Murrell
Voiceover Narration by Jon Bailey
External links []
- Honest Trailers Reminds Us How Much 'Dragonball Evolution' Sucked - Uproxx article
- Honest Trailer for DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION - Geek Tyrant article
- 'Dragonball Evolution' Gets The Honest Trailer Treatment - Nerd Bastards article
- We Must Never Forget The Horror Of Dragonball Evolution - Kotaku article