All this time, I've never checked out Dragon Ball Z, but was pleasantly surprised by these two specials.  That's right.  I'm probably one of three people on the planet who has never watched Dragon Ball Z.  The two specials were a nice introduction, and an entertaining diversion.  Okay, so after watching the Trunks special I cornered a friend and forced her to give me a summary of Season 4.  Details.  Even without watching the series beforehand, the specials were sufficiently self-contained that even a newbie like me didn't feel lost.  Am I going to go out and buy a bunch of Dragon Ball Z merchandise and hang up posters to gaze at in between staring at the anime?  No.  But it was fun, and I'd do it again.

The future isn't set, and The History of Trunks illustrates one possible outcome for the characters.  With the Androids still running rampant across the landscape, and Goku having succumbed to a fatal illness, the only person left to fight back is Goku's son, Gohan.  After much persuasion and begging on the part of Bulma's son, Trunks, Gohan finally agrees to take him on as a student.  Unfortunate circumstances leave Trunks on his own, and now it's up to him and his mother's impressive mechanical skills to find a way to change this tragic future.

For me, the Trunks special is all about the Androids.  The Androids cracked me up.  It was far more fun watching them bicker than following the interaction between the story's heroes.  There's plenty of action, but I didn't feel particularly connected to the characters.  When the special was over, it was over, and I didn't think about it again.  In some ways, it felt a bit rushed, a little cut short at the end, but that is most likely due to my lack of knowledge of the series. 

Bardock, The Father of Goku, as the name implies, is a prequel that focuses on Goku's origin.  Bardock was a low-ranking Saiyan soldier under Frieza's command.  While fighting on another planet, Bardock is cursed with the ability to see the future by the last of his enemies.  Through the unwanted visions, Bardock learns of Frieza's nefarious plot, and tries to convince his comrades of their impending doom.  With his warnings ignored, Bardock is left to face Frieza alone.  

Of the two specials, this one was far more engaging--perhaps because it involves a character that is fairly separate from the rest of the series.  The story is very compact, well-rounded, and flows quickly.  Bardock's general lack of interest in his child, until he realizes their world is going to be destroyed, was interesting and believable.  It's easy to take something for granted, but faced with the threat of losing that something, attitudes can change quickly.  I also enjoyed the David vs. Goliath-type situation that arises between Bardock and Frieza.  I found myself rooting for Bardock, and hoping he would find a resolution in time. 

Both specials have been remastered and digitally restored.  The film was nice and clean, and the colors were vibrant and pretty.  As for language options, there are two English tracks, one with the original Japanese music, and one with the US TV broadcast music, both in stereo.  There is also the original Japanese voice track and music, in mono.  The discs come in a nifty tin dvd case.  I have a box fetish, and the tin case makes me very happy.

It may sound nuts, but I found something very gentle and innocent about these two specials.  Yes, there's lots of fighting, and revenge, and death, and things spectacularly blowing up.  However, at the heart of both specials there is a focus on fighting the good fight, honoring one's friends, and the side of the light winning out over darkness.  Maybe that's just because the series is intended for the younger set, but I found it to be very appealing.

Details: Runtime 96 minutes.  There's a nice little insert with some poster art and a few words about the remastering process.