Dragon Ball Z Special 1: Bardock, The Father of Goku Episode 1 Discussion

What did you think of this episode?

DO NOT discuss the source material beyond this episode. If you want to discuss future events or theories, please use separate threads.
DO NOT ask where to watch/download this episode or give links to copyrighted, non-fair use material.
DO NOT troll/bait/harass/abuse other users for liking or disliking the series/characters.
DO read the Anime Discussion Rules and Site & Forum Guidelines.

Jun 28, 2009 10:00 PM

MrHatandClogs

Offline

Mar 2009

1076

THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
----------------------------------------
Excellent!! Best Sidestory of DBZ so far!! It's so Epic, when Bardok sees Goku and Friza, and He's realizes Goku will be the one to defeat Friza!! So Epic when they show Vegeta for the first time, and then they show Napa, Vegeta's even a beast when he's a shorty. I only wish they woulda showed Goku's mom, I mean I guess you could say it was the chick Saiyan in his crew, but they never said or hinted toward that, idk. And, Gohan finding/naming Goku was awesome, def rewatch this a bunch...Urahara Out!!

Nov 10, 2009 4:55 PM

Veethorn

Offline

Feb 2009

3436

Yup great sidestory, not only shows us the father of Goku and how everything was in Planet Vegeta before it was destroyed, but it also delivers great development for the characters Vegeta, Dodoria and Freeza. Good stuff.

Apr 3, 2010 8:42 PM

checkdafool

Offline

Feb 2010

2360

bardocks sidekicks got killed off way to fast

Nov 8, 2010 11:51 PM

Sabinlerose

Offline

Sep 2009

1570

I enjoyed it.
Probably the best DBZ movie / special.

Feb 25, 2011 7:29 PM

Monochrome

Offline

Apr 2007

5405

I have been meaning to watch this forever and now I wish I didn't take so long D:
What a great movie, easily the best of the DBZ movies I've seen so far (it's not hard to beat the others though, really). I only knew the basic story about Bardock reading into the future and such and to see it all play out was very exciting. Bardock was such a beast too.

I also thought it was funny when one of the guys said Bardock had the potential to surpass King Vegeta, considering how Goku and Vegeta are later on :P

Mar 21, 2011 1:26 PM

malvarez1

Offline

Aug 2010

2735

I preffered Trunks, but I liked this one too. Bardocks is in interesting character, I am glad that he appeared in that PSP game. Frieza is a jerk.

At least the Saiyans live on in Goku and Vegita. Well, the kids too, but they are only part Saiyan.

Bum Bum Dum Dum

Jun 18, 2011 5:32 AM

Osprey

Offline

Jun 2009

What About Raditz (Goku's Brother).............they didn't include him!!!!

Nov 29, 2011 6:28 PM

Michaeldekora

Offline

Nov 2011

Is the better DBZ Movie

PERSIANAS
PERSIANAS

Nov 30, 2011 3:25 PM

fancyplants

Offline

Aug 2011

Actually thought this was pretty terrible between the 70s-quality animation and plot holes everywhere. I haven't seen a DBZ episode in close to a decade but I'm in no hurry to watch it again if this is supposed to be high-end for the series.

Mar 5, 2012 6:39 PM

#10

ertel

Offline

Mar 2012

better movie yet dbz

Persianas
Closets
Cocinas
HomeTheater
Franquicias

Oct 17, 2012 9:37 AM

#11

LyingPrauses

Offline

Apr 2012

Yes, it certainly was an enjoyable tv special. But it seems not many people know that there's actually a sequel to Bardock - the Father of Goku.

It's called "Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock" (http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Ball:_Episode_of_Bardock)
Although I'm not sure if this is canon or just a "what if?" kind of episode. If anybody know, please tell me. I'd really like to know

EDIT: Oh, and if anyone wants to watch it, just go to youtube and type in "Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock" nothing else, and you will find the HD version :D

Nov 20, 2013 12:22 PM

#12

spacemonkey93

Offline

Jul 2012

104

I love this Special, I always enjoyed that Namek saga were they had all this uniforms, equipment, ships, healing machines. All that is here and even better! It feels like you're watching Goku fighting there except being more macho I guess.

LyingPrauses said:
Yes, it certainly was an enjoyable tv special. But it seems not many people know that there's actually a sequel to Bardock - the Father of Goku.

It's called "Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock" (http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Ball:_Episode_of_Bardock)
Although I'm not sure if this is canon or just a "what if?" kind of episode. If anybody know, please tell me. I'd really like to know

EDIT: Oh, and if anyone wants to watch it, just go to youtube and type in "Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock" nothing else, and you will find the HD version :D

In fact Episode of Bardock is a spin-off of the original series, they didn't even put it as Dragon Ball Z. It's a cool episode but if you get too nerd about SPOILERS (time travel paradoxes etc.) then you'll come up skeptical and all that.

Nov 26, 2013 12:07 PM

#13

RafaelDeJongh

Offline

May 2012

25827

Really nice sidestory I must say, I like how they've actually added this gives you a more insight look on the father of Goku! Well up to the second special!

Jan 10, 2014 2:55 PM

#14

loghneckbeard

Offline

Jun 2009

4385

Neat little sidestory, we get some background info on Vegeta, Dodoria, Zarbon, Frieza, Bardock, Goku and even Nappa. Not a bad effort. This was better than a lot of the DBZ movies, not going to lie.

r/a/dio | Square Anime & Manga Folder Icons | MyReWatchedAnimeList

Jan 31, 2014 10:52 PM

#15

Saskee

Offline

Oct 2013

3067

Really enjoyed this.

Feb 26, 2014 9:14 AM

#16

ao_no_exo

Offline

Jan 2013

9443

Would have been nice if Bardock would have seen in the future how his Son might become a SSJ and defeat Freeza.
10/10?

Apr 23, 2014 2:26 PM

#17

edup_2004

Offline

Dec 2013

421

ao_no_exo said:
Would have been nice if Bardock would have seen in the future how his Son might become a SSJ and defeat Freeza.
10/10?

That was exactly what I was expecting...... bummer it didn't happened.

Also it would have been great if he told Freeza that a SSJ was going to kill him.

Aug 10, 2014 1:59 AM

#18

bloodiemonster

Offline

Oct 2013

2896

this is one def one of my fav dbz specials
fucking badass
sucks he had to die that way D:

[/quote]

Aug 12, 2015 6:14 AM

#19

vasilis0602

Offline

Apr 2014

595

So Vegeta was so strong even when he a kid. As expected.
Great movie.

"You don't become Hokage in order to be acknowledged by the village.
The one who is acknowledged by everyone, is the one who becomes Hokage."
Uchiha Itachi, Naruto Shippuden

Feb 27, 2016 8:06 PM

#20

ibraheem234

Offline

Dec 2014

12508

A sad movie but as my childhood memory tates still 10/10

Mar 7, 2016 3:21 AM

#21

Klad

Offline

Jan 2013

14161

Its a shame that Bardock died in that explosion. I wanted to see more of him. Why not go back to Earth and join up Kakarotto :(

Aug 11, 2016 9:37 AM

#22

BloodRavyne

Offline

Mar 2009

Why didn't Goku use the Dragon Balls to revive Planet Vegeta and bring his father back to life? Did they try that in DBZ?

Jan 9, 2019 5:24 PM

#23

Parkrover

Offline

Dec 2015

246

One of my favourites DBZ movies.
What a classic!

Mar 19, 2019 8:06 AM

#24

azertz99

Offline

Mar 2016

1072

I personally think this is a better version than the one presented to us in the new Broly movie...
I'm a Bardock fan now.

Mar 19, 2019 6:55 PM

#25

mshea1213

Offline

Jul 2016

393

Well.. that was rather depressing. I forgot how much of a complete psychopath/dick Freeza was. The ending with Bardock smiling when he realizes his son will face of with Freeza was a great touch. So glad I am revisiting DBZ!

May 14, 2019 10:34 PM

#26

PureStone

Offline

Dec 2012

Wow, this was honestly really great. The whole aspect of fathers/sons, foreseeing the future and predestination, all just felt like some Greek Tragedy (anime-style lmao). And the ending juxtaposing Vegeta and Goku was a nice touch. Easy to understand how they both turned out the way they did, Vegeta being sent to distant planets to murder while Goku gets to live a lovely early Dragon Ball-esque life.

Jul 20, 2020 7:58 AM

#27

removed-user

Offline

Jul 2018

564612

This was very much so interesting. The idea of a ruthless, battle-loving father witnessing flashbacks concerning his son's growth, whose existence wasn't bothered with at first, and forming a semblance of care with him leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth. In Bardock's final moments, he had a final flashback regarding Goku facing off intensely against the creature that was the cause of all his valiant efforts, Frieza, then proceeded to let out a smirk left a tinge of sentimentality. Bardock, and, to an extent, the Saiyans, may have been bloodthirsty and extremely cruel, yet most of them, if not all, were bound to their code of pride and their comradeship with one another. Their destruction at hands of Frieza may seem cruel, but it was sadly necessary.

What an entertaining special this was. I give it around a 7/10.

Oct 5, 2020 9:02 AM

#28

Kowareta99

Offline

May 2019

3168

This was a really interesting special. I have definitely been interested in learning more about Goku's father ever since we found out he is a saiyan - something this special completely delivered on. Goku's existence didn't initially bother Bardock at all, yet he kept getting strange foreseeings of the future, along with Goku's growth. Frieza, initially deemed as a trustworthy individual, betrayed the saiyans and is in present-day Goku's most dangerous opponent. I would like to get more backstory on Frieza as a whole, but I'd expect that to be for another time.

Jan 29, 2021 9:09 AM

#29

Ally098

Offline

Dec 2020

Honestly we can see a big difference.
Super broly shows a more stubborn bardock
But since I'm assuming broly wasn't cannon. Father of goku I'm assuming is cannon?

What's so amazing is bardock was badly wounded almost to death, but yet he still dragged his ass to warn the other sayians after losing his friends nobody took bardock seriosuly. Yet he was being fully honest and trying to save his planet and I gotta re watch it sometime eventally. Beside that it's a good movie i really wasn't into the old z movies but now I'm kinda into the cooler fathee of goku and history of trucks i guess are good but father of goku when I watched it it was good I even one day wnated to see if my local stores had it on dvd I think it's hard to find

Mar 10, 2022 7:06 PM

#30

removed-user

Offline

Jul 2018

564612

BloodRavyne said:
Why didn't Goku use the Dragon Balls to revive Planet Vegeta and bring his father back to life? Did they try that in DBZ?

Well, considering the type of people the Saiyans were, I don't think it would have been ideal to bring them back to life. I did like Bardock over the course of this movie and Vegeta is one of my favorite characters of the show. But the Saiyans were a merciless race of warriors. And I think Goku would've probably been hesitant about the decision to revive them considering the possible harm they could do to people of different planets.

Mar 10, 2022 8:09 PM

#31

removed-user

Offline

Jul 2018

564612

I really enjoyed this movie. I've been meaning to watch this backstory on Bardock for a while. One could say the Saiyans got their comeuppance for their actions. But at the same time, it was wrong for Frieza to turn on the Saiyans in spite of their loyalty to him. I found it sad and irritating how none of the other Saiyans listened to Bardock's warning of their impending demise. But he went out valiantly in the end.

May 31, 2022 1:17 PM

#32

Etcetera-