Story:
We open with Pilaf and his minions building a dragon radar for the Crane Hermit. Their reward for this is some quality time with Tao Pai Pai, who probably just took them to the water park where they had a lovely time and nothing bad happened. The Crane hermit then persuades Emperor Chiaotzu to fund a search for the dragon balls in order to find his missing beloved. Meanwhile, Goku, Kuririn & Roshi are on their way to participate in a martial arts tournament.
There are a couple noticeable problems with the story-telling. Which isn't that surprising since this franchise has never been known for its stellar narratives. Still, I would be remiss if I didn't discuss them. The first issue is that the Crane Hermit is very blatantly up to no good. Like, to the point where Chiaotzu comes across as a complete dumbass for not noticing. He quite literally has Tao Pai Pai murder the loyal General Blue in front of the emperor. I know Chiaotzu couldn't do basic maths in the series proper, but he should still look at that and notice that something isn't quite kosher.
There's also the issue with the tournament. Goku and his group decide that one of them needs to win so they can make a specific request, but they don't let Yamcha in on it. Which means they just have to give him a beating. So, why not just tell him? It would give you more allies to work with. I know he's got a fate of becoming progressively more of a punching bag, but this was at the point where he wasn't just there to die or almost die.
I will give them credit for combining various elements from the series proper into something that is a bit different. I'll also give the film credit for maintaining that sense of fun that made Dragonball an enjoyable series. The Penguin Village sequence in particular is just great.
Characters:
Chances are, you already know whether or not you like Dragonball's characters. If you aren't that familiar with the franchise, the cast is pretty simple but they're enjoyable and have some fun interactions. I will say those of you hoping to see Yamcha or Chiaotzu in action will probably be disappointed since they don't do much here. Lunch, however, does get some really good scenes. It's a pity she got banished to the moon to keep Luna company because this does showcase what her character could do back when she was actually in scenarios.
Art:
The artwork looks about on par with the artwork in the series proper. It's a bit dated by today's standards but it's vibrant, colourful and the action sequences are generally pretty well executed. You also do have to give credit for the character designs. They are iconic for a valid reason.
Sound:
This is a franchise with a strong reoccurring cast and they give solid performances here. Whether it's Koyama Mami (who voices both Lunch & Arale), Otsuka Chikao, Tanaka Mayumi, Tsuru Hiromi, Nozawa Masako or anyone else. The music is pretty much the same fare we get in the series proper. So, it's well done.
Ho-yay:
There are some kind of homo-erotic moments betwixt Tenshinhan & Chiaotzu. Which is weird because Chiaotzu looks like a porcelain doll, but they're also both supposed to be adults. So, I won't judge them.
Areas of Improvement:
Let Yamcha in on the plan. It's not like Yamcha fighting Tao Pai Pai and surviving is going to change much. It'll just mean our protagonists are showing more sense.
Have Blue confront the Crane Hermit in private. You could keep everything as is, but have it not be in front of the emperor, thereby making Chiaotzu not appear to be completely inept.
Expand on the Penguin Village sequence. Honestly, a film this short could afford to have a little more to it any way. And that was the best part.
Final Thoughts:
Makafushigi Daibouken is a pretty decent film. Maybe not the best, but it's solid enough. I give it a 6/10.
