Dragon Ball Z - Bardock: The Father of Goku
Bardock was one of the Saiya-jin Frieza used as mercenaries to conquer other worlds. Although he was only a "low-level" warrior, Bardock grew so powerful that Frieza and his lieutenant Doodoria feared he might become a threat to them. Doodoria brutally murdered the other members of Bardock's squadron; Frieza destroyed the entire Saiya planet--Vegeta, Nappa, and Goku (né Kakarot) were the only survivors. Before he was killed, the fishlike Tooro cursed Bardock with the ability to see the future, including his own brutal death. But his new psychic powers enable Bardock to establish a mysterious bond with his infant son, who will grow up to defeat the monstrous Frieza.Bardock the Father of Gokuuses some of the same characters as the popularDragon Ball ZTV series, but the continuities don't necessarily match. The one-hour TV special, which first aired in Japan in 1990, has been so heavily edited, it feels fragmented. The viewer is never told who Goku's mother is or why the infant is sent into space in a tiny ship, and the rock soundtrack can't quite marry the scenes that are often jarringly cut together. Unrated: suitable for ages 8 and up for cartoon violence and slight nudity.--Charles Solomon