The animation here actually moves like the original show did, fluid enough to make you feel the weight of every punch, sloppy enough in places to feel handmade. This isn't a clip show dressed up as a movie; it takes the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai and finds genuine darkness in a tournament you thought you already knew. Goku stepping into the ring against Tenshinhan stops being an exhibition match and becomes a moment that costs something, and the film doesn't look away from that.

A retelling of how Goku first meets Tenshinhan and Chiaotzu, set around the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. Emperor Chiaotzu's wife has vanished, and Master Shen tells him that gathering all seven Dragon Balls will let him summon the eternal dragon and wish her back. Goku and Krillin take part in the tournament, which the Emperor hosts. Meanwhile the evil Shen and General Tao command the imperial forces, and Bora and his son Upa try to keep their Dragon Ball out of their hands. Bulma runs a search of her own alongside Yamcha, Puar and Oolong. The film mixes action, adventure, comedy and science fiction.