The History of Trunks
From Dragon Ball
Resistance to Despair!! The Remaining Super-Warriors, Gohan and Trunks (Japanese: 絶望への反抗!! 残された超戦士・悟飯とトランクス, Rōmaji: Zetsubō e no Hankō!! Nokosareta Chō-Senshi • Gohan to Torankusu) is an hour-long TV-Special (#2) that is part of the Dragon Ball Z series of anime. Originally released in Japan on February 24]], 1993, between episodes 174 and 175. FUNimation's title is The History of Trunks & Bridge Entertainment's title is Gohan and Trunks. FUNimation dubbed it into English in 2000.
It tells the story of Future Trunks. It is unique among Dragon Ball movies/specials since it is actually based from a brief chapter in the manga, called Trunks The History - The Lone Warrior. The special changes several key plot points for drama (such as that in the manga Trunks was capable of turning Super Saiyan before Gohan's death).
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The film opens with Goku's tragic death from a viral heart disease and the death of the Z-Fighters at the hands of Android 17 and Android 18 around six months later. Unfortunately, the Z Fighters are unable to be wished back to life because the Dragon Balls are permanently unusable due to Piccolo's death. The TV special moves thirteen years into the future where we meet a thirteen year old Trunks and twenty-three year old Gohan. Gohan is the only one able to stand against the Androids, ever since he became a Super Saiyan after witnessing the deaths of the other Z-fighters. Gohan trains Trunks in fighting and power, who comes very close to becoming a Super Saiyan as well. One day, The Androids attack an amusement park, where Gohan and Trunks arrive for battle. #17 takes on Gohan while #18 watches. Gohan transforms into a Super Saiyan and, despite a few lucky hits by the android, quickly takes control of the fight.
However, #18 joins the fight and the two begin to overtake Gohan. Trunks, though no match for the Androids, comes to Gohan's aid and fights with #18. He manages to fight her for a minute before he is easily defeated, but Gohan saves him from death, and they both hide in the debris of the park. The androids, unable to find them, bomb the park in hopes of drawing them out of hiding. Gohan and Trunks survive the blast but at the cost of Gohan's left arm, which is blown off. Gohan then gives Trunks a Senzu bean, saving him from death yet again. Trunks brings Gohan back to Capsule Corporation where he recovers and resumes training Trunks.
The training is stopped short when the androids attack a nearby city. Trunks pleas to fight, but Gohan knocks him unconscious to stop him from joining the battle. The one-armed Super Saiyan ambushes #17, and despite his handicap, puts up a long and suspenseful fight against the androids. He meets his end when the androids hang up on him in the rain and knock him to the ground. They then shoot energy blasts like a machine gun from the sky, killing the fallen warrior. Trunks is awakened when his mentors energy vanishes. Upon searching the city, Trunks finds Gohan's dead body. The rage from within him is unleashed and Trunks transforms into a Super Saiyan.
The story moves forwards three years later. While Bulma is working on the time machine, Trunks goes off to fight the Androids. Trunks barely puts up a fight and is eventually beaten by the merely-toying Androids. He miraculously survives a large blast of energy from Android #18. Trunks awakens in his house with his mother Bulma by his side. After a brief talk, he decides to go in the time machine (once it's finally ready, which is about six months to a single year later) to give the heart medicine to Goku.
[edit] Final Showdown
Trunks' time line is shown once again for the final time during the ending parts of the Cell Games Saga. Trunks is shown returning to his time and easily defeating both of the androids. Some time later, Cell attempts to steal his time machine just as he did in another alternate time line, only this time, Trunks kills him.
[edit] Those who were killed
- Goku (died of a heart virus six months prior to the androids attack)
- Piccolo (said to be the first to fall)
- Vegeta (was killed by #17)
- Tien Shinhan (killed by #18)
- Yamcha (killed by #17)
- Krillin (killed by the androids)
- Chaozu (killed by the androids)
- Yajirobe (killed by the androids)
- More then half the Earth's population about thirteen years after the androids appearance.
[edit] Those who survived
- Gohan (somehow managed to escape after the Z Fighters were all killed, was killed thirteen years later)
- Trunks (was a baby when the androids attacked and he survived the attack on West City)
- Bulma (managed to survive the onslaught on West City)
- Master Roshi (was on his island)
- Puar (was on Master Roshi's island)
- Oolong (was on Master Roshi's island)
- Chi Chi (was at her home in the mountains)
- Ox King (was at Chi Chi's house)
- Mr. Popo (It is assumed he survived, he may have died in exile later or lived alone on Kami's lookout)
- Karin (Was in his tower)
[edit] Characters not born due to the Android events
- Goten (Goku died of a heart disease)
- Bra (Vegeta was killed by the Androids)
- Marron (Krillin was killed by the Androids and Android 18 never had a change of heart)
- Pan (Gohan never met Videl as he was killed by the Androids)
- Son Goku Junior (Gohan never met Videl meaning Pan was not born and Pan was Goku Jr's grandmother)
- Vegeta Junior (It is not sure if he was born or not born, because Trunks was born and Bra was not)
The aforementioned manga version was at the end of volume 37 and the full title was: "Dragon Ball, Trunks The Story, The Lone Warrior (Side Story)"
[edit] Notable differences from the Anime and Manga
- No scene with both Trunks and Gohan fighting the Androids together.
- Trunks is already a Super Saiyan, shown when he and Gohan are training together.
- The Androids do not gang up on Gohan, and only #17 attacks.
- There is no rain.
- Android #17 tells him that he didn't even use half his power in their last battle.
- The viewers see a horrified look on Gohan's face in one panel of the manga, after which the story cuts to Trunks waking and finding his sensei's dead body. Trunks cries and slams his fists into the ground but does not transform.
- The manga then cuts to 3 years later, where like the special, Trunks rushes to avenge the death of everyone but fails miserably. However the fight between Trunks and the Androids is not seen at all and it cuts to 5 days later, where Trunks is recovering in a hospital.
[edit] Cast list
| Character Name | Voice Actor (Japanese) | Voice Actor (English) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future Trunks | Takeshi Kusao | Eric (Johnson) Vale | |
| Bulma | Hiromi Tsuru | Tiffany Vollmer | |
| Son Gohan | Masako Nozawa | Dameon Clarke (Adult) Stephanie Nadolny (Young) | |
| Android 17 | Shigeru Nakahara | Chuck Huber | |
| Android 18 | Miki Itou | Meredith McCoy | |
| Chichi | Naoko Watanabe | Cynthia Cranz | |
| Gyumao | Daisuke Ghori | Mark Britten | |
| Muten Roshi | Kōhei Miyauchi | Mike McFarland | |
| Oolong | Naoki Tatsuta | Bradford Jackson | |
| Pu-erh | Naoko Watanabe | Monika Antonelli | |
| Vegeta | Ryo Horikawa | Christopher Sabat | |
| Piccolo | Toshio Furukawa | Christopher Sabat | |
| Kuririn | Mayumi Tanaka | Sonny Strait | |
| Yamucha | Toru Furuya | Christopher Sabat | |
| Tenshinhan | Hirotaka Suzuoki | John Burgmeier | |
| Chaozu | Hiroko Emori | Monika Antonelli | |
| Narration | Joji Yanami | Dale Kelly |
[edit] Music
- Ending Theme
"青い風のHOPE" / "Aoi Kaze no HOPE" / "The Blue Wind’s HOPE"
- Lyrics: Dai Satō
- Music: Chiho Kiyooka
- Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto
- Vocals: Hironobu Kageyama
- Song Lyrics
(The FUNimation English version includes music by the band Dream Theater)

