Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon

Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon

Year: 1995

Runtime: 51 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Mitsuo Hashimoto

AnimationAction

When a mysterious, unopenable music box is discovered, the Z Warriors are instructed to unlock it with the power of the Dragon Balls. Opening it releases the heroic warrior Tapion, who has imprisoned himself together with the monstrous Hildegarn. To stop the revived evil, Goku must quickly master a new technique and join forces with his allies to defeat Hildegarn and protect the world.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (1995)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (1995). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Earth, Tapion's planet

The story unfolds primarily on Earth, where Gohan and Videl in their Great Saiyaman personas intervene as Hirudegarn threatens a city. Tapion arrives from another world with an enchanted music box and a heavy burden. A second setting is Tapion's homeworld, a distant planet tied to Hirudegarn's awakening. The contrast between Earth and Tapion's world highlights the film's blend of sci‑fi spectacle and mythic prophecy.

🌍 Earth 🪐 Tapion's planet

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:56

Main Characters – Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (1995)

Meet the key characters of Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (1995), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Tapion (Hiro Yuuki)

A battle-weary warrior from a distant world who carries a heavy burden: one half of Hirudegarn sealed within him. He initially resists forming bonds but gradually opens up to Trunks and Bulma. His ocarina is the key to controlling Hirudegarn, making him central to the film's emotional core.

🗡️ Warrior 🌀 Burdened 🎶 Music bearer

Trunks (Takeshi Kusao)

A young Saiyan prince who befriends Tapion and bridges the two worlds. He shows courage and a willingness to risk himself for others, eventually joining forces with Tapion against Hirudegarn. His bond with Tapion culminates in him wielding the instrument and making a pivotal choice.

🗡️ Young Hero 🤝 Ally 💡 Quick thinker

Goku (Masako Nozawa)

The legendary Saiyan who arrives to confront Hirudegarn, embodying courage and unyielding resolve. He channels immense power in a final clash to protect Earth and its inhabitants.

🔥 Saiyan Power 🛡️ Protector 🗡️ Warrior

Gohan (Masako Nozawa)

Gohan fights alongside Goku, maturing into a formidable protector as the threat grows. His determination and teamwork with friends highlight the film's themes of responsibility.

🗡️ Warrior 🌟 Heroic Growth 🤝 Ally

Goten (Masako Nozawa)

Goten, teaming with Trunks, taps into fusion energy to form Super Gotenks, aiming to overwhelm Hirudegarn. His youthful energy and daring contribution drive the battle forward.

🧒 Young Warrior 🌀 Fusion ⚡ Energetic

Bulma (Hiromi Tsuru)

Bulma uses her scientific ingenuity to integrate Tapion into Earth and to keep the threat contained, including building a special room to prevent Hirudegarn's escape.

🧪 Inventor 🧭 Resourceful 👩‍🔬 Tech-savvy

Hoi (Juji Matsuda)

A surviving sorcerer who seeks Tapion to revive Hirudegarn and seize power. He embodies betrayal and cunning, driving much of the conflict.

🪄 Villain 🤫 Schemer 🗡️ Betrayer

Vegeta (Ryo Horikawa)

Vegeta arrives in Super Saiyan form to join the fight, but is quickly overwhelmed by Hirudegarn. His pride and relentless drive provide contrast to the teamwork of others.

🔥 Pride 🗡️ Warrior ⚡ Power

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:56

Major Themes – Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (1995)

Explore the central themes of Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (1995), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🤝 Friendship

Tapion and Trunks form a bond that shifts the course of the battle. Trust across worlds grows as a wary warrior and a curious prince learn to rely on each other. Their alliance helps them face Hirudegarn's threat and gives Tapion someone to believe in.

🕯️ Sacrifice

Tapion bears the burden of Hirudegarn, keeping the monster at bay and offering himself in a dangerous attempt to end the threat. The ocarina and the sword symbolize the costs of containing immense power. The ending hinges on selflessness and the difficult choice to relinquish control for the greater good.

🎵 Music as Power

Music is the key instrument that weakens Hirudegarn, with Tapion's enchanted ocarina guiding the monster's vulnerability. The ocarinas serve as a vessel for the monster's halves, turning sound into a weapon against chaos. The melody enables restraint where raw power would fail.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:56

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Race Against Time Movies like Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon

Heroes must rapidly master a new ability to confront a looming catastrophic threat.Explore movies like Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon where heroes face a ticking clock to master a new power and stop a world-ending threat. These similar action-packed stories deliver high-stakes tension, fast pacing, and triumphant victories against overwhelming evil.

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Monster Unleashed Stories like Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon

A ancient, imprisoned evil is accidentally released, forcing a united front to contain it.Find films similar to Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon where a sealed monster is accidentally freed. If you liked the suspense of a contained evil breaking loose, you'll enjoy these stories about teamwork, ancient threats, and epic battles to re-imprison or destroy a rampaging force.

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Narrative Summary

The plot pattern begins with the discovery of a mysterious sealed object or prison. Curiosity or misunderstanding leads to the containment being broken, releasing a powerful and often chaotic evil. The rest of the story is a reactive battle, with the heroes learning about the nature of the threat they've unleashed and struggling to find a way to defeat it, sometimes facing moral dilemmas about the original act of sealing.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a core premise that generates immediate tension and a clear antagonist. The 'unleashing' event provides a strong inciting incident, and the struggle to control the resulting chaos creates a cohesive experience of disaster management, collective heroism, and confronting a force of pure destruction.

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Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon Summary

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Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon Summary

Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon Timeline

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Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon Timeline

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