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!

Haven’t seen Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

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

Trace every key event in Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (1995) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Hirudegarn arrives on an unknown world

Hirudegarn crushes a young humanoid on an unknown world, and the monster vanishes as an unseen entity laughs. The entity proclaims that Hirudegarn is headed for Earth.

Unknown world
2

Great Saiyaman encounter and Tapion gift

Gohan and Videl, in their Great Saiyaman personas, intervene to stop an elderly man from committing suicide. The man introduces Tapion, trapped inside an enchanted music box, claiming Tapion is their only chance to stop the approaching evil.

Present Earth
3

Shenron opens the box; Tapion freed

With all other methods exhausted, they gather the Dragon Balls and wish Shenron to open the box. Tapion is released, expressing anger and revealing that inside him lies half of the ferocious Hirudegarn.

Present Earth
4

Tapion isolates himself; Trunks befriends him

Tapion flees into isolation, avoiding contact with others. Trunks visits him and forms a tentative bond.

Present Earth
5

Lower half of Hirudegarn attacks the city

The lower half of Hirudegarn emerges and begins a rampage through the city. The city’s defenders scramble to respond to the sudden threat.

Present Earth city
6

Gohan and Videl confront Hirudegarn

Gohan and Videl confront Hirudegarn, discovering that the creature is intangible until it initiates an attack. They realize conventional blows won’t finish it while the monster threatens the city.

Present Earth city
7

Tapion's ocarina weakens Hirudegarn

Tapion lifts his ocarina and plays a haunting tune, weakening Hirudegarn. The creature vanishes for a time as the magic takes hold.

Present Earth
8

Hoi seeks the ocarina; Trunks takes a side

Hoi claims Tapion is the true threat and makes a bid to steal the ocarina. In the ensuing struggle, Trunks seizes the instrument and chooses to side with Tapion.

Present Earth
9

Tapion reveals Hirudegarn's origin

Tapion recounts that a thousand years ago, an evil race tried to destroy all life by awakening Hirudegarn. A priest forged a sword and two ocarinas; Tapion and his brother Minotia kept Hirudegarn at bay and sealed the halves inside them, sending the enchanted boxes to opposite ends of the universe.

One thousand years earlier Bulma's Lab / Earth
10

Containment failed; Bulma builds a safeguard

Bulma designs a specialized bedroom to keep Tapion from accidentally releasing the monster while he sleeps. The containment proves ineffective as the lower half reappears.

Present Capsule Corp
11

Desperate attempt to seal Hirudegarn again; Hoi crushed

The monster returns to wreck more havoc, and Tapion pleads for death to destroy Hirudegarn's upper half. Hirudegarn escapes once more, and Hoi is crushed to death by the monster.

Present Earth city
12

Final battle and Tapion's departure

Goku arrives as Super Saiyan 3 and joins the battle with Vegeta, while Trunks and Goten fuse into Gotenks 3 to attack Hirudegarn. After a brutal exchange, Hirudegarn defeats Gotenks, and Tapion attempts a final seal with the ocarina, but the instrument is destroyed. Goku finishes the creature with the Dragon Fist, and Tapion uses Bulma's time machine to return to his home world, gifting Trunks the sword as a farewell.

Climax Earth / Tapion's home world

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:29

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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.

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Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon Summary

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