The final season of Dragon Ball Z picks up
where season 8 left off, with Trunks, Gohan, Goten, Vegeta, and Goku
fighting to save the universe from the monster Majin Buu. The
protracted battle lasts 33 episodes (#254 to #286). Buu has the
color and texture of bubble gum: The Saiyans punch him out, blast
off limbs, and blow him into smithereens, only to see him return to
his original form. Buu also mutates constantly. He fights
himself--his "good" side vs. the purely evil one; he grows stronger
when he absorbs Goten, Trunks, Gohan, and Piccolo, but somehow gets
even stronger when he "de-absorbs" them. The resolution, involving
the combined efforts of the Z-fighters, the Kais, and the Namekian
Dragon Balls, leaves the filmmakers with nothing to fill the
remaining episodes, so they jump the story ahead 10 years. Trunks
and Goten are teenagers, Gohan and Videl have a daughter, Pan.
Although he's a grandfather, Goku remains as irrepressible and
irresponsible as ever. When Mr. Satan organizes another martial arts
tournament, Goku enters to take on a mysterious young fighter, then
cheerfully abandons his family to train the new champion. It's a
weak ending for one of the most popular series in anime history.
(Rated TV PG: suitable for ages 8 and older: violence, violence
against women, tobacco and alcohol use, ethnic stereotypes, brief
nudity) --Charles Solomon
(254. The Evil of Men, 255. Buu Against Buu, 256. Empty Planet, 257.
Time Struggle, 258. Super Moves of Gotenks, 259. Trapped in Forever,
260. Feeding Frenzy, 261. Gotenks is Awesome! 262. Unlucky Break,
263. A Whole New Gohan, 264. Search For Survivors, 265. Majin Buu
Transforms, 266. The Old Kai's Weapon, 267. Ready To Fuse? 268.
Union Of Rivals, 269. Meet Vegito, 270. Rip In The Universe, 271.
Vegito . . . Downsized, 272. The Incredible Fighting Candy, 273. The
Innards of Buu, 274. Mind Trap, 275. Deadly Vision, 276. Evil Kid
Buu! 277. End of Earth, 278. True Saiyans Fight Alone, 279. Battle
For The Universe Begins, 280. Vegeta's Respect, 281. Minute of
Desperation, 282. Old Buu Emerges, 283. Earth Reborn, 284. Call to
Action, 285. People of Earth Unite, 286. Spirit Bomb Triumphant,
287. Celebrations With Majin Buu, 288. He's Always Late, 289.
Granddaughter Pan, 290. Buu's Reincarnation, 291. Goku's Next
Journey)
