Curse of the Blood Rubies Movie - Dragon Ball
The Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies (originally just called Dragon Ball) is the first film based on the Dragon Ball franchise originally created by Akira Toriyama. It was first shown in Japan on December 20th, 1986 at the Toei Manga Matsuri Film Festival. The Curse of the Blood Rubies is the first of several alternative continuities of the Dragon Ball series.
A new character, King Gurumes, substitutes Emperor Pilaf's antagonist role from the original manga. It adapts Goku's meeting with Bulma, Oolong, Puar, Yamcha, and Master Roshi on his adventure finding Dragon Balls.
Summary
The narrator retells the legend of the Dragon Balls: they are seven orange balls with red stars. Currently, the Dragon Balls are scattered across the Earth, but according to the prophecy, if all seven of them are gathered, the Dragon Shenron, shall arise from his blazing lair and grant a wish to whoever summoned him. After the wish is granted, the Dragon Balls will disperse all over the world once more to allow another person to collect the magical balls.
In the search for the Blood Rubies, King Gurumes’ soldiers destroy the lands and homes of farmers in their kingdom. Two soldiers, Bongo and Pasta are also tasked with finding the Dragon Balls, as Gurumes turned into a giant purple monster due to the Blood Rubies’ curse. He currently desires the Dragon Balls so he can simply wish the curse away. Meanwhile, Pansy (Penny in 1995 dub), a rebellious girl, decides to find help after Bongo brutally beats her father for defending her.
Goku is an active young boy with a monkey tail living in the wilderness on Mount Pazou. He was taken care of by his adoptive grandfather Gohan, who raised him and trained him in martial arts. He owns a mystical staff called the Power Pole, which can grow and shrink on command. He also has the Four-Star Dragon Ball.
Goku soon meets a teenage girl with short blue hair named Bulma, who is searching for the Dragon Balls with the aid of her Dragon Radar. She runs into Goku and notices that another aircraft (which is piloted by Bongo and Pasta) is headed right in their direction. He tells Bulma Grandpa Gohan’s story and the gift he left Goku after his death, the Four-Star Dragon Ball.
Bongo and Pasta steal Goku's Dragon Ball when they arrive and leave him a gold coin as “payment”. Bulma and Goku chase Pasta and Bongo as they flee. As the group is about to catch up, Pasta shoots them and they begin falling out of the sky. Goku saves Bulma by moving her to a nearby cliff with the Power Pole while he manages to jump into a river.
At nighttime, they search for food in the woods and find Oolong (a shape-shifting monster) aggressively approaching Pansy. Oolong flees as soon as he discovers Goku's strength after he destroys a large tree. Goku chases and knocks him out with his Power Pole and finds out that Oolong’s true form is a pig.
Oolong freaks out once he realizes that they landed in the territory of the Desert Bandit Yamcha. Just then, Yamcha and his buddy Puar charges on Goku’s group. Goku battles Yamcha while Yamcha uses special moves like his Wolf Fang Fist. Their fight stops, however, when Bulma comes back.
Since Yamcha is afraid of women, he and Puar retreat and spy on the group from afar. Pansy tells the group about her people’s predicament and how they need to find Master Roshi and the Dragon Balls. Yamcha and Puar overhear this conversation and decide to try and take the Dragon Balls for themselves.
After the group arrives on Master Roshi's Island, they discover that Yamcha had beaten them and tricked Master Roshi into thinking that Goku was a thief. As a test, Roshi summons the Flying Nimbus, a magical cloud that only sincere people can ride. Goku rides the cloud and successfully proves himself to Roshi. Yamcha flees in defeat, but vows that he will return.
Bongo and Pasta appear and take the group’s two Dragon Balls and Roshi’s house is destroyed in the process. In a fit of anger, Roshi uses a Kamehameha to demolish the submarine, though the two still manage to escape. Pansy then asks Roshi to help her beat King Gurumes. However, Roshi declines and assures her that Goku and Bulma are there to help. At King Gurumes castle, King Gurume rejoices as Pasta arrives with the final Dragon Balls.
The King’s air force attacks Goku’s group as they approach King Gurumes' castle and Goku begins an aerial battle with Bongo. Goku defensively protects himself from Bongo's attacks and manages to land an attack that destroys his aircraft. Puar and Yamcha arrive to infiltrate the palace and meet with the others.
Yamcha gets assaulted by Pasta, who could not fight back due to his fear of women, so he runs away. Goku knocks down Bongo past a wall with his Power Pole, making them all land in the throne room. King Gurumes' curse made him grow to a gigantic size, which seems to overwhelm the group. He crushes Bongo flat then attacks Goku for the last Dragon Ball.
Goku uses the Kamehameha, which he copied from Master Roshi. After learning that Gurumes kept the other Dragon Balls in his stomach, Bulma throws the last Dragon Ball in Gurumes’ mouth. Shenron then appears by erupting out of Gurume's body. Pansy wishes for her land to be beautiful and peaceful once again. Shenron makes the soil fertile and removes the Blood Rubies. Gurume’s curse lifts and he becomes a small, hairless man. Goku returns the coin to Pasta and goes to Master Roshi to train.
New Characters
King Gurume (or Gourmeth): once a human ruler, but became filled with greed after finding the Blood Rubies, causing his kingdom's economy to fall. He turns back into a human after the confrontation with Goku.
Pasta/Aldevia/Raven and Bongo/ Major Domo: King Gurumes’ subordinates that search for the Dragon Balls. Pasta is a female soldier with red hair while Bongo is a large, muscular male.
Pansy (or Penny): A young girl seeking help from Master Roshi to help her village ruled by King Gurume.
Links
Dragon Ball Series
Dragon Ball Z Series
Dragon Ball Kai Series
Dragon Ball Super Series
Dragon Ball GT Series
Super Dragon Ball Heros
Akira Toriyama