Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies (1986)
"Doragon bôru: Shenron no densetsu" (original title)

The once benevolent King Gurumes has become greedy after discovering a large supply of blood rubies under his kingdom. His greed causes him to tear up his subjects' crops and homes in ... See full summary »

Director:

Daisuke Nishio

Writers:

Toshiki Inoue, Akira Toriyama (character)

Stars:

Colleen Clinkenbeard, Monica Rial, Brina Palencia

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Colleen Clinkenbeard	...	Goku (voice)
Monica Rial	...	Bulma (voice)
Brina Palencia	...	Puar (voice)
Christopher Sabat	...	Yamcha / Shenron / Turtle (voice) (as Christopher R. Sabat)
Mike McFarland	...	Master Roshi (voice)
Kate Oxley	...	Raven (voice)
Cherami Leigh	...	Penny (voice)
Maggie Blue O'Hara	...	Bulma (Additional Scenes) (voice)
Brian Mathis	...	Penny's Dad (voice)
Dana Schultes	...	Penny's Mom (voice)
Z. Charles Bolton	...	Soldier (voice) (as Zach Bolton)
Jonathan Brooks	...	Major Domo (voice)
Jeremy Inman	...	King Gurumes (voice)
John Swasey	...	Narrator (voice)
Masako Nozawa	...	Son Gokû (voice)

Storyline

The once benevolent King Gurumes has become greedy after discovering a large supply of blood rubies under his kingdom. His greed causes him to tear up his subjects' crops and homes in search of more, resulting in him being cursed and transformed into a monster. He now scours the earth looking for the seven dragon balls, which, once brought together, summon a mighty dragon that grants one wish - a wish which might ease his unending hunger. The king's henchmen find that it is not so easy to steal the dragon ball from Goku, who, once he discovers the plight of the kingdom, decides to free the land from the king's oppression.

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Plot Keywords:

kung fu master | karate | karate kick | violence | remake | 

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Genres:

Family | Action | Adventure | Animation

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

20 December 1986 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bird Studios, Toei Animation Company, Toei Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min 47 min (1996 dub) 50 min (original release)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Son Gokû: [after a low-flying plane passes over him] Whoa, that's a really big bird! And listen to it's tummy growl!

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Connections

Edited into Dragon Ball (1989)

User Reviews

Fun for Fans and Newcomers Alike

Just recently I've begun to watch the entire series from the first episode with English subtitles. The Japanese version is by far much better than the English version of the series because of the lack of censorship on it.

This being said, having to watch "Curse of the Blood Rubies" with an English dub was a little painful for me. Don't get me wrong! The dub in Dragon Ball and this movie are very good, but they just don't compare to the way it's originally meant to be heard and seen.

If you're new to the Dragon Ball franchise, this movie is a great place to pick up if you don't feel like watching the first saga of the series. Though the story is different in MANY aspects, it can sum up a ton of episodes in a very short period of time if you want to just jump into the action of the series.

All of the main characters are introduced with the exception of Emperor Pilaf and his goons, whom are in the first saga. In place of Pilaf, you'll be meeting King Gurumes. The way the characters meet is a bit different, but you'll end up in about the same place with either the series or this movie.

Blood Rubies is a bit more "cutesy" than the original Dragon Ball series in my opinion, and seems to be a bit more aimed at a younger audience than the series itself is. That doesn't mean it's a bad movie though, but anyone coming in directly from the series may find themselves a tad disappointed.

Overall I recommend this movie to anyone who's interested in the Dragon Ball series, regardless if you've seen the first saga or not. It's a fun animation, and though a bit slow in some parts, will keep you interested until the end.