Doragon bôru Z 1: Ora no Gohan wo kaese (1989)

The first film in the Dragonball Z movies is an early classic. Acting as a prelude to the TV series, the villain Garlic Jr. (who would later get his own saga in the show) is a nice mix between the comedic villains of Dragonball and the hulking baddies of Z. Providing a balanced mix of humor and hand-to-hand martial arts action, The Dead Zone runs at a brisk pace at 45 minutes with little filler. This film nicely highlights the Goku/Piccolo rivalry and the hidden powers of Gohan that will later be explored in the show. Should be entertaining to fans of the show and a seminal introduction to newcomers.