DragonBall [2008]

Dragonball is adapted from the manga created by Akira Toriyama; the work was also turned into a Japanese anime series that played all over the world. It tells the story of an alien sent to destroy Earth, who has a change of heart and decides to join the humans in their fight against various aliens and bad guys. Justin Chatwin is starring as the hero Goku, while James Marsters will play the villain Piccolo in the sci-fi adventure.

[Based on] The King Piccolo Saga [Dragonball], also known as the Piccolo Daimaoh Saga (Demon Lord Piccolo Saga) is the penultimate saga from the anime Dragonball. It occurs after the Tien Shinhan Saga and precedes the Piccolo Junior Saga. It includes the battles between Goku and King Piccolo's sons, Goku's first encounter with the Samurai warrior, Yajirobe, Goku's quest to find the Holy Water, his final battle with young King Piccolo, and the birth of Piccolo Junior.

Appearances also made by Yamcha and Bulma but regretably not Pu'ar or Oolong, nor even Krillin. Ox King and his Daughter Chi Chi are speculated.

Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera) is currently in Mexico, where she is involved with the shooting of Dragonball. In the film, Rossum plays Bulma, a scientific genius who aids Goku (Justin Chatwin) after her father's Dragonball is stolen by Piccolo (James Marsters). On the actress's MySpace, she reported a bit from the set.

Apparently the movie is now filming just outside Dunas de Bilbao, which is about an hour away from Torreon. Rossum doesn't provide many details about the state of filming, although she does spend a good two paragraphs discussing rabbits in the Mexican desert, and a pet rabbit she had as a child. She does however explain that she's been getting to know Joon Park, who plays Yamcha in the film, fairly well. "I'm not allowed to spill any secrets, but our characters interact a lot in the film," Rossum says. This suggests that the movie is retaining the relationship between Bulma and Yamcha from the anime and manga series of Dragonball.

Dragonball centers on an adult humanoid alien named Goku who, after discovering he was sent to Earth to destroy the population, tries to fulfill the wish of his dying grandfather and collect all seven of the world's mystical Dragon Balls to keep them out of the hands of the evil aliens. His chief nemesis for the film will be Piccolo, who is trying to conquer the Earth. The film is based on the manga created by Akira Toriyama, and is considered one of the most successful Japanese cultural exports of all time.

Dragonball is produced by Stephen Chow, and stars Justin Chatwin, James Marsters, Jamie Chung, Emmy Rossum, Eriko Tamura and Joon Park. Dragonball flies into theatres on August 15, 2008.