IGN has posted up four previously released photos for Dragonball in high resolution.


Click here to see the rest.

My source in Japan has recently sent me these exclusive new scans from the Japanese magazines Nikkan Sports, Roadshow, Young Jump, and Weekly Shonen Jump. Most of them are old pictures, though there are a couple new ones and all of them are in high quality. He also notes the film will be shown in more than 700 screens in Japan.

Nikkan Sports

Roadshow

Weekly Shonen Jump

Young Jump

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Jenova Anime has uploaded yet another Mai (Eriko Tamura) vs. Chi-Chi (Jamie Chung) tournament fight video. This one’s probably the shortest so far, but enjoy!

In addition to that, Dukemon from DBMB found a new scan from… Playboy? All of the images were previously released, but it’s something!

We’ve got a translation thanks to my source in Japan.

Live-Action Dragonball premiere date is decided. The Kamehameha will be unleashed all at once throughout Japan on March 13th, 2009.

“This movie is a boy’s coming-of-age tale. And I like Goku very much,” said Justin Chatwin.

Chow Yun-Fat is Master Roshi. What will become of the funny scene “Pafu-Pafu” ?

Emmy Rossum is Bulma. She will ride around on very cool motorcycles.

Now live-action Dragonball is in production in Hollywood, its official premiere date is decided. On Friday the 13th of March 2009 the movie will be released throughout Japan ahead of the world.

Needless to say, Dragonball is the great masterpiece comic of Akira Toriyama. It has sold more than 300 million copies in the world so far, and still continue to sell. In this movie, Hollywood’s hopeful good-looking young actor Justin Chatwin plays starring role Goku. He talked about his favorite scenes, “I think it is the action scenes. They are filled with many very ambitious scenes we have never seen before. Kamehameha is very challenging too.”

The brilliant actress Emmy Rossum plays Bulma who travels with Goku. “The emperor Asian movie” Chow Yun-Fat plays Master Roshi. James Marsters plays lord Piccolo. And Japanese world-class actress who is active in Hollywood Eriko Tamura plays Mai. Though many of this movie is still veiled in secrecy, here are four very rare pictures that Shuupure (Weekly Playboy) got secretly. How will Goku prevent the ambitious Piccolo from taking over the world? Next March, its secret will become clear.

Discuss on LegendaryForums.com.

Remember Jump Square’s manga set report last month? Well, here’s the thrilling conclusion to it in this month’s Jump Square magazine. A lot is revealed in these translations, and I had a lot of fun reading it.

Justin Chatwin (Goku) appeared in front of them. Goku had blue eyes. The author of this manga (Akiba Zaijuu) felt Justin has a boyish nature, as well as Goku. He was wearing the blue gi, not orange. Justin said “My gi with Kame mark (orange gi) is still in the making. I’m looking forward to see how it will be made. I hope it will become what you all like.” The author remembered he saw and talk with Mayes Rubeo (costume designer) before. She said “I kept trying for the children of the little village I grew up won’t be disappointed with it. I made more than thirty prototypes for only Goku’s gi.” She seemed to be ambitious and having fun, so he felt she sure can make a good costume. And about Justin, his blue gi was cool, but not only the costume design, but his buffed up muscle enhanced his look. Because he has been training for seven months for Goku’s role. The author remembered Goku also have trained for eight months under Master Roshi when Goku was a child in the original. Coincidence?

When the Japanese magazine press interviewed Justin, suddenly the tank top man came into the room. He shouted “Omochi!(rice cake)” in Japanese. He tried to eat Kusa-dango of Asakusa Tokyo (it was souvenir from Japan) there but he accidentally dropped it on the ground and it got dirty with sand. But he didn’t care, he picked it up and ate it. He was a very wild man. The author wondered who he was.

Next Emmy Rossum’s interview. She said her active and cheerful character resembled Bulma. She’s a brilliant young actress and also a good singer. Bulma’s hair is not all blue, but have blue streaks. Make-up artist Mr. Gomez told us the reason that all blue hair is too strong as a live-action, so he was requested not to do that. So he proposed sixteen hairstyle and make-up designs which kept the image of the original, but they were all turned down. After that time he came up with the present hairstyle and make-up. Emmy said, “Did you look at the three-wheeled motorcycle? There are two same motorcycles and they promise I will get one of them after the filming. Other one may be gotten by someone here!” they asked her what her favorite Mexican food was and she said “Gorditas! I like Gorditas.”

Then they interviewed Joon Park, he was [the] wild tank top man before. He resembled an early Yamcha very well, especially eyebrows and eyes. His cheerful character imparted a upbeat atmosphere there. He said, “I wanted to get any small part, I got to audition, and I got the role of Yamcha. I have Japanese friends and I asked him to send the video of Dragonball and I watched them over and over again. But I realized Yamcha didn’t appear in them a lot. Where is Yamcha? looking for him in the video, I studied him.” The author also thought certainly that Yamcha’s appearance is few in the original, and he wondered whether Puar (Yamcha’s pet cat) appeared or not. He asked his company editor, but the editor said “Who cares?” and the author didn’t really care either. Joon also said he collected toy figures made of metal like Mazinger Z.

Next, they interviewed Jamie Chung. She is a crisp girl, her face was expressive, like as a small animal, her lower lip and twinkling almond eyes were adorable. Press men got hot immediately. She resembled kid Chi-Chi rather than adult Chi-Chi. She said her type is a pretty boy.

Next they interviewed Chow Yun-Fat. He is different from the image of Master Roshi than in the original, but he surprisingly matched the lovable mischief and dirty old man perfectly. He said his favorite food is Japanese Ramen. He was very kind enough to take a photo with the author. He said, “I have never played such character, but I could play it happily and passionately.” The author looks forward to seeing him play Muten Roshi.

And James Marsters appeared at last. His cheek line looks just like Piccolo. he said “Were you wearing the Gold Jacket before? I passed you at the hotel didn’t I?” The man he saw at the hotel was James Marsters after all. James shouted, “I am Piccolo! Yes! I’m Picoolo, so I won’t let anyone play Piccolo!” He was full of spirit. His enthusiasm to the role came through intensely, he looked as if he was the real Piccolo for a moment to the author’s eyes. He thought this movie was worth seeing to see James Marsters as Piccolo by itself.

My source in Japan has once again provided us with the goods, and in watermark free glory to boot. This time, we’ve received scans from the August issue of Jump Square magazine.

And here are the cast comments, translated to English.

Justin Chatwin (Goku)

I am very honored to be able to play Goku. When I am playing gentle and loving Goku, I feel as if I am given energy from him. In the movie, I have a lot of great action scenes. After the movie is finished post production, I’ll get to see my Kamehameha appear on the screen, and I get very excited when I imagine that.

Chow Yun-Fat (Master Roshi)

On my career as an actor, it is my first time to play a manga character. Dragonball is read all over the world, have many hard core fans. I hope they won’t be disappointed by my acting (laugh). But to be honest with you, I’m totally satisfied with my performance as Master Roshi.

Emmy Rossum (Bulma)

It is a very exciting thing for me to play Bulma, because I’m a big fan of her myself. She’s intelligent, motivated and has a short temper like a teenager. I really want to make all the fans of her happy.

Joon Park (Yamcha)

I like Dragonball very much because I read it when I was child, so when I got to audition I begged the director to “Please give me any small part, like a man carrying sandbags behind the screen.” (laugh) Furthermore, there is Chow Yun-Fat who is my hero from when I was child. This is a dream role for me.

Discuss at LegendaryForums.com.

I have received more information regarding the manga-fied set visit released in the July issue of Jump Square magazine.

First, Anime News Network revealed the author of the manga.

Akiba Zaijū is Jump Square’s monthly column drawn by manga artist Daisuke Kadokuni. Kadokuni usually profiles a different aspect of Tokyo’s Akihabara Otaku shopping district every month, but took a press tour of Dragonball movie’s production for his July issue installment.

And secondly, my source in Japan translated the magazine article in more detail.

The manga’s author and his company (magazine editor) went to the hotel Gobernador to stay, and there was a cowboy-like man who put on a cowboy hat and shouted “Dragonball ! ” like that. The author didn’t know who he was.

The next day, they went to the movie set (formerly a jeans factory) by bus. There were many crew constructing the set, making tiles for the floor using cement. Producer Tim Van Rellim greeted them and introduced the set. They found Bluma’s three-wheeler bike.

This was very excellent and [they actually saw it] driving. Then they went to the Dojo set. There were burn marks on the wall, and there were weapons (swords etc.) made of metal, and they were very heavy. They then went outside, and saw the dragonball sphere, dragon radar and the power pole. When the author pushed the button of the dragon radar it was almost broken by him.

Next they went to Piccolo’s room. [It was] a very futuristic feeling. Tim [Van Rellim] sat down in the chair, and he said that Piccolo would sit here and using his powers he would create monsters.

They left the set, went to the Durango governor’s house for the banquet party, and there was the cowboy man again. The author asked his company, “That cowboy man is the same man we met at the hotel, does he do an acrobatic show riding the horses?” (there were horses). His company said “What are you talking about? is that a Mexican joke? He is Justin Chatwin, he plays Goku.” He was surprised. He didn’t think he stayed at the same hotel. Then he remembered that he saw a man that resembled James Marsters, was it him? But he didn’t ask.

Next day he and his company wore Goku’s cosplay Gi brought from Japan and went to the set again. When they were walking in the set, suddenly a tall man appeared, he was Chow Yun-Fat. He said “How are you? Kawaii nee(You are pretty)” and shaked hands with him. He was very impressed. He was very happy to go to Mexico and see Chow Yun-fat. He also saw Emmy Rossum too. She said “Daisuki” (I love you) and he freezed with joy.

And finally, Justin Chatwin wearing Goku’s Gi appeared with the wind. It was a Hollywood version cosplay so to speak, but its perfection level was far more high than a normal cosplayers. He was the real Goku. The next issue they will interview him and reveal the outfit.

He also informed us that Eddie Yang (Ironman, Narnia 2, Batman) from Ironhead Studios (X-Men 2, Hellboy 2) was involved in the movie as a character designer.

UPDATE: Dragonballfilm talks a little about Goku’s wardrobe changes throughout the movie, which you can read here. Also according to Cloud Strife from Jenova Anime there might be a cameo from Kami-Sama and the Oozaru in the movie. Take this with a grain of salt.