If my memory serves me right, the first time we talked about this fan film was last August. Delays piled up, and there was even a crowdfunding campaign that fell short. Against all odds, the final version of Dragon Ball Z: The Fall of Men is now available on YouTube, and in less than two days it has accumulated 750,000 views, with an overwhelmingly positive reception according to the comments. Do you have half an hour? What are you waiting for?
The broadcast of Dragon Ball Super continues, and... no, I haven't watched a single episode. I understand that fans are mostly satisfied, and that the animation of the fifth episode was a true intergalactic accident, but the truth is I haven't had time to catch up. I imagine I'll have a chance later; meanwhile, there's activity on the fan film front. Some of our readers might remember The Fall of Men, a project by Black Smoke Films, produced by Yohan Faure and Vianney Griffon. A couple of years ago, this live action sought funding on Indiegogo, but it didn't even reach 20 percent of the sum it needed, so its creators had to take the long road. Last Tuesday, The Fall of Men had its official debut on YouTube:
The story presents an alternative universe in which the Z Fighters, like the rest of humanity, have been practically annihilated by Cell. The plot revolves around Trunks, and the efforts of both him and his family (more specifically, Bulma and her father) to defeat this Cell, who presents himself as stealthy and relentless. Followers of the series will not only recognize several characters, but also historical places in the Dragon Ball universe, small nods that enrich the overall experience and show that the creators of the short film know the original content well.
In less than 36 hours, Dragon Ball Z: The Fall of Men added half a million views, and with twelve more hours it already surpassed the 750,000 mark. It wouldn't surprise me to see it pass a million before next weekend, and the reason is very simple: It doesn't suck. Quite the contrary, I must admit. This fan film offers a much more dramatic and dark vision of Dragon Ball, which, while it contrasts completely with the material from the series, seems to fit better with the adult audience. I admit that some effects have very sharp edges, but that's mostly due to budget limits. Don't miss it.
