The movie Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone, the first Dragon Ball Z film, was released in Japan.
Prior success and popularity of the Dragon Ball manga by Akira Toriyama laid the foundation for the creation of the Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone movie.
The film Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone was later released internationally, expanding the Dragon Ball Z franchise outside Japan.
Garlic Jr. discovers the Black Star Dragon Balls and gathers them to wish for immortality.
Using the Black Star Dragon Balls, Garlic Jr. wishes to become immortal, gaining powers that make him a formidable foe.
Garlic Jr. abducts Gohan and Krillin to lure Goku into the Dead Zone sphere.
Goku enters the dimensional sphere known as the Dead Zone to rescue his son and friend.
Goku fights Garlic Jr. inside the Dead Zone, eventually defeating him with the Spirit Bomb.
After Garlic Jr.'s defeat, Gohan is saved and the Dead Zone sphere is sealed off from the world.
