In the world of anime, there are certain things that every anime fan is aware of on some level. So when the name Dragon Ball is mentioned, heads begin to nod, grimaces appear and a few even chuckle. Even those that haven't watched Dragon Ball seem to instinctively know what to expect in each and every episode of the series. And even with a bit of protestation, there are quite a few closet Dragon Ball fans that enjoy the predictability of a show that should have ended ages ago. While the English language version may take itself a bit too seriously, Dragon Ball GT simply follows the plan set for it, which allows it to fall into a bit of a campy classic. For fans comfortable with the routine, Dragon Ball GT: Annihilation is another heaping serving of Dragon Ball goodness!

Dragon Ball GT: Annihilation picks up where the previous volume left off; our heroes are in trouble, the world is doomed and only Goku in yet another powered up form can save the day. Of course, it's never quite that easy, and Baby has a few more tricks up his sleeve managing to push the conclusion of this battle into the next volume. While the battle's not over yet, fans can sit back and enjoy the typical exchange of fire, the bold words and witty interaction between hero and villain and the bare knuckled Godzilla city destruction performed gracefully by the great apes.

As with all things Dragon Ball, the fight has already been dragging on for one volume, and will continue through this volume to the next. In typical fashion, the good guy gains an advantage, only to be trumped by the bad guy. Fans and the detractors could spend days debating on whether or not these episodes provide anything to the current story arc. For the fans, the three episodes in this volume contain the recommended doses of quality action sequences and the trivial suspense common to all Dragon Ball arcs. For detractors, they'll once again argue that the action spread out between three episodes could have been concluded in one.

On the production side of things, this release is a standard issue FUNimation grade DVD release; three episodes, funky music soundtrack that takes itself way too seriously and a cast and crew that can do these voices in their sleep. Old school fans looking for that true over the top campy feel can sit back and enjoy the original Japanese version with the original opening and closings unedited. For fans looking for a bit of a buzz from some of FUNi's upcoming big releases, hit the extras section for previews of Kiddy Grade and Tenchi Muyo GXP.

When it comes down to it, Dragon Ball GT is simply more of what the fans of Dragon Ball expect, over the top action, corny jokes and not much in the way of a complicated plot. Much like the 1960s Adam West Batman, Dragon Ball GT is a fun ride when not taken very seriously. In the end, Dragon Ball GT: Annihilation is one for the fans. While many feel compelled to belittle those that partake of this particular fruit, don't worry too much about it, and just sit back and enjoy. For those new to the whole Dragon Ball phenomena, this is not the place to start. It's better if you start at the beginning with the original series or manga.