Dragon Ball Z 3 Original Soundtrack

Album information

Like its predecessor Dragon Ball Z & Z 2 Original Soundtrack this album contains a collaboration of American as well as Japanese artists. American credits include Steve Lukather guitarist of the 80's rock band Toto and 70's R&B Soul Funk band Tower of Power, but despite these credits the album remains a Japanese exclusive. The opening theme "Ore wa Tokoton Tomaranai" is performed by Hironobu Kageyama. As its title suggests this release stays focused on tracks that are heard on Budokai 3, unlike its predecessor which focused on the first two games on a single disc. As a result, the soundtrack's track list appears to contain a more complete selection. However, many compositions that were featured throughout the trilogy's story modes yet were left out of the previous soundtrack were still overlooked, prompting many disappointed fans to rip copies of the tracks straight from the game itself.

Ironically, many of these and a few cuts from the previous soundtrack were use for the North American release of Budokai Tenkaichi because at the time of that game's release neither Funimation nor Atari had secured rights to the compositions by the anime's composer Shunsuke Kikuchi which was used in that game. The cuts used appear to have rip straight from this album as the instrumentation does not loop as it did in the Budokai games. Like the previous soundtrack Z & Z 2, the back of the album's jewel case feature track listings in both Japanese as well as English. However, a few of the English names are not all direct translations, but distinct track names the songs were given when the game was released as Budokai 3 (see below). Also like the previous soundtrack with Budokai 2's opening theme "Kusuburu Heart ni Hi o Tsukero!!", the Budokai 3 theme song "Ore wa Tokoton Tomaranai!!" is only presented in this collection its TV size version as it was heard at the beginning of the game. Fortunately the full versions of both songs, performed by Hironobu Kageyama, were released coupled in a single disc between the two soundtrack releases.

Track listing

1. "俺はとことん止まらない!!
   Ore wa Tokoton Tomaranai!!/I Won't Stop 'Till the End!!
2. "MISSION～新しき神話を創れ～"
   MISSION ~Atarashiki Shinwa o Tsukure~/Mission: Make A New Legend
3. "天空の闘い FOR JUSTICE"
   Tenkū no Tatakai FOR JUSTICE/Sky Battle For Justice
4. "勝利へのインパルス"
   Shôri e no Inparusu/Impulse Towards Victory
5. "We Go Nuts!"～誰も眠れぬ夜～
   We Go Nuts!~Dare mo Nemurenu Yoru~/We Go Nuts!: Restless Night
6. "Under the Gibbous Moon"
7. "不屈"～Indomitable Spirit～
   Fukutsu~Indomitable Spirit~/Fortitude: Indomitable Spirit
8. "Hand"-in-Hand Fight
9. "午前0時のシャッフル"
   Gozen Zeroji no Shaffuru/12:00 Midnight Shuffle Time
10. "24-7 Crazy"
11. "疾風チャレンジャー"
    Shuppū Charenjā/Hurricane Challenger
12. "Twist of Fate"
13. "ouT oF CoNTRoL"
14. "Heartbeatが聴こえるかい?"
    Heartbeat ga Kikoeru Kai?/Can You Hear The Heartbeat?
15. "Ultra dAnce in Battlefield"
16. "銀河を超えて"
    Ginga o Koete/Over The Galaxy
17. "Night of Tempest"
18. "I'm In Tip-Top Shape"
19. "炎のOutsiders"
    Honō no Outsiders/Blazing Outsiders
20. "Flight in the Dark side"
21. "暁"(あかつき)の闘い
    Akatsuki no Tatakai/Daybreak Battle
22. "魔の勢力"
    Ma no Seiryoku/Might of Evil
23. "Ultimatum"～最後通牒～
    Ultimatum ~Saigo-Tsūchô~/Surrender Or Perish
24. "暗黒からの強者"
    Ankoku kara no Kyôsha/Powerful Man From The Darkness
25. "宇宙最大の作戦"～Great Tactics～
    Uchū Saidai no Sakusen~Great Tactics~/The Greatest Tactics in the Universe: Great Tactics
26. "青空を抱きしめて"
    Aozora o Dakishimete/Embrace The Blue Sky
27. "Expectation"(Remix)
28. "Twist of Fate"～ouT oF CoNTRoL(Remix)

Track Name Changes

Like the game's previous two installments Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Z 2, the names of various music tracks were changed when it was released in English speaking countries as Budokai 3 for localization. The name changes are as follows:

1.The Ultimate Energy!!
11.Step On It
22.Warning
24.Chaos
26.Sky High

Reception

Upon the game's release, the music received mixed reviews from gaming critics. Although it would receive high scores like 8 on GameZone, many critics still referred to the music as repetitive and corny. Yet it was appropriate for conveying the game's atmosphere. Luke Van Leuveren of Palgn states "the sound is generic but annoyingly addictive". However, Jeremy Dunham of IGN thought the music sounded terrific and Tony "Zing" Tomas of WHAM! Gaming called it top notch.