In the manga adaptation, Trunks is able to turn Super Saiyan before Gohan dies. However in this version, Gohan's death is what causes Trunks to transform into a Super Saiyan.
This TV special is an alternate timeline version of what would have happened if Goku had died from the heart disease in Dragon Ball Z: Doragon bôru zetto (1989).
In the beginning of the TV movie , there is a girl that has a balloon that has a a drawing of a cartoonish Goku with the words "D.B. S P" on it.
The original Japanese version had eye catchers that were cut from the original FUNimation DVD. These have been reinserted into the newer re releases.
A manga adaptation of this story by Akira Toriyama was featured in the "Dragon Ball" manga, in volume 33. This was translated into English by Viz Media.