Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama, became one of the most iconic anime and manga franchises of all time due to its fast-paced martial arts action, enriching lore, and large cast of lovable characters. Beginning as a shonen manga in 1984, the franchise has been a massive success in both Japanese and international markets, spawning a vast amount of merchandise like movies, video games, toys, and trading cards. Even after the end of the divisive Dragon Ball GT in 1997, the franchise had not lost its steam, culminating into a sort of revival in 2013 with the movie Battle of Gods, an official continuation of the story that concluded in Dragon Ball Z. The success of this film led to the creation of Dragon Ball Super in 2015, the first brand-new Dragon Ball television series in 18 years. Met with overall positive fan and critical response, Dragon Ball Super launched its final episode on March 25, 2018, with episode 131.
Dragon Ball Super takes place after Dragon Ball Z’s Buu Saga and within the ten-year gap leading up to the Uub finale. The series is split into five sagas: 1) God of Destruction Beerus, 2) Golden Frieza, 3) Universe 6, 4) “Future” Trunks, and 5) Universe Survival.
All of the classic cast of Dragon Ball characters like Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Bulma, and Krillin return for this new series. In addition, new characters like Beerus, Whis, and Zeno the Omni-King are introduced, opening the gateway to further establishing new characters in the Dragon Ball multiverse and expanding the lore more than it ever has been before. Many of the star characters like Goku, Vegeta, and Beerus receive plentiful screen time and development throughout the duration of the series. However despite the plethora of new and visually-interesting characters introduced in Super, the vast majority of them feel underdeveloped. If the series gave more time to develop the characterization of the other universes barring Universes 7, 6, and 11, the narrative would have been much stronger and the audience would be able to emphasize with them more as well. In spite of this, the new characters like the female Super Saiyans Caulifla and Kale, the Universe 6 assassin Hit, the Universe 11 juggernaut Jiren, and arguably the most popular character, the sinister but beguiling Goku Black, are all welcome additions to the franchise.
The action is as captivating as ever. Very reminiscent of Dragon Ball Z, the fight scenes scattered throughout Super are titanic and visually-appealing, with some highlights being the Goku Black/Zamasu fights and the Tournament of Power. The final battle between Goku and Jiren in particular is breathtaking, with moments that are worthy of an animated film. Despite some issues like the inconsistent power levels and re-used animation, one of the most iconic aspects of Dragon Ball retains the grandeur and awe that its predecessors had during the 80s and 90s.
Dragon Ball Super is also more light-hearted and comedic in comparison to its more serious and bloody predecessor Dragon Ball Z. The stakes are not as high as they were before, and the humor is similar to the original Dragon Ball. Despite this shift, the character interactions and comedy are as charming and enjoyable as they were before. As with the previous stories, Super has its share of heartfelt moments that will especially make long-time fans emotional.
The five sagas and their respective narratives are entertaining in their own right but ultimately do have their fair share of ups-and-downs. The first two sagas are re-tellings of the aforementioned Battle of Gods and 2015’s Resurrection ‘F’, which does seem rather unnecessary considering how recent those movies released. The Universe 6 Saga introduces the concept of a greater multiverse, and uses this as an opportunity to introduce characters like Hit and Cabba who will become key players later in the series. The main plot point of this arc is the Tournament of Destroyers, a battle between our protagonists of Universe 7 and the new characters of Universe 6. While the climatic outcome of this tournament is both exhilarating and nostalgic, there did seem to be some missed opportunities with characters like Piccolo.
The “Future” Trunks Saga is the most serious of all five arcs in this series. Goku Black and Zamasu are very compelling antagonists and their motive for destruction is unique compared to previous villains. However this saga’s narrative, despite being relatively entertaining, is riddled with plot contrivances and pacing issues, all culminating in a very rushed conclusion. The final arc of this series, the Universe Survival Saga, is both the longest and most fleshed-out narrative, acting as a continuation to the previous Universe 6 Saga. Despite a somewhat slow start and drawn-out sequences, this saga overall delivers heart-pounding action, fun character moments, and some of the most memorable moments in the entire franchise, an honorable mention being when Goku breaks his limits and achieves the legendary “Ultra Instinct” transformation. While the series finale did feel somewhat incomplete, the new movie releasing on December 14, 2018 will continue from where the Universe Survival Saga left off, so many more adventures await our heroes.
Overall, Dragon Ball Super is a thrilling experience for both seasoned fans and newcomers. It offers a wonderful mix of action, humor, drama, and heart that viewers will absolutely enjoy. Despite some flaws, Super is a worthy successor to Toriyama’s story that captivated the eyes and hearts of viewers all those years ago.
3 out of 4 Stars