Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

I remember that after seeing the first trailer for this movie, I was genuinely worried about its visuals. The CGI didn't impress me. The next clip, released some time later, looked better, but I was still unsure if CGI was the right choice for a movie belonging to the Dragon Ball franchise, especially after such marvelous spectacle that the Broly movie was. It was quite intriguing and worrysome to hear that the next Dragon Ball movie wouldn't be made in a 2D technique, but would be a CGI movie instead. Well, it appears that, at least for the Super Hero movie, CGI turned out better than good. It looked simply awesome and offered detailed models, smooth animation, a good color palette, and stunning special effects (including those you can see when characters are powering up). I can understand that it might take a while to get used to it (longer or shorter, depending on a viewer's tolerance towards CGI), but at least in my case, it didn't take long to get used to it and stop noticing it, as if the movie was done in the same way as all the previous Dragon Ball movies. The story focuses on Gohan and Piccolo, offering a refreshing change from the usual Goku and Vegeta-centric narratives. It was a pleasure to see a movie dedicated to other beloved characters, especially those that many fans (including me) have wished to see in the spotlight. Super Hero's first half might feel a bit slow at times, but such pacing is understandable, given the need to introduce new characters and establish their motivations or goals. While a more dynamic approach wouldn't have hurt, of course, the slower pace was appropriate for setting up the main plotline. While in general I don't consider this movie superior to the one about Broly, I admit that in terms of soundtrack it's on a slightly higher level. Not that much better, but I could memorize more tracks from it than from the Broly movie, including the main theme. They also felt more fitting to the general vibe offered by Super Hero. Hearing all the effects amplified by speakers at the cinema was simply a fantastic experience. In terms of fighting choreography, the element that's very important when talking about anything related to this franchise, Super Hero might be the best Dragon Ball movie ever created. The action scenes were filled with intricate details and complexity, whether it was hand-to-hand combat or ki attacks. The well-directed fights, set against beautiful landscapes, were surely a visual treat for one's eyes. Definitely, Super Hero is worth watching, and I'm saying it as a person who was not initially hyped. With its blend of humor, action, stunning visuals, and a great soundtrack, it's sure to entertain Dragon Ball fans of all kinds. I had fun both while watching it for the first time in the theater and re-watching it at home some months later. Note: I originally reviewed this movie on September 13, 2022. However, after re-reading it two years later, I decided to make several improvements. As a result, I deleted the old review and submitted this revised version. I consider the new version way better than the old one.

I will do a brief analysis, in a short and thick way. We all know that after the Frieza saga, Dragon ball lost a lot of narrative quality (since its animation at the time was almost static) Super then just buried that beautiful GT ending six feet under and even took away the little dignity that the end of the saga had. boo brought it, we dealt with countless problems in the super, but we had very lively and well-directed fights in the final stretch, and ok, the series could go back to rest... but no, Broly's movie is by far the best thing we've had since creation of DBS, and I minimally expected something decent from this film... however, what we find here is narrative chaos, followed by very bad direction, with CG animation clearly made to cut costs(although I find it genuinely charming), everything is simply thrown in for free to make fanservice(they copied a scene from DBZ practically) a lot of gratuitous transformations without the slightest context (obviously made to sell action figures, since the release of DBS it has been like that) the guys didn't even try to do anything with this film, the only things I really I found it interesting, it was these androids that play with Tokusatsu culture, the giga chad picolo (I may not have liked the transformation, but the design caught my attention), that gratuitous close-up on Bulma's ass and Pan who was genuinely cute, but Other than that, the film simply offers nothing but new transformations for more action figures/Dlc's in games to be released.

Going to do this without spoiling. First off, the cg animation. I absolutely hate it. Looks weird, would fit for a Xenoverse game, not for a bloody movie. There are so many things about this movie that could have been cool. I mean, this thing writes itself. There are some really cool moments, but in between it all this movie is an absolute mess. They flat out re-use a key moment from dbz, and it just comes off stale af. It looked cool, but that's about it. Seriously, a monkey on a type writer could nail this script and get a 9/10. Even if the animation was on par with Brolly, I'd up my score to 6/10 instead of 5/10. What were they thinking? There are some fundamental flaws in the plot, I really love Piccolo in this but I can think of a ton of different ways to do the "spoilers" of his arc different. I don't get how they botched this. We've wanted less focus on Goku and Vegeta for awhile, but I guess the reason Toriyama neglected his side characters for so long is he couldn't write any meaningful story? This is a huge disappointment. I say mixed feelings because I liked some things, but this movie is a great example of terrible execution, still watch it because if Toriyama's proctologist wrote this we'd still watch it, as that's what being a Dragon Ball fan means.

Super fun and enjoyeble watch This time round Goku takes a back seat, leaving space to Gohan and Piccolo, and Pan as the adorable little mascot, to lead the wholesome tale of an insane little adventure Seeing Piccolo taking care of and training Pan, and also still looking out for Gohan, is just so incredibly sweet The focus on the characters relations is not overbearing for an action flick, but is just enough to pack that bit of extra emotion into the final battle when all finally team up The battles and OST fit the Super Hero name perfectly, with fun comic book panel effects, and an OST which give a bit of a Marvel movie vibe My biggest worry for the movie was the CGI, but i'm glad to say it's been greatly polished up since the trailers Probably the best full CGI anime i've seen so far

Im gonna keep this review short and simple. First of all i am a massive Dragonball fan its my second favourite anime and i have watched it like 3 times and rewatching it right now with a mate so my mind is completely fresh watching this film. The movie does a fantastic job bringing in references from OG Dragonball and DBZ, the characters are loveable such as Pan who does an amazing job just to be a good character and her VC did an amazing job, Piccolo is top notch in this movie and just loved seeing him and pan interact. To shut myself up the characters where 10/10 new and old they where really well done. The Story is good, while Broly was more battle focused, SuperHeroes has some story involved to build up the plot, yes you will know most of it as its like a recap it is however still entertaining and seeing subtle references in the movie was a delight. The story is basic but still engaging enough. NOW the biggest topic the CGI, i hate CGI with a passion as it always looks bad but for this film i did not mind it, you can tell the film had a big budget and they put a lot of love and effort into it. I do hope they never do it again but for a one time thing its interesting. So Superheroes takes place after where the manga is currently is but it has 0 spoilers towards those arcs and gives something to only anime watches, the film is fun and hilarious and makes me miss the comedy days and the movie actually had blood in it so that put a smile on my face. It's a fun movie for all and its 100% not the best movie ever but for Dragonball fans you will like it that is for sure. I hope everyone loves this film and enjoys it i had the chance to watch it in cinema in Dub cause Dub DB is the best. The crowd was laughing and loving it so i hope you all do to :D

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, whilst having probably the worst name of any Dragon Ball movie, is one of the most enjoyable Dragon Ball films ever put to screen. It cannot be stressed enough to actually watch this film in a cinema or bare minimum an actual HD screening not a camrip like so many have and only have. This movie's animation is spectacular when it counts, the fights have a real 3D sense that Director Tetsurô Kodama takes full advantage of, giving Dragon Ball new life and originality, with previous attempts of Dragon Ball CGI not even coming close. Combined with this films booming soundtrack, the fight scenes leave a huge impact and are an absolute awe to watch. It is not entirely perfect, and rough around the edges when major spectacle isn't taking place (ironically it looked the worst at the start where you would want to make a good impression), but 95% of the time looks great and is getting too much unfair bandwagon hate over freeze framing transition shots. This films pacing is rocket fast never dragging, yet never feeling particularly rushed. This is impressive as this movie takes a step back from the nonstop action of Dragon Ball Super: Broly, and presents with some character moments and nonchalant comedy. The change of Piccolo to leading man with the dynamic between him and Gohan works well albeit, a little Déjà vu. The movie never feels like it is missing the presence of Goku and Vegeta, however of course, they are still coerced in here. Goku and Vegeta's scenes were not needed and are purely here as they are of course the most popular characters, but, their fight is a highlight and its thrilling spectacle distracts the viewer from its non-importance. Addressing common criticism of this film, some are fair whilst others feel very contradictory for Dragon Ball SUPER. The most common criticism I hear of this film is that it is pure nostalgia pandering and nothing more. There is definitely apparent nostalgia, but no worse is it than Dragon Ball Super BROLY, the movie that literally is about reusing a villain and was marketed around Gogeta fighting him. Regarding the final villain of this flick, he admittedly has little character and is a pure powerhouse, yet the same can pretty much be said for Broly, aside from a few lines and a pretty candid backstory, he is no different. Two wrongs dont make a right, and the Broly film was still great, but this movie is getting hate for something it equally stumbled on. The finale sequence (whilst spectacular in its grandeur) is absolute BS and not at all earned, and really feels like marketing ploys for Dokkan, figures etc. There are also a few too many retcons and "bold" statements (to say the least) that make up a major part of my negative criticism of this movie that if you know you know and/or will see, all feeling pointless and almost as if Toriyama is just trying to troll his audience. At my IMAX screening they were only showing the dub and whilst I will always prefer the traditional Japanese voice actors, everyone does a good job here, Sabat does a great job as leading man. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is one of the easiest movies you'll ever watch, due to its spectacular spectacle and style along with its non-stop pacing. It is flawed in some of its narrative with pointless retcons and questionable attempts at appealing to nostalgia, but regardless will have you engaged from start to finish never waning. If you are at all a Dragon Ball fan casual or hardcore, this is a must see on the biggest screen you can find. Watched in IMAX August 18 Australia English Dubbed.

I was a little skeptical about this movie at first, seeing the ratings on MAL. Boy was I wrong. This movie might have been some of the best content we have seen from the Dragon Ball universe so far. Blasphemy, you say? Perhaps, but hear me out. If I could choose one word to describe difference between this movie and the Dragon Ball Super show, it would be writing. It didn't feel like I was watching a goofy fighting nostalgia-bait, this was actual cinema. The tone of this film is quite different from the regular show. Rather than the usual fight-first, question-second approach, it spends a considerable amount of time building up the characters and motivations. Unlike the main show, this time Goku and Vegeta barely get any screentime, instead putting the focus on Gohan and Piccolo. There is so much history between the two, and the movie succesfully navigates their complex relationship as master and detached-student. Pan is just adorable and makes your heart melt any time she is on screen. But the most impressive part of all were the new characters. Rather than the usual "destroy the world for power"-types, we are introduced to grounded people that make rational judgements based on the information available to them. Some of the banter and interactions between the characters made me wonder if I was still watching an anime. A new animation style is introduced, this time mainly using computer graphics. It took me a few minutes to get used to, but once I did, I realized the payoff. The amount of camera and animation freedom is completely different, allowing scenes to become completely breathtaking. Whether it be a stunning landscape view, the fluid camera movement interacting with the 3D environment, or the wonderfully animated fighting scenes, some parts of me hope that they keep this style for future movies. In short, this film was a nice change of pace from the repetitive drag that Super has become, which relies more on exposition and random fights without purpose over plot. Hopefully they keep this writing and animation quality for future installments.

I'm a long-time fan of Dragon Ball, as in it was very likely one of the very first anime I saw in my life and I fell so hard for it that I still remember how much I cried when they broadcasted the ending of Dragon Ball Z (we're talking about the fourth/fifth re-run on tv here obviously, but still I was a toddler). However as many things pass by, I fell out of it and went ahead, but I still check on it when the times call. I personally wanted to catch up with Dragon Ball Super, but sadly the animation was so bad that could in no way hook me - though I truly liked where it was going. I must mention anyway that I personally always favoured the first series of Dragon Ball for it had a much lighter vibe and it was still in that humour-based essence, on the same type of Dr. Slump as anyone can tell, also the adventure element was a huge point. Why I'm mentioning this? Because I think this movie managed, somehow, to let me relive that very essence. The choice of placing this story in a capsule machine of reference to past events and characters to the amazing comic tempo that truly felt comfortable for the type of humour that DB (and in general anything that came out in the 80s) possessed and relayed on. Well, I think this movie is just plain amazing. I really loved the characters, both professor and evil red ribbons ones- The idea behind this story was simple, and certainly nothing original, but the structure of the whole plot was flawless. I think that just the presence of Gamma #1 and Gamma #2 alone could seriously hold up this entire movie- the concept behind, classic superheroes with pistols and all, was just so old-style Toriyama. They also cater to those who grew up with 70s and 80s anime since the design and the clothes were a huge callout to those types of heroes (those pistols were truly beautiful I cried when they used them.) This movie also managed to rekindle my very rocky relationship with Gohan, I was never fond of him being a very timid and shy kid who was spoiled by Chichi, but well his is just a personal grunge. That said, I just loved how Piccolo had such great screen time and also a very big role, same goes for Gohan. This movie managed to capture how the relationship between these characters evolved and personally, Pam's small parts were just as beautiful. Short and essential. I was seriously surprised at how much this movie could gather everything and anything that was Dragon Ball and tie it all in a cute and stylish ribbon. The flow of the story was perfect: the direction was plain amazing and the impact of the scenes was outstanding no matter the shot. Many lamented the CGI composition, and I myself initially was a bit hesitant about it, but I believe that it truly helped out in rendering the animation much easier to follow and much more impactful, as I mentioned. Moreover, the CGI is much more similar to a 3D model being cell-shaded than an all-out animation, which worked greatly. I also should add that being that animation is at an all-time low for all the reasons you surely know, the 3D option was the safest route to get a much more consistent animation. I personally believe it worked greatly and it resulted in much more effective and impactful battle scenes (it's been ages honestly since I last saw such clean battle scenes, lately animation relays greatly on "particle battles" - sorry I don't really really remember the term lol - which are great on their own, but Dragon Ball, as an old dog, is much more effective with this type of battle animation.) (Also, strangely enough, only Trunks and Goten seemed really out of place rendered in 3D, I still cannot understand how, but anyway) Therefore, considering everything that I aforementioned I give this movie a solid 10.

This movie actually worked for me. It's not quite Dragon Ball at its best or most bombastic, but it does the job well and looks really good doing it. The CGI is done exceptionally well, minus a couple of minor snafus (no, Gohan's hair does not look good when fully transformed), and looks particularly amazing during some of its most exceptional fight scenes. It also gives opportunities to show off the fight choreography from more angles, which makes these fights some of the more dynamic and interesting to watch in the series. The new android villains are fun to watch, particularly as they're programmed to try and (badly) emulate super heroes. They aren't just puppets, either, with the capacity to think for themselves and, thus, capable of change over the course of the movie. Their ability to fight our heroes also seems believable to some degree, as they're just really good at reading moves, which makes them a threat in a drawn out fight. As for the flaws, well... it's Dragon Ball, so the reason for the fighting in the first place is contrived and an overlarge idiot plot. I don't come here for the reasons, and frankly, this movie did better than most of Dragon Ball in this regard. What I don't like is that, given all the power scaling we've been through in this show, how two random androids are just made that can outclass some of the more powerful fighters in the roster, and not just because they're good at reading moves. More frustrating than that is the revival of Cell for this one. Recycling old villains has never worked for me, and Kaiju Cell really doesn't. It's nice to see a team battle against him, but that's about it. While Piccolo is front and center and great to watch, most of the other characters just don't do much, and even Gohan seems just here to get the win in the end. I like Piccolo's new form, so-so on Gohan's. And yeah, Trunks, Goten, Krillin, and 18 largely just seem to be here for the fun of it. Goku, Vegeta and Brolly are kept out of the action due to plot inconvenience, which is fine because I don't want them always hogging the spotlight. Overall, it's a Dragon Ball movie, and there's going to be some bad with the good. With thankfully not too much of the latter in this one, I was pleasantly surprised, if not blown away as I was with the Broly movie.

Akira Toriyama might be the author to the most influential Shōnen Battle series, yet his true calling has always been comedy. While "Dragon Ball" might be famous for its planet busting action, its heart is 100% comedy. Where "Dragon Ball Super: Broly" was a beautifully animated omage to the action in the "Dragon Ball" series, "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" is a love letter to what is uniquely and distinctly "Dragon Ball". A master of his craft, Toriyama has created a movie that had me laughing from the opening sequence to the very end. He plays the common super hero tropes and clichés we are so intimately familiar with like a fiddle, flipping and twisting the super hero story into something that feels both "Super" and "Dragon Ball". "Super Hero" also feels like a return to what Toriyama wanted to create post Cell Saga, to let Gohan take over as the main character with Piccolo at his side. Considering Gohan’s history as the great Saiyaman and the inclusion of the Red Ribbon army, Androids and Cell, there’s a certain sense of nostalgia to that time. Before multiple universes and galaxy bending beings of mass destruction, a time when "Dragon Ball" felt like it flowed with much more grace than it does now. As much as I love Goku, it’s certainly fresh seeing a "Dragon Ball" story omit him entirely in favor of its side characters. Both Gohan and Piccolo especially feels neglected considering they sit firmly in Goku’s and Vegeta’s shadow within the rest of the "Dragon Ball" canon. Gohan has always been my favorite character of the cast since his showdown with Cell, so to see him get a sort of redemption was a joy. Having been relegated to the boring family man, this movie aims to elevate him to new heights, where he can be both scientist "and" warrior. Piccolo has barely had any agency since the Frieza Saga, and he shows in this movie that he has plenty of capacity to lead a "Dragon Ball" story, both as a warrior and a comedian. The elephant in the room to many is the 3D animation. Many felt a surge of disappointment when they saw that this movie was in 3D, especially considering *Broly*’s absolutely stellar 2D animation. I for one think this movie was beautiful, and I think the 2D effects pop of the screen due to the contrast with the 3D animation. The fights are fluid and they utilized the freedom of camera movement well to justify the choice they made. I also think Toriyama’s style is uniquely fitting for an adaptation into 3D. Its simpler character designs and rounder shapes makes the transition from the classic 2D much less jarring, and with the decades of "Dragon Ball" fighting games to back it up it’s fair to say this series has the 3D transition figured out. I must also mention the soundtrack, as I absolutely loved the music in this movie and how it set the mood for each scene and elevated every fight. To conclude, this movie feels like a return to form for Toriyama. Not saying he lost his ability over time, I just feel like he never got the chance to truly flex his narrative and comedic muscles since the conclusion of the Cell Saga over 30 years ago. Every joke lands and parodying the super hero genre this well almost makes it possible to hear Toriyama’s own laughs as he sits in his chair writing the movie through the screen as you’re watching. A famously free spirit, this is what happens when a genius is allowed free reign over his own property, a comedic action masterpiece more than worthy of the legacy helmed by the "Dragon Ball"-franchise.

THE REAL STUFF: Dragon Ball: Super Hero is a movie about REDEMPTIVE LOVE & LASER ATTACKS. You know if you love that. I hope you love that. I love that. People of good adult taste love that. Dragon Ball: Super Hero is UNBELIEVABLY good. Dragon Ball: Super Hero is the 22nd Dragon Ball movie and does not whatsoever succumb to franchise bloat - rather, it serves as a lasting and for all-time love letter for the franchise and apology tour for when sometimes the franchise has gone awry - which is a shockingly film essential point we are much more comfortable elaborating upon in the very much extended video form of this review, available at the COMBOFANS Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt7BxPDHe8U Text review continues below, but please do check out the video, we'll love you forever for it. Me and my brother Matthew are avid anime fans, we play in this space across the decades. We love from the 60s when Osamu Tezuka took off like a rocket ship all the way to these bizarre roaring 20's 2.0 when Konosuba is the GOAT. IRREGARDLESS, this Dragon Ball movie is NO DOUBT one of the most wonderful and delightful and special things we have ever seen. The animation is breathtakingly beautiful, with simply stunning fight scenes that will leave you on the edge of your seat. This was a pitch-perfect transition to 3D, and I'm all but certain this is the way further Akira Toriyama projects should be made - a thought concurred at the time of this review writing by the unveiling of Akira Toriyama's Sand Land film, so eat your heart out! The characters are expertly crafted and fleshed out, with incredible depth and personalities that truly make them feel alive. I will never be able to explain enough the sheer love that me and my brother Matthew have for Piccolo - the consistency of that affection and the lasting love we have grown for him over the however mutually long we've known him (me since I could think, him for like a year, more on that in the superlength video review) but we have been so rewarded for investing emotion into this series at the time of the Dragon Ball: Super Hero film and I couldn't feel better about it. Gohan is hilarious. Videl is adorable. Pan is fantastic and I'm so glad she isn't trapped in GT, now. Dr Hedo is an enormously compelling character with a really serious and politically sensitive yet affirming and wonderful arc - now THAT is a gorgeous surprise of the film. Absolute highlight of the watching and something we elaborate our feelings upon SO much in the video review. The story is excellently written and packed with action, adventure, and thrills that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. It's really amazing how well it plays into the regular openings that meant a lot to me when I was young and stupid - that being, Piccolo is here to open us off, gets attacked while meditating, and then it's nonstop pumpup action and feelings and fighting until the conclusion of this gorgeous flick. Reminds me a lot of DEAD ZONE, which I say as somebody that watched DEAD ZONE first out of anything so of course I love it so much I could just fully die. Nostalgia is a gorgeous drug. Even irregardless of the nostalgia play providing a BIG BOOST, which I think is really legitimate because that's a Feeling and Dragon Ball loves FEELINGS (They make you stronger!) the film manages to balance humor, intense action, and emotional drama so perfectly that it is impossible not to get emotionally invested in the story. The final battle, which I won't elaborate on too deeply - watch the movie & watch our video review to hear me say everything about that, thank you - is some of the most rewarding and exciting and amazing stuff I've yet witnessed in the medium. I literally feel like Roger Avary of Pulp Fiction fame regarding the KONOSUBA movie when I talk about this thing. My love is so apparent and obvious and overbearing - but it's earnest, it's honest, it grew there with time and effort and that's what this movie best is - a love letter to the lasting endurance of Dragon Ball, and the consequences of being a decades-long story. Hence, Uncle Piccolo, my beloved.. HUGELY RECOMMENDED. WINS OUR SPECIAL 'REEL ART' AWARD FOR MOVIES AS ART. Check out our video review for more Dragon Ball goodness and the power of love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt7BxPDHe8U

This movie is absolute dog shit dragon ball has completely lost its luster. This lazy animation style full blown cgi takes away from the panels not only is it ugly the story line tries to exist but we only want to see great fighting scenes animated in dragon ball. I personally cannot stand to see the whole movie animated this way in such terrible form. TO EVEN CONSIDER THIS A DRAGON BALL MOVIE IS DISAPOINTING I WOULD RATHER WATCH ALL OF DRAGON BALL GT AGAIN OVER THIS DOG SHIT OF A MOVIE. PLEASE AVOID AT ALL COST IF I COULD GO LOWER THAN 1 I FUCKING WOULD

Throughout the past decade, my relationship with the Dragon Ball has been tenuous to say the least. After countless years of stagnation, the series returned in full force with the movies Battle of Gods and Resurrection F. These two films worked as enjoyable reunions for Goku and his varied allies, but also created an exciting new status quo to explore moving forward. I was genuinely interested in watching where Toriyama and Toei would bring the franchise in this new era, which made Super's mediocrity all the more disappointing. Super is guilty of many things that would be tedious to dwell on; worst of them all, it made me lose confidence in where Dragon Ball was going. With that being said, the following film Super: Broly featured outstanding animation and a heartfelt tone that demonstrated surprising maturity. If Super's 100+ episodes came off as a hasty, soulless crash-grab, Super: Broly came off a passion project that everybody behind it really poured their efforts into. This high mark of quality would be difficult to maintain, and for that reason I and others have been reasonably skeptical of whether Super Hero would successfully carry on that torch. I'm very happy to report that the film is strong success, at least in terms of what long time fans are looking for. Looking at its main premise, the greatest strength of Super Hero is immediately made apparent: the general absence of Goku and Vegeta. These two characters have amassed an increasing monopoly on screen time ever since the Buu Saga, an arc in which Toriyama tried and failed to shift his focus to a larger ensemble of characters. I certainly enjoy their rivalry as much anybody else, but it's been hard to shake the feeling that Toei uses them as a marketing crutch more than anything else. Refreshingly, this film presents Gohan and Piccolo front and center as main characters dealing with main character issues. Despite having fallen behind the radical power curve evident throughout the series, these characters have endearing qualities that are genuinely worth exploring. Instead of playing down Gohan's strength as a joke, the writers really draw attention between the two parts of his character: the family man living peacefully and the suppressed warrior capable of unmatched feats. Piccolo receives a similar level of attention, with his role as Earth's proactive protector being highlighted more than ever. Neither character has tremendously deep characterization, but they both serve as a refreshing shift in focus after years of pure-blooded saiyan antics. The other main department in which Super Hero succeeds is its presentation. Upon hearing that film would be ditching Super: Broly's stellar 2D animation in favor of 3D environments and character models, many were skeptical regarding this sequel's quality. Was it a cost-cutting measure? Perhaps; more traditional computer animation requires a hefty amount of time and effort. Regardless of the internal decision making behind this change, the end result is ultimately more than satisfactory. Character movements are regularly expressive and energetic, with many fights featuring some stellar fight choreography. Camera movements are abundant and creative, adding a degree of expressiveness previously unseen in the more static shots presented with 2D animation. CGI anime can often come off as lazy and ugly, but Super Hero's usage of it sits as a shining example alongside other newer productions such Beastars and Land of the Lustrous. Perhaps the greatest critique that could be levied against Super Hero is its lack of narrative depth. The narrative initially appears to be commenting on the recent western obsession with super hero culture, but the villains themselves fail to really say anything while playing into expected comic book tropes. The antagonists are all simply cartoon villains with flat motivations, and this ultimately results in the final third of the film being nothing but large, flashy fight-scenes stuffed with fan service. These brawls are fast and exciting, but still lack the heart and complexity seen in better shonen. This leaves Super Hero as a film that could only really appeal to Dragon Ball fans looking for some dumb fun with characters that they haven't seen in a while. This kind of enjoyment isn't something I look down upon, it's even something I'm happy to indulge in, but it does sadly demonstrate that Dragon Ball is a franchise forever shackles to its young shonen demographic. While I wouldn't call Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero the best shonen has to offer, it presents renewed optimism for the classic series it's a part of. If the rumors are to be believed that Super's anime will return at some point down the line, I sincerely hope that Toriyama continues to shed light on secondary characters and present a healthy balance between serious fights and lighthearted slice-of-life. I would never expect Dragon Ball to present a story arc on par with something like Hunter x Hunter's Chimera Ant Arc or Yu Yu Hakusho's Dark Tournament, but it still presents the opportunity for some lighthearted fun and flashy attacks.

This movie is the first and only piece of Dragon Ball media I have ever consumed. Here's a very short, very general no spoilers review! The story was easy to understand thanks to a quick explanation/catchup at the beginning of the movie. I'm not a fan of action movies and/or long fight scenes but luckily every battle was incredibly entertaining and wonderfully animated! The art style was different than what I was expecting but looked nothing short of fantastic. I immediately fell in love with pretty much every character that was introduced and was completely absorbed in their relationships as well as the battles they engaged in. I never knew how the battles would go down or who would come out on top!! Very refreshing and exciting. :D This movie bangs!!!! I'm so glad that Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero was my first exposure to the series. I want to see it again and hopefully get a DVD copy in the future.

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is bringing a refreshing new perspective. The movie shines by putting Piccolo (King of Aura) and Gohan front and center, giving them meaningful development & growth. The animation style blends CGI with the classic Dragon Ball aesthetic in a way that feels modern without losing its roots (Kinda like a video game). The fight scenes are fast paced and visually good (once again like a video game), but the movie also takes time to through in some humor, creating a well rounded experience. One of the biggest strengths of the movie IMO is its tone, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, embracing the quirky goofy charm that has always been in the Dragon Ball series. At the same time, it delivers epic moments and satisfying transformations that I believe fans appreciate (Finally putting other characters besides Goku & Vegeta in the front and center and giving them a level up). Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is a fun, energetic, and surprisingly character driven addition to Dragonball (weather you enjoyed the movie or not it is refreshing to finally have other characters shine a bit).

This had a very classic Dragon Ball story. I love how it managed to bring most of the cast in (even if some were just cameos) and the callbacks to lore that seemed long forgotten. Of the modern Dragon Ball movies (Battle of Gods-now) this is easily the best written. The animation takes awhile to get used to. There are some moments where it looks really odd/kinda bad, but the last 30-45 minutes look beautiful. One very glaring issue though is the vibe is kinda off. As mentioned the story is very classic and it’s animation style eventually reminded me of the manga and was somewhat nostalgic in that regard, but it’s missing the epic Dragon Ball feel. Despite the flashiness, it’s a pretty quiet movie. There’s no real stakes, which isn’t helped by the fact there’s also no over the top score (whether you’re into the marching band style of early Dragon Ball or the electric metallic style of current Dragon Ball) or grand speeches that get you hyped no matter how cheesy followed by powerful screams. Some of the possible oh shit moments the series is known for fall kinda flat. It’s still a fun movie to watch that does a great service to the franchise and had a lot of heart. There’s just some technical stuff that could’ve been improved upon to make this standout more.

First of all, ill give some context to my love of Dragon Ball. I can say this confidently, and I would put money on it that most UK people on here, who are early 30s, wouldnt be on this site without a littlle channel called Cartoon Network and a little show called Dragon Ball Z. So many days spent rushing home from primary school to 'tune in next time on Dragon Ball Z, being 9 or 10, seeing Goku winding up the spirit bomb and watching him unleash it when i was 19.... I joke. Ultimately, im a massive fan of Dragon Ball. Even GT has great moments as far as im concerned, thank god super happened ill be honest, but still, GT had its moments. Looking back not too far is, what feels to be, the 1000000000th film with Broly it. However, it re wrote the source of Broly's hatred so something more logical, made it cannon and god damn was it great. Sublime animation, no messing about with trying too much of a story and provided us with another moment to add to the pile of the incredibly exciting moments Dragon Ball has given us over so many years. So with the weight of the above behind me, I proudly press play on Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. So......here we go.......this film is absolute garbage. I cannot even begin to convey my dissapoint at literally every aspect of this film. Firstly, lets mention its redeeming qualities....it's not very long. Right then, now thats done, animation wise, I have no idea what the hell the studio was thinking. I have seen better character animation on Sega arcade cabinates in the late 90s. Scratch that. Ive seen better animation on the LCD screens when I went bowling. Some may say, 'well thats a massive exaggeration' I know, but im annoyed. Ill leave it with this, if you are able to sit through this, without a confused look on your face, wondering how it all went so wrong, you are a better person than me. The story just drags, laboriously so. I get it, we can't just keep following Goku and Vegeta getting stronger and stronger for ever more, well...maybe we could, but character depth is key. So having a film dedicated to Gohan and Piccolo was welcomed. But my God was it wasted. We are done with the Red Ribbon Army guys, these morons didn't need to return. We were completely done with the Red Ribbon Army decades ago. Not not only do they return though, we get a terrible rehash of another villain. A villain no less that gave us one of the best saga DB has to offer, one of the greatest fights with Goku that is still so underrated and instilled genuine fear in me as a child watching. It was the laziest villain recall I have ever seen, and ive seen Mob season 3. Final thing ill say on the story, we get treated to some new things from Piccolo and Gohan. Piccolo's is the laziest writing ive ever seen for a character in DB and Gohan's is a wasted opportunity. Personally, this should have waited until Super returning to our screens as the manga, so ive read anyway, explains it better. Ill end with this, as I feel like I might have lost my mind writing this. It was honestly the single most disappointing anime ive watch. There so much hype about it yet i saw no justification for it. Its certainly not the worst DB Film, but its among them and that is a deep pile of crap to be a part of.

This review comes from the perspective of someone who is not a Dragon Ball fan and has not watched much of the Dragon Ball franchise since it aired on TV as a child. This movie is a very fun and comprehensible even to someone who doesn't have much background with the franchise. I felt like they did a good amount of exposition to help set the scene for new viewers without being overly annoying for familiar viewers (says my companions). The humour was very self-aware and the fan service felt more or less smart and not gratuitous. They even addressed some plot holes in a funny manner that made it more acceptable for viewers rather than a point of annoyance. It was also nice to have the character set focused on Gohan rather than Goku and Vegeta. Overall, I would say this movie does a good job of being a fun experience and for fresh viewers, really sells the franchise as something to dig into deeper.

I really enjoyed this epic movie, probably the most of all new DB Movies. One reason is that the movie has literally no Gokuu, whom I could never stand. (On the bad side, it has literally no Vegeta either, but well, those two come as a set so no help). The animation is superb, and the plot is dynamic. We get new characters, and they are very nicely portrayed and played (Miyano, Kamiya and Irino really do their best!). Piccolo steals almost every scene, which is great! As for some complaints, I wish Bulma, a genius after all, had a more important role in the movie than showing her butt and taking about beauty. Also, I find Gohan too silly for my taste; he was much serious when a kid and even in DBZ as an adult. However, I strongly recommend this movie, as it's very enjoyable.

This film hangs its hat on only three things: 1. Beautiful 3D animation. 2. A pretty explosive, if overall, unimportant final battle. 3. Giving Gohan fans what they have wanted for years. Gohan's return to relevance on the battlefield. Outside of that? There's nothing here but a really, really low-quality story leading to a big 30 minute brawl, that purposely keeps out Goku and Vegeta, to put emphasis on Gohan and Piccolo. Which is fine, because the lesser guys should be able to shine once and a while, too. But, if you really wanted them to shine, more thought definitely could have gone into the story of this film. (SPOILERS AHEAD) The story is really bad. It's basically just the new Red Ribbon Army tricking the new Dr. Gero (But, it's a portly guy in love with superheroes named Dr. Hedo, instead) into making some powerful new androids by telling him the Capsule Corporation are filled with evil aliens who want to enslave and then destroy mankind. He chooses to believe it, so he can have access to their money and build new androids. After he does, then the army goes and kidnaps Pan so that Gohan can come and fight and they can kill him. It's an amazingly stupid premise. But, however dumb the story is, it does lead to a good fight when Piccolo and Gohan confront the androids. And both of them achieve new (pretty sick) forms. The final fight almost takes your mind off of how dumb the story is. But, you can't fully forget, because when Cell returns, instead of the clever character you remember, this new Cell Max is just a mindless screaming giant based off of Hedo altering some of Gero's original work. Extremely disappointing, since the OG Cell is one of the most iconic villains in anime history. I expected to see him back and more powerful. But, it is what it is. It was still a hell of a fight, and it was nice to see all the gang (sans the big two) fighting again. But, my suggestion to you is to not spend your money to go see this in theaters. Wait until it hits streaming services, if you haven't already watched the Cam version going around. It's really not worth it. You could just watch some fan-made DBZ stuff on YT if you're really just jonesing for it. I would recommend Legend: A Dragonball Tale and Goku vs. Saitama by Etol1c Animations on YT. Hell, even deathbattle has some good DBZ action if you haven't seen Vegeta vs. Thor, yet. Really, do that before you break into your pockets for this. Story: 1 Art: 10 Sound: 7 Character: 8 Enjoyment: 6 Overall: 6