This article contains spoilers forDragon Ball Super: Super Hero.The most recent film in theDragon Ballfranchise,Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, has finally received its home video release following its theatrical run last year. And whileSuper Herowas generally quite well-received by fans of the franchise, its success is unique for a few notable reasons.
WhileSuper Heromay seem like typicalDragon Ballfare to a casual observer, it’s actually a very unconventional story by the standards of the series. However, the film’s positive reception is largely because of its irregularities, not in spite of them. So while it’s currently unknown when theDragon Ball Superanime will be returning, there are plenty of things it can learn from the success ofSuper Hero.
RELATED:Dragon Ball: An Argument For Super Saiyan Pan
Give the Supporting Cast Time to Shine
Perhaps the most surprisingthing aboutSuper Herois that it leaves the franchise’s longtime protagonist Goku out of the spotlight for a change. For the duration of the film, both Goku and his rival Vegeta are away from Earth, training under the tutelage of Beerus and Whis. As such, the series’ two most prominent Super Saiyans are completely removed from the main plot. And in their stead, it’s Piccolo who takes over as the movie’s central character.
Ever sinceDragon Ball Zbegan decades ago, Piccolo has routinely played second fiddle to Goku, Vegeta, and their fellow Saiyans, receiving less and less relevance to the story over the course of the anime. However,Super Herocompletely turns things on its head,relegating Goku and Vegetato the film’s B-plot while the supporting players are involved in the real story. Not only does Piccolo take the protagonist role for the first time in the franchise’s history, his former protégé Gohan returns to center stage for the first time sinceDBZended.
For years, fans have lamented that Gohan and Piccolo have fallen out of prominence, becoming vastly overshadowed by Goku and Vegeta. But inSuper Hero, they finally get their much-needed return to the spotlight. Not only do they get crucial roles in the film’s plot, they even receive all-new transformations — something that delighted countlessDragon Ballfans. Hopefully futureDragon Ball Superstorylines will continue this trend of giving the series’ beloved supporting characters the screen time they deserve.
Keep Things Low-Stakes
TheDragon Ballseries beganas a lighthearted adventure story focused on martial arts battles and thwarting comedic villains, with the conflict only escalating to global stakes in the King Piccolo Saga. However, inDragon Ball Z, the battles grew increasingly grander in scope, with Goku and friends fighting not only to save Earth, but eventually the entire universe. And inDragon Ball Super, things escalated further still, with later arcs putting the entire multiverse on the line. In theory, larger stakes should make for a more dramatic story. But in practice, that isn’t always the case.
In particular, the Tournament of Power arc inDragon Ball Superhas drawn plenty of criticism from fans for raising the stakes to absurd degrees. If Goku fails to win the tournament, it spells the endfor the entire multiverse— something that will obviously never occur, as it would mean the end of the series. And yet, the story still attempts to portray this as a precarious predicament. However, 2018’sDragon Ball Super: Brolyfilm remedied this by giving its story more personal stakes. The action is as intense and over-the-top as ever, but the conflict doesn’t hinge on saving all existence from destruction. Instead, the driving question is whether Broly can be saved.
Super Herotakes things even further by exploring a more down-to-Earth story — quite literally, in fact. The film’s conflict doesn’t come from an all-powerful otherworldly threat, but rather the very human evil of the Red Ribbon Army. It’sa downright relaxed adventurecompared to the cosmic epics ofZandSuper, harkening back to the days of the originalDragon Ball. The intense, energy-blasting action that the franchise is famous for is still very present, of course. However, it’s broken up by plenty of comedy and character interactions, making for a more well-rounded experience. When it comes to scale,Super Heroproves that bigger isn’t necessarily better.
Make the Villains Charming
Another aspect ofDragon Ball Superthat’s drawn plenty of criticism is its villains —Jiren in particular is widelyderided as one of the blandest main antagonists inDragon Ballhistory. And while Zamasu has his share of fans, he’s often regarded as a rather underdeveloped character with a disappointing conclusion. By contrast,Super Herointroduces a slew of new enemies, each of whom are fun and memorable in their own way.
The film’s big bad is Magenta, the power-hungry leader of the Red Ribbon Army. Far from the sort of menacing powerhouse you’d expect a post-DBZvillain to be, Magenta is a throwback to the goofier villains of classicDragon Ball, and he plays the part well. His hammy, conniving personality and expressive animation provide plenty of laughs, and his grand ambitions drive the plot effectively. Magenta’s right-hand man Carmine doesn’t receive much screen time, but he’s nevertheless an eccentric enough figure to beentertaining in his own right.
Since Magenta is more of a schemer than a fighter, Piccolo and Gohan’s main opponents are the Gammas, a pair of androids created by the misguided Dr. Hedo to aid in the Red Ribbon Army’s schemes. And thanks to their creator’s good intentions, the Gammas possess noble ideals to match their superhero-themed aesthetic. Gamma 2 especially is an endlessly likable presence, with his dorky, wisecracking personality and earnest dedication to being a hero. Gamma 1 receives less focus, but his stoic, brooding persona still makes him a fun contrast to his exuberant twin.
The Gammas have already proven to be fan-favorites in the wake of the film’s release. However, the final villain ofSuper Herois much more divisive. Magenta’sultimate weapon is CellMax, a giant-sized duplicate of the iconicDBZvillain Cell. But while the original Cell is beloved for his cunning, charismatic personality, Cell Max is nothing more than a mindless monster for the heroes to overcome — more of a plot device than a character. But even so, he’s an effective plot device, providing a suitably exciting climax for the movie. By and large,Super Herogets its antagonists right, and the crew behind any futureDragon Ballanime projects would do well to take notes.
MORE:Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero — How Is Gamma 2 Android #32?
