Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Review
Updated: Nov 7, 2022
Release Date: August 19, 2022 (US)
Runtime: 99 minutes
Post-Credit Scene: Yes
Finally after a nasty delay due to a ransomware attack back in March, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero has been released! As all the trailers state, this movie has been made with the direct involvement of series creator Akira Toriyama and it clearly shows. Leading up to the release of the film, Toriyama has advertised the film as a Gohan-centric slice-of-life movie. That description sticks throughout nearly the entire film, as long as you consider saving Earth from universal powerhouses as everyday occurrences in the Dragon Ball verse.
Stated as being a direct sequel to Dragon Ball Super: Broly, the stakes this time around are much lower than seen in that movie or the most recent arc in the anime, The Tournament of Power. Aside from Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero being completely 3D animated, the movie is also very different from any of the previous movies. The tone feels more like the beginning of Dragon Ball: GT, where every character we love has aged a bit and is now living regular lives, but with original Dragon Ball humor.
The movie starts out with a brief recap of the events that have led up to the Red Ribbon Army being rebuilt. As it turns out, Dr. Gero has a surviving grandson named Dr. Hedo, who is allegedly an even greater genius than his grandfather. The new leader of the Red Ribbon Army, Magenta, then commissions Dr. Hido to create the strongest androids ever made.
We then follow Piccolo during his training, who will serve as the Main Protagonist for the 1st half of this film. Recognizing that Gohan has been neglecting his daughter Pan, he goes to speak with him. Upon his return, one of the androids fires off a sneak attack and the audience receives all that Dragon Ball explosion goodness. From here, Piccolo uncovers the return of the Red Ribbon Army and tries to reignite the warrior spirit in Gohan to put a stop to their plans.
The focus on comedy took me by surprise but felt like a breath of fresh air for the Dragon Ball series. It was very reminiscent of the original Dragon Ball series sense of humor. Although it was a refreshing take on beloved characters, the inconsistent tones hurt the movie more than they helped. It was hard to invest too much emotion into the film because of the teetering from comedy to action to more comedy than to planetary devastation.
I was also pretty let down that the movie decides to neuter itself and reveal the ultra-secret project of the Red Ribbon Army very early on. There wasn't any set-up or foreshadowing, so when the final showdown happens, it feels very unearned to have arrived at that point. At the same time, the movie runs into a problem that the series has had for a long time now. Giving screen time to older characters and trying to make them relevant. There was an especially missed opportunity to create tension with Android 18 and Krillin. I feel like with a bit more time, the film could have expanded a bit more on their inclusion instead of just having them tacked on.
Although I might not have been a fan of all the creative decisions in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, I absolutely loved the 3D animation! I have to admit, it did take a short while to get adjusted, but once I did it was quite a treat to watch. Not only does 3D animation allow for more camera movement in scenes and around characters, but they made the fights really pop. Usual 2D animated Dragon Ball fights usually involve Ki blasts being thrown and punches colliding with each other. Rarely does Dragon Ball animation ever show any of the nuances you expect from masterclass fighters. This is what Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero gets right.
The opponents are shown to be somewhat on par with one another, and this allows for a lot more action, and a lot less one-shotting. The movie consistently has some of the better-looking fights in the series, from movements that add weight to characters to genuine feelings of power struggles. The dynamic camera angles during these fights are the cherry on top of everything.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero isn't better than its predecessor, but it doesn't have to be. It brought a fresh take on decades-old characters and introduced some hilarious new ones as well. What really bogged down the experience was the lack of exploring smaller details. In a supposed slice-of-life movie, we really only follow Piccolo. Gohan, Pan, and to a lesser degree Bulma, were the only other characters to be shown going through a regular day. Even Beerus had his moments when he was not a part of the main plot. Unfortunately, revealing the evil secret project near the beginning of the film really took the air out of the rest of the movie. That lack of focusing on what's in front of the viewer and who's involved in the climax was what kept it from being a smooth viewing experience.
Despite my feelings towards the pacing and some plot devices, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero was a really fun time. The characters are really funny and there are nostalgic strings being pulled throughout the film. The fights felt weighty and crunchy, and for the first time in forever, there's blood being spilled! This definitely felt like the first 3D movie for Dragon Ball, but I loved the idea of exploring the characters' relationships with each other. The idea to make the villains Tokusatsu Sentai character tropes was brilliant! It may not have been the best movie in the series, but Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero had enjoyable fights and there were many more laughs to be had.
Final Verdict: 7.5/10
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