Dragon Ball Super: Part 1 (Review)
By: RogueSymbiote
The latest installment of the Dragon Ball franchise is finally here on Blu-ray! Dragon Ball Super debuts with an all new story arc by Akira Toriyama. It's safe to say that the franchise is back on track with the original creator at the helm once again. We don't talk about that alternative "sequel" series here... it never happened. All of our favorite heroes return for exciting new adventures. Super picks up roughly 4 years after the events of Dragon Ball Z, but you wouldn't know that by looking at any of the characters. Enough with the setup, lets talk Dragon Ball Super!
Story Arc
The first few episodes of the series serve as a 'where are they now' recap. The final battle with Majin Buu is retold and we begin to learn what our Z-Fighters have been up to. With the world at peace, Goku has taken up farming in order to support his family. However, Goku longs to continue is training. Mr. Satan helps in this endeavor by awarding Goku 100 million zeni. The money was originally given to Hercule by the world peace assembly for saving the planet, but he decided to give the reward to the man who actually defeated Buu. After acquiring this fortune, Chi Chi allows Goku to train with King Kai once again.We soon learn that Gohan has married Videl, the Daughter of Mr. Satan, and returned to his studies. Vegeta fulfills his promise to Trunks and takes the family on a vacation to an amusement park. Luckily for everyone in attendance, Vegeta has bottled his rage in hilarious fashion. Goten and Trunks are still getting into trouble. Majin Buu now lives with Hercule.
Beerus, a god of destruction, and Whis are traveling throughout the universe. Beerus has become active after a long slumber and has begun destroying entire planets. Both characters are obsessed with fine cuisine. When Beerus is unhappy with a meal however, the planet is all but doomed. The god of destruction begins to recall a vision of a Super Saiyan god. Beerus and Whis arrive on King Kai's planet where Goku has been training. Goku challenges Beerus to a fight, but is swatted like a fly even at Super Saiyan 3. The two gods then make their way to Earth in search of Vegeta.Beerus and Whis find Vegeta and the rest of our heroes on a gigantic ship celebrating Bulma's birthday. The others do not understand who these all powerful beings are and welcome them with open arms. Both intergalactic travelers become obsessed with the food, but a good time quickly turns sour. Majin Buu refuses to share pudding with Beerus which eventually escalates to a battle between Beerus and Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince is no match and the world is about to be destroyed when Bulma slaps Beerus. He then in turn strikes down Bulma resulting in Vegeta exploding to new levels of power. Beerus defeats Vegeta once again, but the destroyer god does mention that Vegeta's power surpassed Goku's.Goku returns to Earth and the group uses the dragon balls to ask Shenron how to create a Super Saiyan god. The Eternal Dragon informs them that it requires 5 Saiyans of pure heart to pass their energy to a 6th Saiyan. Gohan, Vegeta, Goten and Trunks receive some help from an unlikely source in order to help Goku achieve this new god form. They are successful and the battle between Beerus and Goku resumes. Goku quickly learns how to control this newfound celestial power and increases in strength as their battle rages on. Beerus finally starts fighting all out and Goku is able to match his power. Goku continues to fight, but his god form eventually ends. His new level of power however remains in tact. The box set ends with Goku and Beerus squaring off for what is sure to be an incredible final battle.
Episode Review
This is a fantastic start to an exciting series. The first few episodes do move a bit slow, but it's important to inform us what everyone has been up to since we last saw them. The action is fantastic as always. The animators try out some new angles and effects that we haven't seen from this franchise before. The humor is timed perfectly and plays with past events. The one-liners from Vegeta and King Kai are incredible so make sure you pay attention because they might sneak by you. It's exciting to see the franchise move on to even greater heights as there doesn't appear to be a ceiling for power levels anymore. The background music is fantastic and the new intro is extremely catchy.The quality of animation fluctuates so much throughout the episodes. In one episode the animation ranges between the best I've ever seen to seemingly rushed and lazy. Animating is incredibly difficult, but I wish the level of quality was more consistent. One example is the ink work being very thin at times and way too thick at others. There is also an incredible amount of filler. I'm all for character development, but some things like a 5 minute rock, paper, scissors match is unnecessary. That being said, there is so much to love about this series and I can not wait for more!
Box Set
Dragon Ball Super: Part 1 includes episodes 1-13 on 2 discs. The Blu-ray box set and the disc art are fantastic! It will be a great addition to anyone's shelf. The extras include the textless opening/closing songs, trailers, and two Catching up with Dragon Ball Super videos. The videos include Sonny Strait, the voice of Krillin, and Chris Sabat, the voice of Vegeta. The videos are entertaining and quite funny. These are honestly the best extras that have been on one of these box sets in a long time. The show can be enjoyed in both English and Japanese. You can buy the box set right here! Don't miss out on this essential anime box set. See you next time![yasr_multiset setid=9]
