Best way to experience "Super"?

[Zephyr]

"Super", which I'm going to be using for the sake of this thread to denote the current generally-Toriyama-authored wave of new material that we're knee-deep in, must seem like a nightmare to someone who has yet to experience any of it. There are so many different versions and retellings of the same events, and so many different productions are so mixed, that it's difficult to figure out what the "definitive" version of "Super" really is.

This is a thread for just that discussion. What do you guys think is the best way to experience this new wave of material, while avoiding sheer redundancy of watching/reading the same thing multiple times? How would you, if pressed to do so, introduce someone to "Super" for the first time?

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I would start off with the Jump Special. It was originally Toriyama's idea, and it introduces Tarble, who is mentioned in Battle of Gods. Ergo, I would consider it to tie into the same continuity as the film.

Dragon Ball Super (the anime) has its moments, and I feel that episode 2 is just one such moment. It has some stellar moments for both Vegeta and Whis, and it doesn't feel monotonous to me at all the way episode 1 did. It does have some slight hiccups if one wants it to lead into the film version of Battle of Gods (Bulma wanting to have her party on a cruise ship, and Beerus and Whis already having left home), but I feel those minor hiccups are worth what the episode adds.

Next up would be the extended version of Battle of Gods. I felt that it was a solid movie, and overall much better than Super's retelling, which dragged on for far too long. It wasn't without its good bits, but I feel that they don't counteract the negatives, in the way that Episode 2 by itself does.

Jaco absolutely warrants a reading, and I believe right after Battle of Gods is the perfect spot. Super Saiyan God is mentioned in Dragon Ball Minus, so it is building off of Battle of Gods. Moreover, his appearances in Resurrection F are all the better if you actually know who he is and the history he has.

After this, I believe that the "filler" episodes that take place between the two film's arcs are solid, and worth watching. They bridge the two together nicely. Ajay is doing the fandom an incredible service by synthesizing the best parts of Resurrection F and Super's retelling of it. For this reason, only Episode 15 of Super would be necessary, as it does not appear to have any planned inclusion in his "Super Cut".

Which of course leads me to Resurrection F. That Super Cut. Enough said.

We then arrive at the current arc, the Champa and Universe 6 material. It may still be too early to tell, but as it stands at the moment, I feel that the manga is by and large the superior version of this arc (barring small things like no Saiyan beards and Piccolo being less tactical in his fight with Frost). It's nicer to look at, isn't paired with a horrid soundtrack, isn't padded unnecessarily, and Toyotaro adds so many nice little touches that I can't help but enjoy (Jaco's "Beerus selfie" being on Tights' calendar, Goku biting his tongue trying to say "Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan" repeatedly, Goku and Vegeta striking their iconic "Saiyan arc" battle poses while training, etc). And finally, the one-two punch of "Toriyama is displeased with the new anime" and "Toriyama sees, approves, and if need be corrects, every story board of the manga" makes me personally feel that the manga is simply far more the authentic version of the events.

Given all of that, my "timeline" so to speak would be:
Jump Special
Super - Episode 2
Battle of Gods
Jaco the Galactic Patrolman
Super - Episode 15
Resurrection F - Super Cut
Super - Chapter 5
Super - Chapter 6
Super - Chapter 7
Super - Chapter 8
Super - Chapter 9
Super - Chapter 10

[Iberian_Saiyan]

Watch the films Battle of Gods + Resurrection F then jump to Super's Season 3 (Champa arc). This is what I should have done but I kept saying to myself "it'll get better".

[Kamiccolo9]

Alcohol helps, in my experience.

[Lord Beerus]

Watch the films Battle of Gods + Resurrection F then jump to Super's Season 3 (Champa arc). This is what I should have done but I kept saying to myself "it'll get better".

Yep. That's pretty much what I would do.

[Ajay]

Interestingly enough, this was posted on 4chan the other day. Ignoring the stupid title, it's the same list I'd recommend:

Spoiler:

[TheatreStyleKai]

Alcohol helps, in my experience.

Came here to say just this.

Food is also a good idea. There's a ridiculous amount of dining scenes in both the television series and the movies, I found myself reaching for a popcorn snack more often during a super marathon.

[Zephyr]

Interestingly enough, this was posted on 4chan the other day. Ignoring the stupid title, it's the same list I'd recommend:

Spoiler:

I'm actually the one who made that.

Worded the title that way so as to minimize overreactions from the community there. They'll take any chance they get to shit all over something. Calling it the "canon" continuation would only ignite a flamewar (and also debates about the Super anime vs the films vs the Super manga, regarding canonicity).

But yeah, it was pretty wordy. I actually made an updated version. I fixed the title up, condensed things a bit, and gave Kanzenshuu their due credit (the episode and manga guides here are where those images are from, after all). I think it looks okay for an MSpaint chart:

Spoiler:

Although now I'm feeling the need to axe Super episodes 16, 17, and 18, by virtue of your Super Cut of F covering them. I'd forgotten how far reaching all encompassing it was when I made the chart.

[Ajay]

Oh, woops. Sorry! It's a good list.

I don't know if I'd really call my Super cut a replacement. The goal was to improve on the original using Super footage. While I feel I've done a good job, I've also been very conscious of pacing, meaning you're seeing very abridged versions of those inbetween episodes.

Cutting them down made for a better overall film, but there's stuff left out that's still enjoyable. If the goal is to catch up as soon as possible, then my edit is fine. If the goal is to "experience Toriyama's story", then a fan edit with very specific changes probably isn't a very honest representation.

[Zephyr]

It's no problem!

In all fairness, I obviously haven't seen it yet, so I suppose I'm sort of unjustifiably adding it to this list. The very prospect of it has me excited though, given how divisive the film itself and Super's version of it can be.

That's a fair point regarding it not being an "honest" representation. I guess I'd call it more of an "optimal execution of Toriyama's basic plot points". To draw an analogy, the film itself would be like a rough draft, and the Super Cut would be more of a revised draft. Or at least that's how I'm expecting it turn out. We'll see. Excited to see it regardless!

Even if the Super Cut muddles Toriyama's intended vision a bit, I think that my list itself in principle dabbles into that terriroty. By virtue of lumping something scripted by Koyama, episodes of a Toei anime, and a manga adaptation by Toyotaro in with works with more direct Toriyama involvement, a different sort of beast all its own is being created. Overall it's sort of just a "best way to see the Beerus, Golden Freeza, and Champa arcs happen", and a "best way to see the Golden Freeza arc happen" would be a shoe in.

Of course, I understand if you'd be hesitant to call something of your own a "best" anything, I experience that sort of self-downplaying all the time.

[Greator]

If alcohol is your thing, good. I personally watch super mostly as my inner kid and I want the experience to be as childish as possible.

I'm honestly pretty neutral about first two sagas. But definitely watch the movies. And if you decide to watch movie retellings, do not skip episodes.

[Patrolman Jaco]

Watch both Battle of Gods and Resurrection F, then hope to God we get a third movie to adapt the Multiversal Tournament arc or that the manga becomes weekly with both Toriyama and Toyotaro at the helm.

[Duo]

I wouldn't necessarily cut the first four chapters of Super (Manga). The Champa bits sprinkled in there really help with the intrigue and buildup of the U6 arc, and the art is genuinely fantastic. It may be different from the movie, but it's a neat little remix rather than the snore-fest it was in animation.

[saiyanvegetable]

Completely avoid it.

[Duo]

Completely avoid it.

Humorous as that is, I don't necessarily think that was the question at hand...

[dbzfan7]

Watch the Super episodes that are not part of the retellings. Ignore the shitty BOG retelling and watch the vastly superior movie. Watch the stuff after it and stop before F. Ignore the shittier version of F, and watch the more tolerable version of F. Manga chapters 5-10. Watch the tournament to compare it to the manga, and watch it for shits and giggles.

[Saiga]

Is there any particular reason why you'd include the anime version of the Jump special over the two-part manga adaptation? Due to the fact that Toriyama apparently oversaw Ooshi's adaptation, I think that would be the closest to Toriyama's "vision".

At the very least, that's probably what I would expect Toriyama to think of if he's going to include more of it in his works. I do believe he praised Ooshi's handling the manga version, as well.

[Kuririn Fan]

Is there any particular reason why you'd include the anime version of the Jump special over the two-part manga adaptation? Due to the fact that Toriyama apparently oversaw Ooshi's adaptation, I think that would be the closest to Toriyama's "vision".

At the very least, that's probably what I would expect Toriyama to think of if he's going to include more of it in his works. I do believe he praised Ooshi's handling the manga version, as well.

It's the same thing as special, only without some scenes. Special is much better.

[Saiga]

Is there any particular reason why you'd include the anime version of the Jump special over the two-part manga adaptation? Due to the fact that Toriyama apparently oversaw Ooshi's adaptation, I think that would be the closest to Toriyama's "vision".

At the very least, that's probably what I would expect Toriyama to think of if he's going to include more of it in his works. I do believe he praised Ooshi's handling the manga version, as well.

It's the same thing as special, only without some scenes. Special is much better.

I wouldn't say that at all. Having seen both I think the Special's extra scenes are not worth it, including the overly long and unfunny radish gag.

The manga version of the special has a good pace and doesn't miss any of the important stuff. Much like the Super manga in comparison to the anime (although the Super anime's original episodes have some worthy content).

[Kuririn Fan]

Nah, i like the special more. Every scene is perfect and it gave every fighter time to shine. God, i love that special.

[Saiga]

Well, that just comes down to personal preference and I don't think that is the point of the thread.