Official On-Going Dragon Ball Super Movie #2 Thread: "Super Hero"

[hopjust602]

I watched the movie unspoiled thankfully, and the way that Piccolo said that Gohan's ki should "flow by itself" or something along the lines of that, I expected Gohan to achieve UI -Sign-. I thought that would be cheap since he hadn't trained with Whis or even Goku (last time he trained with Goku, he hadn't achieved UI yet), but I was surprised when Gohan had a new form. However, the silver hair, the more serious aesthetic, it reminded me of when Goku first achieved Complete UI. Vegeta had his own personal Ultra form in the manga, known as Ultra Ego. So I wonder if Gohan's new form is also in this category of divine forms?
Leave your thoughts below.

[Xeno Goku Black]

Ultra Rage.

[kemuri07]

I hope the west really brings it at the box office and shows the bigwigs at Toei and Shueisha that we want more stuff like DBS: Super Hero. It's exactly what I personally want from DB. I don't mind letting the foolishness fly as long as its fun and features interesting and fan favorite characters other than Goku and Vegeta. There's a lot of side stories we can tell in this universe.

This is my favorite DB movie since BoG. I'm not sure which is my absolute favorite between the two.

It’s on track to having the best global box office for an anime so…yeah we’re getting more DB Super.


Haha those kids hoping they would cancel this sure were crazy.

[SSJSteve]

Not sure if this has already been posted but the re-animation of the recap from early Dragon Ball by Chikashi Kubota was one of my favourite moments from the film.

https://twitter.com/Namaryuu/status/1560734157755785216

[capsulecorp]

I really enjoyed this, though I agree the end was pretty anticlimatic and snoozy. Giant monster fights are rarely interesting to me, and Gohan's new form was also really ugly and amateur looking... but otherwise, I had a great time, the new characters were awesome and lots of laughs were had by all. Some really fun aesthetic choices too, whether or not you appreciated the 3D.

Spoiler:

Maybe this is petty, but I'm so glad that the outspoken haters around here have been proven wrong, if not about the quality, which is obviously subjective, but about the audience reception.

[Skar]

It’s on track to having the best global box office for an anime so…yeah we’re getting more DB Super.

I'm glad it's doing better outside Japan but it has a long way to go to being #1 for an anime film. Based the box office thread, it might gross between RoF and Broly overall. It would be pretty impressive though for a DB film to make it to top 10 since I think Broly is currently #14 or 15.

[Mr_CINDER]

I'm glad it's doing better outside Japan but it has a long way to go to being #1 for an anime film. Based the box office thread, it might gross between RoF and Broly overall. It would be pretty impressive though for a DB film to make it to top 10 since I think Broly is currently #14 or 15.

do we know the budget yet? I think the movie will break even at least even if it somehow fails to gross more than res F

[batistabus]

I saw the dub on Sunday. Here are my thoughts:

-I liked that I was able to pay attention to the visuals more. I'd say it was worth seeing the dub for that alone since there's so much going on in the background.

-Performances were good overall. The new cast was very fitting. I especially liked Sabat's Piccolo and Martinet's Magenta, although Hedo and the Gammas were great as well. I'm not really a fan of Gohan and Goten. I found Masakazu Morita's Whis performance to be extremely annoying and over the top for this film, so I think I might actually prefer Sinclair's take. Bulma seemed a little meaner and less likeable in the English version. I really wish they left in Nakamoto's Cell Max. I like the new Broly.

-Script seemed faithful. The only thing that stood out to me was when Shenlong called Piccolo "Piccolo-sama" in the Japanese version. In the dub, he just says "Oh, it's you, Piccolo". There's a level of reverence from Shenlong toward Piccolo that isn't conveyed as well. There are a few added jokes and references that aren't present in the Japanese version, but I think they work. Since the movie is supposed to be funny, it's OK to add a few things when other things are lost in translation.

-I saw the film at 1:50 PM. Maybe because it was a weekend, and because it was earlier, there were more children. They loved Gotenks. Some guy cheered in the beginning when the narrator/Carmine asked if we remember the Red Ribbon Army. Overall, I'd say the number of viewers was similar to the sub showing I saw on Thursday, but the theater was smaller, so it didn't seem as empty. Also, more people stayed for the post-credit scene than did for the sub showing.

[sigmasigma]

My favourite English dubbing script is that, the Red Ribbon Army team leader said Piccolo is too green for the mission

[Kataphrut]

I’ve watched both versions now too. I think I actually preferred the dub experience, though that’s mainly because reading subtitles isn’t particularly enjoyable in a cinema.

On the subject of changes, the dub totally made up that Pan’s kindy teacher is called “Janet”. It’s a cute bit, but it’s gonna come back to bite then if it turns out Toriyama actually gave her a name. Which knowing him is probably something like “Crème Brûlée.”

[tinlunlau]

John Campea discussed Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

https://youtu.be/re_rQPSI0Xw

[batistabus]

I have way too much to say about this movie, so I'll just discuss it in bits.

First: Who is Piccolo?

The Red Ribbon folks call him Daimao (Demon King). He rejects that title. The last time he accepted the title was in the Universe 6 tournament of the manga where Vados suspected there was more to him than the average Namekian. Even so, it was a bit of a hollow statement used for intimidation ("Tsk...you and everybody else looking down on me..."). When he claimed he was Daimao in the Cell arc, it was one last expression of that side of him before surrendering his pride and fusing with God.

Karin calls him God. He also rejects that title.

Dende calls him Piccolo(-san), not God or Nail. There's probably nobody on Earth that Piccolo can relate to more than Dende, even though he is particularly close with Gohan and his family. Speaking of Gohan's family, he's an uncle, a mentor, and an integral part of the family (even if Gohan and Videl don't pay much attention to his needs).

Although Bulma isn't especially close with Piccolo, she still respects him and willingly hands over the Dragon Balls.

Shenlong calls him Lord Piccolo (Piccolo-Sama). Not Daimao (who killed Shenlong), not Kami-Sama (who created him?), but Lord Piccolo. He has a reverence for this version of Piccolo. Maybe it's because Piccolo was God, maybe it's because Piccolo is the strongest Warrior-type Namekian, or maybe it's because of Piccolo's individual character. Either way, he probably wouldn't have thrown in that bonus for any random Namekian, and the wish wouldn't have been possible without Dende's upgrade.

Finally, the movie is called "Super Hero". As the main character, is Piccolo a super hero? He might not think so, but Gamma 1 does.

So...who is he? Well...a bunch of things, I guess!

[FoolsGil]

Saw it today. This movie...like it was an injection of excitement for the franchise again. I wanted to start writing fanfic again

Spoiler:

Cheelai, Beerus, Broly Love Triangle hmmm

which, well something I really let drop off as to be honest, Super as a whole disappointed me to no end, to I couldn't even bother enjoying even Z anymore. But, this movie is the kind of movie everyone who ever said "Goku and Vegeta are great, but I wish [underused, undervalued character] got to take the reins for awhile." should go see.

Positively buzzing. I never thought there'd be any Dragonball film to top Battle of Gods, but this is it. If suddenly we get an official word for 2uper, I may not be in complete hype, but I wouldn't expect 2uper to be a waste of time anymore.

[Super Saiyan Swagger]

The film has a score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 40 critic reviews and a 65 on Metacritic based on 11 critic reviews.

[QuakingStar]

Movie was good, end felt rushed but we know why that is. I'm just really glad Piccolo is now on par with Goku and Gohan seems to have yet again surpassed everyone via Gohan Beast though it isn't surprising.. Toriyama literally made it a mission to point out how Gohan has so much potential and can be the strongest. I guess it was just him hinting towards Gohan Beast before the movie came out.

[MagicBox]

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero delivers the Modern Dragon Ball Movie™ experience: charismatic Toriyama writing and character bits working their hardest to elevate a formula that frustratingly refuses to let go of the usual clichés and tropes. But at its best, holy moly, does it SING. Spoilers abound from now on, so if you haven't seen the film and prefer to remain in the dark, avoid this post 'til later. My spoiler free thoughts? My theater was too loud and one of Masako Nozawa's screams during the climax actually *hurt my ears* and I've never been happier.

Spoiler:

Piccolo carries the film effortlessly as a perfect outlet for Toriyama's dry humor. He's the protagonist I never knew I wanted, to the point where I was *actually sad* when he was off-screen! Toshio Furukawa receives special mention in the credits and he absolutely deserves it. Yūko Minaguchi almost steals the show as Pan, who doesn't appear as frequently as you'd like but nonetheless makes the most of every scene she's in. Every moment between her and Piccolo is a genuine gift. And I caught her doing that Arale "KIIIIIN!" run, Toei! You can't fool me!

I'm mixed on Gohan's role. His part in act one, juggling parental duties for Pan with Videl and Piccolo, is fantastic, and I don't have much to say about his part in act three. It's the "kidnapping" plot in act two that gets me. Piccolo and Pan planning it is cute as hell. But when the fighting actually starts it feels like they're making the same mistake from the Cell Arc: throwing Gohan into the ring without telling him "the plan" and forcing him to perform by manipulating his emotions. Which Piccolo already said was unethical back when Gokū did it?

Speaking of Gokū, his scenes with Vegeta are borderline torture. Not because they're "pointless" - I like it when movies indulge in themselves, even if some scenes may not contribute to the overall plot - but because they're just not entertaining. It's the same old tired shtick. All of Piccolo's errand-running with Bulma, Dende, and the Dragon Balls is another example of something that just isn't fun and isn't narratively satisfying. It's something that exists so that Wiki writers can know Toriyama remembers the logistics of his world and nothing more.

The cast from DBZ Movie #11 shows up during the climax, which is about the most you can expect anymore. Gotenks is reliably entertaining but if anyone gets shafted, it's poor No. 18. In a story that introduces new Artificial Humans and brings back "Cell", she deserves more lines. Within 20 minutes, Kuririn's role starts by being the group punching bag, then jumps to saving the day, then jumps to being the exposition machine™, then jumps to *setting the film's final battle into motion* which is all pretty cool for Kuririn fans but boy does it happen fast.

Two of our lead characters receive... new looks. They're not nearly as stupid as the out-of-context viral screencaps make them seem, but they're still remarkably stupid and I can't fathom how changing someone's color palette and saying "this is stronger" excites anyone anymore.

Naoki Satō's music doesn't do it for me. Too much Raimi Spider-Man, not enough Dragon Ball. It succeeds when it's complimenting the Gammas' personalities or punctuating a joke (the car radio gag), but only two leitmotifs stand out and those are reused so often that they lose all meaning. As others have stated, the CGI thankfully doesn't detract and, at best, enhances certain sequences. The only exceptions are the moments on Beerus' planet, where things aren't as seamless and character acting is noticeably choppy. I was surprised by the number of hand-drawn shots.

It's not my favorite Dragon Ball movie, but Super Hero earns a recommendation on the merits of its first half alone. Opinions will be mixed on the climax (I'm not a huge fan) but if nothing else you'll have a new appreciation for Piccolo and that alone is worth it. I'll end my review with this. My thoughts on modern Dragon Ball are complicated, but this is a high point. I appreciate the surviving voice cast as much as I ever did. And I'm endlessly grateful that my most recent movie theater experience is no longer The Rise of Skywalker.

I picked a 9:55 PM Sunday showing in hopes of getting an empty theater and not having to worry about COVID. No such luck. There were about 12-15 people at my screening, including a family with two kids (?!). To my surprise, they all picked the subtitled showing ON PURPOSE! Wow! The crowd behaved themselves aside from some obnoxious laughing. After my screening, I overheard one guy speaking to the theater staff and specifically thanking them for offering the film in Japanese with English subtitles. Good on you, dude!

[jjgp1112]

Piccolo's "You could've done squats for a few months!" was the line of the fucking movie

[Luso Saiyan]

Shenlong calls him Lord Piccolo (Piccolo-Sama). Not Daimao (who killed Shenlong), not Kami-Sama (who created him?), but Lord Piccolo. He has a reverence for this version of Piccolo. Maybe it's because Piccolo was God, maybe it's because Piccolo is the strongest Warrior-type Namekian, or maybe it's because of Piccolo's individual character.

I think the implication is clear: it's because Kami is part of Piccolo. The reverence he had for Kami is passed down to Piccolo. You could say that he inherited the connection/relationship between Kami and Shenlong.

[Toxin45]

Watched this yesterday with my family

[JulieYBM]

Me: "Oh hey, I have an AMC Rewards Bonus card-thingy, I should try to go see Super Hero!"
*Special showings apparently do not allow rewards to be used*
Me: "Well, fuck."