Episode One
Spoiler:
What can any fan of Japanese animation say about Dragon Ball that hasn't already been said? The franchise is a worldwide icon for action cartoons and comics. It's a rare pop cultural hit that transcends national barriers, making it difficult to imagine a time when the likes of Goku, Freeza, Piccolo and Vegeta weren't household names within the anime community and beyond. With the franchise in Japan currently experiencing a major resurgence, its legacy has been only that much harder to ignore. But even the plethora of Dragon Ball animated specials, movies and video games that have come out in recent years couldn't prepare us for this - the first new Dragon Ball TV show to air in 18 years. While far from groundbreaking, Dragon Ball Super's first episode proves that there's still plenty of life left in manga artist Akira Toriyama's brainchild work.
Dragon Ball Super aired its pilot episode in Japan on July 5, 2015, while most Americans were still being dazzled by Independence Day fireworks. A celebratory mood certainly suited the franchise's long-awaited return to TV. First published in 1984 as a gag-comic retelling of a classic Chinese fable, Dragon Ball morphed over the years into a martial arts romp, infused with science fiction elements and packed with absurdly powerful characters. Chief among them is Son Goku, whom the story follows from his days as a monkey-tailed wild boy, to his adulthood exploits saving the universe. With the later in mind, many returning viewers and those familiar with Dragon Ball only through hearsay may be surprised by how little new first episode dwells on its famous lung-straining action.
In the months following their titanic battle against Majin Buu, we find the Earth's heroes going about surprisingly normal lives. Goku has taken up farming to placate his shrewish wife, Chi-Chi and earn a living for their underprivileged family. A fighting junkie and lovable goof, Goku would of course much rather be off training. He even has his youngest child Goten take over driving his tractor while he exercises, demonstrating his famously relaxed approach to parenting. The answer to Goku's predicament comes when his future in-law Mr. Satan - a macho superstar - wins a world peace prize. "Who's getting the 100 million Zeni?" the episode's title asks, and given how the plot is framed, the answer shouldn't come as a surprise. In the meantime, Goten and his best pal Trunks also share a wacky adventure as they search for a wedding gift for Videl, Mr. Satan's daughter and Goten's soon-to-be sister-in-law. These slice-of-life moments take up most of the runtime, and weave in character introductions remarkably well.
From the start, Dragon Ball Super basks in Toriyama's signature storytelling style - at least the one he's currently most comfortable with. Though he dabbled in serious drama during Dragon Ball's more famous arcs, the majority of both his older profile and modern works are far more lighthearted. So far, the new Dragon Ball show counts itself in this camp. From the blobby, pink man-child Mr. Buu pestering Mr. Satan for food; to Master Roshi jogging all the way to Goku's house to mooch money to buy perverted DVDs, the goofier sides of Dragon Ball's characters are on full display. Little comedic touches are also appropriately sprinkled into the backdrops of many scenes. An old man sneezes out his dentures while soaking in a hot spring and Mr. Satan's prize money comes with the author avatar Tori-Bot printed on each bill.
Thankfully, the show proves it can balance humor with substance. We see this when the fickle God of Destruction Beerus feasts among a court of haplessly terrified pig people out in space. Tasked with maintaining balance in the universe, the feline deity is resolved to destroy the pigs' planet if their cuisine fails to please him. He finds one dish delicious, but too greasy, so he settles on blowing up only half their world. While the premise sounds ridiculous, the scene actually pulls off genuine tension. Eerie music plays throughout, and carefully composed shots build suspense by only framing parts of Beerus onscreen at a time while he judges the planet's fate. Attempts at embedding drama into the plot back on Earth, unfortunately, don't work nearly as well. At one point, a giant python attacks Goten and Trunks, resulting in a rather silly confrontation. Given how strong these kids are, a fight with an oversized woodland critter creates no sense of danger. It just comes across as padding.
Animation-wise, the episode looks just about as good as one could expect from Toei Animation. In its hands, Dragon Ball on TV was never especially well-animated from a technical standpoint, and Dragon Ball Super fares similarly. Its functional animation gets the job done and thankfully has more than enough charm to make up for clear budgetary constraints. Though the art uses bright colors, it never looks too glossy thanks to the right amount of texture and shading. Outdoor backgrounds have an especially lovely hand-painted look to them. Character movement isn't as fluid compared to modern Shonen adaptions like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Hunter x Hunter, but they never look too stiff. Many old-school fans may take a greater issue with how the characters are drawn across the board. Most sport noticeably flatter features, notably on the brows and contours of the face. Having said that, designs haven't changed so much as to render the cast unrecognizable. By and large, the aesthetic still screams Dragon Ball.
Dragon Ball Super offers a mixed bag of musical arrangements. Effective orchestral tracks are placed at the right moments, but others sound overly synthetic, notably one that plays when Mr. Satan comically confronts Mr. Buu for barging in on his press conference. It's a bit of a departure from the classical music of Shunsuke Kikuchi's original Japanese score, not to mention Funimation's brooding Americanized tracks from the early 2000s. On the other hand, the opening and ending themes (thanks in part to the animation paired with them) will tug on the nostalgia strings of anyone who grew up with Goku and the gang.
Vocally, that might not be the case for those who've only watched Dragon Ball in English. Dragon Ball Super obviously doesn't have a localized dub yet, and likely won't for some time. Until then, I hope western viewers give the seasoned Japanese actors a chance. After 30 years of voicing him, no other actor can really claim to know Goku better than Masako Nozawa, even if her high-pitch performance is an acquired taste. Many purists consider her an integral part of Dragon Ball. The rest of the cast perform well in their roles (though I do find Takeshi Kusao as kid Trunks a tad grating). Beerus's voice actor in particular commands attention with an authoritative, but also whimsical delivery.
Perhaps Dragon Ball Super's most discernable flaw so far is the failure of its producers to distribute it internationally. While many a lesser series streams to foreign audiences soon after an episode airs in Japan, the powers-that-be at Toei Animation have yet to set up a North American simulcast deal with Funimation, their logical partner. For an anime series as stupendously popular as Dragon Ball, I can only pin this on an astonishing lack of foresight. Obviously, in order to write this review I had to plunge into the shady realm of fansubs, something I'm not at all proud of. But I intended to cover such a historic series from its start, and for now the review must go on. With any hope, we'll all soon be enjoying Dragon Ball Super on a legit site, with professional translations and superior video quality. Unless you're frothing at the mouth to watch a new Dragon Ball show (or are obsessed with reviewing it too), I recommend waiting until then. Illegal anime streaming sites are only moderately less evil when they air a show that hasn't been licensed yet.
Dragon Ball Super's first episode feels like a callback to the adventuresome anime of the 80s and 90s in all the right ways. Rather than begin with a bang, the writers led with something softer and wholesome. Episode one feels like one of the breather episodes we got between major story arcs in the original series, working as a natural continuation from the Buu Arc. It tells a fun story, with fun characters and highlights many endearing traits that have helped the series endure for so long. A surprising early focus on family interactions also lends plenty of heartwarming moments for those who want more than nonstop action from a Dragon Ball story. The telling smile Goku gives the camera as he sits amongst his family and friends as the sun sets at the end of the show's ending theme says it all. Dragon Ball is back.
Episode Score - B+
Dragon Ball Super aired its pilot episode in Japan on July 5, 2015, while most Americans were still being dazzled by Independence Day fireworks. A celebratory mood certainly suited the franchise's long-awaited return to TV. First published in 1984 as a gag-comic retelling of a classic Chinese fable, Dragon Ball morphed over the years into a martial arts romp, infused with science fiction elements and packed with absurdly powerful characters. Chief among them is Son Goku, whom the story follows from his days as a monkey-tailed wild boy, to his adulthood exploits saving the universe. With the later in mind, many returning viewers and those familiar with Dragon Ball only through hearsay may be surprised by how little new first episode dwells on its famous lung-straining action.
In the months following their titanic battle against Majin Buu, we find the Earth's heroes going about surprisingly normal lives. Goku has taken up farming to placate his shrewish wife, Chi-Chi and earn a living for their underprivileged family. A fighting junkie and lovable goof, Goku would of course much rather be off training. He even has his youngest child Goten take over driving his tractor while he exercises, demonstrating his famously relaxed approach to parenting. The answer to Goku's predicament comes when his future in-law Mr. Satan - a macho superstar - wins a world peace prize. "Who's getting the 100 million Zeni?" the episode's title asks, and given how the plot is framed, the answer shouldn't come as a surprise. In the meantime, Goten and his best pal Trunks also share a wacky adventure as they search for a wedding gift for Videl, Mr. Satan's daughter and Goten's soon-to-be sister-in-law. These slice-of-life moments take up most of the runtime, and weave in character introductions remarkably well.
From the start, Dragon Ball Super basks in Toriyama's signature storytelling style - at least the one he's currently most comfortable with. Though he dabbled in serious drama during Dragon Ball's more famous arcs, the majority of both his older profile and modern works are far more lighthearted. So far, the new Dragon Ball show counts itself in this camp. From the blobby, pink man-child Mr. Buu pestering Mr. Satan for food; to Master Roshi jogging all the way to Goku's house to mooch money to buy perverted DVDs, the goofier sides of Dragon Ball's characters are on full display. Little comedic touches are also appropriately sprinkled into the backdrops of many scenes. An old man sneezes out his dentures while soaking in a hot spring and Mr. Satan's prize money comes with the author avatar Tori-Bot printed on each bill.
Thankfully, the show proves it can balance humor with substance. We see this when the fickle God of Destruction Beerus feasts among a court of haplessly terrified pig people out in space. Tasked with maintaining balance in the universe, the feline deity is resolved to destroy the pigs' planet if their cuisine fails to please him. He finds one dish delicious, but too greasy, so he settles on blowing up only half their world. While the premise sounds ridiculous, the scene actually pulls off genuine tension. Eerie music plays throughout, and carefully composed shots build suspense by only framing parts of Beerus onscreen at a time while he judges the planet's fate. Attempts at embedding drama into the plot back on Earth, unfortunately, don't work nearly as well. At one point, a giant python attacks Goten and Trunks, resulting in a rather silly confrontation. Given how strong these kids are, a fight with an oversized woodland critter creates no sense of danger. It just comes across as padding.
Animation-wise, the episode looks just about as good as one could expect from Toei Animation. In its hands, Dragon Ball on TV was never especially well-animated from a technical standpoint, and Dragon Ball Super fares similarly. Its functional animation gets the job done and thankfully has more than enough charm to make up for clear budgetary constraints. Though the art uses bright colors, it never looks too glossy thanks to the right amount of texture and shading. Outdoor backgrounds have an especially lovely hand-painted look to them. Character movement isn't as fluid compared to modern Shonen adaptions like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Hunter x Hunter, but they never look too stiff. Many old-school fans may take a greater issue with how the characters are drawn across the board. Most sport noticeably flatter features, notably on the brows and contours of the face. Having said that, designs haven't changed so much as to render the cast unrecognizable. By and large, the aesthetic still screams Dragon Ball.
Dragon Ball Super offers a mixed bag of musical arrangements. Effective orchestral tracks are placed at the right moments, but others sound overly synthetic, notably one that plays when Mr. Satan comically confronts Mr. Buu for barging in on his press conference. It's a bit of a departure from the classical music of Shunsuke Kikuchi's original Japanese score, not to mention Funimation's brooding Americanized tracks from the early 2000s. On the other hand, the opening and ending themes (thanks in part to the animation paired with them) will tug on the nostalgia strings of anyone who grew up with Goku and the gang.
Vocally, that might not be the case for those who've only watched Dragon Ball in English. Dragon Ball Super obviously doesn't have a localized dub yet, and likely won't for some time. Until then, I hope western viewers give the seasoned Japanese actors a chance. After 30 years of voicing him, no other actor can really claim to know Goku better than Masako Nozawa, even if her high-pitch performance is an acquired taste. Many purists consider her an integral part of Dragon Ball. The rest of the cast perform well in their roles (though I do find Takeshi Kusao as kid Trunks a tad grating). Beerus's voice actor in particular commands attention with an authoritative, but also whimsical delivery.
Perhaps Dragon Ball Super's most discernable flaw so far is the failure of its producers to distribute it internationally. While many a lesser series streams to foreign audiences soon after an episode airs in Japan, the powers-that-be at Toei Animation have yet to set up a North American simulcast deal with Funimation, their logical partner. For an anime series as stupendously popular as Dragon Ball, I can only pin this on an astonishing lack of foresight. Obviously, in order to write this review I had to plunge into the shady realm of fansubs, something I'm not at all proud of. But I intended to cover such a historic series from its start, and for now the review must go on. With any hope, we'll all soon be enjoying Dragon Ball Super on a legit site, with professional translations and superior video quality. Unless you're frothing at the mouth to watch a new Dragon Ball show (or are obsessed with reviewing it too), I recommend waiting until then. Illegal anime streaming sites are only moderately less evil when they air a show that hasn't been licensed yet.
Dragon Ball Super's first episode feels like a callback to the adventuresome anime of the 80s and 90s in all the right ways. Rather than begin with a bang, the writers led with something softer and wholesome. Episode one feels like one of the breather episodes we got between major story arcs in the original series, working as a natural continuation from the Buu Arc. It tells a fun story, with fun characters and highlights many endearing traits that have helped the series endure for so long. A surprising early focus on family interactions also lends plenty of heartwarming moments for those who want more than nonstop action from a Dragon Ball story. The telling smile Goku gives the camera as he sits amongst his family and friends as the sun sets at the end of the show's ending theme says it all. Dragon Ball is back.
Episode Score - B+
Spoiler:
Here's a fun experiment: ask a group of Dragon Ball Z fans about what filler they actually liked from the original cartoon. More than a few will no doubt cite the profoundly ridiculous driving school episode. In it Goku and Piccolo reluctantly take a break from their training regime to learn how to drive. Naturally, they fail spectacularly. Farcical scenarios like this came along every now and then during Dragon Ball's original broadcast, plopping characters more at home on barren battlefields into ill-suited everyday settings. Hilarity usually ensued. Dragon Ball Super's second episode seizes upon the spirit of these premises and runs with it, forcing Vegeta to tag along with his wife and son on a tacky family holiday. The resulting affronts to the Saiyan Prince's pride provides an amusing foundation for the episode, balanced by more substantial events unfolding elsewhere in the cosmos.
Vegeta makes his first appearance standing on the roof of a plane as Bulma pilots it towards a popular tourist trap. To help her husband train, she spins the aircraft through the clouds, dives into the ocean and plummets through a dense forest. As an octopus slides off his face and twigs gather in his hair, Vegeta endures the aerial onslaught with ease. Eventually, the family reaches their destination and Vegeta gets to show off his moody attitude as well. Thinking the whole trip is an irritating waste of time, he follows stone-faced from one vacation sinkhole to the next. He sticks around only to fulfill a promise he made back in the Buu Arc to take Trunks to an amusement park. It's neat to see Dragon Ball Super follow up on this minor detail from the manga. Hopefully, it's a sign the staff are paying close attention to the source material, and will dodge the inconsistencies endemic in other recent Dragon Ball animations.
Even when Vegeta gets to enthusiastically chow down on massive plates of food, a roasted octopus ruins his mood when it sprays black ink all over him. That he actually manages to put up with all this tomfoolery demonstrates how much he's changed since his introduction as a genocidal space pirate more than 30 years ago. Of course, mellowing out only goes so far for Vegeta. Eventually, he loses his patience after being hassled in a tropical concert mosh pit and blasts off to catch up on training. Yes, Vegeta is still obsessed with surpassing Son Goku. Yes, it's a retreaded character trait that's begun to wear out its welcome. But old habits die hard, I suppose, and it does give Vegeta motivation to improve himself. At the very least, it was nice to see him temporarily swallow his pride to make his son happy. Even when he hightails it, Bulma muses that it was amazing he lasted as long as he did. Families in Dragon Ball are weird like that.
While Vegeta is stuck fulfilling family obligations, Goku has bummed off to Kaiō's refurbished planet to train. Better known as King Kai in the U.S., the Lord of Worlds and bad jokes is exasperated at Goku teleporting in unannounced. Being a bit of jerk, Goku brushes off his divine teacher's concerns, pigs out on rice and begins exercising. As it turns out, Kaiō's not the only one dealing with uninvited guests this episode. Out in space, Beerus and Whis drop in on a prehistoric planet for groceries. On the surface, a tribe of green, four-armed googly eyed aliens and their cocky Tarzan leader take down a fire-breathing dinosaur. As they carry its carcass away, Whis shows up to politely demand the aliens hand over the meat. None too pleased, the alien chief transforms into a red Yu-Gi-Oh monster and attacks Beerus, who comes to pester Whis for taking too long. Irritated, the divine cat deflects the alien's pesky attacks and subsequently blows the planet up for good measure.
Admittedly, the goofy shenanigans leading up to the planet's destruction doesn't quite match the later tragic tone. Whis carrying out a caveman grunt conversation with the alien keeps the scene from feeling too serious. Wiping out the quirky natives on a whim stills set up Beerus and Whis as clear antagonists - especially compared to their breezy introduction in Battle of Gods. We're reminded that, despite their amusing traits, these two are not nice people. Beerus nonchalantly looks on as the planet explodes, amused by the lightshow. With energy beams erupting from the surface, the doomed world bursting apart in space does put on a dazzling spectacle. The same can be said for the rest of the episode, which combines competent drawings with a diverse color palette. It's particularly nice to see Vegeta drawn with fuller hair and sharper features compared to his rounder look from recent movies. He looks more like the classic Vegeta design fans love, while also rocking a stylish dark blue polo shirt.
Like in the first episode, the animators continue to use cgi to lend notable environmental objects a distinct, heavily textured look, such as the octopus Vegeta attempts to eat. Personally, I find these effects are a nice touch and don't clash too much with the 2D aesthetics. More can be said of the greater abundance of still shots used in Episode Two. If anything, they highlight the thin budget allotted to Dragon Ball Super, allowing animators to cut down on drawings. Thankfully, they're used economically, and in some cases even complementary. For instance, the montage that highlights moments from the vacation - including one hilarious shot of Vegeta riding a miniature train - simulates the feeling of looking through a family album. Action scenes don't fare as well, unfortunately, coming across as weak and uninspired. But at this point in the narrative, they're of little consequence, and will no doubt improve for the truly impressive battles later on. For now, Dragon Ball Super has continued to favor comedy, and for that it's the little touches that matter.
As a whole, Vegeta getting dragged into a family outing doesn't fail to entertain. The concept never wears out its welcome, thanks to screen time devoted to other characters. Everything felt balanced and lasted just as long as it needed to. I can say the same for the show overall. Already, it knows just how to mix the right elements to create steady, enjoyable episodes. So far everyone on the Japanese cast is nailing their roles (though I reserve a personal exception for Trunks, whose forced kid voice simply doesn't work for me). It was particularly nice to hear Jōji Yanami's dignified delivery of Kaiō's lines, rather than Sean Schemmel's nasal-snorting gag voice. Don't get me wrong, I like Schemmel as Goku fine enough. But his "King Kai" portrayal diverges far too drastically from the Japanese performance. It really feels like a relic of outdated dubbing practices.
Compared to the voice acting, it's harder to assess the music thoroughly. It's been such a hodgepodge of differing styles. Most arrangements work within the context of their scenes (an exotic Arabian horn melody for Beerus relaxing, a foreboding ambient hum for the planet exploding, ect), but they still don't quite capture a Dragon Ball vibe. That said, the opening theme is growing on me more and more, though I wish the main singer had put more energy into delivering his lyrics.
So far, I haven't touched on Toei Animation's plan to retell its latest theatrical Dragon Ball movies as Dragon Ball Super's first arcs. Next episode that will change, as the show begins to directly cover material from Battle of Gods. Having proved a controversial move among fans who enjoyed those films as they were, Toei will be treading on fragile ground. With a smaller budget, but more time to expand the plot we saw in theaters, it will be interesting to see how changes are handled once we're in the thick of the movie's action. For now, Beerus is only beginning to remember his premonition of a Super Saiyan God - a powerful warrior destined to entertain him endlessly. If future episodes are anything like this one - nicely paced, visually pleasing and seamlessly building upon Akira Toriyama's universe - Dragon Ball Super is sure to do the same for us.
Episode Score - A-
Vegeta makes his first appearance standing on the roof of a plane as Bulma pilots it towards a popular tourist trap. To help her husband train, she spins the aircraft through the clouds, dives into the ocean and plummets through a dense forest. As an octopus slides off his face and twigs gather in his hair, Vegeta endures the aerial onslaught with ease. Eventually, the family reaches their destination and Vegeta gets to show off his moody attitude as well. Thinking the whole trip is an irritating waste of time, he follows stone-faced from one vacation sinkhole to the next. He sticks around only to fulfill a promise he made back in the Buu Arc to take Trunks to an amusement park. It's neat to see Dragon Ball Super follow up on this minor detail from the manga. Hopefully, it's a sign the staff are paying close attention to the source material, and will dodge the inconsistencies endemic in other recent Dragon Ball animations.
Even when Vegeta gets to enthusiastically chow down on massive plates of food, a roasted octopus ruins his mood when it sprays black ink all over him. That he actually manages to put up with all this tomfoolery demonstrates how much he's changed since his introduction as a genocidal space pirate more than 30 years ago. Of course, mellowing out only goes so far for Vegeta. Eventually, he loses his patience after being hassled in a tropical concert mosh pit and blasts off to catch up on training. Yes, Vegeta is still obsessed with surpassing Son Goku. Yes, it's a retreaded character trait that's begun to wear out its welcome. But old habits die hard, I suppose, and it does give Vegeta motivation to improve himself. At the very least, it was nice to see him temporarily swallow his pride to make his son happy. Even when he hightails it, Bulma muses that it was amazing he lasted as long as he did. Families in Dragon Ball are weird like that.
While Vegeta is stuck fulfilling family obligations, Goku has bummed off to Kaiō's refurbished planet to train. Better known as King Kai in the U.S., the Lord of Worlds and bad jokes is exasperated at Goku teleporting in unannounced. Being a bit of jerk, Goku brushes off his divine teacher's concerns, pigs out on rice and begins exercising. As it turns out, Kaiō's not the only one dealing with uninvited guests this episode. Out in space, Beerus and Whis drop in on a prehistoric planet for groceries. On the surface, a tribe of green, four-armed googly eyed aliens and their cocky Tarzan leader take down a fire-breathing dinosaur. As they carry its carcass away, Whis shows up to politely demand the aliens hand over the meat. None too pleased, the alien chief transforms into a red Yu-Gi-Oh monster and attacks Beerus, who comes to pester Whis for taking too long. Irritated, the divine cat deflects the alien's pesky attacks and subsequently blows the planet up for good measure.
Admittedly, the goofy shenanigans leading up to the planet's destruction doesn't quite match the later tragic tone. Whis carrying out a caveman grunt conversation with the alien keeps the scene from feeling too serious. Wiping out the quirky natives on a whim stills set up Beerus and Whis as clear antagonists - especially compared to their breezy introduction in Battle of Gods. We're reminded that, despite their amusing traits, these two are not nice people. Beerus nonchalantly looks on as the planet explodes, amused by the lightshow. With energy beams erupting from the surface, the doomed world bursting apart in space does put on a dazzling spectacle. The same can be said for the rest of the episode, which combines competent drawings with a diverse color palette. It's particularly nice to see Vegeta drawn with fuller hair and sharper features compared to his rounder look from recent movies. He looks more like the classic Vegeta design fans love, while also rocking a stylish dark blue polo shirt.
Like in the first episode, the animators continue to use cgi to lend notable environmental objects a distinct, heavily textured look, such as the octopus Vegeta attempts to eat. Personally, I find these effects are a nice touch and don't clash too much with the 2D aesthetics. More can be said of the greater abundance of still shots used in Episode Two. If anything, they highlight the thin budget allotted to Dragon Ball Super, allowing animators to cut down on drawings. Thankfully, they're used economically, and in some cases even complementary. For instance, the montage that highlights moments from the vacation - including one hilarious shot of Vegeta riding a miniature train - simulates the feeling of looking through a family album. Action scenes don't fare as well, unfortunately, coming across as weak and uninspired. But at this point in the narrative, they're of little consequence, and will no doubt improve for the truly impressive battles later on. For now, Dragon Ball Super has continued to favor comedy, and for that it's the little touches that matter.
As a whole, Vegeta getting dragged into a family outing doesn't fail to entertain. The concept never wears out its welcome, thanks to screen time devoted to other characters. Everything felt balanced and lasted just as long as it needed to. I can say the same for the show overall. Already, it knows just how to mix the right elements to create steady, enjoyable episodes. So far everyone on the Japanese cast is nailing their roles (though I reserve a personal exception for Trunks, whose forced kid voice simply doesn't work for me). It was particularly nice to hear Jōji Yanami's dignified delivery of Kaiō's lines, rather than Sean Schemmel's nasal-snorting gag voice. Don't get me wrong, I like Schemmel as Goku fine enough. But his "King Kai" portrayal diverges far too drastically from the Japanese performance. It really feels like a relic of outdated dubbing practices.
Compared to the voice acting, it's harder to assess the music thoroughly. It's been such a hodgepodge of differing styles. Most arrangements work within the context of their scenes (an exotic Arabian horn melody for Beerus relaxing, a foreboding ambient hum for the planet exploding, ect), but they still don't quite capture a Dragon Ball vibe. That said, the opening theme is growing on me more and more, though I wish the main singer had put more energy into delivering his lyrics.
So far, I haven't touched on Toei Animation's plan to retell its latest theatrical Dragon Ball movies as Dragon Ball Super's first arcs. Next episode that will change, as the show begins to directly cover material from Battle of Gods. Having proved a controversial move among fans who enjoyed those films as they were, Toei will be treading on fragile ground. With a smaller budget, but more time to expand the plot we saw in theaters, it will be interesting to see how changes are handled once we're in the thick of the movie's action. For now, Beerus is only beginning to remember his premonition of a Super Saiyan God - a powerful warrior destined to entertain him endlessly. If future episodes are anything like this one - nicely paced, visually pleasing and seamlessly building upon Akira Toriyama's universe - Dragon Ball Super is sure to do the same for us.
Episode Score - A-
Spoiler:
In its third episode, Dragon Ball Super has at last moved onto adapting the plot of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods in earnest. As fun as previous episodes were, their fixation on silly self-contained adventures wouldn't have stayed fresh for long, so it's as good a time as any to finally jumpstart the main plot. Towards this, Episode Three acts largely as a bridge to lead into larger events, and it serves its purpose well enough. But I'd be lying if I said it packed the same memorable charm seen in the show's first two installments.
When I first learned that Dragon Ball Super's initial arcs were going to retell the events of the franchise's recent theatrical films - Battle of Gods and Resurrection F - I was less than impressed. Since then, I've warmed up to the idea considerably, but that doesn't mean I don't still understand how others could see it as a disservice to fans. After all, these movies just came out. Seeing them get effectively retconned and retold so soon feels weird, especially after Toei Animation pegged them as an official continuation of Akira Toriyama's story. People have already seen their events play out in theaters, so why repackage them for television? On the other hand, a TV series will have more time to do these stories justice, without the limits of a cramped theatrical runtime. Regardless of the wisdom behind it, Episode Three gives us a good taste of what to expect from this adaptation: an expanded storyline told with inferior animation.
Though scenes repeatedly jump from one character to next, Beerus and Whis are the episode's clear focal point. They return home to ponder the identity of the mysterious Super Saiyan God over a scrumptious dessert. With a little help from the absent-minded and adorable Oracle Fish, they eventually decided the surviving Saiyans on Planet Earth are their best lead. Learning that one of the Saiyans, Son Goku, defeated the galactic tyrant Freeza shocks Beerus and he decides to meet the mighty hero first. Whis locates him on Kaiō's planet with his crystal ball staff, and they prepare to set off. Observing the God of Destruction's movements are the Gods of Creation, Elder Kaiōshin and East Kaiōshin. We've seen these two react to Beerus's destructive deeds in past episodes, and by now their routine is getting a bit old. They keep freaking out about Beerus being awake, retreading the same ground over and over. At least now they've begun to actually respond to his actions, coordinating with Kaiō to make sure Goku doesn't find out about the cat deity, since he'd surely try to fight him. Meanwhile on Earth, Bulma's birthday party reunion is underway, and she's none too pleased that Goku and Vegeta have skipped out on it to train.
From here on out, it would be best to get used to Beerus and Whis stealing the show. Their dynamics are always fun. In this episode we see Beerus react with subdued annoyance to having his dessert spilled and get comically startled while taking a bath. Of course, plenty of other characters have their own share of amusing scenes. Krillin and Android 18 make their first appearance in Dragon Ball Super in an appropriately low-key situation. After getting caught in a traffic jam, they ditch their vehicle and fly off, meeting Yamcha, Puar, Tienshinhan and Chiaotzu along the way to round out the remaining cast's reintroductions. As people arrive at Bulma's party, my favorite scene from the episode takes place when Gohan and Videl show Piccolo their marriage photo. The stoic alien warrior is aghast to see that he blinked in the shot, which I found absolutely hilarious. In comparison, seeing Master Roshi perv on women - this time gawking at beach-going babes with binoculars - has all but lost its charm. He's become a self-parody at this point, and the same can be said for Chi-Chi and her overbearing house wife persona. They were fine enough in the first episode, but come on Toei. Give us some variety with these characters.
Normally, I'd talk a little more about the episode's animation highlights, but there really isn't much to comment on here. It was a visually boring episode. Like usual, the shots were composed and framed competently, but there simply weren't many interesting moments for the staff to animate. Likewise, nothing stood out as notably good, while there was plenty of bad to go around. Scenes from Bulma's party came across as cheap and lifeless compared to their Battle of Gods counterparts, mostly because of the excessive use of still frames. Overall, it felt like a huge downgrade from not just the movie, but even the first and second episodes. That being said, backgrounds still looked quite nice, particularly the cityscape Krillin flew through with his family and Beerus's uncanny temple. On the audio side, the music blended together to the point that I can't remember a single track that played during the episode. The Japanese voice actors continue to shine in their roles, of course, although there is one sad exception. Though I didn't pick up on it during the first two episodes, Jōji Yanami's performances as the narrator and Kaiō - roles that he's held for decades - have sounded drained recently. He simply doesn't lend energy to scenes that call for overactive reactions, such as when Kaiō gets paint dumped all over him and yells at Goku for wiping his face with a dirty rag. Though I still admire his performance and perseverance, his age is clearly catching up with him.
Retellings are infamously tricky to pull off. Fans pick up on any change that doesn't jive well with the original work, and any discussion of a remake's merits soon becomes mired in comparisons. So far, Dragon Ball Super hasn't completely sold me on its version of Battle of Gods. The television reimagining has lost too much of the film's whimsy. I especially miss the scene where Beerus eats breakfast inside a hall immersed in a tranquil otherworldly Aquarian. It was drenched with atmosphere, and the Dragon Ball Super equivalent feels like a poor imitation in comparison. And of course, the animation is leagues below what the movie had to offer. But with an open mind, I'll wait and see what kind of effort Toei Animation puts into retelling the film's more prominent scenes. In the meantime, Dragon Ball Super's third episode is by no means terrible. There simply isn't much here to win over those who think Battle of Gods should have been left alone.
Episode Score - C
When I first learned that Dragon Ball Super's initial arcs were going to retell the events of the franchise's recent theatrical films - Battle of Gods and Resurrection F - I was less than impressed. Since then, I've warmed up to the idea considerably, but that doesn't mean I don't still understand how others could see it as a disservice to fans. After all, these movies just came out. Seeing them get effectively retconned and retold so soon feels weird, especially after Toei Animation pegged them as an official continuation of Akira Toriyama's story. People have already seen their events play out in theaters, so why repackage them for television? On the other hand, a TV series will have more time to do these stories justice, without the limits of a cramped theatrical runtime. Regardless of the wisdom behind it, Episode Three gives us a good taste of what to expect from this adaptation: an expanded storyline told with inferior animation.
Though scenes repeatedly jump from one character to next, Beerus and Whis are the episode's clear focal point. They return home to ponder the identity of the mysterious Super Saiyan God over a scrumptious dessert. With a little help from the absent-minded and adorable Oracle Fish, they eventually decided the surviving Saiyans on Planet Earth are their best lead. Learning that one of the Saiyans, Son Goku, defeated the galactic tyrant Freeza shocks Beerus and he decides to meet the mighty hero first. Whis locates him on Kaiō's planet with his crystal ball staff, and they prepare to set off. Observing the God of Destruction's movements are the Gods of Creation, Elder Kaiōshin and East Kaiōshin. We've seen these two react to Beerus's destructive deeds in past episodes, and by now their routine is getting a bit old. They keep freaking out about Beerus being awake, retreading the same ground over and over. At least now they've begun to actually respond to his actions, coordinating with Kaiō to make sure Goku doesn't find out about the cat deity, since he'd surely try to fight him. Meanwhile on Earth, Bulma's birthday party reunion is underway, and she's none too pleased that Goku and Vegeta have skipped out on it to train.
From here on out, it would be best to get used to Beerus and Whis stealing the show. Their dynamics are always fun. In this episode we see Beerus react with subdued annoyance to having his dessert spilled and get comically startled while taking a bath. Of course, plenty of other characters have their own share of amusing scenes. Krillin and Android 18 make their first appearance in Dragon Ball Super in an appropriately low-key situation. After getting caught in a traffic jam, they ditch their vehicle and fly off, meeting Yamcha, Puar, Tienshinhan and Chiaotzu along the way to round out the remaining cast's reintroductions. As people arrive at Bulma's party, my favorite scene from the episode takes place when Gohan and Videl show Piccolo their marriage photo. The stoic alien warrior is aghast to see that he blinked in the shot, which I found absolutely hilarious. In comparison, seeing Master Roshi perv on women - this time gawking at beach-going babes with binoculars - has all but lost its charm. He's become a self-parody at this point, and the same can be said for Chi-Chi and her overbearing house wife persona. They were fine enough in the first episode, but come on Toei. Give us some variety with these characters.
Normally, I'd talk a little more about the episode's animation highlights, but there really isn't much to comment on here. It was a visually boring episode. Like usual, the shots were composed and framed competently, but there simply weren't many interesting moments for the staff to animate. Likewise, nothing stood out as notably good, while there was plenty of bad to go around. Scenes from Bulma's party came across as cheap and lifeless compared to their Battle of Gods counterparts, mostly because of the excessive use of still frames. Overall, it felt like a huge downgrade from not just the movie, but even the first and second episodes. That being said, backgrounds still looked quite nice, particularly the cityscape Krillin flew through with his family and Beerus's uncanny temple. On the audio side, the music blended together to the point that I can't remember a single track that played during the episode. The Japanese voice actors continue to shine in their roles, of course, although there is one sad exception. Though I didn't pick up on it during the first two episodes, Jōji Yanami's performances as the narrator and Kaiō - roles that he's held for decades - have sounded drained recently. He simply doesn't lend energy to scenes that call for overactive reactions, such as when Kaiō gets paint dumped all over him and yells at Goku for wiping his face with a dirty rag. Though I still admire his performance and perseverance, his age is clearly catching up with him.
Retellings are infamously tricky to pull off. Fans pick up on any change that doesn't jive well with the original work, and any discussion of a remake's merits soon becomes mired in comparisons. So far, Dragon Ball Super hasn't completely sold me on its version of Battle of Gods. The television reimagining has lost too much of the film's whimsy. I especially miss the scene where Beerus eats breakfast inside a hall immersed in a tranquil otherworldly Aquarian. It was drenched with atmosphere, and the Dragon Ball Super equivalent feels like a poor imitation in comparison. And of course, the animation is leagues below what the movie had to offer. But with an open mind, I'll wait and see what kind of effort Toei Animation puts into retelling the film's more prominent scenes. In the meantime, Dragon Ball Super's third episode is by no means terrible. There simply isn't much here to win over those who think Battle of Gods should have been left alone.
Episode Score - C
Spoiler:
Opinions were mixed when it first became apparent that Dragon Ball Super was going to retell the franchise's latest movies from the start. On one hand, its defenders pointed out that a television show could give the films' plots greater room to breath. The pacing would improve, these fans claimed, and we'd see more subplots and character interactions. So far, the episodes adapting Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods have yet to meet these aspirations. Sure, the story is being expanded, but not in ways that were needed.
More than anything else, Akira Toriyama's decision to bring Pilaf, Mai and Shu back for Battle of Gods linked the film to the silly antics of early Dragon Ball. The diminutive emperor and his bumbling sidekicks were the first major villains Son Goku encountered on his childhood adventures. Plotting to take over the world, they made sporadic appearances throughout the early manga and anime, mostly serving as comic relief. Think Team Rocket from Pokémon, except used more sparingly. In their Dragon Ball Super debut, Pilaf has dragged his agents off to dig for buried treasure on a tropical island. Marooned and starving, things start to look up for them when their Dragon Radar detects all seven wish-granting Dragon Balls gathered on an approaching cruise ship. They paddle out in a sinking rowboat and get pulled onboard by Goten and Trunks just in time to escape a marauding shark. Once they've dried off, the three misfits pig out on birthday food after Pilaf gets over some trepidation about accepting handouts.
I don't want to make a habit of writing this, but Battle of Gods gave Pilaf and his cohorts a more fitting introduction. That's not to say their silliness wasn't amusing in the episode. There were plenty of moments - such as Pilaf lamenting that even the ocean's fish don't respect him - that captured their personalities and ineptitude perfectly. But their nautical adventure simply doesn't measure up. In the movie, they deliberately infiltrate Bulma's party to make off with the Dragon Balls. It was an uncomplicated premise that established who they were quickly and efficiently. In the show, they happen upon the party through forced, dumb luck. It's too convenient and takes away what little competency the gang had going for them before. At least Battle of Gods distilled their antics into digestible scenes without sidetracking too much from the main plot. Comparatively, Dragon Ball Super stretches out their screen time without adding any significant contributions to the story. All we get is rehashed slapstick.
Frankly, not much else happens in the episode outside Pilaf and his crew showing up. Out in space, Kaiō senses that Beerus is heading towards his planet. Not being very good at hiding his panic, he eventually ends up spilling the beans to Goku and cautions the eager fighter about the fickle God of Destruction's strength. Goku's naïve curiosity lends his interactions with Kaiō plenty of charm, making up for the uneventful scenes of people hanging out on a boat back on Earth. Even after Bulma yells at Vegeta over the phone to drop his training regimen and attend her birthday bash, I can almost sympathize with him for not wanting to mingle at such a spare get-together. Did we really need more scenes of Master Roshi getting nosebleeds or Mr. Buu stuffing his puffy pink face with food? Goten and Trunks smartly ditch the adults to run energetically through the ship and get a sneak peek at the party's bingo tournament prizes. These include a sports car, airplane and full-sized Japanese castle, proving once and for all just how stupid rich Bulma's family is. To further impress his friend, Trunks pulls the plug on a CGI energy cage to reveal the real grand prize - all seven Dragon Balls. Having such an obvious flaw to a high-tech security system stood out as a highlight of the episode's humor.
While not especially well-animated, Episode Four does pull off some superb exaggerated facial expressions and anatomy. Pilaf's face in particular stretches comically to fit his emotional tantrums and mood swings. It helped that animator Seizo Toma also lent the episode his signature style, drawing characters with thick dark outlines during intense close-ups. Doing so ramped up the visual impact of scenes like Pilaf grinning devilishly at his reading on the Dragon Radar. It was a nice aesthetic touch that gave the episode its own personality and blended nicely with the comedy. Unfortunately, the stylish drawings couldn't prevent a few animated hiccups. At one point, Goku fires off a Kamehameha while training and it simply doesn't look right. His body moves fluid enough when going through the technique's motions and its framed from a compelling perspective, zooming in dynamically on his palms at one point. But his movement looks disjointed between frames, kind of like an action figure being forced into the different postures. The beam itself looked mismatched when paired with the 2D backgrounds and characters and lacked significant force as a result. Energy attacks are a big part of Dragon Ball's fights. It's paramount for Toei Animation to put more effort into them in the future.
There really isn't much else to say about Dragon Ball Super's fourth episode, other than that it tries its best to entertain with limited means and mostly succeeds. But it's difficult to avoid unfavorable comparisons to its theatrical source material. Toei Animation has a perfect roadmap to follow in the form of Battle of Gods, and yet it's barely scrubbing the bottom of its potential. Many scenes mirror their film counterparts, albeit with weaker animation. Others simply introduce hollow cosmetic changes. Setting Bulma's birthday party on cruise ship continues to add nothing to the plot. At best, it's a poor substitute for Capsule Corp, an iconic Dragon Ball location where a big reunion of our favorite characters could actually hold some emotional resonance. Thankfully, Episode Four ends with Beerus and Whis finally arriving at Kaiō's Planet, meaning fans sick of Dragon Ball Super's easygoing fare can expect the action to ramp up soon. Let's just hope it accelerates in the right direction.
Episode Score - B-
More than anything else, Akira Toriyama's decision to bring Pilaf, Mai and Shu back for Battle of Gods linked the film to the silly antics of early Dragon Ball. The diminutive emperor and his bumbling sidekicks were the first major villains Son Goku encountered on his childhood adventures. Plotting to take over the world, they made sporadic appearances throughout the early manga and anime, mostly serving as comic relief. Think Team Rocket from Pokémon, except used more sparingly. In their Dragon Ball Super debut, Pilaf has dragged his agents off to dig for buried treasure on a tropical island. Marooned and starving, things start to look up for them when their Dragon Radar detects all seven wish-granting Dragon Balls gathered on an approaching cruise ship. They paddle out in a sinking rowboat and get pulled onboard by Goten and Trunks just in time to escape a marauding shark. Once they've dried off, the three misfits pig out on birthday food after Pilaf gets over some trepidation about accepting handouts.
I don't want to make a habit of writing this, but Battle of Gods gave Pilaf and his cohorts a more fitting introduction. That's not to say their silliness wasn't amusing in the episode. There were plenty of moments - such as Pilaf lamenting that even the ocean's fish don't respect him - that captured their personalities and ineptitude perfectly. But their nautical adventure simply doesn't measure up. In the movie, they deliberately infiltrate Bulma's party to make off with the Dragon Balls. It was an uncomplicated premise that established who they were quickly and efficiently. In the show, they happen upon the party through forced, dumb luck. It's too convenient and takes away what little competency the gang had going for them before. At least Battle of Gods distilled their antics into digestible scenes without sidetracking too much from the main plot. Comparatively, Dragon Ball Super stretches out their screen time without adding any significant contributions to the story. All we get is rehashed slapstick.
Frankly, not much else happens in the episode outside Pilaf and his crew showing up. Out in space, Kaiō senses that Beerus is heading towards his planet. Not being very good at hiding his panic, he eventually ends up spilling the beans to Goku and cautions the eager fighter about the fickle God of Destruction's strength. Goku's naïve curiosity lends his interactions with Kaiō plenty of charm, making up for the uneventful scenes of people hanging out on a boat back on Earth. Even after Bulma yells at Vegeta over the phone to drop his training regimen and attend her birthday bash, I can almost sympathize with him for not wanting to mingle at such a spare get-together. Did we really need more scenes of Master Roshi getting nosebleeds or Mr. Buu stuffing his puffy pink face with food? Goten and Trunks smartly ditch the adults to run energetically through the ship and get a sneak peek at the party's bingo tournament prizes. These include a sports car, airplane and full-sized Japanese castle, proving once and for all just how stupid rich Bulma's family is. To further impress his friend, Trunks pulls the plug on a CGI energy cage to reveal the real grand prize - all seven Dragon Balls. Having such an obvious flaw to a high-tech security system stood out as a highlight of the episode's humor.
While not especially well-animated, Episode Four does pull off some superb exaggerated facial expressions and anatomy. Pilaf's face in particular stretches comically to fit his emotional tantrums and mood swings. It helped that animator Seizo Toma also lent the episode his signature style, drawing characters with thick dark outlines during intense close-ups. Doing so ramped up the visual impact of scenes like Pilaf grinning devilishly at his reading on the Dragon Radar. It was a nice aesthetic touch that gave the episode its own personality and blended nicely with the comedy. Unfortunately, the stylish drawings couldn't prevent a few animated hiccups. At one point, Goku fires off a Kamehameha while training and it simply doesn't look right. His body moves fluid enough when going through the technique's motions and its framed from a compelling perspective, zooming in dynamically on his palms at one point. But his movement looks disjointed between frames, kind of like an action figure being forced into the different postures. The beam itself looked mismatched when paired with the 2D backgrounds and characters and lacked significant force as a result. Energy attacks are a big part of Dragon Ball's fights. It's paramount for Toei Animation to put more effort into them in the future.
There really isn't much else to say about Dragon Ball Super's fourth episode, other than that it tries its best to entertain with limited means and mostly succeeds. But it's difficult to avoid unfavorable comparisons to its theatrical source material. Toei Animation has a perfect roadmap to follow in the form of Battle of Gods, and yet it's barely scrubbing the bottom of its potential. Many scenes mirror their film counterparts, albeit with weaker animation. Others simply introduce hollow cosmetic changes. Setting Bulma's birthday party on cruise ship continues to add nothing to the plot. At best, it's a poor substitute for Capsule Corp, an iconic Dragon Ball location where a big reunion of our favorite characters could actually hold some emotional resonance. Thankfully, Episode Four ends with Beerus and Whis finally arriving at Kaiō's Planet, meaning fans sick of Dragon Ball Super's easygoing fare can expect the action to ramp up soon. Let's just hope it accelerates in the right direction.
Episode Score - B-
Spoiler:
Whether or not you've adored or hated Dragon Ball Super's happy-go-lucky take on the Dragon Ball formula so far, there's one point everyone can now agree on. Something went horribly wrong during the making of the fifth episode. Horribly, disastrously wrong. With the first meeting between Beerus and Goku, the show's animation team had a chance to prove their chops and choreograph a major fight in the foremost action series to come out of Japan. The outcome didn't just fall short of expectations. It fell off the deep end.
Japanese television animation is a notorious business, fueled by cutthroat deadlines and sweatshop wages. Anyone who demands constant topnotch quality from a weekly, long-running anime has unrealistic expectations at best. But no matter how much I sympathize with Dragon Ball Super's staff for the grueling nature of their work, I have to criticize their final product for what it is. Bad animation is bad animation. And boy, does this episode have tons of it. Never before have I seen 25 minutes of anime so rife with animation errors and off-key art. It stands out as such an anomaly that news of its failings bled onto mainstream English websites. Forbes Magazine of all places published an online article questioning the show's direction. Forbes Magazine. In other words, a lot of people are upset and making noise, and it's not just a small subsection of nit-picky fans.
Animators receive a lot of flak for inconsistent drawings. Sharp-eyed fans can spot off-model art light years away, especially when a character's facial proportions morph and vary from scene to scene. Usually, viewers can forgive these mistakes when they're infrequent and offset by other factors, like the fluidity of the animation. But when the number of frames with off-model artwork comes close to numbering a full third of an episode's runtime, it become uncomfortably distracting. That's what happened In Dragon Ball Super's fifth episode. In multiple shots, Goku is drawn with a scrunched up or elongated face that defies all anatomical conventions. Even Beerus, who the animators usually draw spot-on, looked very off at points, either with a head that is too short or too wide. At one point, he and Whis stand completely stiff while talking to Kaio and Goku early in the episode, looking off into space with static facial expressions. It all comes across as painfully awkward.
Most critical viewers immediately railed against episode five's visuals. But here's the thing. Bad animation aside, it's still inherently flawed. The showdown on Kaiō's planet takes up almost its entire runtime, making it the most uneventful episode yet out of the show's initial batch. While it only took Beerus a few minutes to effortlessly best Goku in Battle of Gods - quickly getting the point across that our hero was outclassed - Dragon Ball Super needlessly drags out their one-sided confrontation. If the expanded action looked good, I wouldn't mind. Unfortunately, Goku is made to look like a complete amateur throughout, and not just from being so thoroughly out-classed, mind you. Thanks to balderdash fight chorography, he blundered about punching wildly at Beerus for most of the fight. A lack of dynamic camera angles sucked all the energy out of his attacks, and the whole affair felt dull and uninspired. Bad art squandered the more fluidly animated parts, and even little cosmetic touches like the sparks in Goku's battle aura looked weak.
What makes the fight's awful presentation so sad is that there are moments where its potential shines through. At one point, Goku sprang off the ground and went all out against Beerus, punching at him with such force that shockwaves flattened the ground beneath them. His rapid fire punches packed legitimate energy, as did the stylish Kamehameha blast he followed up with. Beerus flicking the Super Saiyan away with his finger also looked equally nice. But moments like these were set adrift in a sea of aimless action. The only legitimate saving grace for the episodes came from the personalities on display. Goku trying earnestly to address Beerus politely after Kaio bopped him on the heard for being too informal was as funny as in Battle of Gods. Beerus meanwhile acted typically aloof and inconsiderate, but also mixed in enough likeable charm. His voice actor absolutely nailed his portrayal, pulled off a threatening vibe with just the hint of whimsy, and lowered his pitch to a sinister cadence right before he finally delivered a knockout blow. At the same time, Goku's challenge clearly amused him. He gave the Saiyan plenty of time to try out different transformations during their (mostly) friendly sparing match. All the while, Kaiō tried desperately to placate Beerus and could only look on as Goku wrecked his planet trying to fight the wayward god. His reactions are comedic gold, even if Joji Yanami's vocals still left much to be desired.
Up until now, Dragon Ball Super hasn't exactly tried hard to hide its low-budget trappings, but at least its four previous episodes maintained a general level of consistently. From an outsider looking in, it's hard to imagine why episode five turned into such a mess in comparison. Most likely, an overambitious staff became bogged down by a rushed production and simply had to air what they could get done. Maybe they'll even fix the off-model art for the eventual home video release. For now, fans are left with a lengthy curb-stomp fight that Battle of Gods pulled off exponentially better. If this episode is any indication of how much Toei Animation cares about doing its movie retellings justice, we're in for a rough ride.
Episode Score - D
Japanese television animation is a notorious business, fueled by cutthroat deadlines and sweatshop wages. Anyone who demands constant topnotch quality from a weekly, long-running anime has unrealistic expectations at best. But no matter how much I sympathize with Dragon Ball Super's staff for the grueling nature of their work, I have to criticize their final product for what it is. Bad animation is bad animation. And boy, does this episode have tons of it. Never before have I seen 25 minutes of anime so rife with animation errors and off-key art. It stands out as such an anomaly that news of its failings bled onto mainstream English websites. Forbes Magazine of all places published an online article questioning the show's direction. Forbes Magazine. In other words, a lot of people are upset and making noise, and it's not just a small subsection of nit-picky fans.
Animators receive a lot of flak for inconsistent drawings. Sharp-eyed fans can spot off-model art light years away, especially when a character's facial proportions morph and vary from scene to scene. Usually, viewers can forgive these mistakes when they're infrequent and offset by other factors, like the fluidity of the animation. But when the number of frames with off-model artwork comes close to numbering a full third of an episode's runtime, it become uncomfortably distracting. That's what happened In Dragon Ball Super's fifth episode. In multiple shots, Goku is drawn with a scrunched up or elongated face that defies all anatomical conventions. Even Beerus, who the animators usually draw spot-on, looked very off at points, either with a head that is too short or too wide. At one point, he and Whis stand completely stiff while talking to Kaio and Goku early in the episode, looking off into space with static facial expressions. It all comes across as painfully awkward.
Most critical viewers immediately railed against episode five's visuals. But here's the thing. Bad animation aside, it's still inherently flawed. The showdown on Kaiō's planet takes up almost its entire runtime, making it the most uneventful episode yet out of the show's initial batch. While it only took Beerus a few minutes to effortlessly best Goku in Battle of Gods - quickly getting the point across that our hero was outclassed - Dragon Ball Super needlessly drags out their one-sided confrontation. If the expanded action looked good, I wouldn't mind. Unfortunately, Goku is made to look like a complete amateur throughout, and not just from being so thoroughly out-classed, mind you. Thanks to balderdash fight chorography, he blundered about punching wildly at Beerus for most of the fight. A lack of dynamic camera angles sucked all the energy out of his attacks, and the whole affair felt dull and uninspired. Bad art squandered the more fluidly animated parts, and even little cosmetic touches like the sparks in Goku's battle aura looked weak.
What makes the fight's awful presentation so sad is that there are moments where its potential shines through. At one point, Goku sprang off the ground and went all out against Beerus, punching at him with such force that shockwaves flattened the ground beneath them. His rapid fire punches packed legitimate energy, as did the stylish Kamehameha blast he followed up with. Beerus flicking the Super Saiyan away with his finger also looked equally nice. But moments like these were set adrift in a sea of aimless action. The only legitimate saving grace for the episodes came from the personalities on display. Goku trying earnestly to address Beerus politely after Kaio bopped him on the heard for being too informal was as funny as in Battle of Gods. Beerus meanwhile acted typically aloof and inconsiderate, but also mixed in enough likeable charm. His voice actor absolutely nailed his portrayal, pulled off a threatening vibe with just the hint of whimsy, and lowered his pitch to a sinister cadence right before he finally delivered a knockout blow. At the same time, Goku's challenge clearly amused him. He gave the Saiyan plenty of time to try out different transformations during their (mostly) friendly sparing match. All the while, Kaiō tried desperately to placate Beerus and could only look on as Goku wrecked his planet trying to fight the wayward god. His reactions are comedic gold, even if Joji Yanami's vocals still left much to be desired.
Up until now, Dragon Ball Super hasn't exactly tried hard to hide its low-budget trappings, but at least its four previous episodes maintained a general level of consistently. From an outsider looking in, it's hard to imagine why episode five turned into such a mess in comparison. Most likely, an overambitious staff became bogged down by a rushed production and simply had to air what they could get done. Maybe they'll even fix the off-model art for the eventual home video release. For now, fans are left with a lengthy curb-stomp fight that Battle of Gods pulled off exponentially better. If this episode is any indication of how much Toei Animation cares about doing its movie retellings justice, we're in for a rough ride.
Episode Score - D
Spoiler:
In many ways, Vegeta stole the show when Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods hit theaters in 2013. His comical attempts to appease Beerus forced him to set aside his pride, and develop as a character in ways that were both heartfelt and humorous. Episode six of Dragon Ball Super covers equivalent scenes, but goes with a decidedly darker vibe than the theatrical source material. Fans who prefer Dragon Ball's more serious moments will find a lot to like here. Others will no doubt miss the film's wackier tone.
Lord Beerus himself stands at the epicenter of the show's tonal shift. Dragon Ball Super has gone out of its way to characterized him as a straight-faced villain, rather than the more-or-less neutral force of destruction seen in the films. Sure, he displayed the same fickleness and irritable temper, but there's an extra layer of petty sadism underlying his actions now. Look no further than a flashback that shows Vegeta's father groveling under the God of Destruction's foot. Beerus violently berates the Saiyan king before stomping his head into the ground as chibi Vegeta looks on. Compared to the film, where he simply used Vegeta's dad as a footstool, his behavior is uncharacteristically unpleasant. Personal preference will dictate whether viewers enjoy this more sinister persona, but it does somewhat diminish the likeable qualities that made the character stand out from Dragon Ball's previous antagonists.
Traumatized by his memories, Vegeta bends over backwards to keep the God of Destruction happy. Close calls abound, with Yamcha slapping Beerus playfully on the back a bit too hard and Goten and Trunks squirting his face while playing with water guns. These silly missteps force Vegeta to pull off a crazy stunt to calm Beerus. He jumps into the ocean, yanks out a giant octopus and barbeques it with a midair energy blast. Upon landing on the ship, he proceeds to the cook a fried tentacle, even donning a chef hat and apron. And yet, the tension created by Beeru's unpredictable mood swings never lets up, leading up to him finally losing his temper when a grumpy Majin Buu slurps all over the party's last pudding cups. With one hand, the God of Destruction spins the pink gum monster into a distorted mess above his head, before blasting him into the ocean with a striking sneer. After a bumbling display of animation slip-ups last week, episode six mostly delivers a competent presentation. Creative low-angle camera compositions help offset inconsistent character art throughout the episode and help lend it greater intensity, particularly when Beerus and Majin Buu square off.
As an adaptation, Dragon Ball Super's sixth episode continues to introduce just as many problems as it does improvements. Scenes with Vegeta humbling himself come out fine, but don't quite match the self-inflicted humiliation he put himself through with the bingo dance from Battle of Gods. Furthermore, the episode strips Pilaf and his minions of all involvement in the plot, making the episode dedicated to their introduction feel rather useless in hindsight. There are also no shortage of inconsistencies when it comes to character portrayals. We've seen nothing of Majin Buu's and Mr. Satan's heartwarming friendship in Dragon Ball Super, for example, and while charming on its own, the flashback with kid Vegeta confronting for hurting his "papa" is a bit at odds with the murderous sociopath he was introduced as during the Saiyan arc. On a side note, Ryō Horikawa can't pull off a boy's voice at all
In its sixth installment, Dragon Ball Super gives us a genuinely tense episode that still manages to remain true to its cheerful roots. I don't particularly care for how the writers have underutilized the polite and playful sides of Beerus's personality, but I can't knock them too much for wanting to differentiate their show from Battle of Gods. Still, why anyone would want to make a more serious version of a story about a purple cat god who throws a temper tantrum after a chubby pink manchild eats his pudding is beyond me.
Episode Score - B-
Lord Beerus himself stands at the epicenter of the show's tonal shift. Dragon Ball Super has gone out of its way to characterized him as a straight-faced villain, rather than the more-or-less neutral force of destruction seen in the films. Sure, he displayed the same fickleness and irritable temper, but there's an extra layer of petty sadism underlying his actions now. Look no further than a flashback that shows Vegeta's father groveling under the God of Destruction's foot. Beerus violently berates the Saiyan king before stomping his head into the ground as chibi Vegeta looks on. Compared to the film, where he simply used Vegeta's dad as a footstool, his behavior is uncharacteristically unpleasant. Personal preference will dictate whether viewers enjoy this more sinister persona, but it does somewhat diminish the likeable qualities that made the character stand out from Dragon Ball's previous antagonists.
Traumatized by his memories, Vegeta bends over backwards to keep the God of Destruction happy. Close calls abound, with Yamcha slapping Beerus playfully on the back a bit too hard and Goten and Trunks squirting his face while playing with water guns. These silly missteps force Vegeta to pull off a crazy stunt to calm Beerus. He jumps into the ocean, yanks out a giant octopus and barbeques it with a midair energy blast. Upon landing on the ship, he proceeds to the cook a fried tentacle, even donning a chef hat and apron. And yet, the tension created by Beeru's unpredictable mood swings never lets up, leading up to him finally losing his temper when a grumpy Majin Buu slurps all over the party's last pudding cups. With one hand, the God of Destruction spins the pink gum monster into a distorted mess above his head, before blasting him into the ocean with a striking sneer. After a bumbling display of animation slip-ups last week, episode six mostly delivers a competent presentation. Creative low-angle camera compositions help offset inconsistent character art throughout the episode and help lend it greater intensity, particularly when Beerus and Majin Buu square off.
As an adaptation, Dragon Ball Super's sixth episode continues to introduce just as many problems as it does improvements. Scenes with Vegeta humbling himself come out fine, but don't quite match the self-inflicted humiliation he put himself through with the bingo dance from Battle of Gods. Furthermore, the episode strips Pilaf and his minions of all involvement in the plot, making the episode dedicated to their introduction feel rather useless in hindsight. There are also no shortage of inconsistencies when it comes to character portrayals. We've seen nothing of Majin Buu's and Mr. Satan's heartwarming friendship in Dragon Ball Super, for example, and while charming on its own, the flashback with kid Vegeta confronting for hurting his "papa" is a bit at odds with the murderous sociopath he was introduced as during the Saiyan arc. On a side note, Ryō Horikawa can't pull off a boy's voice at all
In its sixth installment, Dragon Ball Super gives us a genuinely tense episode that still manages to remain true to its cheerful roots. I don't particularly care for how the writers have underutilized the polite and playful sides of Beerus's personality, but I can't knock them too much for wanting to differentiate their show from Battle of Gods. Still, why anyone would want to make a more serious version of a story about a purple cat god who throws a temper tantrum after a chubby pink manchild eats his pudding is beyond me.
Episode Score - B-
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