Super Saiyans and Angry Gods: Dragon Ball Super OT

[max_cady]

So we got ourselves a fancy new Dragon Ball anime. This time with the full support of it's creator, the one and only Akira Toryama. I've been told this was based on a recent movie Dragon Ball: Battle of the Gods, but since I don't know much about it, I'm not say much about it.


Continuity-wise, the Dragon Ball saga has had a couple of major retcons, with the entire Dragon Ball Z story condensed into a much smaller story with Dragon Ball Kai. Dragon Ball Super as far as I am aware, takes place during a particular period just before the actual end of the Dragon Ball manga (spoilers: During the Budokai Tenkaichi, Goku befriends Oob, which is said to be Kid Boo's reeincarnated self. Goku takes him in as an apprecentice and they leave the tournament. Note that at this time, Trunks / Goten are grown up, Vegeta and Bulma have another kid, 18 and Krillin's kid have grown up, Gohan's kid Pan is 3 years old).


One can assume that the series from here on out wants to start with a clean slate going so far as to erase Dragon Ball GT entirely from it's continuity.


So about this new show, here are my first impressions based on the first 7 episodes...


I really like. Despite some dodgy animation in the fight scenes, DBS has story, humor and dare I say it characters! It has a bit of that self-aware humor that made the original Dragon Ball charming. You actually get to know these characters a bit more, particularly in a slice-of-life setting which actually suits this universe. And it's main villain Beerus, the God of Destruction. Yes, he is rotten to the core, but unlike your average mustache twirling villain, he and his genderless henchman Whis have personality and wit. What also makes this world seem more interesting is seeing characters in different scenarios: Goku as the slacker farmer, Vegeta as the family man, Gohan and Videl as a newly-wed couple,  even Beerus just hanging out in his lair makes this world seem a whole lot more vivid (also saves up budget for action scenes).

[George]

I would have like it better if it wasn't just a longer, slightly changed version of Battle of the Gods movie. I watched the Freeza movie and it was so well paced and so well animated that going back to the show is just painful, especially in the animation department.

It also shows its flaws by continuing to push ridiculous transformations.

[Tad]

They seem to have dropped a lot of the transformations. No 2 or 3. Just 1 and "god" mode. I do prefer the approach Super has had compared to DBZ mind. Z soon became a cock measuring contest and so much of it after Cell was dull. SS3 became pointless and Gohan became redundant.

[Radrappy]

I fucking loved Revenge of F.  Can't wait to pick it up when it comes out in oct.  As for Super, I watched the first 4 or 5 episodes.  I stopped watching when I heard the ssj3 vs beerus fight was completely butchered animation wise.  I may just skip the episode.  Would I be missing much?

[George]

Nah, have you seen "Battle of the Gods' movie? Because the animated show is just a longer version of that movie. I suggest watching the movie and skipping the show.

It isn't as good as Revenge of F. But its pretty good. Especially if you like Trunks/Goten comedy.

[Tad]

I really hope Goten and Trunks became better, stronger characters in the series. As kids they're great fun characters, I just hope they don't get the same treatment as they did in DBGT.

[George]

I don't think there is any fans that want Dragon Ball GT to spill into being canon, as far as I know, GT never happen (according to what I read). It wasn't written by Toriyama or approved.

Toriyama did young Trunks and Goten so he can write kid comedy, which is something he loves doing. He has a ton of other manga with that sort of comedy and that stuff wouldn't have worked for the older main cast.

One of my favorite one shots of his was Mamejiro that had that sort of comedy. That one is about a kid who wants to be a delinquent after his father eats his ice cream. Its short, its sweet and has a happy ending. I just find it funny that the kid is like "Imma become a criminal, due to this injustice!"


I also think Cowa! is underrated and would make a good animated film or mini-series. 

[Tad]

I'm not sure if it's true, but I remember hearing that back in the day Toriyama wanted to pass the torch to Gohan, but the fans wouldn't allow it. It would explain why the numerous attempts to make Gohan were stilted and him becoming a crap character. Perhaps now he'll be allowed to do what he wanted and let the younger ones a chance.

[Barry the Nomad]

Time for me to admit something... in high school I made a series of 200+ web comics with my friend which starred Guru of Dragon Ball Z. It featured the adventures of Guru and Dende and their live-in web designer David (who fictionally made the site which hosts the comics)

Guru Adventure Online: http://www.geocities.ws/guruadv/home2.html
Guru GT (sequel series): http://www.geocities.ws/guruadv2/

I also made a short third series titled GU3U which was a private Facebook group.

[max_cady]

Dragon Ball GT was an odd series. I remember watching the full series in High School. I didn't think much of it back then, it's only recently (about 3 or so years ago) that I discovered just how universally hated that series was.


In any case, I'm enjoying this series so far. Gohan is basically playing the part of a newlywed so at least he's occupied with something else. But yeah, ever so often I think that the main cast is just way too crowded.