So, Dragon Ball Super hasn't really gotten much discussion on these forums. And I think it is time to change that. I mean Dragon Ball is one of the most well known and influential anime of all time. Odds are you watch one anime that was made by a fan of the series and took something from it. (I'm looking at you Pirate Goku aka Luffy)
So let's start with the retelling of Battle of Gods and Resurrection F. I think this was a mixed bag. Some of the filler was less than great (Goten and Trunks fighting a giant snake). And some of it was hilarious (Goten and Trunks shopping for a gift for Videl) and even heart warming (eventually giving her water which she pretends is special).
One of my favorite episodes so far was Episode Two, or as I call it The Vegeta Family Vacation. Yes, just imagine that. Vegeta on a vacation with Bulma and Trunks. If that isn't already tickling your funny bone, just look at the image above. You might argue that it added nothing to the story, but it added to the characters. It grew Vegeta as a character and showed just why he reacted with unbridled rage when Beerus slapped Bulma. But mostly, it's hilarious watching Vegeta get angry at a cooked squid.
In fact, I would say that much of what Super does well is the little things it adds. Goku struggling to get used to the Super Saiyan God powers. The return of Captain Ginyu. The glimpses of various characters before Frieza destroys Earth. Mr Satan telling the world he defeated Beerus which leads to issues when aliens believe it as well. It is mostly marred by some bad pacing here and there, like when it took an entire episode for Goku to become a Super Saiyan God. I'd say that his battle with Beerus was probably one episode too long. And the less said about the animation in some episodes, the better. Though, this should be fixed on the DVD releases and I really hope Funimation uses that version for the dub they will inevitably do.
In the end, I would say that the movies were better over all. More concise and better animated for a certainty. While the show did expand on the story in some nice ways, not everything was better and some of it felt unnecessary (what happened to Piccolo while fighting Frieza, for example). Though, I'm still not sure if I prefer Dancing Vegeta or Chef Vegeta. I love both too much. Don't make me decide.
However, the series has now gotten into completely new content. The tournament between Universe 7 (the Dragon Ball universe) and Universe 6. And I have to say that it seems this is what the show was waiting on. We've gotten more great moments with Jaco, some interesting fights, and the universe has been expanded for the better, I think.
To sum it up, Champa, the God of Destruction for Universe 6, has come to challenge Beerus to a tournament. The strongest warriors of each universe will meet to fight. Whichever team wins will grant possession of the Super Dragon Balls to that God. Not only are these Super Dragon Balls as big as planets, they are said to have no limit to the wishes they can grant. And if Champs wins, he'll wish for the Universe 7 Earth to be moved to his universe. He will have that delicious food for himself.
To meet this challenge, Beerus has decided to include the strongest person he has ever fought in his team. No, not Goku. Monaka. A short, pink, unimpressive looking creature with giant nipples. His design is so Toriyama and I love it. Monaka is the last person you would ever expect to be strong and he acts nothing like our heroes. So far he seems almost timid and reserved.
I've been trying to avoid spoiling anything major as I don't know if there are people who are waiting for the English Dub, or not. So I'll just say that the tournament has been very interesting. We've been introduced to interesting new characters and the structure has returned to the classic tournament style early fans of Dragon Ball are familiar with. There have even been some unexpected moments so far. I can say that I have really enjoyed this arc and look forward to more of it. And even more to where things may go after it. Perhaps Goku and Vegeta will visit the Saiyan homeworld in Universe 6?
I think I will end this with some predictions for the Arc. I think Vegeta will fight and tie with Cabba, the Saiyan on the Universe 6 team. I'd say it will come down to Monaka versus Hit, and Monaka will lose. But, thanks to a technicality, Universe 7 is down a member and Piccolo may suggest an alternate to replace the person they are down. While I think Goku and Vegeta will both volunteer for this, I highly doubt Champa will allow that. At which point, Piccolo will suggest Gohan take the position. Some conversation via Whis and a quick Instant Transmission later and Gohan will be leaving his conference to join the battle. Here we will learn that Gohan has unlocked Super Saiyan God while training with Piccolo in the last several months. It will be a hard fought battle, but Gohan will prevail and save the day.
Now, coming to look at the series and where it may go, I really would like it if Goku and Vegeta never surpass Beerus. Even if they should believe they surpassed his strength they should find that he still outstrips them. Perhaps with Whis matter of factly stating that Beerus had actually trained quite hard for the last few months. I like this for several reasons. It keeps Beerus relevant to the story. And also, keeps his place in the group dynamic exactly where he belongs. I love him as a character and part of that is because he doesn't have to be concerned what anyone thinks of him. The moment someone else surpasses him, it makes his threats against our heroes completely empty. To paraphrase DBZ Abridged, "I have Goku on speed dial." It also shows him realizing that mortals can threaten his status as the strongest. He would be showing them respect through actions if not words.
I realize this has been a long post, but thanks for reading. Go ahead and tell me how you feel about the series, and what direction you would like to see it go in. Even what predictions you have for this current arc.
