Whether you're a loyal fan of the entire Dragon Ball franchise or a first-time viewer, Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO will have you hooked and going Kamehameha!
By: Nicole S. Castro on August 30, 2022 at 20:10 PHT
After premiering in Japan last June 11, 2022, anime film Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO is finally coming to movie theaters in the Philippines this Aug. 31, 2022 thanks to film distributor Columbia Pictures Philippines.
But is it any good? Do you need to know the entire backstory of Dragon Ball just to appreciate this one film worth 99 minutes? That's what the staff of AniradioPlus wanted to find out when we attended the advanced screening with Columbia Pictures PH. Check out our thoughts and first impressions below!
Plot
In a nutshell, the film follows Piccolo (CV: Toshio Furukawa) and his former student Gohan (CV: Masako Nozawa) as they go on a mission to save the world from the newly reformed Red Ribbon Army.
At the beginning of the movie, Piccolo is living a peaceful life training Gohan's daughter Pan (CV: Yūko Minaguchi). But Piccolo soon discovers that main antagonist Magenta (CV: Volcano Ōta) has revived the Red Ribbon Army which was destroyed by Goku and his friends.
To ensure the success of the new Red Ribbon Army, Magenta recruits Dr. Hedo (CV: Miyu Irino), the surviving grandson of mad scientist Dr. Gero.
The superhero-obsessed Dr. Hedo is convinced by Magenta that Gohan and gang are the evil ones who plan to take over the world. In response, Dr. Hedo creates the two androids Gamma #1 (CV: Hiroshi Kamiya) and Gamma #2 (CV: Mamoru Miyano) to go up against the Z-Fighters.
At Magenta's request, Dr. Hedo also uses his grandfather's schematics on Cell to create an improved version known as Cell Max (CV: Norio Wakamoto).
Review (Thoughts and Impressions)
So, is Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO truly worth the watch? The AniradioPlus staff answers with a big YES! Here are three reasons why you should go check this out in theaters!
1. The fight scenes are epic.
The Dragon Ball franchise largely owes its legendary status to the 📣loud📣, 💥explosive💥, and 🤯mind-blowing🤯 action scenes featuring the Saiyans. Rest assured every fight scene will have you glued to your seats. If you've ever heard people shout "Kamehameha!" during anime conventions, now you will understand why.
2. The film is viewer-friendly for all kinds of fans.
Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual anime enthusiast who has heard the hype, Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO will be easy to understand but still worth your while. The beginning of the film gives us a quick review of the major events in the Dragon Ball series, after which it transitions to the main story revolving around Dr. Hedo and Magenta as the antagonists.
And whether you're young or young-at-heart, the film has both 3D visuals as well as the classic Dragon Ball art that has cemented itself as one of the most influential shounen manga series of all time.
3. The film is packed with well-loved characters from the Dragon Ball series. And you'll have no trouble recognizing them!
If you're intimidated by the many characters in this mega-hit franchise, have no fear! Again, the film takes good care of its audience by introducing the characters smoothly either through dialogue or well-timed comedic narration (care of Carmine's well-crafted presentations).
Though the plot is simple, no scene feels draggy. The events go straight to the point, and the subtle jabs and side comments not only enhance the comedy but also clue you in onto each character's personality.
Final Thoughts
You have nothing to lose by watching Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO!
Though the Dragon Ball franchise is almost 40 years old, SUPER HERO! sends the message that it's never too late to enter the fandom. This is the 21st Dragon Ball feature film overall and the second to carry the Dragon Ball Super branding. Thanks to recent advances in animation technology, we are so blessed to watch the Dragon Ball action scenes come to life with the intensity that it truly deserves.
That's enough from us here on AniradioPlus. See you in theaters starting August 31! Tickets are available in cinemas nationwide.
Source: Live event coverage and news from AniradioPlus, Columbia Pictures Philippines official Facebook
NICOLE S. CASTRO
Author
Nicole is based in the Philippines and works as a freelance Japanese Translator/Interpreter and copywriter (English). She is a JLPT N2 passer who watches anime to "study" for N1. She has a long career history on LinkedIn (with primary focus on media and translation), but her anime watchlist is much, much longer.
