Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Toei Animation has announced Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, the next movie in the franchise in theaters. The novelty was revealed during Comic-Con — in the form of a virtual event in 2021 — through the release of a trailer that shows Goku ready for action, but didn’t bring any scenes that will actually be in the animated feature.
Although no plot details were shared, conceptual images indicated that the title will be set years after the last story.
The panel featured the participation of producers Akio Iyoku and Norihiro Hayashida, as well as Masako Nozawa — who gives voice to Goku. The creative team commented that they will look for new approaches in the Z Fighters’ next adventure, especially in the visual aspect.
Based on the teaser, it is possible to highlight that, in addition to the characters’ designs, their expressions and movements will feature improvements in aesthetics, as they will use computer graphics to improve their lines.
During the presentation, a temporal advance from the end of the power tournament (in the anime) and events in Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018) was also suggested. That’s because the first glimpses of Pan — the daughter of Gohan and Videl — show her a bit more grown up, apparently old enough to go to primary school because of her uniform and backpack.
These images leave the possibility that the film is centered on characters that had little prominence in the past or that didn’t even appear in the last film — which focused on Goku and Vegeta’s fight against Broly —, as was the case with Krillin. The popular short, bald friend of the protagonist has also been given a new look, dressed as a policeman, and is now expected to play a more significant role. In addition to these, Piccolo also appears, but without major visual changes.
Producers said Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero has been in development since 2018, and is slated to hit Japanese theaters in 2022 — the specific date may vary in other regions. News of the release of the new film cheered fans and renewed hopes for a likely continuation of the anime, which may be based on the current arc covered in the series’ manga.
