It Took Me a Few Years, But I Finally Like Dragon Ball Super's Most Controversial Arc
When Dragon Ball Super first aired, it was met with a whirlwind of excitement. After nearly two decades, the return of Goku, Vegeta, and other beloved characters sparked waves of nostalgia, particularly for fans who followed the original Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. Of course, this excitement was also accompanied by a considerable amount of skepticism regarding the new series' ability to live up to, or surpass, the original.
These doubts only grew after the release of the first few chapters and episodes, which largely rehashed old stories. Additionally, its placement in the Dragon Ball timeline raised more than a few eyebrows. However, as the series progressed, it began to improve. Arcs like the "Tournament of Power" provided a much-needed jolt that revitalized the fandom. Then came the "Super Hero Arc," which served as a stark reminder of the series' shortcomings —it's pacing, narrative choices, and overall purpose felt off. But with the debut of Dragon Ball DAIMA last year, the "Super Hero Arc" suddenly didn’t seem so bad after all.
Dragon Ball Super's Super Hero Saga Was Sluggish, But It Did As Best As a Prequel Could
Sticking Within Its Guidelines To Not Break Established Canon
It was never going to be easy for the Dragon Ball Super series. With the Dragon Ball saga officially concluding with Goku flying off to train Uub —the reincarnation of Kid Buu— in the final chapter and episode of Dragon Ball Z, the new series faced a significant challenge: maintaining harmony with the extensive Dragon Ball lore that had accumulated over the decades since its debut in 1986. Indeed, Super had to walk a fine line, serving as both a prequel and a supplemental series that aimed to add depth to the original Dragon Ball Z story without contradicting or overwriting it.
Dragon Ball Super succeeded on several levels, particularly in exploring the relationship between Goten and Trunks and providing a more complete introduction to Gohan’s daughter, Pan.
Considering the events in Dragon Ball Z, the plot of Dragon Ball Super's "Super Hero Arc" initially seemed rather suspect. It felt as though creator Akira Toriyama and artist Toyotarou were simply pandering to fans, especially given the popularity of superhero-themed titles like My Hero Academia. However, despite understanding that it is a story Dragon Ball Z did not tell — but was nonetheless worthy of being told — the premise felt like a retelling of a mash-up of Dragon Ball's Red Ribbon Army Arc with Dragon Ball Z's Cell Arc, along with a dash of the "Great Saiyaman Arc".
Despite the plot lacking narrative tension, it succeeded on several levels, particularly in exploring the relationship between Goten and Trunks and providing a more complete introduction to Gohan’s daughter, Pan. More importantly, as a prequel, it avoided introducing bizarre characters or events that could disrupt the official Dragon Ball Z timeline. This is especially true of the manga's "Super Hero Arc" adaptation prequel (Dragon Ball Super Chapters #88-90) and sequel (Dragon Ball Super Chapter #104), both of which align seamlessly with the events of the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie.
Dragon Ball Daima Is Breaking All the Rules of What a Prequel Should Be Able To Do
Introducing New Concepts, But Not Exploring Them Further
Dragon Ball Super's successful integration of the "Super Hero Arc" into the official timeline, across both its film and manga adaptations, stands in stark contrast to the approach taken by the new Dragon Ball DAIMA series. Just as with Super, the first episode of DAIMA establishes that it occurs immediately after Goku and Vegeta's victory over Kid Buu in Dragon Ball Z. Accordingly, DAIMA is set well before the events of Dragon Ball Super. In other words, while already limited by occurring within the Dragon Ball Z timeline, it also must take into account the events of the Dragon Ball Super series.
Beginning on a strong note, DAIMA respects the established future storyline familiar to fans. The concept of a previously unseen villain transforming Goku, Vegeta, and others into children, prompting a quest to uncover the reason behind this attack and find a cure, echoes the adventurous and fantastical spirit of earlier Dragon Ball narratives. This ensemble-driven approach, reminiscent of classic Dragon Ball, is a refreshingly nostalgic depiction that diverges from the more focused, character-centric action stories of later Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super series. As a result, DAIMA shows greater promise than the "Super Hero Arc" from the outset.
Unfortunately, DAIMA fails to stay true to the course it initially sets for itself, introducing elements that conflict with later events in Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super. This is most evident when Goku attains a "power-up" he had never officially achieved before. In the final episode of its inaugural season, while battling Giant Gomah, Goku reaches Super Saiyan 4 — a transformation he had previously only attained in Dragon Ball GT, which is widely considered a separate continuity. However, after DAIMA, not only does he experience this form within the official timeline, but he also achieves it much earlier than he would have if Dragon Ball GT were part of the main canon.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Makes Dragon Ball Saga Better
Saving The Series From Continuity Errors And Unresolved Plots
So, despite initially believing that the “Super Hero Arc” was one of the more lackluster sagas of the Dragon Ball Super story—a series already constrained by its placement within the Dragon Ball Z timeline — the new DAIMA series revealed just how thoughtfully crafted it truly was. Without significantly disrupting the broader Dragon Ball Z narrative, the arc accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: adding depth and complexity to a story whose ending fans already know. For instance, it helps explain why Goku feels so comfortable flying away with Uub, as he knows Earth’s defense is in capable hands.
On the other hand, Dragon Ball DAIMA —assuming it is a prequel, though that may not necessarily be the case— breaks a fundamental rule of prequels by introducing elements that do not exist in the primary narrative or are not referenced later in the story. Naturally, this disrupts continuity and raises numerous questions about what constitutes the official storyline. These are issues that will undoubtedly be debated as the franchise moves forward, especially with the potential return of the Dragon Ball Super series at some point in the future.
In relation to the "Super Hero Arc", Dragon Ball DAIMA provides a useful point of comparison. This comparison highlights why, despite criticism for being a somewhat dull story arc, the "Super Hero Arc" is actually well-structured and contributes meaningfully to the overarching Dragon Ballnarrative.
