Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lots of fighting -- and laughs -- in brisk, thrilling anime.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
What's the Story?
In DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO, Goku (voiced by Masako Nozawa in the Japanese original and Sean Schemmel in the English dub) and Vegeta (Ryo Horikawa/Christopher Sabat) are away on another planet training. The Red Ribbon Army, now under the control of Magenta (Volcano Ota/Charles Martinet), recruits the fresh-out-of-jail Dr. Hedo (Miyu Irino/Zach Aguilar) to build a powerful android warrior. Meanwhile, Piccolo (Toshio Furukawa/Christopher Sabat) is increasingly irritated at Gohan (Masako Nozawa/Kyle Hebert), who insists on reading and studying rather than training. Plus, Piccolo is frequently recruited to pick up Gohan's daughter, Pan (Yuko Minaguchi/Jeannie Tirado), from school. Hedo's new creation, the superhero-like Gamma 2 (Mamoru Miyano/Zeno Robinson), appears and engages Piccolo in battle. Believing Piccolo defeated, Gamma 2 returns to the Red Ribbon Army headquarters, with Piccolo secretly following. Piccolo disguises himself as a guard and discovers that Magenta is building a new, more powerful version of the villain Cell called "Cell Max." And to lure Gohan into battle, they also plan to kidnap Pan!
Is It Any Good?
While franchise familiarity is certainly helpful, this brisk, vibrant entry in the long-running series succeeds by juggling silly fun with gorgeously animated action, characters, and backgrounds. Mainstays Goku and Vegeta mostly sit out Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, unreachable due to an ice cream-related glitch, but their occasional appearances are sure to please fans (be sure to watch all the way through for an after-credits bonus). Piccolo is arguably the driving force of this story, the head of a team of quirky characters taking on the big villain. And while there are plenty of fights, the movie isn't entirely about that. It does sometimes pause, if not for character depth, then at least for lots of playful banter and goofy humor.
That said, while examples of teamwork abound, there are some iffy messages here, too. Characters are able to wish for things they need, rather than working for them. Fighting is often valued above thinking. And one character, Bulma, is vain, obsessed with her physical appearance to the point of using magic to enhance her figure and features. Still, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero seems mostly interested in offering viewers a good time. The good-natured humor persists throughout, never taking a backseat to the action, and the action itself is expertly crafted, with detailed attention to speed, distance, and impact, as well as some breathtaking production design. It's a breezy, satisfying ride that should go down like a plate of cookies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Should Gohan give up his studies for more training? Is a balance of the two possible? Why, or why not?
What is vanity? Why does Bulma think she needs to make "improvements" to her body? What message does the portrayal of her character send about body image?
How well does the movie showcase teamwork?
Piccolo and Bulma have the chance to wish for things using a magic dragon. Would it be possible to achieve their wishes in other ways? What would you wish for?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 19, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : March 14, 2023
- Cast : Toshio Furukawa , Masako Nozawa , Miyu Irino , Christopher Sabat , Kyle Hebert , Zach Aguilar
- Director : Tetsuro Kodama
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Multiracial Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Crunchyroll
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes
- Character Strengths : Teamwork
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some action/violence and smoking
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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