When Dragon Ball Super premiered as the first new canonical Dragon Ball series in 20 years, fans were both excited and cautious. Despite early skepticism, the show has gained a loyal following. Here are 15 surprising facts about Dragon Ball Super that even long-time fans might not know.
1. Dragon Ball Evolution Sparked a Revival
The disastrous live-action film Dragon Ball Evolution angered Akira Toriyama so much that it inspired him to create new Dragon Ball material, leading to Dragon Ball Super.
2. Belmond and Marcarita’s Original Romance
Universe 11’s God of Destruction Belmond and Angel Marcarita were initially conceived as a romantic pair. However, Toriyama felt Angels should remain strictly professional, leading to this subplot being scrapped.
3. Jiren’s Delayed Introduction
Jiren, one of the series’ strongest characters, was originally set to debut earlier but was introduced later to build up his impact.
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4. Gohan’s Filler Episodes
Many of Gohan’s episodes are considered filler, focusing on side plots like the birth of Pan and a martial arts tournament. Fans hope his role in the Tournament of Power marks the end of these filler arcs.
5. Anime vs. Manga Dynamics
In Dragon Ball Super, the anime leads the story, while the manga adapts it. This reversal from previous series means that the anime often progresses the plot faster than the manga.
6. Toriyama’s Reduced Role
Akira Toriyama no longer handles all the writing for Super. Toyotaro, his successor, now contributes significantly to the series, with Toriyama providing general guidance.
7. Flexible Plot Outlines
Toriyama provides broad outlines for major arcs, allowing Toyotaro to develop the details. This flexibility has led to dynamic storytelling in the series.
8. Goku Black’s Inspiration
Goku Black resembles earlier villains like Turles from Tree of Might. Both serve as evil counterparts to Goku, with Black being Goku’s body possessed by Zamasu.
9. Animation Quality Issues
Early episodes of Super faced criticism for poor animation. Producer Norihiro Hayashida attributed this to inexperienced animators, though quality has improved over time.
10. New Power Ups
Dragon Ball Super introduced several new power-ups, including Super Saiyan God and Ultra Instinct. These are the first major transformations in the series in two decades.
11. Trunks’ Hidden Ability
Future Trunks’ ability to heal, used unknowingly to save characters, is linked to his apprenticeship with the Supreme Kais.
12. Gods of Destruction and Supreme Kais
The Gods of Destruction rely on the existence of Supreme Kais. If a Supreme Kai is killed, their corresponding God of Destruction also ceases to exist.
13. Angels’ Immunity
Angels are immune to the erasure of universes decreed by Zen-Oh. If a God of Destruction is erased, their Angel enters a dormant state but does not die.
14. High Death Toll
Dragon Ball Super has seen unprecedented death tolls, with Zen-Oh erasing entire universes and trillions of lives in the process.
15. Norihito Sumitomo’s Score
Composer Norihito Sumitomo, who succeeded Shunsuke Kikuchi, scores the music for Dragon Ball Super. His work continues the musical legacy of the series.
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These facts offer a glimpse into the intriguing behind-the-scenes aspects of Dragon Ball Super, showcasing its evolution and depth.