While *Dragon Ball Super* is a very popular anime, it doesn’t appeal to everyone. Many fans of the older series, *Dragon Ball Z*, are actually quite critical of it, feeling that the newer show doesn’t measure up. Some might dismiss this as simply preferring the original, but *Dragon Ball Super* has several issues that *Dragon Ball Z* avoided.
I’ve noticed a lot of longtime *Dragon Ball Z* fans really dislike *Dragon Ball Super*, and honestly, I can see why. The storylines often feel rushed and don’t really go anywhere, and a lot of the characters just aren’t as interesting or well-developed as the ones we grew to love. Plus, the fights, while flashy, don’t quite hit the same emotional or strategic highs as those in the original series. It just doesn’t capture the magic that made *DBZ* so special. If you don’t enjoy it, that’s perfectly okay – it’s a valid opinion.
The Best Arcs of Dragon Ball Super Are Worse Than the Worst Arcs of DBZ
Dragon Ball Super features eight major story arcs when you include the original stories, movie recaps, and arcs unique to the manga. These arcs vary greatly in quality, and even the best ones don’t quite reach the high standard set by Dragon Ball Z. The weakest arcs, however, are arguably as bad as the Super 17 Saga from Dragon Ball GT, making them some of the worst in the entire series.
Setting aside the *Broly* movie, the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga is the high point of *Dragon Ball Super*. Still, while it tries to recapture the feel of classic *DBZ* stories, it falls short. It’s missing the emotional depth, smooth pacing, strong character growth, meaningful themes, and gripping tension that would make it truly great. And honestly, the villain Moro doesn’t measure up to iconic threats like Frieza or Buu. The weakest arcs of *Dragon Ball Super* – Resurrection ‘F’ and Granolah the Survivor – likely wouldn’t have much of a following if they weren’t connected to the *Dragon Ball* series.
Many Popular Dragon Ball Figures Behave Out of Character
A major criticism of *Dragon Ball Super* from longtime *DBZ* fans is how it handles beloved characters. Many important figures from *DBZ* who appear in *Super* feel poorly written or have their personalities drastically changed for the worse. While some fans might not mind smaller issues like Tien Shinhan becoming weak or Videl losing her spark, several more popular characters have suffered from significantly flawed writing.
Many fans feel that *Dragon Ball Super* drastically changes Goku for the worse. Instead of the thoughtful and powerful hero viewers know and love, he’s often portrayed as a self-centered, clumsy fighter who’s hard to root for. Other returning characters like Gohan, Future Trunks, Vegeta, and Master Roshi have also received criticism from fans of the series.
Dragon Ball Super’s Art Style is Inferior to DBZ
A key difference between *Dragon Ball Z* and *Dragon Ball Super* lies in their visual styles. While *Dragon Ball Super* often receives criticism for inconsistent animation quality, the fundamental art style itself is rarely discussed. The show’s sometimes unfinished look is often due to a production team working under tight deadlines, but the art style itself was flawed from the start.
The characters in *Dragon Ball Super* have a noticeably plastic appearance. This makes it difficult to feel invested in serious scenes, and it’s particularly distracting as the Saiyan characters get increasingly colorful hairstyles. Compared to *Dragon Ball Z*, which, despite its own visual flaws, generally felt more grounded and realistic, *Super* just doesn’t have the same impact.
The Lack of Blood in Dragon Ball Super Makes Fights Feel Less Serious
Some might think criticizing the lack of blood in *Dragon Ball Super* is a minor point, but it’s actually more significant than that. The problem isn’t just about wanting to *see* blood; it’s about how the absence of it affects the impact and intensity of the fights, and the overall storytelling.
One of the things that made the original *Dragon Ball Z* so engaging was how it built suspense and excitement during fights. However, it often failed to make viewers truly believe Goku and Vegeta were in serious danger because they rarely sustained significant injuries. Luckily, the *Dragon Ball Super* manga avoids this issue, unlike the anime adaptation.
Nothing Feels Meaningful or Important in Dragon Ball Super
One of the biggest weaknesses of *Dragon Ball Super* is how disconnected its story arcs are. The series only really builds from one arc to the next with the Universe 6 Saga and the Universal Survival Saga, and even that is interrupted by the Future Trunks Saga. Unlike *Dragon Ball Z*, where each arc felt like a piece of a larger, continuous story, *Dragon Ball Super* makes it feel like nothing truly matters. Every arc ends with things returning to normal, and storylines are often dropped without resolution.
Adding to the problems with *Dragon Ball Super* is its lack of depth. While it could potentially succeed with a different storytelling approach than *Dragon Ball Z*, its individual story arcs don’t offer any real substance. *Dragon Ball Z* wasn’t known for complex plots, but it did have strong character development that connected to the themes of each arc and the overall story. *Dragon Ball Super* doesn’t offer the same level of meaningful character growth.
Dragon Ball Super’s Villains and Antagonists Don’t Live Up to DBZ’s
Villains like Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, and Buu from *Dragon Ball Z* are some of the most memorable in all of anime. Fans fiercely debate which of these classic antagonists is the very best. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find that same level of passionate support for later villains like Zamasu, Jiren, Moro, Gas, or even the powerful Cell Max.
Beerus and Hit stand out as the most effective antagonists in *Dragon Ball Super* because they aren’t simply evil villains. Other characters introduced as enemies have either weak development, lack personality, or uninspired designs. Despite being a fan favorite, even Goku Black doesn’t reach the iconic status of the villains who challenged the Z-Fighters in earlier *Dragon Ball* series.
Bardock in Dragon Ball Super is an Insult to the Original Version of Goku’s Father
Many fans consider *Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku* to be one of the best *Dragon Ball* stories ever made. This special introduces Bardock, Goku’s father, a character who isn’t a typical hero. In his first appearance, Bardock is a compelling and unusual protagonist – a ruthless character with few positive traits, but driven by his fierce loyalty to his people, ultimately leading to his tragic end.
It wasn’t necessary for *Dragon Ball Super* to create its own backstory for Bardock, so it’s fair to say the version written by Akira Toriyama and Toyotarou isn’t as good as the one Toei Animation made. The *DBS* Bardock – a seemingly decent family man who sent Goku to Earth to keep him safe – feels bland and unoriginal. What made the original Bardock compelling was his ultimate insignificance – a brief, defiant stand against Frieza. But *Dragon Ball Super* keeps giving Bardock more importance than he deserves.
Dragon Ball Super is Only Focused on Goku and Vegeta
Many fans jokingly call *Dragon Ball Super* “The Goku and Vegeta Show” because the series heavily focuses on these two characters, and this actually hurts the show. After a while, Goku and Vegeta become uninteresting since they don’t really grow, and the constant attention on them leaves the rest of the main characters with very little to do.
Dragon Ball Z excelled at balancing its large cast of characters. The five main heroes – Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Krillin – each received appropriate attention throughout the series. Future Trunks was seamlessly added to the core group during the Cell Saga, and Goten and Trunks were well-integrated into the Buu Saga. Supporting characters like Bulma, Android 18, and Videl also played significant roles. This strong character work continued in later series, with Dragon Ball GT focusing on Goku, Pan, Trunks, Giru, and Uub, and Dragon Ball DAIMA featuring a large cast of both returning favorites and new characters.
Dragon Ball Super Lacks Any Sense of Originality
A major letdown with *Dragon Ball Super* is how it seems to lack genuine heart. The show felt quickly put together after the movie *Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F* did well financially, and it often comes across as simply a way to make more money. Three of its story arcs are just rehashes of previous movies, and the series frequently relies on familiar elements and nostalgia instead of offering fresh ideas – a pattern that’s especially noticeable in those movie recaps.
Dragon Ball Super consistently falls back on old ideas rather than forging its own path. The Resurrection ‘F’ Saga simply brings back Frieza with a new, unremarkable form. The Universe 6 Saga is a boring tournament arc, while the Future Trunks Saga feels like empty nostalgia for fans of that character. The Universe Survival Saga is overloaded with references to the original Dragon Ball Z, and the Super Hero Saga retreads the plot of the Cell Saga. Even the more creative storylines found only in the manga haven’t been enough to define what Dragon Ball Super is trying to be.
The Passage of Time That Defines DBZ is Absent in Dragon Ball Super
What truly distinguishes *Dragon Ball Z* from the many anime series it influenced is its approach to storytelling. Like its predecessors, *Dragon Ball* and *Dragon Ball GT*, *DBZ* avoids static storylines, instead focusing on the complete lives and development of its characters. Throughout *Dragon Ball Z*, a full 23 years pass, and the main characters naturally evolve and change just as much as real people would over that time.
Taking place between *Dragon Ball Z* and its continuation, *Dragon Ball Super* doesn’t effectively use time to enhance its stories. Despite the passage of years within the series, it largely avoids significant change, only allowing things to develop when directly connected to the events at the end of *Dragon Ball Z*. While the recent Super Hero Saga introduced some changes to the lives of the Z-Fighters, these changes feel small and unimportant compared to the larger scope of the *Dragon Ball* franchise.
Read More
- Shape of Dreams Best Builds Guide – Aurena, Shell, Bismuth & Nachia
- Gold Rate Forecast
- USD THB PREDICTION
- Katanire’s Yae Miko Cosplay: Genshin Impact Masterpiece
- BTC PREDICTION. BTC cryptocurrency
- Brent Oil Forecast
- LINK PREDICTION. LINK cryptocurrency
- Monster Hunter Wilds x Final Fantasy XIV collaboration event quest ‘Planetes Protocol (Savage)’ announced
- Silver Rate Forecast
- Good Boy Director Reacts To The Horror Movie Going Viral Out Of Fear The Dog Would Die, And Why He’s OK Revealing The Answer
2025-10-08 01:46