Dragon Ball Super arrived carrying the heaviest expectations in anime. Following up Dragon Ball Z, one of the most beloved and influential series in the medium’s history, was always going to be a nearly impossible task. Toei Animation’s 131-episode continuation of Akira Toriyama’s story introduces gods of destruction, multiverse tournaments, and power levels that make the Frieza saga look quaint. The results have been genuinely mixed, with specific arcs delivering the thrill that only Dragon Ball can provide while others expose the franchise’s growing pains in a new era.
The community’s response mirrors the show’s inconsistency. Certain episodes and arcs have been celebrated as some of the best Dragon Ball content ever produced. Others have been criticized for animation quality that falls below acceptable standards, character handling that sidelines the broad cast in favor of Goku and Vegeta, and a narrative structure that sometimes feels like a series of escalating power demonstrations rather than a story with meaningful stakes.
Ultra Instinct and the Tournament of Power
Dragon Ball Super’s crowning achievement is the Universe Survival arc, specifically the Tournament of Power, which pits fighters from eight universes against each other with the losing universes facing erasure. The stakes are enormous by Dragon Ball standards, the roster of new characters is colorful and entertaining, and the tournament format provides a natural structure that keeps the action focused and the pacing tight.
Goku’s achievement of Ultra Instinct during the tournament produced some of the most visually spectacular and emotionally charged moments in Dragon Ball history. The transformation’s debut episodes received enormous positive response from the community, with the animation quality spiking to match the narrative significance of the moment. Ultra Instinct feels like a genuine evolution for the franchise’s power system rather than just another numerical increase.
The Goku Black arc, set in a devastated future timeline, also earned strong praise for its darker tone and the introduction of a villain whose connection to the existing cast gives the conflict personal stakes. The arc’s exploration of a corrupted version of Goku and the return of Future Trunks provided dramatic material that Super’s earlier arcs lacked.
Hit’s introduction during the Universe 6 tournament arc provided another highlight, with the character’s time-manipulation abilities creating fight choreography that feels genuinely fresh within the Dragon Ball framework.
The Power That Outgrew Its Story
Dragon Ball Super’s animation quality is notoriously inconsistent. While landmark episodes receive impressive production support, the show frequently dips to levels that generated widespread criticism from both Japanese and Western audiences. Certain episodes became memes for their poor animation, with character designs and action choreography that fell far below what the franchise’s reputation demands.
Goku and Vegeta absorb so much of the show’s attention that the broader cast becomes increasingly irrelevant. Characters like Piccolo, Gohan, Krillin, and Tien, who played meaningful roles in Dragon Ball Z, are reduced to spectators or minor participants in Super. The show occasionally gestures toward giving them moments, but the power gap between the Saiyan leads and everyone else has grown too wide for those moments to feel significant.
Goku’s characterization has drawn particular criticism. Some fans feel he’s been written as more oblivious and reckless than he was in Z, with his eagerness to fight strong opponents sometimes creating consequences that the show treats too lightly. His decisions occasionally endanger the entire universe, and the show’s comedic framing of these moments sits awkwardly against their actual severity.
The early arcs, which retell the Battle of Gods and Resurrection F movies with less polished animation and extended runtimes, represent the show’s weakest stretch. Viewers who’ve seen the films gain nothing from these adaptations, and viewers who haven’t are getting a version that’s generally considered inferior to the source material.
The Franchise’s Comfortable Plateau
Dragon Ball Super feels like a franchise that knows its audience will show up regardless and calibrates its effort accordingly. When it chooses to invest, the results are legitimately thrilling. When it doesn’t, the gaps are conspicuous. This pattern creates an inconsistent viewing experience that rewards selective engagement rather than sequential commitment.
Should You Watch Dragon Ball Super?
If you love Dragon Ball and want more of Goku, Vegeta, and company in new adventures with expanded mythology, Super provides that with notable peaks. The Tournament of Power arc alone is worth watching for Dragon Ball fans. Approach with the understanding that quality fluctuates significantly and some arcs are substantially better than others. Skip it if you want the franchise to evolve beyond its established formula, if inconsistent animation quality is a dealbreaker, or if you need the supporting cast to matter as much as they did in Z.
The Verdict on Dragon Ball Super
Dragon Ball Super is a continuation that occasionally reminds you why Dragon Ball matters and frequently reminds you that it’s not at its best. Ultra Instinct, the Tournament of Power, and Goku Black represent the franchise firing on all cylinders, delivering spectacle and excitement that only this universe can produce. The inconsistent animation, marginalized supporting cast, and uneven arcs represent the compromises of a production that couldn’t always match its ambitions to its output. It’s essential viewing for Dragon Ball fans and optional for everyone else, a show that expands the mythology without quite matching the legacy.