‘Dragon Ball Super’ Opinion: How Longtime Fans Are Ruining The Franchise

“The power levels don’t make sense!” “The episode was boring.” “Dragon Ball Super is nothing compared to DBZ!” These are a number of common fan complaints that could be seen practically every week in online Dragon Ball Super forums such as Reddit. Over the course of the anime, fans have been up in arms over numerous aspects of DBS, from the way the characters are drawn and animated to the way the Z fighters’ power levels evolve during battle. While some complaints do have valid points, the sheer amount of whining among longtime Dragon Ball fans has begun to get a bit out of hand.

It is no secret that Dragon Ball Super had a lot of problems during its early episodes. Its first few sagas were quite weak narrative-wise, and the production values of the anime were ridiculously low at first. This all culminated in the infamous fifth episode of the series, which featured a battle between Beerus and Goku that was, for the lack of a better term, downright painful to watch. Despite this, however, the anime has continued to get progressively better.

The Universe 6 arc was the beginning of Dragon Ball Super‘s improvement in quality. It introduced new fighters, the concept of a multiverse and even the most powerful deity in the entire DB world, the Omni-King. The Future Trunks Arc, which followed the U6 saga, was even better, featuring one of the darkest storylines in the Dragon Ball franchise and one of the best villains that have ever graced a DB arc. Despite all this, however, fans have remained notoriously unsatisfied.

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During the Universe 6 saga, numerous fans were up in arms over the Omni-King’s design, with many stating that the deity appeared to have been drawn by a child. Nasty comments stating that even a 5-year-old child could design the god better riddled online forums, and many criticized Dragon Ball Super for introducing a character whose power level waas just ridiculous.

The Future Trunks arc received no less backlash from longtime fans of the series. When Future Trunks began to fight alongside Goku and Vegeta against Super Saiyan Rose Black Goku and Zamasu, numerous fans were up in arms over the premise of the young fighter standing toe-to-toe with opponents that were far more powerful than him. When Future Trunks debuted the Super Saiyan Rage form, equally numerous DB fans mocked the series for doing away with any logical power levels that were mentioned in Dragon Ball Z.

Even the filler episodes that bridged the Future Trunks Arc to the ongoing Universe Survival Saga did not escape criticism, with online forums complaining about how episodes were boring or disappointing due to the lack of plot. Stronger filler episodes, such as Goku’s fight with Hit, were received in a similarly snarky manner, with many criticizing the art and quality of the episodes’ animation.

Inasmuch as the critiques of longtime DB fans are understandable, there is a certain level where the whining and complaining must stop. After all, Dragon Ball Super has already proven multiple times that it is willing to give fans exactly what they want. Fans wanted a strong opponent? Here’s Hit. Everyone’s looking for a Fusion warrior? Here’s Super Saiyan Blue Vegito. Even DB memes such as Yamcha’s death pose and fourth wall breaks were included in numerous episodes, all for the sake of pleasing the franchise’s massive fanbase.

Overall, Dragon Ball Super is trying, and it is trying very hard. Over the last few months, the anime has made it a point to give fans what they are asking for, in the exact same manner that they have been requesting. Thus, it would be nice if longtime supporters of Dragon Ball Super could, at least for once, just stop whining and start enjoying the anime for what it really is – a new series with a lot of throwback moments that is designed to please old and new DB fans alike.

Yes, there are flaws, and yes, some of the anime’s plot developments simply do not make sense. However, it is important to note that this is Dragon Ball Super we are talking about. The series thrives on the ridiculous, and logic has been out the window since the franchise’s debut 30 years ago. If one considers him or herself a real Dragon Ball fan, then it is time to start acting like one – a mature supporter that can appreciate the series’ positive and negative points at the same time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TRi5WpT6us

[Featured Image by Toei Animation]