Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

 And here's the other anime in question ...

Dragon Ball is undoubtedly the most famous thing ever inspired by the Chinese literary staple Journey to the West. It's had a long run with, among other things, manga, movies and TV, more recently with Dragon Ball Super. Hence why their latest effort is called Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Let's read on.

The movie is kind enough to fill the uninitiated on past events. It specifically tells us how franchise hero Goku crushed the evil Red Ribbon Army singlehandedly and later destroyed Cell, the ultimate creation of Red Ribbon mad scientist Dr. Gero, with his son, Gohan. Magenta, son of Red Ribbon mastermind Commander Red, plots to revive the army with his Staff Officer Carmine. They recruit Dr. Hedo, Gero's grandson, to help them get rid of Goku and his allies, who they frame as alien invaders. Hedo creates two superhero-themed androids, Gamma 1 and Gamma 2, to lead the charge.

Since Goku and his best frenemy Vegeta are off world, their ally Piccolo has to lead the anti-Red Ribbon campaign. Gohan joins the fight when the Ribbons target their daughter, Pan. Fortunately, she's already able to knock down much bigger men. But there's a much bigger problem cooking in Hedo's laboratory: a giant-sized copy of Cell named Cell Max. The rest of Earth's heroes have to pitch in to help shut down the Red Ribbons for good.

The film was written by series creator Akira Toriyama and directed by Tetsuro Kodama. It's both a spiritual distillation and continuation of the anime's story. Anyone looking for over-the-top fights between overpowered heroes and villains will be rewarded. It's also got a good sense of humor; Gamma 2's ability to generate comic book sound effects and Carmine's presentation videos are great highlights. Meanwhile, the film is full of subtle callbacks to the anime's long history. The climax even involves Piccolo growing giant, something he only used once (and not recently).  

Speaking of Piccolo, his relationships with Gohan and Pan are a driving force. Piccolo wants Gohan, his former student and now a shut-in entomologist, to take up martial arts training again. He even helps the Red Ribbons take Pan, his current student, to motivate Gohan. It sounds a bit much, but at least Piccolo lets Pan in on his act. We soon learn he didn't need to go that far. But it all pays off with Gohan getting a new form and Pan mastering flight. It's a decent story of growth between these three.

Dr. Hedo is a mad scientist with an unhinged moral compass. He served a prison sentence for grave robbing (with a goofy use) and gives his jail an explosive farewell. He only serves the Red Ribbons after being offered a lifetime supply of Oreos. But he still believes in super heroics. He's also not genre blind, as his confrontation with Magenta demonstrates. The Gammas are also true believers in super heroics and switch sides when they learn the Red Ribbon truth. They have a quite compelling arc here.

The film proudly shows off its new cel-shaded CGI aesthetics. There's plenty of tracking shots and camera angles never thought possible with its traditional predecessors. A few flashbacks are traditionally animated and it's hard to tell the difference. I had my reservations when the new style was unveiled, but after a while, it grew on me. The new style is accompanied by Naoki Sato's grand score. In particular, the Gammas' theme makes for a worthy superhero theme.

What's more to say about Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero? It's a perfect mix of goofiness and grand heroics. Its new CGI style is an appealing update of its traditional aesthetics. Its new and old characters are a strong bunch. Anyone unfamiliar with the lore won't get lost even with the callbacks. It's worth seeing on the biggest screens possible. If you want to see it, see it now, as it won't get to home media for quite some time.