On the second day of the Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2022, we finally received confirmation of the timeframe for the release date of Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO USA. Just a few months after its Japanese release and a year after the ComicCon announcement last July, the American film is slated to premiere this summer in 2022.
It’s only been a week since Studio Bird showed a teaser visual of five new characters that will appear in the film: Goten, Trunks, Krillin, Android 18 and Bulma. Twitter especially showed excitement for teenage Goten and Trunks, but as for the role they’ll play in the upcoming movie? It’s too early to say!
The movie hasn’t confirmed Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO English dub voice cast yet, but more news is coming. Fans in other regions should stay tuned for further announcements.
What was announced during Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2022 Day 2?
Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2022 had announcements for fans everywhere, including the new game Dragon Ball: The Breakers, chapter 82 of the Dragon Ball Super manga and more information about Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO. Prior to announcing the film’s release in the US, the event opened with a video of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.
The Goku Experience Highlight Movie showcased a pivotal moment in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot’s Frieza Arc. Fans who want to play the important event can do so in-game. And to further celebrate the moment, Chef Kinya Komoda was brought in to recreate dishes from the Kakarot game, including the Smiling Ultra Mega Roast.
As Day 2 officially kicked off, producer Toshi pitted players against players in the mobile game Dragon Ball Legends in 4 battles. After a quick victory from Toshi, player znkLFVegeta managed to beat him. Whether this is a harbinger of a potential nerf is unknown, but Toshi changed his roster in the third round – winning with the same Vegeta character that set his heart racing in round 2. Unfortunately due to technical issues, the event was reduced to just 3 fights . But fans showed their support by photographing the producer’s avatar with kamehameha emotes.
Next, fans of the Dragon Ball Super Card Game got to see how two top North American players pitted against each other. Current reigning world champion Andrew Dovale tried to defend his title against challenger Bryan Samuel. In the end, 2021 winner Andrew Dovale won again and defended his title.
Those who were excited about the latest Dragon Ball Super manga release were not left out. The Granola the Survivor Arc continues with Chapter 82, which will be released on March 18, 2022. Volume 18 will also be released in Japan on April 4, 2022 – with chapters 77 to 80.
Later in the event, a sneak peek of Dragon Ball: The Breakers, producers went head-to-head. Instead of playing like the world’s strongest champions, The Breakers let ordinary citizens take the stage. In an asymmetrical 1 vs 7 action game, custom characters can team up and survive against enemies such as Cell. There is currently no announcement of a release date, but more information will be coming soon!
In between other Day 2 events, artists took the spotlight. Some of the pieces on display included balloon art, a character fashion contest, a bento recreation of Dragon Ball scenes, and even a Goku portrait made entirely from rubik’s cubes.
What is Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero about?
Towards the end of the Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2022 event, producers Akio Iyoku and Norihiro Hayashida along with director Tetsuro Kodama arrived with brand new footage from the Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO movie.
As of now, information about the plot of the film is limited. Director Kodama has confirmed that Piccolo and Goten will star in the film. And the promotional teasers have revealed Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 – two Red Ribbon Army androids that are the film’s antagonists. Although, what is curious is that a voice from Gamma 2 in the trailer refers to him as a superhero. What that means will probably not be revealed until the film’s release.
The story on the official trailer reads:
The evil Red Ribbon Army was once destroyed by Son Goku in the past. To achieve their goal, they created ultra-powerful androids… The superheroes begin their battle to save the world.
Narrator, Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO Trailer
Some have speculated that Gamma 1 and Gamma 2, who consider themselves saviors of the world, will fight Goku and his friends who have been portrayed as villains by the Red Ribbon Army. Prepare your theories, with only two months until the Japanese release, it’s a mystery in which direction the plot could go.
While discussing key footage released for the film, Akio Iyoku was asked if Goten and Trunks’ pose indicates a possible fusion in the film. Though he declined to comment, a fusion between the two would be an exciting scene for the film. While the producer has confirmed that there will be a merger between the two – it’s only tentative if it will happen in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
Then a visual reveal showed that Dr. Hedo, the scientist responsible for the creation of Gamma 1 and Gamma 2, threw a grenade into what is said to be a prison while wearing a superhero costume. His goals remain unclear, but the second clip of Gamma 2 and Piccolo’s battle cements the new androids as enemies of the Dragon Ball cast.
The voice actor of Dr. Hedo, Miyo Irino, did give a few pointers:
If you just watch this hero version [referring to Dr. Hedo in the first key visual], you might think he’s a funny character. But when he’s in a lab coat, he’s… like a mad scientist, a little cruel.
Miyo Irino
That wasn’t all! In a third clip, a bespectacled Gohan throws his glasses aside before transforming into his Super Sayan form. There will be massive brawls, and while these fights are the only ones confirmed so far, it’s anyone’s guess whether Goten, Trunks, and Pan will get into the action as well.
A new piece of concept art also revealed the foundation of the Red Ribbon Army. Set in the cliff next to a waterfall, the sprawling metropolis is certainly impressive, both on an artistic level and for what it can mean for the plot. What other technical advancements has the military made? We’ll have to wait.
Akio also said the reason the Red Ribbon Army was chosen as the film’s villains was because the team wanted to capture the events on Earth. Army leaders all have their own motivations and beliefs, so Akio believes they make an interesting adversary. It’s certainly interesting to talk about a complicated relationship within the ranks of the Red Ribbon Army, but it’s too early to say what that will mean in the story.
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