Dragon Ball Super – S1 EP3 – The Search For Super Saiyan God

Dragon Ball Super

I swear I’m ripping that title track to my smartphone so I can jam to it every time I’m in the car.

This episode opens up on Beerus flying through the cosmos with his buddy Whis on their magic comet ship. He is reflecting out loud about his premonition, but still can’t quite get the name down. Is it Super Saiya, or Super Soya. Regardless of the fact that we know it’s Super Saiyan God, Beerus asks his buddy to use his powers to track down this powerful being. Unfortunately for Beerus, and fortunate for our friend Goku, he can’t find this being with so little information to go on. Talk quickly falls to being hungry, a staple of the Dragon Ball series, and the duo fly off back to wherever their home is after a few cute jokes. It’s nice to see a villain that isn’t all doom and gloom all the time, and while Beerus is quite the baddie, giving him a little room to joke here and there gives him more character than any other bad guy the Z Fighters have taken on.

We jump to the Elder Kai as he once again notes that Beerus has taken yet another planet. I’m sure by now they would be contacting the universes greatest fighters to figure something out, but he just goes on about Beerus being all bad and stuff. What we do get that’s really important is about what Beerus actually is. Elder Kai explains that in their world the gods exist to create life and watch over people, but on the other side of balance there is always the opposite. He goes on to say that where Beerus comes from the gods exist to destroy planets and end lives. It’s a pretty great setup to Beerus, not because he is some bad-guy trying to rule the universe, but because he has no purpose. What makes him so dangerous is that he only exists to destroy everything as that is his only purpose. Elder Kai goes as far as to say there is nothing they can do to stop a god and must ensure that they do nothing more to aggravate him. Even more, he worries that someone powerful will challenge Lord Beerus to a fight and cause the destruction of the entire universe. He loses his shit for a bit after realizing that Goku would definitely take on Beerus just to test his own powers because Goku is a dick as already established in prior reviews.

Dragon Ball Super

Still, since Beerus is a god that means nobody but other gods can detect his power (convenient) so all should be good as Earth is so far away. As this is happening King Kai joins their little telepathic Skype call to announce that Goku is on his planet training. We learn that he too felt the disturbance in the force (yup, that’s the actual line used) and knows about Lord Beerus and his return. Goku of course overhears this and wants to know what’s going on. King Kai does his best to distract Goku from the matter saying it was nothing and even goes as far as reminding him that he and his friends all dies saving his precious earth. Goku of course doesn’t understand until he flashes back to his fight with Cell when he bamfed a self destructing Cell to King Kai’s planet, killing them all because, say it with me, “Goku’s a dick!” King Kai goes on to mention that in all the time since, and whenever the Dragon Balls have been used, not once has Goku asked for King Kai and company to be revived. I’m not quite sure how being a dead god works, but I still have to side with King Kai. I’m not sure if it’s because I watched Dragon Ball Z as a kid, but our main heroes are really coming off as complete douche canoes.

We once again jump to Lord Beerus, this time arriving on his homebase that looks strangely like the Tree of Might. Inside we can see Beerus partaking in a parfait that looks to be made up of miniature planets as he continues to go on about his vision. As he can’t recall more about the true name of this powerful being he calls for the assistance of the Oracle Fish. Yup, it’s about how it sounds as a small fish in a bowl that sits on the end of a scepter comes flying into the room. This show is getting weird, man. Oracle Fish reminds Beerus that this being will in fact show up today and with this Beerus looks quite happy. He asks Oracle Fish what the name of this new adversary is, but Oracle Fish just says that he has forgot. After Beerus threatens to take away two of his three daily feedings Oracle Fish finally remembers the name and exclaims “Super Saiyan God!” This is all great news, but Beerus’ buddy informs him that there is no Super Saiyan God being in the universe that he can sense or see. Beerus then goes on to say they should just go ask the Saiyans, but remembers that Frieza destroyed them all while he was sleeping. It’s a cool little call back , but we also find out that Beerus knew King Vegeta and would have killed off the Saiyans himself were he not sleeping. We learn the his slumber was cut short at only 39 years, so this is why he is aware of the goings on of the universe up to a certain point.

Dragon Ball Super

We cut to Beerus in a large bath asking about what happened to the Saiyans that survived and he is informed that they escaped to a planet know as Earth. Lord Beerus recalls the planet and remembers visiting to feast on the dinosaurs, leading to their extinction. It’s a funny moment, but also a call-back to last episode where they mention how rare and tasty dinosaur meat is. As the story goes on Beerus is shocked to learn that Frieza was defeated in battle (everyone always is) and by none other than a simple Saiyan. It’s finally revealed to him through a holographic like flashback that it was Goku that killed him. Beerus makes note that he wasn’t aware that Saiyans has yellow hair and is informed that some have the ability to up their power level to Super Saiyan in rare instances. Beerus remarks about Super Saiyan God and is told that that power is beyond any Saiyan. Still, he notes that this Goku may be a clue to finding this Super Saiyan God and preps to leave to King Kai’s planet to find him.

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After the halfway episode intermission we jump to Earth for the first time this episode and get our first look at some new faces to this series. Android 18 and Krillin (sans moustache) are stuck in rush hour traffic on the way to Bulma’s birthday party. Krillin is sporting a very modern hairstyle this series as he complains that they are only stuck in traffic because 18 took so long putting on her makeup. She goes on to say that of course she took the time to get done up because it’s a big party on a cruise ship hosted by the world’s richest family and makes note that she hopes they won’t be late, as she does not want to miss the Bingo Tournament. During this exchange we also see a baby Marron in the back seat playing with a Gameboy like device. After realizing they may in fact be late, Krillin shrinks the car back into its capsule and the family take flight to the party with many bystanders freaking the fuck out at a bunch of people flying.

We jump to a massive, and I mean massive, cruise ship that has docked in a harbor. it’s so big that the beach goers expressions are exactly the same as the reactions those other people gave to Kirllin and family. We see Bulma running about the deck making sure everything is ready for the big party including tons and tons of food stands to satiate her fighter friends. Flashing back to Kirllin we see that the family isn’t the only ones taking to the skies on the way to the party as they run into Yamcha and Pu’ar. And wouldn’t you know it, Tien and Chiaotzu pull up and join this little flight squadron. First, let me just say, “Fuck yeah!” as Tien is the freaking man and looks fantastic with his new design. I’ve waited three episodes to see the best Z Fighter around. Yes, I said best as being human Tien was easily able to hold out against any threat, even going as far as to nearly taking Cell to the limit. Woot!

Dragon Ball Super

Back to the cruise ship we see everyone arrive and get our firs glimpses at the gang all back together again. It’s really heartwarming to see all these familiar characters back in the same place, and while I know it’s just an anime, it’s still a lot of fun. Plus, the great thing about animation is that you don’t have to bother seeing anyone grow old! Lastly we see Gohan and Videl giving Piccolo a copy of their weeding photo noting that Piccolo was the last person to get one. He thanks them and to his dismay realizes that his eyes were closed in the photo. He of course loses his shit and once again, without saying a word steals the entire damn episode. Man, I’d gladly watch a Dragon Ball spin-off series that just sees Piccolo trying to deal with day-to-day life on Earth. That would be the best show in the history of television. Before cutting back to Bulma we get a brief scene of Vegeta still training to become the best, like no one ever was. Gohan then explains to Bulma that Goku won’t be coming to his friends party that has everyone he knows and that he holds dear at because he is training. Furious, Bulma loses her mind as Vegeta, her husband, isn’t coming either because of his stupid training.

Dragon Ball Super

After a brief interlude of needless story bits we flash back to Elder Kai where we learn something pretty huge in the Dragon Ball lore. He states to Kibito Kai that Lord Beerus was the one who imprisoned him within the legendary Z Sword. Okay, so super cereal fans will already know about this, but name dropping Lord Beerus as the one to do it is still huge within the Dragon Ball canon. Kibito remarks that he has taken Beerus far too lightly and Elder Kai asks him if he can sense just how great his power is. As they do this Elder Kai is knocked off his feet with the realization that Lord Beerus has changed course and is heading straight for King Kai’s planet. Elder Kai realizes that all is lost and that is Goku and Beerus meet it will no doubt mean the end of the entire universe. And with that our episode ends and we get the almost as cool ending theme.

For an episode that had absolutely no fighting in it, it still serves as the very best episode of the series so far. We actually get some very good character development and it always nice to see everyone back together again in one place.  I’m going to score this episode of Dragon Ball Super pretty high in my book, but it’s the kind of episode that I may look back on after the series have gone by as see as less than stellar. I guess that’s just how nostalgia works sometimes.

Dragon Ball Super
Roshi stuff.

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J. Luis

J. Luis is the current Editor-In-Chief here at GAMbIT. With a background in investigative journalism his work encompasses the pop-culture spectrum here, but he also works in the political spectrum for other organizations.

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