I've talked about how I hated anime as a kid in my DMC review and how I outgrew it. However, this movie was instrumental in my development as an anime-watcher. I used to have no opinion on Dragon Ball- seeing it as an obnoxious, power-scaler's favorite plaything. It seemed like a shallow and chaotic mess of a franchise I had no interest in. This was worsened on October 9th, 2023, when one of my favorite Villains, Megatron, lost to Frieza on Death Battle. I was a brat about it.
However, my brother wanted to see a Dragon Ball movie being re-released in theaters for its tenth anniversary: This very movie. On October 18, 2023, I binged 'The history of Dragon Ball, I guess' from Catharu's Dojo and studied up just in time to watch this movie. I had low expectations- hell, even bias against it going in.
...But as it turns out, I actually had a really good time.
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods revitalized a franchise dead in the water in the late 2010s, and hyped up every former fan, hoping it would bring back the magic of the Z era. For many people, it failed, not living up to their expectations. But to me? The mindlessness I was expecting was existent, yet emotionally grounded.
The plot follows the Z fighter's struggle against Beerus, the 'God of Destruction' of their universe, as they try to either convince him not to destroy their planet- or stop him from doing so, something they're not ready for.
Beerus is an entertaining as hell antagonist. Having not read the manga or watched Dragon Ball Super, this character, based off of the movies I've seen, is an intimidating and show-stealing threat. He lives in a giant tree floating in space, with an attendant voiced by Ian Sincalir in the dub- so that already steals him many points in my book. Beerus wakes after having a vision- a dream of a rival that can match even his power- that of a 'Super Sayain God.' However, his terrifying presence is often hampered by his comedic scenes- which I still enjoyed. Beerus is a great villain, and one I enjoyed getting acquainted with back as a total newbie.
I still don't care about Goku, though. He's a perfectly fine character- and I know he's a great father, contrary to his public image (Thanks TFS, that's my only problem with you guys). However, in this movie, he's focused, determined, and still humble- great qualities of a hero. I can't accurately describe how visceral that "I will not let you destroy my WOOOORLD" was in a movie theater. By the time the next Dragon Ball Death Battle rolled around, it was Goku I was rooting for in Goku vs Superman- I had become the very thing I once hated: Someone who liked Dragon Ball.
However, for me, Vegeta stole the show. Other than Gohan, Vegeta is my favorite Dragon Ball character. He's fleshed-out, tragic, empathetic, obnoxious, and redeemable. A character once defined by his loneliness and pride now getting his pride and strength from the ones he loves. That "My Bulma" scene is my favorite in the movie. Even for just that moment, he was stronger than Goku. His love for his family made him stronger than he ever was alone, and that's beautiful. For someone who hated Vegeta, Toriyama really made him a fantastic character, and this movie is a great example why.
So when Goku learns how Vegeta put aside his pride, he does the same- and accepts the help of his friends and family. Thanks to them, he soars to previously unknown heights, and rises to meet that power himself afterwards still. Despite that, he still isn't enough to beat Beerus. However, Goku's pure heart is enough to sway Beerus into not destroying his world. It should feel like a cop-out ending, but it feels earned and genuine- as if it's not pity, it's respect for a worthy rival and a good person. I find that wonderful.
All in all, this movie shouldn't work for me. It's short, it has a basic plot, often cookie-cutter characters, yet I still love the hell out of it. It has subtle character arcs, vibrant colors, and good action. What isn't there to love about a wholesome product like that? I can blame this movie for being my first real anime movie other than Ghibli- and the source that would push me to watch JJK a few months later and fully sink into the anime world. It's not life-changing like KnK was to me, but it was simply... fun. Thanks, Battle of Gods- you may be mid on paper, but you'll always be a B+ in my heart.
...Though the line "A mere Super Sayain" pisses me off even though I haven't seen Z. Power Scalers are still annoying when it comes to Dragon Ball.
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