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Casandra Ronning
Published 24 minutes ago
Casandra Ronning is a staff writer for Screen Rant's anime section. Since mid-2024, she has dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge and experience in the entertainment industry. She is most proud of conducting an exclusive interview with popular voice actor Stephanie Nadolny.
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Dragon Ball Super took the story to new heights with its release in 2015. Over the course of its arcs, the series has added depth to the characters, lore, and overall Dragon Ball universe. Each storyline has its own strengths and weaknesses, with some standing out more than others.
As the story unfolds across the manga, anime, and several films, there have been some arcs that fans gravitate toward more than others. Whether it's through spectacle, character, or narrative developments, or pushing boundaries through new transformations and skills, Dragon Ball Super has delivered countless thrilling and engaging story arcs that continue to captivate fans while expanding the franchise’s legacy.
Copy-Vegeta Arc
Goku challenging Copy-Vegeta from the Copy-Vegeta Arc in Dragon Ball Super
The Copy-Vegeta arc takes place on Planet Potaufeu, after Goten and Trunks mistakenly get locked in Monaka’s delivery truck. Bulma sends Vegeta and Jaco to find the boys and bring them home; however, they become entangled in a larger conflict involving the Commeson, a liquid weapon that can absorb power and create a copy of whoever it touches.
After Vegeta gets absorbed and spit out by this entity, a purple copy of him is made, weakening him of his power and forcing the group to manage the threat that is far stronger than they expected for a seemingly small-scale detour. With the real Vegeta gradually fading away, it falls to Goku to defeat the Commeson.
The arc is relatively short, filled with both humor and action; however, it’s a filler arc that remains disconnected from the rest of the series. It adds little to the overarching narrative and stands out as an easily skipable arc in Dragon Ball Super. That said, the character dynamics and return of Gotenks make it enjoyable.
Golden Frieza Arc
The Golden Frieza arc adapts Frieza’s return to the series following his resurrection by surviving loyalists. He arrives on Earth after intensive training, triggering a large-scale conflict between his army and the Z-fighters. The arc allows the warriors of Earth to take the lead in the battle while Goku and Vegeta train on Beerus’ world.
When Goku and Vegeta return to Earth, they engage Frieza in a battle that reveals his new Golden form and Super Saiyan Blue. Despite the return of Dragon Ball’s most iconic villain, some fans argued that Frieza’s growth felt rushed and unearned, with some stating the arc itself was drawn out. Many fans felt the movie was the better adaptation.
High School Arc
Goten and Trunks above a city landscape theme
The High School arc follows Goten and Trunks as they settle into high school life while fighting crime in their city as the superhero duo Saiyaman X-1 and X-2. It’s the arc before Super Hero and somewhat echoes the Great Saiyaman arc from Dragon Ball Z, creating a nostalgic familiarity for longtime fans.
The storyline follows Trunks and Goten as they get into hijinks at school and later take on some of Dr. Hedo’s early creations, including the Alpha and Beta series androids. The arc blends slice-of-life moments with thrilling action sequences that add backstory to Dr. Gero’s grandson. Overall, the arc is a lighter atmosphere and reminiscent of Dragon Ball’s early humor.
Universe 6 Arc
The Universe 6 arc centers around a tournament arranged by Beerus and Champa, pitting Universe 7 against Universe 6 in a battle that will determine which universe will earn a wish on the Super Dragon Balls. Goku, Vegeta, and the Z-Fighters faced unfamiliar fighters, each with their own unique motivations and skills.
The arc introduced new fighters, including Hit, a deadly assassin, Cabba, a Universe 6 Saiyan, and Frost, a deceitful space pirate from the same race as Frieza. The tournament allowed for inventive matchups and demonstrated powers beyond Saiyan transformations, giving the audience variety in a controlled, arena-like setting.
God of Destruction Arc
Whis and Beerus stand side by side in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods.
The God of Destruction arc introduced Beerus, a cosmic figure whose search for the Super Saiyan God pulls Goku and his allies into a conflict far beyond their usual scale. The storyline follows Beerus’s awakening, his arrival on Earth, and eventual battle against Goku in a new, divine form.
With the arrival of Beerus, Dragon Ball entered a bold new era that raised the stakes to a level higher than ever. It established a new hierarchy of power and allowed the franchise to grow in a new direction. As the first arc of the series, it introduced new, memorable characters that quickly grew on audiences.
The arc’s greatest strengths are its balance of humor, tension, and bold reimagining of Dragon Ball’s future. The arc adapts the Battle of Gods film that was released in 2013, which was the film that revitalized the franchise and sparked Dragon Ball Super’s storyline.
Broly Arc
Broly losing control of his power after transforming into a Super Saiyan.
Broly’s arc reimagined the Legendary Super Saiyan through a new design and origin, officially integrating the fan-favorite character into the canon storyline. The arc provided greater insight into both Goku and Vegeta’s origins as well, following King Vegeta, Bardock, and introducing Gine, Goku’s mother, before following Broly’s harsh upbringing on Planet Vampa.
Broly has been developed far beyond his original counterpart in Dragon Ball Z, giving him a deeper background, a meaningful character arc, anda strong emotional core. Broly’s arc had also introduced the fusion Gogeta into the official canon, granting fans a thrilling and memorable storyline that delivered in more ways than one.
Dragon Ball Super: Broly stands out as one of the best films in the franchise, offering stunning animation, engaging storytelling, and expanding the cast with unique characters that help drive much of Broly’s growth. The pacing was tight, and the choreography of the battles kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
Super Hero Arc
Gohan looks angry as blue sparks come out of his body from Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
The Super Hero arc follows the resurgence of the Red Ribbon Army under Dr. Hedo, who engineered Gamma 1 and Gamma 2, new androids designed to challenge the Z-fighters. The storyline follows the High School arc and was adapted into Dragon Ball Super’s latest film, Super Hero, released in 2022.
Gohan and Piccolo take center stage as Goku and Vegeta continue their training far from Earth on Beerus’s world. While the film was marketed as Gohan’s big movie, some fans have pointed out that Super Hero felt more like Piccolo took the spotlight. That said, both characters were given space to grow and earn new, striking transformations.
Galactic Patrol Prisoner Arc
Moro as seen in Dragon Ball Super manga
The Galactic Patrol Prisoner Arc centered on the rise of Moro, a powerful ancient sorcerer who escaped imprisonment after 10 million years and began draining planets of their life energy. His imprisonment by the Galactic Patrol was done by the Grand Supreme Kai, who sealed his magic due to his destructive nature and inability to be killed by conventional means.
The Z-fighters, alongside the intergalactic law enforcement of the Galactic Patrol, were then pulled into a high-stakes chase across the universe to put a stop to Moro before he could get his hands on the Namekian Dragon Balls. The arc introduces new, memorable characters and allows the Galactic Patrol to play a larger role in the series.
As a villain, Moro stands out due to his dramatically evolving power, use of magic, and the direct threat he poses to the entire universe. The arc also grants Vegeta significant character development, adding depth to the storyline and Dragon Ball’s central characters.
Universe Survival Arc
Dragon Ball Super: The Universe 7 Team for the Tournament of Power.
The Universe Survival Arc revolves around the Tournament of Power, a high-stakes, multiversal battle royale orchestrated by the Omni-Kings, Zeno. The Tournament sparks after Goku asks Zeno to hold the tournament rather than erasing any universe outright, to which Zeno agrees, bringing together all 12 universes in a battle that would decide their fate.
Goku and the Z-fighters assemble a team of their strongest warriors to represent Universe 7, inviting back fan-favorites such as Android 17, 18, and even Frieza, an opportunity to enter the battlefield yet again. The arc introduced many unique characters and Gods of Destruction from other universes, expanding the series’ lore and universe.
The Universe Survival arc offered intense battles, emotional payoffs, and thrilling action sequences and transformations, including Goku’s Ultra Instinct. The arc stood out as a high-stakes homage to the series’ longstanding tradition of martial arts tournaments and delivered unforgettable moments that tested the characters’ strength.
“Future” Trunks Arc
The “Future” Trunks arc reintroduced the fan-favorite alternate-future Trunks to the series after his world was overrun by Goku Black. To save his timeline, Goku and Vegeta use the time machine to travel to the future and confront Zamasu, the divine being who took over Goku’s body and aims to destroy all of humanity.
The arc stands out for introducing a dark version of Goku and another Zamasu who had wished for immortality. The arc introduced new transformations, including the stunning Super Saiyan Rosé, expanded Future Trunks’ story, and explored a genuinely complex set of villains. The storyline was intense, emotional, and filled with tension from start to finish.
Its greatest strength lies within its dramatic weight and character development, and audiences have praised the combat sequences. However, many have also shared frustrations with the story due to damaging the Future Trunks’ arc in Dragon Ball Z by offering an ending where his universe is ultimately destroyed after all the effort he had put into saving it.
Granolah the Survivor Arc
Dragon Ball Super's Granolah and the Heeters.
The Granolah the Survivor arc centers around the last survivor of the Cerealian race, as he seeks revenge against the Saiyans for the destruction of his people. Granolah acquires the Dragon Balls of his world to summon the Eternal Dragon Toronbo and wishes to become the strongest warrior in the Universe at the cost of much of his lifespan.
His confrontation with Goku and Vegeta is emotionally charged, and later revelations surrounding manipulations from the Heeter family come to light in ways that challenge the characters and the audience alike. This arc pushed Dragon Ball to new heights and completely redefined the power balance through several characters, including Granolah, Gas, and the return of Frieza.
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Dragon Ball Super
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-PG Animation Action Adventure Anime Fantasy Release Date 2015 - 2018 Network Fuji TV Directors Ryota Nakamura, Masanori Sato, Kenichi Takeshita, Takao Iwai, Hideki Hiroshima, Masato Mitsuka, Kazuya Karasawa, Ayumu Ono, Takahiro Imamura, Tatsuya Nagamine, Kôjiro Kawasaki, Kouji Ogawa Writers Ryu King, Hiroshi Yamaguchi Franchise(s) Dragon BallCast
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Masakazu Morita
Whis (voice)
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Masako Nozawa
Son Goku/Goku Black/Son Gohan/Son Goten (voices)
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