Dragon Ball

Anime Blu-ray Review: Dragon Ball Super Part 2

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Dragon Ball Super Part 2 includes episodes 14-26 of the Dragon Ball Super anime series. Audio options for this release include the original Japanese audio with English subtitles and the English dub.

Dragon Ball Super Part 2
English Publisher: FUNimation Entertainment
Format: Blu-ray
Release Date: October 3, 2017

The first episode of the set finishes off the retelling of the Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods anime film. After seeing that there was only one episode left for that arc, I wondered why FUNimation didn’t make the first set 14 episodes in length in order to have all the story in one set. It just seems ridiculous to start the second disc with the final episode of the first arc.

The second episode on the set was something that was never seen before, which was a nice change of pace since I was already familiar with the basic story of the first arc from Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. It’s an episode that focused on Mr. Satan (Hercule in the English dub) admitting the existence of Beerus and claiming to be the one who defeated him. Surprising visitors from outer space nearly expose his hoax, though! While the episode is a little on the ridiculous side, it fits right in with Mr. Satan’s character.

The next three episodes serve as a bridge between the Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ anime films. It shows the audience how Vegeta and Goku ended up going to Beerus’ world to train with Whis, which is one of the first things that it seen in the Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ film. I’m glad that Dragon Ball Super took the opportunity to fill in that gap. One of the memorable things in this section is seeing Vegeta trying to cook in order to impress Whis, because it was amusing. Another amusing thing here is seeing Gohan being the overprotective expectant father. He means well by trying to cook dinner one night, but he obviously hasn’t done it very much because he gets flustered easily by it. Wow, two humorous scenes of men trying to cook… who ever would have expected that from the Dragon Ball franchise?

The remaining eight episodes are a retelling of the Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ anime film. While there has been some minor tweaking with the events and story, it’s nowhere near as major or as blatant as Dragon Ball Super’s retelling of the Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods anime film. Unfortunately, this story arc doesn’t conclude in this episode, so you have to watch Dragon Ball Super Part 3 in order to see the ending.

While I nitpicked at the character designs and animation quality of Dragon Ball Super in my review of the first set, I found that it didn’t bother me nearly as much as I watched Dragon Ball Super Set 2. I guess after watching the first set and having some time in between watching this set, I became adjusted to the different style. I also warmed up more to the opening and closing themes. A new ending theme was also introduced right near the end of this set.

The Blu-ray video is 1080p High Definition 16:9 (HD Native), and the audio is Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1 and Dolby True HD: Japanese 2.0. I have no complaints with the video or audio quality.

The first bonus feature included in this set is a roughly 12-minute piece that includes Jason Douglas (English voice actor for Beerus) watching two episodes of Dragon Ball Super with three of his kids, and they are joined by Ian Sinclair (English voice actor for Whis). To be honest, I thought the kids were one of the best parts of this bonus feature. Jason and Ian were entertaining, to be sure, but I liked the kids just a little more. Overall, I found this to be much more enjoyable than the parents explaining Dragon Ball to their kids, which was the major bonus feature of the previous set. There are also textless versions of the openings and closings, as well as trailers for other FUNimation Entertainment releases.

If you’re a fan of the Dragon Ball franchise and want to own all the episodes and films, then you’ll need to add Dragon Ball Super Part 2 to your anime home video library.

Dragon Ball Symphonic Experience Kicks-Off North American Tour with Premiere Performance in Chicago

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

As part of the year-long 30th anniversary celebration of Dragon Ball Z, Toei Animation Inc. and Sony Pictures Television’s FUNimation have announced that the “Dragon Ball Symphonic Adventure,” a one-of-a-kind concert experience, is coming to North America. Produced by Overlook Events and presented by AWR Music Productions, the “Dragon Ball Symphonic Adventure” combines scenes and sounds of Dragon Ball together with live vocals, a 60-piece orchestra and the music of legendary Japanese composer Shunsuke Kikuchi to create an immersive multimedia event for fans. The North American tour of the “Dragon Ball Symphonic Adventure” kicks off on March 27, 2020 with its premiere performance in Chicago, Illinois at the Rosemont Theatre featuring the World Festival Symphony Orchestra conducted by Eric Roth. Additional dates and locations to be announced.

Produced by Toei Animation and distributed in the U.S. and Canada by FUNimation, the Dragon Ball anime franchise consists of four TV series, namely Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super, and now 20 feature films including this year’s blockbuster film Dragon Ball Super: Broly. This year marks the global 30th anniversary of the Dragon Ball Z anime TV series.

Based on its Narrative Symphonic Experience concept, Overlook Events mixes a symphony orchestra with rock instruments, live vocals, sound effects and light synchronized to a compilation of Dragon Ball video excerpts projected on giant screens, following a strict narrative – to create the Dragon Ball Symphonic Adventure. The result is a concert experience that achieves a musical and technical mastery still very rare in an industry dominated by cinema-concerts.

Overlook describes their creative process:

“As great enthusiasts of Akira Toriyama’s saga, we spent long months carefully selecting and analyzing each scene to draw out the essence of the Dragon Ball story. While reconstructing each arc, each scene was thoughtfully set to new orchestrations of the classic music, to align with our Narrative Symphonic Experience concept. Nothing was left to chance. Now, we invite you to enjoy every minute of this concert experience, from the opening trumpet notes heralding the first transformation of Son Goku, ready to unleash his uncontrollable fury against the mighty Frieza.””

Tickets for the premiere performance of “Dragon Ball Symphonic Adventure” will go on sale at 10am CST on November 15, 2019 via Ticketmaster at http://bit.ly/DBSymphonicAdventure.

Bluefin Details Anime NYC 2019 Events and Show Exclusive Products

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Bluefin, a Bandai Namco group company and the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan and Asia, has detailed a host of show exclusive products and special activities set to take place at Anime NYC 2019. Attendees are invited to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam with specially branded products and appearances by Gundam creator and director, Yoshiyuki Tomino.

Anime NYC 2019 will take place November 15–17, 2019 at the Javits Convention Center in New York, New York. Full details are available at: http://animenyc.com/.

Bluefin will be located in Booth #720.

Exclusive Bluefin Products Available at Anime NYC 2019

Stop by the Bluefin Booth #720 for a wide array of exclusive products from Bandai Spirits Hobby and Tamashii Nations.

Apparel:

  • Gundam 40th Anniversary Hoodie (Sizes M to 2XL) – $60
  • Gundam 40th Anniversary T-Shirt (Sizes M to 3XL) – $30
  • Gundam 40th Anniversary Hat – $30
  • Gundam 40th Anniversary Towel – $15

Bandai Spirits Hobby:

  • Haro Basic Green (Clear Color Variant) – $8
  • Momoharo (Clear Color Variant) – $8
  • SDCS Zaku (Clear Color Variant) – $10
  • SDCS Zeta Gundam (Clear Color Variant) – $13
  • HD 00 Sky (Dive Into Dimension Clear Variant) – $18
  • HG Destiny Gundam (Clear Color Variant) – $25
  • HG Freedom Gundam vs. Force Impulse Gundam Battle of Destiny Set – $48
  • RG Sazabi (Clear Color Variant) – $50
  • MG ZZ Gundam (Clear Color Variant) – $70
  • MG Tallgeese II (Special Coating Variant) – $80
  • MG Zaku II High Mobility Type “Psycho Zaku” (Half Mechanical Clear) – $100

Tamashii Nations:

Catch a variety of exclusives from the Dragon Ball World Adventure available for purchase. The booth also will showcase and offer for purchase a wide variety of other Tamashii Nations’ items from Gundam, Star Wars, Marvel and more.

  • Metal Build – Strike Freedom Gundam Soul Blue Version · MSRP: $270

Dragon Ball World Adventure Exclusives:

  • S.H.Figuarts GOKU BLACK SUPER SAIYAN ROSE Event Exclusive Color Edition – $75
  • S.H.Figuarts GOLDEN FRIEZA Event Exclusive Color Edition – $65
  • S.H.Figuarts ULTIMATE SON GOHAN Event Exclusive Color Edition – $55
  • S.H.Figuarts SON GOKU KID Event Exclusive Color Edition – $55

Anime NYC 2019 Bluefin / Bandai Show Activities

2019 GunPla Builder’s World Cup
Anime NYC 2019 will host the Northeast U.S. Regional Qualifier for Bandai’s 2019 GunPla Builder’s World Cup. The contest is a yearly event held amongst modelers to show off their completed Gundam models. Top modelers from the U.S. as well as Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Italy, France, Vietnam, and Canada battle it out for the title of GunPla World Cup Champion. Contest categories include Best Universal Century Model, Best Alternate Universe, Best Super Deformed (SD), and Best Factory Finish. Models are judged on painting, craftsmanship, and overall concept. The winning U.S. representative will go on to compete against winning modelers from other countries in the Final Round to held in Japan on December 9, 2019.

Gundam Creator Yoshiyuki Tomino
Mobile Suit Gundam creator and director, Yoshiyuki Tomino, will attend Anime NYC as an Official Guest to mark the 40th anniversary of his landmark property. He will participate in several panels and autograph sessions. Please visit http://animenyc.com/autographs2019/ for information on the signing sessions. Yoshiyuki Tomino will only autograph official Gundam products for series he personally worked on, including the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime series and the new Gundam Reconquista in G (G-Reco) movie that will premiere at Anime NYC.

U.S. Premiere of Gundam Reconquista in G Anime Film
Attendees are invited to attend the U.S. Premiere of Gundam Reconquista in G. The screening will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 1E13, immediately following the GunPla Builders World Cup official panel.

VIZ Media Presents an Exciting Selection of Anime and Publishing Titles for the Holidays

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

VIZ Media offers fans a diverse collection of titles to add to their wish lists this holiday season. Featured anime titles include Season 2 of the acclaimed Netflix Original Anime Series Castlevania as well as the series finale of Sailor Moon, available for the first time ever on home video in the U.S. Fans can also enjoy a limited edition of Transformers: A Visual HistoryY celebrating the franchise’s 35th anniversary, and a deluxe Dragon Ball art book. Additional offerings come from fan-favorite series including Bleach, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, One Piece, RWBY and much more.

Anime Gift Selections:

CASTLEVANIA SEASON 2
Blu-ray MSRP: $29.98 U.S. / $34.99 CAN
DVD MSRP: $24.98 U.S. / $29.99 CAN

Trevor Belmont, last survivor of his house, is no longer alone, and he and his misfit comrades, Sypha Belnades and Alucard race to find a way to save humanity from extinction at the hands of the grief-maddened Dracula and his sinister vampire war council.

Season 2’s special features include production animatics, storyboards, art gallery and more.

SAILOR MOON SAILOR STARS PART 2
Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack MSRP: $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN
DVD MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $51.99 CAN
Available November 12, 2019 (Part 1 Available Now)

Although the popularity of the Idol group Three Lights is off the charts, Usagi hasn’t realized that Seiya, Yaten and Taiki are the Sailor Star Lights. But with the number of Phage growing in the city, the purpose of star seeds is the biggest mystery that needs to be solved. Could the mysterious Chibi-Chibi hold the answer? The tide is turning, but not in Usagi’s favor. Her allies are being overpowered, and altered timelines are confusing the fate she knows to be true: Mamoru is her true love, Neo Crystal Tokyo is her future kingdom and her fellow Guardians will be her eternal protectors…right? The ultimate battle with the chaotic Sailor Galaxia lies ahead, and the fate of all existence lies in the balance.

Special features include cast interviews, trailers, opening & ending songs, and art gallery.

JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE Part 1
Blu-ray MSRP: $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN
DVD MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $51.99 CAN

It’s 1999, and Jotaro Kujo has just arrived in the idyllic Japanese town of Morioh—only this time, he’s not hunting DIO and his henchmen. His search for the illegitimate child of Joseph Joestar has brought him face-to-face with Josuke Higashikata, a Stand-wielding, butt-kicking high schooler who happens to be afraid of turtles. But behind Morioh’s tranquil facade is an invisible evil slowly eating away at the peace and well-being of its residents. Bizarre happenings are becoming commonplace, and the Joestar clan must rise to the occasion if they and the town of Morioh are to survive.

MEGALOBOX Limited Edition Blu-ray
MSRP: $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN

Bored, resigned, and unfulfilled, a young man with neither name nor past survives by fighting in underground matches of a sport called “Megalobox,” a form of boxing that utilizes powered exoskeletons. Calling himself JNK.DOG, he feels trapped in a world of crime, poverty, and ecological collapse. All that changes when he has a chance encounter with Yuri, the reigning king of Megalobox. Now, obsessed with proving himself, JNK.DOG becomes a man driven to do whatever it takes to fight his way to the top of the rankings and take on the champion.

Also available:

BLEACH 1-4 Blu-ray Sets; Set 5 available December 3rd, 2019
MSRP: $54.97 U.S. / $63.99 CAN

BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS 1-3 Blu-ray & DVD Sets
Blu-ray MSRP: $44.98 U.S. / $52.99 CAN · DVD MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $51.99 CAN

Deluxe Book Gift Selections:

DRAGON BALL: A VISUAL HISTORY by Akira Toriyama
MSRP: $34.99 U.S. / $46.99 CAN
Available November 12, 2019

A comprehensive art book showcasing manga art, additional promotional material, creator commentary and notes/sketches/posters, from throughout the history of the original Dragon Ball series. This hardcover book with dust jacket comes protected in an upscale slipcase.

TRANSFORMERS: A VISUAL HISTORY by Jim Sorenson
Limited Edition MSRP: $99.99 U.S. / $125.00 CAN
Available November 12, 2019

The deluxe limited edition comes packaged in a beautiful collector’s box with an exclusive variant cover design and five gorgeous and frame-ready prints.

One of the world’s most popular franchises, Transformers has been delighting fans since 1984. Now, in this deluxe hardcover celebration, Hasbro reveals behind-the-scenes production sketches, beautifully polished final art, and everything in-between. From the obscure to the iconic, this book features packaging artwork, animation models, video game designs, comic pages, and, for the first time ever, production artwork from all six Paramount live-action films. Lovingly curated by Transformers expert Jim Sorenson, this is the most comprehensive collection of Transformers imagery ever assembled.

THE WORLD OF RWBY by Daniel Wallace
MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $53.99 CAN

The definitive companion to the hit animated series, The World of RWBY is the ultimate celebration of a pop-culture phenomenon. Go behind the scenes with exclusive commentary from Rooster Teeth and explore the show’s creation through in-depth interviews with the writers, animators and voice artists. With comprehensive analysis of key characters and iconic episodes, and showcasing stunning visuals from the series, this is the must-have book for RWBY fans around the world.

Also Available

ONE PIECE COLOR WALK COMPENDIUM: WATER SEVEN TO PARAMOUNT WAR by Eiichiro Oda
MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $53.99 CAN

EVANGELION ILLUSTRATIONS 2007-2017
MSRP: $34.99 U.S. / $46.99 CAN

Manga Box Set Gift Selections:

ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM COMPLETE BOX SET by Yusei Matsui
MSRP: $189.99 U.S. / $249.99 CAN
Rated “T+” for Older Teens

The complete bestselling Assassination Classroom series is now available in a boldly designed, value-priced box set. Includes all 21 volumes of this unique tale of a mysterious, smiley-faced, tentacled, superpowered teacher who guides a group of misfit students to find themselves—while doing their best to assassinate him. Action-packed, hilarious, and heartwarming, this title is famous for moving fans to tears through their laughter. Includes an exclusive, full-color, mini “yearbook” filled with images of favorite characters in different art styles and contexts (previously unreleased in the English editions).

DRAGON BALL COMPLETE BOX SET by Akira Toriyama
MSRP: $139.99 U.S. / $179.99 CAN
Rated “T” For Teens

The Dragon Ball Complete Box Set contains all 16 volumes of the original manga that kicked off the global phenomenon. Also includes an exclusive double-sided poster and collector’s booklet featuring fun Dragon Ball trivia and guides as well as an interview with its legendary creator.

DRAGON BALL Z COMPLETE BOX SET by Akira Toriyama
MSRP: $219.99 U.S. / $279.99 CAN
Rated “A” For All Ages

The Dragon Ball Z Complete Box Set contains all 26 volumes of the manga that propelled the global phenomenon that started with Dragon Ball into one of the world’s most recognizable and best-selling manga. Also includes an exclusive double-sided poster and collector’s booklet featuring fun Dragon Ball Z trivia and guides as well as an interview with Akira Toriyama.

VIZ Media Announces New Home Media and Publishing Releases for November 2019

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

VIZ Media announces the anticipated home media release of Season 2 of the hit Netflix Original Anime Series Castlevania. All eight episodes of Season 2 will be available on Blu-ray and DVD and conclude Trevor Belmont’s battle with Dracula.

The finale of Sailor Moon also arrives with the home media release of Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Part 2. Available for the first time ever in the U.S., catch the final, climactic 17 episodes of the series as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack or as a Standard Edition DVD set.

November’s publishing titles feature gorgeous new hardcover art books celebrating two of pop culture’s most iconic properties. Dragon Ball: A Visual History presents a definitive collection of art from Akira Toriyama’s iconic manga series. Transformers: A Visual History explores 35 years of the blockbuster franchise through rare imagery and insights from Transformers expert Jim Sorenson. The deluxe, hardcover release also comes in a special, limited edition that includes a collector’s box, variant cover and five bonus frame-ready art prints.

Two new manga series also launch in print and digital editions this month. A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow is a tender, coming-of-age tale of a pair of high school girls who discover something special with each other in a small seaside town. Levius/Est is the sequel to Levius, the acclaimed sci-fi cyberpunk battle manga, and restarts Levius’s tale.

New Home Media Releases for November 2019:

CASTLEVANIA SEASON 2
Blu-ray & Standard Edition DVD Sets
Blu-ray MSRP: $29.98 U.S. / $34.99 CAN · DVD MSRP: $24.98 U.S. / $29.99 CAN
Available November 5, 2019

Trevor Belmont, last survivor of his house, is no longer alone, and he and his misfit comrades, Sypha Belnades and Alucard race to find a way to save humanity from extinction at the hands of the grief-maddened Dracula and his sinister vampire war council.

SAILOR MOON SAILOR STARS PART 2
Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack & Standard Edition DVD Sets
Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack MSRP: $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN · DVD MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $51.99 CAN
Available November 12, 2019

Although the popularity of the Idol group Three Lights is off the charts, Usagi hasn’t realized that Seiya, Yaten and Taiki are the Sailor Star Lights. But with the number of Phage growing in the city, the purpose of star seeds is the biggest mystery that needs to be solved. Could the mysterious Chibi-Chibi hold the answer? The tide is turning, but not in Usagi’s favor. Her allies are being overpowered, and altered timelines are confusing the fate she knows to be true: Mamoru is her true love, Neo Crystal Tokyo is her future kingdom and her fellow Guardians will be her eternal protectors…right? The ultimate battle with the chaotic Sailor Galaxia lies ahead, and the fate of all existence lies in the balance.

New Publishing Releases for November 2019:

DRAGON BALL: A VISUAL HISTORY By Akira Toriyama
MSRP: $34.99 U.S. / $46.99 CAN
Available November 12, 2019

A comprehensive art book showcasing manga art, additional promotional material, creator commentary and notes/sketches/posters, from throughout the history of the original DRAGON BALL series, all featured in a beautifully slipcased hardcover book with a dust jacket.

TRANSFORMERS: A VISUAL HISTORY By Jim Sorenson
Standard Edition and Limited Edition
Standard Edition MSRP: $49.99 U.S. / $69.99 CAN · Limited Edition MSRP: $99.99 U.S. / $125.00 CAN
Available November 12, 2019

One of the world’s most popular franchises, Transformers has been delighting fans since 1984. Now, in this deluxe hardcover celebration, Hasbro reveals behind-the-scenes production sketches, beautifully polished final art, and everything in-between. From the obscure to the iconic, this book features packaging artwork, animation models, video game designs, comic pages, and, for the first time ever, production artwork from all six Paramount live-action films. Lovingly curated by Transformers expert Jim Sorenson, this is the most comprehensive collection of Transformers imagery ever assembled.

The deluxe limited edition comes packaged in a beautiful collector’s box with an exclusive variant cover design and five gorgeous and frame-ready prints showcasing art from across the franchise.

A TROPICAL FISH YEARNS FOR SNOW By Makoto Hagino
MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Rated “T” for Teens
Available November 12, 2019

When her dad gets a job overseas, Konatsu Amano has to leave the Tokyo life she’s always known and relocate to a small seaside town to stay with her aunt. The move also means starting a new school surrounded by complete strangers, and it’s a lot to handle for a girl who has trouble with change. But on her first day in her new town, Konatsu is instantly drawn to Koyuki, an older girl who is the sole member of the Aquarium Club. Konatsu’s introverted tendencies are hard for her to overcome, but maybe she’s found something worth coming out of her shell for?

LEVIUS/EST By Haruhisa Nakata
MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
Available November 19, 2019

It’s the 19th century, and the world has entered the Era of Rebirth, recovering from the devastating flames of war. The sport of Mechanical Martial Arts has galvanized the nations. Cybernetically augmented fighters turn their blood into steam and their bodies into brutal fighting—and killing—machines. Young Levius is one of those arena battlers, hell-bent on winning in order to simply survive.

Levius/Est is the ongoing sequel series to Levius, which is also published by VIZ Media and available now.

2019 Dragon Ball World Adventure Hits New York Comic Con

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Bluefin, a Bandai Namco group company and the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan and Asia, proudly brings the 2019 Dragon Ball World Adventure to this year’s New York Comic Con.

The 2019 New York Comic Con takes place October 3–6, 2019 at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan and is the East Coast’s biggest pop culture convention. The annual gathering plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. More information on New York Comic Con is available at: http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com.

The 2019 Dragon Ball World Adventure opens on Thursday October 3, 2019 inside an expansive installation located at the Javits Convention Center at booth 1612. It will be open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Dive into the world of Dragon Ball at New York Comic Con with an expansive collection of multi-faceted interactive installations that will delight fans and attendees. Catch interactive kiosks featuring the latest Dragon Ball video game titles from Bandai Namco Entertainment, including Dragon Ball Z Kakarot, Dragon Ball Z Fighter, Dragon Ball Legends, and Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle. Also browse a variety of Dragon Ball exclusive action figures and premiums that will be available for purchase.

Dragon Ball World Adventure Attractions & Retail Exclusives

Dragon Ball Collectibles & Exclusives

On display will be a wide array of Dragon Ball S.H.Figuarts exclusives and other special products from leading Bandai brands including Tamashii Nations, Shokugan, and Banpresto.

Event exclusives will be available to purchase in the retail area and also at the Tamashii Nations Booth #1520 directly across from the Dragon Ball World Adventure booth.

Tickets will be handed out at the beginning of every day on a first come, first serve basis. The ticket will include a return time, and grant access to purchase all of the Dragon Ball Adventure exclusives (while supplies last).

  • S.H.Figuarts GOKU BLACK SUPER SAIYAN ROSE Event Exclusive Color Edition · MSRP: $75
  • S.H.Figuarts GOLDEN FRIEZA Event Exclusive Color Edition · MSRP: $65
  • S.H.Figuarts ULTIMATE SON GOHAN Event Exclusive Color Edition · MSRP: $55
  • S.H.Figuarts SON GOKU KID Event Exclusive Color Edition · MSRP: $55
  • S.H.Figuarts ZERO SUPER SAIYAN GOD SUPER SAIYAN GOGETA Event Exclusive Color Edition · MSRP: $65

Dragon Ball Animated GIF Photo Booth

Capture a visit to 2019 Dragon Ball World Adventure with a unique and shareable complimentary memento. Head to the Dragon Ball Animated GIF Photo Booth, select your favorite background and pose for a series of photos that will be stitched together and delivered to you as a looping animated gif that can be shared directly with friends and family and/or posted to a variety of social media channels.

Dragon Ball Sticker Rally

Join the Dragon Ball Sticker Rally and collect stickers at each attraction inside the Dragon Ball World Adventure. Stickers may be redeemed for free premiums including Dragon Ball wristbands, posters, lanyards, stickers, fans and Saiyan Hair Set headbands. In addition, all tour guests will receive an exclusive 2019 Dragon Ball World Adventure oversized swag bag to use to carry all of their Comic-Con purchases.

For additional information on the 2019 Dragon Ball World Adventure including tour dates by location, please visit www.db-tour.com.

Anime Blu-ray Review: Dragon Ball Super Part 1

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Dragon Ball Super Part 1 includes the first 13 episodes of the Dragon Ball Super anime series. Audio options for this release include the original Japanese audio with English subtitles and the English dub.

Dragon Ball Super Part 1
English Publisher: FUNimation Entertainment
Format: Blu-ray
Release Date: July 25, 2017

The first 13 episodes of Dragon Ball Super are basically a retelling of the Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods anime film However, the story doesn’t quite end in this set. In order to see the conclusion of the first story arc, you will need to watch Dragon Ball Super Part 2.

With this retelling of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, some details have been changed. For example, Bulma’s birthday party takes place on a ship instead of at Capsule Corp. There are some other detail changes as well with this telling. And obviously, the story of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods isn’t long enough to last 13+ episodes, so additional minor plots are thrown into the mix. The most amusing of these is when Vegeta takes Bulma and Trunks to an amusement park because of a promise he made to Trunks. Let’s be honest, Vegeta at an amusement park is a hilarious idea. However, I am a little frustrated that Vegeta’s song and dance at Bulma’s party that we see in the film was cut from Dragon Ball Super. Yes, we get Vegeta rushing to cook food for Beerus and Whis, and it’s amusing, I still would have liked to see the song and dance remain.

Beerus and Whis are interesting additions to the Dragon Ball universe. They have an interest in food like Goku, but it’s not about how much they can eat quickly. Instead, they’re more interested in trying various dishes from other planets. I think we could say that they’re the Dragon Ball universe’s equivalent of foodies.

The one major nitpick I have with Dragon Ball Super is the character designs and the animation quality. Of all the characters, I have the most problem with Chi-Chi’s design. Maybe it’s just me, but there was something off-putting about it. The designs and animation style are such a departure from either Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and the theatrical films, that it takes a lot of adjustment to get used to the look and feel of Dragon Ball Super. Also, the opening and closing themes just aren’t that memorable or catchy to me. I thought they were rather “meh.”

So far, with how these 13 episodes of Dragon Ball Super are executed, the series feels more like a sitcom with shonen elements thrown in than it does a shonen anime. In a lot of ways, Dragon Ball Super feels like a cross between the original Dragon Ball anime and Dragon Ball Z. After how somber things got near the end of Dragon Ball Z with the Cell and Buu sagas, maybe this more light-hearted approach is needed for the franchise. And, the Battle of Gods anime film was more on the light-hearted side, so this adaptation of that reflects that. Although it feels like the silliness and light-heartedness was bumped up a notch for the anime series. While I may not be entirely sold on Dragon Ball Super, I intend to keep going with it at some point.

The Blu-ray video is 1080p High Definition 16:9 (HD Native), and the audio is Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1 and Dolby True HD: Japanese 2.0. I have no complaints with the video or audio quality.

The first two bonus features see voice actors Sonny Strait and Chris Sabat explaining Dragon Ball Z to their children. Sonny has a daughter who appears to be in her later teens, and Chris’ daughter appears to be around five or six. With both features, the children are quizzed after the parent talks with him about what was just explained to them. Chris’ little girl seemed to retain a lot more of what she was told than Sonny’s daughter did. Of the two, I enjoyed Chris and daughter more.

The only other bonus features are a textless opening, two textless closings, and trailers for other FUNimation Entertainment releases.

If you’re a fan of the Dragon Ball franchise and want to own all the episodes and films, then you’ll need to add Dragon Ball Super Part 1 to your anime home video library.