It Came From Japan!: Battle of the Gods Super vs Z

So as anyone who listens to the podcast knows I'm a Dragon Ball fan. Now in July of this year following the success Battle of Gods and Resurrection 'F' for the 1st time in 18 years the world received a new Dragon Ball anime. This Anime called Dragon Ball Super would tell the story of the two mentioned films and then move into  new story territory. However it would not just be a simple rehash of the films. The show would take both time and creative license with the story of the first new film  Battle of Gods. Super's first 14 episodes retell the story of the film. If you have not watched Battle of Gods Please do so now come back when your done. The plot of this story arc is identical to the film introduce Beerus the God of Destruction and his hunt for the mythical Super Saiyan God. Now that's about it for similarities events unfold roughly the same however not everything stays the same.

If you have not seen Battle of Gods  or the first 14 episodes of Super this is you're Spoilers Warning



Before I continue with this comparison in any form of detail you need to know I honestly don't care for the Japanese voice cast. It nothing to do with how good or bad they are it just preference based on how I was exposed to the franchise. I became exposed through the manga that at the time was collected into issues like a comic.

With these issues I created my own voices for the characters and then found the old Geneon dub which made my head canon so much better. Then Funimation took back over the show and made it much better later on and this is how I best like my dragon ball. like I said it has nothing to do with the actors it just how I came to know the show. I bring this up for the sole fact that I have only seen Battle of Gods in english and super has no dub so I'm ignoring dialog changes. Now on with the comparison.

Dragon Ball Super doesn't start the day of Bulma's birthday party instead it starts weeks earlier and we see what most of our main cast has been up to. Goku on orders from Chi Chi is now a radish farmer (i'll give you a moment to take that one in), Gohan and Videl are now a married couple however they are still living with Mr.Satan (Hercule for you America TV viewers), Mr.Satan is living it up as the man who saved the world while also trying to keep Buu in line, Vegeta is well brooding (more on him later), and Goten and Trunks are being kids. The First Episode follows Trunks and Goten as they try to find Videl a wedding present. This episode is the perfect mix of the classic Dragon Ball adventure and DBZ paced action. This episode ends with Mr.Satan giving his reward money of 100 million zenni to Goku for his help with Buu. Goku takes this to Chi Chi and she lets him go train with King Kai (East Kai). There is also a great Roshi Moment at the end that just completely sets the tone of the episode. Episode two is much more of character development as we follow the Briefs family on a family vacation. This episode is great as it adds to Vegeta's character development. The whole episode we see him brood and refuse to enjoy himself even though this was a promise to Trunks for being able to hit Vegeta. It ends with him angrily flying off to train because Goku is doing the same thing.  The 3rd episode them moves away from our heroes and focus on Beerus and Whis as he attempts to remember his prophetic dream about the Super Saiyan God. This episode show more of their character and Beerus's power. This is the end of the new content as from here on out I will be talking about the events of the party and how they are different and how the characters are different or at least behave differently

Old MacGoku had a Farm

So Bulma's Birthday party is the focal event for this story arc and in Battle of Gods it happens at her home the Capsule Corp. compound. In Super the party is on a large cruise liner a huge change in local that does and doesn't effect the story too much. Most of the character in the film are present in the show as well even the Pilaf gang. This is one of the major changes in the story the Pilaf gang are not on the boat when it launches they are on a small island  digging for treasure when Pilaf's dragon Radar goes off and they set out for the boat. Now they end up on the boat only after being rescued by Trunks and Goten. They then give up on the dragon balls  and begin to gorge themselves on the buffet.

Mai is not pleased

The next part of the story goes unchanged as Goku is Training on King Kai's world when Beerus shows up looking for Goku hoping to find info on the Super Saiyan God. This event goes mostly unchanged. The minor changes made to this fight is that Goku take a run at Beerus in each Super Saiyan form;  The end result is the same Beerus Knocks Goku out in two hits. Another interesting thing about this fight and Goku's Training is we actually see a large amount of destruction caused by the raw energy of their power. I will talk more on this later Beerus then sets out to Earth to talk to Vegeta.

hoping they fix this on the DVD

The Next part happens just as it did in the movie with Beerus arriving at the party falling in love with earth food and Vegeta making an ass of himself to keep Beerus happy. The Only missing part to this is the hostage situation with the Pilaf gang and the kids being rescued by a drunk Gohan. The party continues until the pudding situation with Buu set Beerus off.

Majin Buu used Lick

Beerus then proceeds to thoroughly trounce the Z fighters (are we still calling them that I don't know any more).   Even went as far as to punish Gotenks like a child. It's after this that Vegeta gets involved after getting his butt handed to him he accepted his fate that is until Bulma gets involved.   She proceeds to Slap and tell off Beerus. Beerus responds in kind with a bitch slap to end all bitch slaps. This sends Vegeta into a rage that puts Beerus on the defensive.

This is stepping on a lego pain

This fight goes on and while Vegeta holds his own ultimately Beerus overpowers him. Then beerus offers the party goers one more chance as a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors (or janken) with Oolong. This scene has the same outcome as the film however instead of taking Yamcha's advice (that was his biggest mistake) he just throws scissors three times and loses. Just as Beerus is about to destroy the planet Goku shows up.

I'm on a Boat

With this arrival come the most brilliant moment thing ever said by Goku as he then suggest to ask Shenron about the Super Saiyan God. Now this event happens just like Battle of the Gods Shenron becomes flustered after learning Beerus is there and tells the legend of how 5 Saiyans poured their power into  a 6th Saiyan creating the Super Saiyan God.

Oh I didn't see you there

Now they try misunderstanding what Shenron said learn they are one Saiyan short. This is when we learn that Videl is pregnant with Pan. They try again and focus on the phrase "pour you heart into him". This transformation has a grandeur reveal and takes more time for Goku to transform. The interesting to note is the sequence  surrounds them in a golden aura even Videl and  turns all of the boys Super Saiyan.

Everybody Super Saiyan!

After everything's said and done Goku stands a Super Saiyan God. He and Beerus then take flight and the battle begins.

Falcon Punch

The fight goes as it did in Battle of Gods with Goku gradually learning his new power while Beerus eggs him on. The major difference between Super and Battle of Gods versions of this fight are Beerus tone. In the movie Piccolo comments, "It sounds like he is training him" in regards to Beerus attitude in the fight. In Super it's turns out a little Different as Beerus it less coaching and more antagonizing Goku by constantly making him to increase his power to protect the earth. Beerus then board of this decides to kill Goku by stabbing him in the stomach.

So this how Krillin felt on Namic 

  This moment and the what follows makes the Super version of the fight stand out. Goku then falls to the earth dieing or so we believe. As Goku falls into the ocean he master his God powers and heals and shoots back into orbit to finish the fight.

Goku in KH3 confirmed 

Now they both set back to fighting something happens that puts the movie fight out of the running any more. Remember above when Goku and Beerus 1st fought I talk about the destruction caused by their powers well this fight cranks it to 11. Goku and Beerus's powers are so great that the shock waves threaten to destroy the whole universe.

the end is kind pretty 

Now this was an awesome moment that changed the whole dynamic of the fight. right up until Beerus deuce ex Machina the whole thing by revealing he can disburse energy. Mind you at the time this feel kinda lame but they use it really well later in the fight.  The fight continues on like the movie and Goku  loses the god powers but continues to fight on.

I was super before it was cool

 This fight continues on this time with Super Sayin Goku fighting at god levels. Like the Movie Goku can not keep up with Beerus and losses. Unlike the Movie after humorous moment where Beerus pours all of emotion into a a flick on the head (how he 1st hit Goku and later how Goku 1st hit him) he beings to make the large planet destruction bomb. Goku returns this moment to stop it by pouring all his energy into stopping the attack. With nothing left Goku passes out and falls to the earth.  As both fight return to the ship Beerus declares that he won and the earth will be destroyed. Just as he launched his final attack Beerus falls asleep.

ZZZZZZZ...

The Arc concludes the same way it does in the movie with the Gods parting way our heros and life going on. while how Beerus chose to spare earth was different the action itself was the same.  The Only difference is we never learn that Whis is stronger Beerus in Super.

Final Thoughts

When comparing these two its like comparing a movie with the book that inspired it. Only this is in reversed with the movie coming 1st. Dragon Ball Super is fun and while starting on the story from Battle of Gods It makes it own. The show has time more time than the movie does to draw out the fights and make the God transformation more dynamic. Which is saying something as the movie version was plenty dynamic. The movies visuals were better and the art held form a problem that a lot of modern anime shows is suffering from.  What the show does that sets it above the movie is two things. One I feel like for the 1st time we see how dangerous this level of power is with the damage to King Kai world and the potential Universe destruction. The 2nd is Beerus himself in the movie he feels like a powerful spoiled kid in the show he felt like a God from either Greek or Norse mythology powerful, demanding and showing respect,  All in all if your a Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or Dragon Ball Kai fan then this show is a must watch it is the best of all of those rolled into one. Dragon Ball Super has the humor of Dragon Ball and the awesome fights of Z and Kai. I'm looking forward to whats coming next and can't wait for more.