It’s not apparent from the get go, but Dragon Ball Super: Broly had a tall order, in the form of introducing fan favorite character Broly into the canon proper.
The resultant movie spends a surprising amount of time setting up his character, as well as visiting the backstory of other important characters in a respectful, intimate way.
Dragon Ball Super: Broly succeeds a lot more often than it fails. That is mostly due to the sharp new animation style, which renders the fights in loving detail, with sweeping, wide shots that revolve around the characters as they tumble across skies and landscapes. It’s also due to the writing, which places not only a good amount of heart into the narrative, but also creates a surprisingly nuanced portrayal of Broly, rehabilitating him greatly from his one note portrayal in the movies.
Reinventing Broly
In the movies, Broly was portrayed as an unmistakable badass, but his motivation was contrived at best and ridiculous at worst. Here, he is more believable, raised to be a warrior by his father who is driven by revenge. This dynamic is one of the narrative threads that runs through the film.
A Japanese reviewer, Fuminobu Hate, remarked how similar it is to the way many children are raised in Japanese households, by stern fathers who prepare their offspring for the rigors of exams, often at the expense of leisure and simple pleasures. Repression is a large part of Japanese culture, and it’s nice to see that manifest in a different way in Broly and Paragus’ relationship.
Broly is a tortured, quiet soul in the film, who would rather make friends than fight.
In an underrated moment, he narrates how he became friends with a large monster while training on the inhospitable planet he and his father were stranded on. However, his father was adamant that Broly continue to fight the monster and to egg it on, he shot off its ear with a gun. The monster disappeared afterwards, but Broly kept the furry ear tied around his waist, as a memento of his first friend.
The relationships between Goku and Vegeta and their own fathers is also explored in the film. King Vegeta wants his own son to rule unthreatened, and that is why he exiles Broly to a distant planet. Bardock, on the other hand, wants his son to survive when he fears that their planet will be destroyed, stealing a pod in the night and sending him to Earth.
The tearful goodbye he and his wife, Gine, bids to Goku is a poignant moment, and it was nice to see Akira Toriyama revisit this pivotal moment in the series’ history in a fresh way.
A Desperate Fight Against a Terrifying New Enemy
The story picks up when Frieza’s army discovers Broly and Frieza plots to use the powerful Saiyan against Goku and Vegeta. Although very inexperienced, he quickly learns to fight and keeps Vegeta on his toes, quickly ascending in power to terrifying levels that keep both him and Goku hard-pressed to maintain balance.
Not only are the fights exhilarating to watch, the film also takes a lot of time to make the transformations feel powerful and exciting to watch. Broly’s ascension to his classic form pays homage to the original scene in the eighth movie from 1993, where the transformation literally turns day into night. Another fan favorite transformation makes an appearance late in the film, and the resulting battle is pulse pounding to say the least.
New Characters are Strong Highlights
In addition to Broly and Paragus, the film also introduces Lemo and Cheelai, two grunts in the Frieza Army who stumble onto Vampa, the planet where Broly and Paragus have been stranded for many years. Cheelai is the standout addition to the lore, with a smart, cheeky personality and an instant connection to Broly. She recognized that Broly has been abused by Paragus, and she was keen to restore the gentle nature of the Saiyan that had been over taken by bloodlust in the course of battle.
The movie ends on an optimistic note, leaving the door open for the new characters introduced to reappear in the future.
What Doesn’t Work
The major drawback of this film is the random use of an announcer to shout out energy attack names, as well as character names at several points throughout the movie.
It seems distracting and even goofy at times, and hopefully is something that won’t be repeated in future installments.
It is also, as expected, not that new viewer friendly, although the extended introductions at the beginning taking place on planet Vegeta do provide some context for such viewers. Nevertheless, the presence of Beerus and Whis, as well as references to past events such as the Tournament of Power will throw them for a loop.
The Verdict
Dragon Ball Super: Broly is a love letter to the franchise that successfully reinvents one of the most favorite characters in the franchise, with great action and a solid narrative filled with pathos and heart.
It’s always great to see another feature length addition to the Dragon Ball mythos, and after nearly a year of absence, it makes the heart grow fonder for future content as well.