Movies with Isaiah: 'Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero' gets a 10, 2 thumbs up

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My first real introduction to the genre of Japanese animation came when I was living in Germany. One of my classmates had this novel-sized book containing different trading cards, drawings and actual pictures from the anime known as "Dragon Ball Z." At the time, my knowledge pertaining to artistic endeavors primarily was associated with anything related to Marvel or DC comics.

Needless to say, I was blown away by how precise, refined and unique the art style was compared to what I was more familiar with. Once we returned to the States, I have to be honest - I completely forgot about anything related to Dragon Ball. By complete accident, I happened to catch an episode on TV one day, and from then on, I was hooked. "Dragon Ball Z" became one of my favorite Japanese animated series of all time, and it still is. "Dragon Ball Z" is one of those animes that manages to perfectly capture the necessary balance of action, suspense, humor, character development and heart-wrenching emotional moments that still tug at the sentimental core of the heart and soul.

I've watched essentially any and all related to "Dragon Ball." Now once it came to "Dragon Ball: Super," I had no true familiarity with the current storyline or new characters. Being defined as "green" when it came to this journey of characters that I grew up watching would be an understatement. The anime film reveals the trajectory of the Z fighters having managed to successfully protect Earth from past, present and potential threats. A new threat in the form of a scientist carrying on a past legacy of a family associated with science, genetics and androids has manifested in creating new technology programmed on taking over the world and creating his own vision of a utopia.

Dr. Hedo is the perfect villain representation of an individual who rather lurks in the shadows, relying on his intellect. Those threats are far more intimidating, realistic and easier to relate to because they have the perfect cover to hide behind when it comes to their nefarious motives. He's recruited to bring about an apocalyptic utopia to Earth, and the only way to accomplish the feat is to eliminate the protectors of the planet.

One of the most interesting aspects of this particular anime film is how it focuses on the dynamic of characters that aren't Goku or Vegeta. Two of the most iconic characters from the show aren't the center of the story. While I've always preferred Vegeta to Goku because his flawed nature makes for more interesting development, I appreciated the direction of focusing on Goku's son, Gohan, and his mentor, Piccolo. Going into this feature completely blind allowed me to be fully objective. I have to say that this anime film reminded me of why "Dragon Ball" was and is such a great storyline. "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" is that special, magic and exciting form of escapism that transports the audience into a world of larger-than-life alien heroes, androids and unexpected threats from the past engaging in epic combat, which is a sight to witness on the big screen.

All of my memories related to watching "Dragon Ball Z" always found their way returning to the one complaint I always had about the series itself. For example, during a specific climactic battle sequence or an emotional moment, there were always certain scenes where the artwork looked astounding, and not even a second later the next scene looked completely abysmal. I was relieved seeing this fully rectified with this film. "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" corrects this by maintaining the established precise, refined and exciting artwork in a consistent fashion resembling more of a true Japanese anime rather than jarring transitions of inconsistent presentations.

There are a lot of references to past events from the series as well as the return of surprise characters that were and are fan favorites. Fighting sequences remain as intense, brutal, fast paced and innovative as they were on the series. If anything, I find them more entertaining because the viewer can see every punch, kick or throw land on its designated target. Gohan and Piccolo share great comedic and dramatic moments that progress their characters even more. The chemistry between all the voice actors in general presents an authentic line of performance that ceases to exist in a lot of animated features these days.

"Dragon Ball" has never been afraid to allow its themes of actual loss and pain go unexplored. This very concept is true for any and all Japanese anime. Writers in this genre make it known that at some point the heroes lose, and there's emotion in their journey. This anime film does venture into darker, emotional and painful territory with character development and experiencing sympathy for the heroes, and even some of the villains, too. It's quite a beautifully crafted story with amazing visualizations, colors and true climactic sequences that present consequences that linger rather than be forgotten.

There are a few subtle bits of humor and innuendo in the film, nothing all that lewd because I view it as more of a tongue-in-cheek brand of slapstick humor rather than anything vulgar. Other than that, and while the discretion is up to the parents, I do believe this anime feature is appropriate for children for its exciting, action-packed and color spectacle. I highly recommend "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero." My final rating is a 10/10 and two thumbs up. It is definitely worth a view for anime fans and potentially new ones looking for an introductory phase.

Isaiah Ridley works at Beacon Cinemas in Sumter. To watch his movie reviews online, find him @Izzy's Cinematic Escape on YouTube.