Internet Reacts to ‘Dragon Ball Heroes’ Episode 1

Many Dragon Ball fans were looking forward to the promotional anime for Super Dragon Ball Heroes because it was the first new Dragon Ball animation since Dragon Ball Super ended earlier this year. But maybe they put too much hype into it.

The first episode of the Dragon Ball Heroes promotional special premiered and now that fans have finally seen it, the response has been quite divisive with some outright disliking the special.

While there were plenty of fans who enjoyed the Dragon Ball Heroes short for what it was, other fans were hoping for a bigger fight between Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Super Saiyan 4 Goku. Other fans who were hoping for a substantial anime to fill the Dragon Ball Super void were disappointed in the first episode’s length.

Regardless, the first episode of the series had plenty for those who liked it and plenty for those who didn’t. Read on to find out where fans are split on the first episode, and let us know how you felt about it in the comments!

The promotional Dragon Ball Heroes special is specifically for the arcade game, and will not be released on TV in an official capacity, so there won’t be any legal way to watch the series. But for curious fans, the synopsis for the first episode of the special Dragon Ball Heroes promotional anime project reads as such:

“Competing for Dragon Balls, Goku, Vegeta, Fū and a mysterious “Evil Saiyan” exerting overwhelming power begin an unprecedented intense battle.”

@Gokugotjuice

Twitter user @GokugotJuice was pretty angry that the series was region-locked to Japan, leaving United States fans without a legal way of watching the shorts:

@vatrex_alnare

Twitter user @valtrex_alnare wasn’t fond of the episode’s length and felt like Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Super Saiyan 4 Goku “barely fought”:

@Jrnotjnr

Twitter user @Jrnotjnr wasn’t happy about the length of the first episode either: 

@SavinTheBees

Twitter user @SavinTheBees warns fans that were wary of Dragon Ball Super‘s fan service elements wouldn’t like Dragon Ball Heroes: 

@ForneverWorld

Twitter user @ForneverWorld thinks there would have been more potential in a full Dragon Ball Heroes anime series than in the promotional special: 

@DetectiveX

Not all fans agreed with these sentiments as the Dragon Ball Heroes short has just as many defenders as it does naysayers. Twitter user @DetectiveX was completely one over by the first episode and is already looking forward to more: 

@TannerLPer

Other fans found fun in this promotional short for its fan service, like Twitter user @TannerLPer, who also can’t wait for more of Dragon Ball Heroes:

@TotallyNotMark

In the end, Twitter user @TotallyNotMark asks the tough questions for fans who expected much more out of this promotional anime than they received: 

If you’re unaware of this cool game the promotional anime project is based on, Super Dragon Ball Heroes is the latest digital card fighting game and the top earner in the digital card arcade scene in Japan. Developed by Dimps, the update brought enhanced graphics and the ability to play as seven characters at the same time.

Fans will most likely recognize some of the characters as many of them (such as new character Fu) appear in the Dragon Ball Xenoverse and Dragon Ball Online. Dragon Ball Heroes adds many fan service things to the series like Super Saiyan 4 Gohan, a fusion of Super Android 17 with Android 18, the time patrol, a greater role for the mystical demons in the series like Dabura, and even properly integrates Android 21 of Dragon Ball FighterZ into its story.

If you’re waiting for more Dragon Ball Super instead, Dragon Ball Super currently airs its English dub on Adult Swim during the Toonami programming block Saturday evenings at 9:30 p.m. It is also available to stream on Funimation and Amazon Video. The Japanese language release of the series is complete, and available to stream on Funimation, VRV, and Crunchyroll.

The first Dragon Ball Super film is set to release this December in Japan, and it has just released its first trailer. The film will focus on the Saiyans, the “origins of Goku‘s power,” and potentially the story of the very first Super Saiyan. Not only does it aim to be the best film in the series, original creator Akira Toriyama will be contributing to the film’s script and character designs.