How ‘Dragon Ball Super’ Can Make Canon Broly a Big Success

The first Dragon Ball Super movie will be bringing the longtime fan-favorite character of Broly into the fold of official canon – a major game-change that could have big implications for Dragon Ball’s future. However, before Dragon Ball Super: Broly can become a bridge to filling Dragon Ball canon with new characters, it has to first impress fans, which is no easy challenge.

So how can Dragon Ball Super make the canonized version of Broly into a major success story? Read below for the full breakdown of what this film needs to accomplish:

Don’t Change, Rearrange

The first thing that Dragon Ball Super: Broly‘s filmmakers should remember is that the character of Broly has been a fan-favorite character for twenty-five years and counting. So while it’s great that series creator Akira Toriyama is crafting this canonized version of Broly, he shouldn’t let creative ego divert from the fact that there are aspects of this character that have given him such strong stayin power. Don’t pave over those aspects fans connect to – simply rearrange them to fit this updated story. 

Better Conflict

The original Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan movie rooted its conflict between Goku and Broly in a very stupid backstory: Broly subconsciously hated Goku because when they were young babies in the nursery, Goku’s crying kept Broly up and disturbed him. As stated, this was a incredibly silly and flimsy premise for what became a major Dragon Ball rivalry – so it’s up to Dragon Ball Super: Broly to correct this issue, by rooting the Goku/Vegeta/Freeza/Broly conflicts in something much more meaningful. 

Connect to the Larger Mythos

The issue with the films of the Dragon Ball Z era was that a lot of them were standalone stories that were never considered “canon,” and therefore had their storylines and characters constantly challenged (if not ignored) by both discriminating fans, and the creators who refused to give characters like Broly a proper chance within canon. With Dragon Ball Super: Broly, thre’s now a chance to make a film that not only connects back to the larger canonized mythos, but also for the film to actually push the canon storyline into its next chapter.

With taglines already teasing that Dragon Ball Super: Broly will reveal new secrets and backstory of the Saiyan race, the film needs to deliver on its promises, and redefine what it means to be Saiyan, and how the warrior race fits into the larger Dragon Ball mythos. 

Connect the Characters

There’s been suggestion that Dragon Ball Super: Broly will be filling in major details of Siayan backstory, from the destruction of the Saiyan homeworld(s), to the mystery of what happened to other babies like Goku, sent out into the universe to conquer distant planets. That premise opens up opportunity for a lot of connective tissue to be threaded between characters like Goku, Vegeta, and Broly, not to mention side characters like Freeza, Lord Beerus or Paragus. By making the film’s storyline more intimate through deep character connections, fans can easily feel invested in the events that will shape the characters and relationships they care about. 

Go Super

Dragon Ball Super: Broly is picking up after the events of Dragon Ball Super, which puts the power of the Legendary Super Saiyan and his rivals on a whole other level from the original Dragon Ball Z film trilogy. In order for Dragon Ball Super: Broly to feel relevant, the power-ups and battles in the film need to be Dragon Ball Super-level powerful. After all, if Goku and Vegeta are shocked by Broly’s power after facing the likes of Jiren, that’s really saying something… 

Better Action

This doesn’t need a lot of explanation. Dragon Ball Super‘s Tournament of Power set a new standard for what fans expect from Dragon Ball action, and there’s no going backward after that. The first Broly trailer showed some pretty big matchups between Broly and the likes of Goku and Vegeta – let’s hope they look spectacular in the format of the film’s new animation style. 

Theme That Means Something

As previously stated, Dragon Ball Super: Broly has an obligation to create better connections between Broly and the larger Dragon Ball mythos, and a lot of that will hinge on what kind of thematic subtext the film creates. The tagline of “The Saiyan Race / What Do You See / Beyond That Strength?” has been an especially big hint that Akira Toriyama and Co. will be trying to find an emotional foundation that will root the series’ progression of Saiyan power-ups in something more relevant and resonant than mere gimmickry. It would certainly enrich all those scenes of characters standing around and yelling as they charge up. 

Open the Door to More

By bringing Broly into official canon, this Dragon Ball Super movie is breaking an important glass ceiling that’s been hanging over the franchise. With Broly having been in canon/non-canon limbo for a quarter century, Dragon Ball Super: Broly has a certain responsibility to pave the way for others. As stated, the film’s storyline will reveal major insights into the Saiyan race and its history – and it would be smart to leave room in its premise for more fan-fave, non-canon characters (including more ‘lost Saiyans’) to fully join the franchise. 

*****

These are the steps that could make Dragon Ball Super: Broly the milestone film that Toriyama wants it to be. Do you agree with our breakdown, or do you have some other ideas? Let us know in the comments!

Dragon Ball Super: Broly will hit Japanese theaters in December, and is expected to arrive in the U.S. around mid-January 2019. 

Dragon Ball Super is currently airing 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.