2 Years Ago, Dragon Ball Ended a Disappointing 56 Episode Series You Probably Haven’t Watched Yet
Over four decades ago, the world of Shonen changed forever after Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball debuted in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. The series left a permanent mark on the industry as one of the most iconic franchises in the history of Shonen. Dragon Ball is probably the most influential Shonen anime and manga franchise of all time. The series isn’t just captivating; it’s groundbreaking to the point of inspiring countless mangakas and several popular shows. The series isn’t only known for its breathtaking fights but also for the memorable characters introduced throughout the decades.
Dragon Ball revolutionized the Shonen demographic, inspiring countless iconic series like One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach. The anime adaptation, which was released in 1986, became a global phenomenon and continued its story in Dragon Ball Z, which was released in 1989. Since then, the franchise has released multiple spin-offs, sequels, anime series, films, and video game adaptations. While there isn’t a single disappointing series among the ones that are adapted from the manga, anime originals aren’t always well-received. Among them, Super Dragon Ball Heroes is by far the worst series to have ever been released. The series ended two years ago, and you probably haven’t watched it yet.
Super Dragon Ball Heroes Remains The Worst Series of The Franchise Yet
Dragon Ball’s most controversial series made headlines for all the wrong reasons when it premiered in 2018. It’s considered a spin-off of the Dragon Ball Super series, as it takes place within the same timeline. Over the course of six years, the anime released 56 episodes and reached its conclusion on August 8th, 2024. The series aimed to promote the card and video games of the same name while adapting the game’s Prison Planet arc. The story takes place after the Tournament of Power, when Fu, an original character from the game, kidnaps Future Trunks to lure Goku and Vegeta to the Prison Planet.
Fu created an experimental area and gathered powerful warriors from different planets and eras, trapping them in a twisted competition where they must collect the Special Dragon Balls if they wished to escape with their lives. The series is often criticized for prioritizing fan-service and marketing instead of a coherent plot, making the series all the more disappointing.
Not to mention that the animation is just as terrible, which doesn’t do justice to the expansive world-building of the overall story. The first 50 episodes featured 2D animation made by Toei Animation, but the studio was later replaced by Dimps for the remaining episodes, which included 3DCGI, using in-game models and assets from the Super Dragon Ball Heroes arcade game. Although it’s been years since the anime’s debut, you aren’t missing out on anything even if you haven’t watched it yet.
