Episode 1 of Dragon Ball Super: Beerus is exactly what I wanted in an anime remake. Although Toei Animation notes this an enhanced version of the original Dragon Ball Super, there are so many new scenes and animations that really make this a substantial step above the quality of Dragon Ball Super’s original 2015 run. It’s much closer, if not better, than Battle of Gods in terms of quality, and episode 1 of Dragon Ball Super: Beerus is such an amazing watch with its pacing.
Condensed down to a 19-episode run, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus covers the God of Destruction: Beerus Arc all the way to the end of the Universe 6 Arc. On paper, this addresses the filler problem and animation qualms of the original anime, since it adapts all of the important moments of the arcs for well-paced consumption. In actuality, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus is even better than I had anticipated.
Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Episode 1 is a Beautifully Animated Masterpiece of a Premiere
Like the original anime, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus episode 1 opens with Goku and Goten on the farm, with Goku training as he usually does. However, if you’re a more avid reader of the manga, you’ll notice that the anime is really staying true to Toriyama and Toyotaro’s vision of the manga. Goku is training against what are essentially mental afterimages of Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu, and once more, he saves Goten from an accident on the tractor and accepts Mr. Satan’s reward money following the aftermath of the Majin Buu fight.
As I’ve reiterated, the pacing of this first episode is really good. There’s no time wasted whatsoever, and it’s all beautifully animated with an artstyle reminiscent of Dragon Ball Super: Broly and Dragon Ball Daima. The artstyle of Dragon Ball Super: Beerus now feels like a more natural progression of the artstyle of the Majin Buu saga, which many fans adore to this day as the defining aesthetic of Dragon Ball Z. This is thanks to the work of the team led by chief animation director and character designer Tadayoshi Yamamuro, who had previously worked on Battle of Gods and Resurrection of F.
Episode 1 also places greater emphasis on the mysterious nature of Whis and the destructive capabilities of Beerus to set them up as formidable threats, so I’d imagine that the pair will leave a lasting impression on newer Dragon Ball fans. What’s more, the anime’s score by composer Norihito Sumitomo is impactful with a lot of depth, making each scene feel important and grand as Dragon Ball should be. You can feel the grandeur of Beerus’ God of Destruction title in each scene he’s present in, all while keeping his whimsical nature intact.
With all these factors coming together, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus episode 1 is nothing short of being a perfect introductory episode. The episode’s pacing ensures you won’t miss a single moment, and the incredible animation quality is eye-catching. Despite having watched Dragon Ball Super and the Battle of Gods film in its entirety, I was blown away by all the improvements that Dragon Ball Super: Beerus has made so far. Dragon Ball Super: Beerus is a series that’s shaping up to be worthwhile for fans as the Galactic Patrol Arc anime gets closer in the distance.
Dragon Ball Super: Beerus is streaming on Crunchyroll with subtitles in the United States, Canada, Latin America including Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Southeast Asia and Europe. Hulu and Netflix will also stream the Dragon Ball Super: Beerus anime in the U.S. and select regions.
