This release contains Episodes 40 – 52 of Dragon Ball Super; while previous collections focused on one story arc (with one leftover episode from another arc also present), this bucks this trend by containing episodes from the Universe 6 Saga, the Copy-Vegeta Saga, and the ‘Future’ Trunks Saga.
The collection contains a little bit of everything that makes this show work when it’s at its best. Some great action (the fights are consistently good), some genuinely funny humour (especially when the Pilaf gang are around), and some strong character moments. Some scenes manage to combine all three, such as when Goku fights against the Copy-Vegeta.
Crucially, Dragon Ball Super succeeds in one area that its predecessor was infamous for – its filler. Make no mistake, there are filler episodes here, such as the after party for the tournament between universes 6 and 7, or the episode in which Goku has to babysit Pan. To the show’s credit, while they are filler, they never feel like they are getting in the way of the show telling its story. Even if they don’t progress the main plot of Dragon Ball Super, they stay true to the spirit of the show, offer further insight to the nature of its characters, and at the end of the day, they are just flat out entertaining. They don’t come across as the result of animators desperately stalling for time, but as a welcome breather between big moments in the show.
The special features in this collection are the usual mixture of trailers and textless opening/closing animation that fans have come to expect. The standout item is an interview with Sean Schemmel, the voice of Goku. It’s brief, but the actor gives his thoughts on what it is like to play the character, and how he has found working on the show.
The collection showcases what Dragon Ball Super became capable of once the creative team were able to get out from under the shadows of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’. The result is a show that perfectly combines the staple ingredients of a Dragon Ball anime to create something full of action and humour. This release takes all those elements and gives the viewer the chance to enjoy them as they please with the choice to watch individual episodes or play them in a marathon. This release would be a strong addition to any collection.
Extras: Dragon Ball Super: An Interview with Sean Schemmel / Textless songs / Trailers.
DRAGON BALL SUPER PART 4 / CERT: PG / CREATOR: AKIRA TORIYAMA / STARRING: SEAN SCHEMMEL, CHRISTOPHER R. SABAT, JASON DOUGLAS, IAN SINCLAIR, MONICA RIAL, ERIC VALE/ RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 6TH
