Is The 'Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero' Movie Canon?

Gaming & Comics

With most ‘Dragon Ball’ movies falling outside of canon, but ‘Dragon Ball Super: Broly’ being considered canon, many fans have wondered if ‘Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero’ is canon.

Published on March 14, 2022

The Dragon Ball anime series has included several shows and movies, including Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Z Kai, and Dragon Ball Super. However, the Dragon Ball movies tend to fall outside of the canon story of Goku. With Dragon Ball Super: Broly falling inside canon, though, fans ask if Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is canon.

‘Dragon Ball’ movies usually are not considered canon

Toei Animation has released 20 anime movies based on the original Dragon Ball, DBZ, and DBS. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero marks 21 animated theatrical releases for the adventures of Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, Piccolo, and the rest.

The original Dragon Ball movies are considered non-canon. They either retell or reimagine stories from the manga and anime depictions of Goku’s childhood.

However, 1989’s Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone saw a shift. Taking place about a year before DBZ, many consider this film canon to the anime.

Still, many consider Dragon Ball Super: Broly the only canon movie in the series. It extends the story of the Super series without contradicting previous details. So whether or not the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie is canon relies on its relationship to Broly.

Is ‘Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero’ canon?

According to the creators of Super Hero, the anime movie directly follows Dragon Ball Super: Broly.

“As explained by the creators of the movie during this NYCC panel, Super Hero will take place following the events of Dragon Ball Super: Broly, wherein the Legendary Super Saiyan was defeated by Gogeta and now spends his days on the alien planet he calls home,” ComicBook.com reported.

With Dragon Ball Super: Broly considered canon and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero set in the same continuity, it seems that Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero will be canon, too.

This means fans can look forward to Broly and Cheelai returning as well as Ultimate Gohan, also spotted going Super Saiyan in the trailer.

If ‘Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero’ is canon, where does it take place in the ‘Dragon Ball’ timeline?

So Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero comes after Dragon Ball Super: Broly. However, there is still a question of where it occurs in the larger series.

According to a translated comment from Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, Broly occurs after the climax of the Tournament of Power.

“However, Super Hero still takes place before the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament,” CBR noted. “Which means that the end of Dragon Ball Z is still canonically set afterward.”

The Dragon Ball timeline can seem complicated at times. When some anime movies fall inside canon while most fall outside, it proves difficult to keep track of it all. With Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero taking place right after Broly, things seem a little simpler this time around.

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