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New Dragon Ball Super Movie Features The Return of Broly
The forthcoming 20th Dragon Ball movie is now officially titled Dragon Ball Super: Broly and will feature a return for the popular villain of the same name. Despite its status as elder statesman of the anime world, the popularity of the Dragon Ball franchise has yet to fade, as proven by the success of its most recent series, Dragon Ball Super, both in Japan and the West. As such, many fans were left disappointed and confused when Dragon Ball Super was brought to an end after the Tournament of Power arc, however the announcement of a brand new movie went some way to appeasing unhappy viewers.
Over recent months, details surrounding the upcoming film have slowly emerged, with franchise creator Akira Toriyama confirming that the Dragon Ball Super movie would take place directly following on from the TV anime series but would also focus on the origins of the Saiyan race and include the iconic villain, Frieza. Unlike many early big screen Dragon Ball adventures, Toriyama has been heavily involved in the production of the new movie, writing the script and contributing character designs, and a full trailer is expected to premiere at this year's San Diego Comic Con.
Toei Animation have now confirmed that the project's official title will be Dragon Ball Super: Broly, with the Saiyan of the same name set to return to the franchise. Broly first appeared in 1993's The Legendary Super Saiyan and went on the become the breakout star of the Dragon Ball movie series, appearing in a variety of wider, albeit non-canon, media. The popularity of Broly was finally acknowledged in the Dragon Ball Super anime series with the introduction of Kale, a Saiyan who was immediately dubbed "female Broly" by fans due to her strikingly similar appearance and abilities.
The re-introduction of Broly does, however, present some questions over exactly what falls within the franchise canon. The original Dragon Ball movies - including the Broly trilogy - are considered to be non-canon by fans but the more recent films, Battle of Gods, Resurrection F and DBS: Broly are all confirmed canon. As such, it'll be interesting to see whether the new movie acknowledges Broly's previous appearances or whether he's treated as an entirely new character. Comments from Akira Toriyama have suggested the latter is more likely, with the author claiming he has added new elements to the villain.
Putting the canon debate to one side, Dragon Ball Super: Broly is certainly shaping up to be a thrilling and eventful addition to the franchise. With both Frieza and Broly in the picture and a mystery connection to the history of the Saiyan race to explore, the 20th Dragon Ball movie could have major implications for the franchise going forward and with popularity still high, it seems likely that, should the movie prove successful, fans will be seeing even more of Goku and his friends both in cinemas and on TV.
Dragon Ball Super: Broly is released in Japanese theaters on December 14th. More news on a worldwide release as it arrives.
