Published Feb 21, 2026, 9:00 PM EST
Branson is a Senior Writer for ScreenRant. Anime has been a major part of his life since he was able to raise his hands in the air for a Spirit Bomb. As a journalist, Branson focuses heavily on listicles and op-eds detailing the industry's greatest shonen series.
Dragon Ball Super brought life back into the Dragon Ball franchise after everyone already thought it was over. It's been an amazing addition to the Dragon Ball canon, but there might be a few moments in Dragon Ball Super that are less than amazing.
It's pretty easy to point out when something is wrong with Dragon Ball, and that's only because the franchise is basically flawless. It's the crown jewel of anime, and without it, shōnen would be completely different.
Even though Dragon Ball is one of the best anime franchises of all time, there were moments in Dragon Ball Super that felt so completely out of place that few could rationalize their inclusion. Dragon Ball Super, at times, had downright terrible animation, and now that it's coming back, Toei Animation needs to make sure it provides animation worthy of Dragon Ball.
After Six Years, Dragon Ball Super Is Finally Back
It's been six long years since the Dragon Ball Super anime has aired. Since then, both the Dragon Ball Super: Broly and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero films have come out, and they've showcased some of the best animation in the art form.
The Dragon Ball Super timeline has been a little confusing with the addition of these two movies. Dragon Ball Super: Broly was never in the manga, and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero skipped two major arcs as well.
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New Dragon Ball Super Anime Officially Announced, Galactic Patrol
A new Dragon Ball anime was officially announced at the massive Genkidamatsuri conference, ushering the franchise into a new era.
The next arc to be animated, the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Arc, comes right after the Tournament of Power Arc. Technically, the Broly film comes in between those two, but we're just excited that the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Arc is getting animated in the first place.
At Times, Dragon Ball Super Had Terrible Animation
Dragon Ball Super's animation was shocking, and not just because of how bad it was. Dragon Ball might be the single most popular anime franchise ever made, so how could such an important series receive such bad animation?
It doesn't make much sense, as Dragon Ball Z's animation is nothing short of iconic. Animation from the 90s has a distinct look to it, and Dragon Ball Z is no exception. This style is characterized by sharp black shadows, big hair, and defined caricatures.
Dragon Ball Super had more than a few lackluster moments in the animation department, but now that Dragon Ball Super 2 is coming out, Toei Animation finally has a chance to redeem themselves.
Dragon Ball Super 2 Can Fix the Series' Animation Problems
Dragon Ball Super 2, or whatever Toei Animation decides to call Dragon Ball Super's return to anime, can finally bring back good animation to the series. Dragon Ball Super does in fact have good animation at times, and it might be at its best during the Tournament of Power arc. There might not be a better moment in Dragon Ball Super than when Goku surfs on an Energy Wave Attack using a Kamehameha.
The Galactic Patrol Prisoner Arc is going to feature one of Goku's most intriguing abilities yet, and it needs to be animated perfectly. It's an arc filled with new abilities, characters, and worlds, and Toei Animation has a chance to really make Dragon Ball Super shine through this arc.
Will Toei Animation bring an animation quality as good as Dragon Ball Z's back to Dragon Ball, or will they drop the ball like they did with the original version of Dragon Ball Super? Either way, Dragon Ball Super's next arc is one of the best in the franchise, and if it looks half as good as anything in Dragon Ball Z, we're in for a treat.
Created by Akira Toriyama
Latest TV Show Super Dragon Ball Heroes
First Episode Air Date April 26, 1989
English (US) ·