Fans were beyond thrilled whenDragon Ball Super: Super Herohit theaters. With new and returning characters and a chance for Gohan to return to the spotlight, the movie was poised to be a hit with a guaranteed climatic battle. While the film offered two impressive transformations and eye-catching battles,its main villain failed to leave a lasting impression.
Despite the movie’s many strengths, the final clash againstCell Maxfelt like a missed opportunity for the series.Super Herodidn’t reach its full potential with what could have become a far more compelling sequence. Fortunately, theDragon Ballanime has a chance to revisit the story, as it did with previous movies,Resurrection of ‘F’andBattle of Gods.
Cell’s Return Was Mainly Just a Good Marketing Tactic
The reappearance of a Cell-inspired villain could have easily been an iconic moment for the series. Instead,Cell Max was presented as a mindless powerhousewith none of the original’s cunning brilliance that made him so memorable. The lack of development for Cell Max left him without any deeper significance,making him a hollow spectacle for fans. While he was always intended to be a separate entity from the original Cell, he could have had some other characteristics that allowed him to stand out. The film relied too heavily on nostalgia to induce excitement.
Had the movie introduced a brand new monstrous villain, the storyline would remain largely unchanged.Cell Max’s sole purpose was to act as a generic final bossfor the characters to come together and defeat. In creating an empty character,Super Heromissed out on the opportunity to explore howa new Cell could create a lasting impact on the series. Rather, the return to the familiar character is little more than a fleeting nod to the series’ past than a contribution to its future.
Cell Max Failed To Incite a Meaningful Reaction From the Characters
One of the most surprising aspects ofDragon Ball Super: Super Herowas how little impact Cell Max’s appearance had on the characters. Piccolo gave some acknowledgment to the recreation of Cell, but the moment was short and lacked any meaningful weight. Similarly, Android 18, who originally fought to escape the original Cell but ultimately was absorbed, barely reacted outside a short exclamation. With only two muted responses, Cell Max felt not only lacking in terms of potential, but alsogenerally bland in comparison to other antagonists throughout the series.
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Had the characters at least had some sort of reaction to facing another being like Cell, the film could have gained a chance to deepen its exploration of the characters and make the stakes feel significantly higher. Gohan, for example, could have been given a moment to reconcile withhis first battle against the original Cell, offering the movie deeper substance, or 18 could have been given a chance at a personal victory. By glossing over the Z-Fighter’s history with Cell,Super Herofumbled a chance to make Cell Max grow beyond a mindless threat.
The Anime Still Has a Chance to Further Explore a Return of Cell
Dragon Ball Has Proven It’s Capable of Meaningful Returns to Old Characters
The film may not have done Cell the justice he deserves, butthe anime still has a chance of doing so. For example, Frieza’s many returns to the series, while somewhat repetitive, ultimately serve a clear function for the storyline, even up to its latest chapter. Part of the excitement surrounding Frieza’s character was his new transformations, and while Cell Max sported an eye-catching new color scheme,he failed to serve a clear purpose like Frieza does. If Frieza can have a return that grows past simple callbacks and nostalgia, there’s no reason Cell can’t either.
Whether through the original Cell or a retelling ofSuper Hero, similar to theBattle of GodsorResurrection of ‘F’recreation, the anime has a chance to explore the return in a way that allows him to be far more memorable. A new storyline following Cell has the potential toexplore the aspects that made his first appearance as impactful as it was, except with the heightened power levels and transformations of the current era. ShouldDragon Ballever return to one of its greatest antagonists, it could meet a much higher standard than the movie’s Cell Max had to offer.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
