# Super Dragon Ball Heroes (web series)

Super Dragon Ball Heroes (Japanese: スーパードラゴンボールヒーローズ, Hepburn: Sūpā Doragon Bōru Hīrōzu) is a Japanese original net animation and promotional anime series for the card and video games of the same name. 56 episodes were released from July 2018 to August 2024. It was produced by Toei Animation without the involvement of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama.
The series is set outside of the main continuity and explores several alternate scenarios within the franchise. It transitioned into a 'promotional CG movie' late in its run due to its 2D animation staff being required for Dragon Ball Daima.

## Plot

Following the Tournament of Power, a mysterious figure named Fu, who after kidnapping Future Trunks, lures Goku and Vegeta to the Prison Planet, an experimental area which Fu created and has filled with strong warriors from different planets and eras in order to force them into a game where they must collect the seven Special Dragon Balls if they wish to escape with their lives.
The Prison Planet was only the beginning of Fu's experiments... Based on the experimental data collected at the Prison Planet, Fu finally begins his real experiment! What is Fu's real goal, and what is his real power? Goku and companions from "Dark Demon Realm Mission" and "Universe Mission" appear! An experiment involving the whole universe and space-time!
After Fu's defeat, warriors and fighters from all over the space-time gather to participate in the Super Space-Time Tournament planned by Aeos, the former Supreme Kai of Time. Goku and his allies will face very powerful opponents.
After that tournament, Goku and his allies deal with Majin Ozotto, a being who aims to absorb every creature and planet in the universe to gain their power.

## Release

In May 2018, V Jump announced a promotional anime for Super Dragon Ball Heroes that would adapt the game's Prison Planet arc. A teaser trailer for the first episode was released on June 21, 2018, and shows the new characters Fu (フュー, Fyū) and Cumber (カンバー, Kanbā), the evil Saiyan. The first episode was shown at Aeon Lake Town, a shopping mall in Koshigaya, Saitama, on July 1, 2018, and was uploaded to the game's official website that same day. Likewise, the second episode was shown at Jump Victory Carnival Tokyo Kaijō on July 16, 2018, before being uploaded to the website. The final episode was released on August 8, 2024. Each episode lasts for around eight to ten minutes.

## Reception

According to Comicbook.com, initial reactions to the series from Dragon Ball fans base were mixed, with it being both positively and negatively compared to fan-fiction. Screen Rant referred to a transformation obtained by Vegeta as 'one of Dragon Ball's worst ideas' and negatively compared it to the more positively regarded Majin Vegeta sequence from Dragon Ball Z. Additionally, Marcel Green wrote that Dragon Ball Heroes is "exactly what the harshest critics think all of Dragon Ball is." The heavy focus on flashy powerups, battles, and villains without much of a narrative behind them, was considered as a huge mistake. The animation in the 'Meteor Mission' saga was also criticized as being far inferior to Dragon Ball Super.