The Dragon Ball Super Film was Developed to Elevate Piccolo's Hero Status
The Dragon Ball Super Film was Developed to Elevate Piccolo's Hero Status
In the year 2022, Toei debuted Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, a film showcasing a fresh artistic style and placing emphasis on the characters of Piccolo and his offspring, Gohan. If audiences found themselves fond of these characters, particularly Piccolo, it seems this was the intended outcome.
On a recent anniversary-celebrating radio show for Dragon Ball, series veteran executive producer Akio Iyoku discussed the series' history and current developments. Based on notes translated by Twitter user peraperayume, courtesy of CBR, Iyoku aimed to elevate Piccolo to the same level as Goku and Vegeta, both of whom had significantly progressed throughout Dragon Ball Super and the Broly movie. This was a notable absence for Piccolo, an aspect that many enthusiasts of the character couldn't overlook. Iyoku, being a fan himself, sought to rectify this situation.
According to Iyoku, he sought counsel from creator Akira Toriyama on how best to honor Piccolo. Their conversations ultimately led to Toriyama penning Super Hero, a film that paves the way for Piccolo and Gohan to claim the spotlight, facing off against a revived Red Ribbon Army. Eventually, the pair unveil new forms, with Piccolo's new Orange mode marked by Toriyama as the character's first significant upgrade.
As of now, Piccolo's Orange form hasn't appeared in the ongoing Dragon Ball Daimaanime, or the 2021 game, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero. However, it was introduced as DLC for Xenoverse 2. It seems that the movie has effectively ignited interest in more Piccolo, yet balancing this interest with that of other beloved characters—especially given Toriyama's passing last year—will be a challenge for Toei.
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In the future, fans of Piccolo and Gohan might expect more focus on their characters in upcoming Dragon Ball media, as indicated by the success of 'Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero'. io9's coverage of technology in movies might feature an analysis of the innovative art style in 'Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero'.