TheDragon Ball Super: Super Heromovie has been officially announced, and Piccolo has earned himself some new powers for his leading role. Piccolo is a skilled Namekian fighter who joined Goku and the gang as a Z-Warrior and protector of the planet Earth against an onslaught of alien and android enemies. During theVegeta Saga,Goku was mostly training in Other World, so Piccolo took up the responsibility of Earth’s guardian and practically raising Son Gohan, training the young Saiyan to be an ultimate fighter.
However, once Goku returned and Vegeta took a leave of absence from the dark side, Piccolo’s character has fallen into the sidelines, his incredible power forgotten and his contributions unacknowledged - that is, up until now! The Nemakian warrior appears to be making a come-back in the newDragon Ball Super: Super Heromovie with a leading role.
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Piccolo Takes the Lead
Since the announcement of the new Shounen-anime movie on Goku Day 2021 (otherwise known as 9 May), the hype has been building as DBZ fans decipher the intriguing details provided in three official trailers. The Red Ribbon Army have somehow gotten their hands on young Pan, and it’s up to Son Gohan and Piccolo to rescue her. Although a large portion of the content is focused on the enemy, revealing a mysterious, encapsulated foe, Piccolo makes several noticeable appearances in the trailer, implying a significant role for the green guru in the storyline. He is seen in battle against Gamma 2, a new Red Ribbon android, and also goes undercover as a RR soldier to discover their base of operations.DBZ fans had their minds blownwhen the Namekian powered up into a never-before-seen transformation, giving his skin a distinct yellow glow and significantly fewer black markings on his arms, along with a visible surge of potent force.
Piccolo has become one of the most underrated Z-fighters over the years, repeatedly proving that he is just as valuable as the Saiyans but rarely receiving much credit for his skills. It appears that times are changing for the Namekian who appears consistently throughout the trailer, emphasizing hisimportance to theDragon Ball Superstoryline. Only brief glimpses of Goku and Vegeta make their way into the clip, suggesting that they don’t have as large a role as Piccolo does in the upcoming film. This makes sense, considering the fact that Son Gohan seems to be the main protagonist and Piccolo played a vital part in Gohan’s development, faithfully stepping in as a father figure and sensei when Goku could not.
Piccolo and the Red Ribbon Army
Piccolo is seen donning a RR Army uniform as he goes undercover, seemingly alone, to infiltrate the enemy’s base. In light of the fact that Pan’s rescue is on the line, such an important task would only be trusted to someone who can hold their own - acknowledging the fact thatthe Namekian is stronger than mostother Z-fighters and therefore able to handle such a critical task.
The Red Ribbon Base Camp appears to have some kind of shield surrounding it, possibly also a form of camouflage, allowing the army to grow undetected (as they were believed to have been extinguished by Goku many years ago). It is unclear whether Piccolo’s mission is to simply gather information on the enemy operations, or attempt to retrieve Pan himself. Piccolo is not known for having an inflated ego, however, so it is likely that he knows better than to take on an entire army solo.
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Piccolo’s disguise should get him over enemy lines and hopefully his abrasive personality does not deter the Z-warrior from “befriending” an unsuspecting soldier to gain the upper hand in liberating the hostage. Much like her father, Pan has astrong bond with the Namekian, who has already started combat training with the little girl. Piccolo’s presence will therefore be reassuring to the young child, who will undoubtedly follow his every instruction to a tee.
Why not send Gohan in instead? As a father, the Saiyan will, in all probability, let his paternal instincts take the lead and his decisions would therefore be clouded by emotions, with possibly disastrous results. Not to say that Piccolo feels no love for Pan, but the warrior has shown on countless occasions that he is more than capable of keeping a clear head and is rarely overwhelmed by his feelings. The green guru is less likely to be taunted into losing his temper or negotiation a regrettable deal for Pan’s freedom.
Who is the True Hero?
The fact that the title uses the singular “Hero” suggests that one warrior will be predominantly responsible for saving the day.Goku would be the obvious choice, however, the Saiyan did not receive much screen time during the trailer, which focused more on the Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 Androids, Son Gohan, and, of course, the fan-favorite Namekian. Fans assume that the DBZ producers will stick to their formula of having a Saiyan salvage the situation, making Gohan the clear choice (as Pan’s father). However, because Piccolo and Gohan have such a strong bond, they will undoubtedly be fighting side by side, and Gohan cannot take all the credit. In theSuper Herotrailer, Piccolo is the first to make the all-powerful transformation, urging Gohan on in the process - but the fact that Gohan’s power-up is not shown suggests that it far exceeds his Namekian mentor’s level of awesomeness.
Viewers also didn’t miss thefact that the Saiyanappears to have swapped his usual orange-and-blue gi for a purple one along with Piccolo’s iconic white cape, emphasizing the influence that he had in Son Gohan’s life. The green warrior has, overall, been more involved in Gohan’s training and upbringing than Goku has, and was the one who encouraged Gohan to get back into fighting after he stepped away from the lifestyle. Piccolo might not be the “Hero” that the title refers to, but Gohan’s major contributions to this movie would not have been possible without the Nemekian’s involvement.
The officialDragon Ball Super: Super Herorelease date of June 26, 2025 might be delayed due toToei Animation’s internal servers being hacked.
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