Dragon Ball fans are well aware of the franchise's core series, but Super Dragon Ball Heroes is an oddity that's eluded much of the fandom. Created in 2018, Super Dragon Ball Heroes is a promotional ONA series for the corresponding card and video game, Dragon Ball Heroes.
There's a loose story in place in Super Dragon Ball Heroes, but as a promotional anime, it largely focuses on spectacles where impossible character pairings come together in combat. Super Dragon Ball Heroes wants to feed the fandom and increase sales. This structure has led to seismic moments in Super Dragon Ball Heroes that still get audiences excited, even if they're not canon.
10 Yamcha & Vidro's Relationship
Chronoa, the Supreme Kai of Time, pulls together an appealing group of competitors that includes the usual suspects like Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and Piccolo. However, Yamcha inexplicably also makes the cut, and Super Dragon Ball Heroes actually gives this neglected character something to do.
Yamcha fumbles his way to success and faces old threats like Mecha Frieza but also befriends Vidro, a powerful female fighter from Planet Glass. Yamcha and Vidro become an entertaining team, and she even pledges to give Yamcha her hand in marriage. This proposal turns into a fun punchline once Vidro reveals that she plans for this engagement to last for 1,200 years.
9 Dr. Wheelo Makes A Surprise Return
One of the biggest selling points of Super Dragon Ball Heroes is that it actually brings back many of the compelling villains from Dragon Ball Z's feature films who have otherwise been neglected in the canonical anime series. Popular movie villains like Turles, Lord Slug, and Cooler make regular appearances, but the promo anime's "Universe Creation Arc" brings back the robotic menace, Dr. Wheelo, from The World's Strongest feature film.
Teased as Dr. W, Wheelo returns for the first time in decades with a sleek and strong new design. Dr. Wheelo's return is a big deal, but he's defeated by Super Saiyan 3 Xeno Goku and Vegeta, who then ascend to Super Saiyan 4 strength to finish the fight.
8 Tapion Makes A Comeback & Connects With Xeno Trunks
Tapion is one of Dragon Ball's most popular supporting players, even though he only shows up in one movie, Wrath of the Dragon, through his connection to Hirudegarn. Tapion's distinct look and sword-fighting skills make him a popular character request in Dragon Ball video games, yet he's a rare inclusion.
Super Dragon Ball Heroes finally brings Tapion back as one of the many fighters within Chronoa's Super Space-Time Tournament. Tapion experiences some confusing deja vu when he mistakes Xeno Trunks for the Trunks that he bonded with during Wrath of the Dragon.
7 Pikkon Gets A Proper Showcase
Pikkon is another popular anime-only Dragon Ball character who first makes his mark as Goku's main competition in the Other World Tournament before he becomes a steady enforcer of justice in the afterlife. Dragon Ball fans hoped that Goku would recruit Pikkon during the Tournament of Power.
Super doesn't take this bait, but it's exciting to see Super Dragon Ball Heroes lean into this idea with its Super Space-Time Tournament. Any reminder that Pikkon still exists is a good thing in Dragon Ball, but he's shown to hold his own against Piccolo and Hit, which are the perfect opponents for his unique strength.
6 Golden Meta-Cooler Fights With His Brother Against Goku Black
Super Dragon Ball Heroes is certainly guilty of just throwing together random popular characters as if it's a bunch of children playing with their toys in the sandbox. The promo anime's "New Space-Time War Arc" brings back Goku Black, as well as Meta-Cooler and Frieza, but with greater strength than ever before.
Super Dragon Ball Heroes marks the debut of Golden Meta-Cooler, who accompanies Golden Frieza in a satisfying fight against Goku Black. This alone is enough, but Goku Black also summons a Majin version of Dragon Ball GT's Omega Shenron just to make this battle even more ridiculous.
5 Hit The Assassin Fights Against Kaiju Monster Hirudegarn
Hirudegarn is an enormous threat who's introduced in Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon and feels like Dragon Ball's take on Godzilla and other massive kaiju. Hirudegarn is an apocalyptic creature with ties to Tapion, both of whom make surprise appearances in Super Dragon Ball Heroes. The series' accompanying manga keeps Tapion and Hirudegarn together.
However, the anime gets a little more creative with a sensational clash between the huge monster and Universe 6's top assassin, Hit. It's a genuinely fun fight between two deadly characters.
4 Mastered Ultra Instinct Goku Against Neo Machine Mutant Tuffle, Kamioren
Dragon Ball GT initially had a contentious reputation in the fandom, but it's slowly been reappraised over time, especially when it comes to certain aspects like Baby and the Neo Machine Mutant Tuffles. Super Dragon Ball Heroes features the return of this neglected race with two twins, Kamin and Oten, who go on to fuse into the superior Kamioren.
Kamin and Oren begin as appropriate opponents for Androids 17 and 18, only for Mastered Ultra Instinct Goku to eventually set his sights on the displaced threat. It's great to get another Neo Machine Mutant Tuffle showdown, especially when it's with peak-power Goku.
3 Chronoa Hosts The Super Space-Time Tournament
Dragon Ball Super's Tournament of Power is a multiversal battle royale where the cost of failure is complete erasure. Super Dragon Ball Heroes replicates this competition's circumstances with Chronoa's Super Space-Time Tournament, which assembles the strongest warriors from different timelines — past and future — as well as around the multiverse.
This easily becomes Super Dragon Ball Heroes' most entertaining collection of episodes since it brings back so many obscure Dragon Ball villains from the franchise's feature films like Turles, Lord Slug, Cooler's Armored Squadron, and even Bojack and his Galaxy Soldiers. These battles function like pure fan-fiction wish fulfillment.
2 Broly & Jiren Duke It Out
Universe 11's Jiren turns out to be the strongest opponent in Dragon Ball Super's Tournament of Power and a character who fans have been eager to see return for a rematch. Not only does Super Dragon Ball Heroes bring back Jiren for the momentous Super Space-Time Tournament, but it pits him against Legendary Super Saiyan Broly, another notorious Dragon Ball juggernaut.
This is arguably the most exciting combination of characters who would otherwise never get a chance to test each other in combat. It's a clash designed to further provoke debates on who is the strongest between Goku, Broly, and Jiren.
1 Super Saiyan 4 Xeno Goku & Super Saiyan Blue Goku Battle Janemba
Super Dragon Ball Heroes doesn't get caught up in canon, and as a result, there are occasions for multiple versions of each character to show up and assist or assault each other. There's healthy discussion over whether Super Saiyan Blue is stronger than Super Saiyan 4, but they've never had the chance to be in each other's company until Super Dragon Ball Heroes.
Super Saiyan 4 Xeno Goku combines his strength with Super Saiyan Blue Goku to take on a stronger, modified version of Super Janemba. Super Saiyan 3 Xeno Trunks also lends a hand before Super Saiyan 4 Xeno Goku and Vegeta take out the target with their Limit Breaker Double Ultimate Dragon Fist.