REVIEW: ‘Dragon Ball Super: Beerus’ Episode 4 — “The God Of Saiyans”

Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Episode 4, “The God of Saiyans,” sets the stage for Beerus’ (Koichi Yamadera, Ghost in the Shell) long-awaited bout to begin. But before the fight can start, the Super Saiyan God must make their appearance. Luckily, a familiar face will light the way for Earth’s salvation. 

Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Episode 4 opens with Oolong (Naoki Tatsuta, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth) and Beerus playing a rock-paper-scissors match to see if Earth will be destroyed. This moment plays out ok. It runs slightly too long, but does a decent job of justifying the time. The repetitive ties provide some humor, as Oolong and others visually depict the mounting stress of each round’s misfire. 

Despite his valiant efforts, though, the shapeshifter fails to defeat the God of Destruction. With no Super Saiyan God in sight, Beerus’ interest is finally lost, and Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Episode 4 shows him preparing a planet-killing attack to destroy Earth. The visual flair of the moment is good, as great coloring is used to augment both Beerus’ power and the foreboding sense of dread. 

A last-minute suggestion keeps Beerus from destroying Earth for now.

Before the attack can be launched, however, Goku (Masako Nozawa, Dragon Ball Daima) arrives with a final idea to summon the sought-after deity. Earning the planet one final stay of execution, Goku uses the Dragon Balls gathered for Bulma’s birthday to ask Shenron to summon the sought-after Saiyan. 

At this point in time, fans of the franchise have seen Shenron summoned a lot. However, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Episode 4 easily delivers the coolest intro for the wish-granting dragon. As light shines from the orbs, it gradually coalesces and hardens into the familiar draconic form before shattering to reveal the dragon’s scaled visage. 

The summoning animation isn’t the only element that makes this visit from the mystical creature unique. Like everyone else in the celestial pantheon of the show, Shenron seems to be quite aware of Beerus’ reputation. Seeing the dragon squirm over not being able to summon Super Saiyan God, then quickly clarifying how one can be found, is quite humorous and lands as well here as it did when it first aired.

He even quickly returns to the Dragon Balls before actually granting a wish. This is something that is shown to be impossible previously, but when you really don’t want to be near an angry god, you find a way.

Updated animations add visual oomph in Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Episode 4.

How the episode goes about creating the god is a fun blend of epic and humorous. A false start, when the five Saiyans can’t count or follow instructions, brings a light chuckle to the moment. But even though they are initially one short, they are saved thanks to the quick thinking of Videl, who is able to add a fifth “righteous Saiyan” to the group via her unborn child. Even in the womb, Pan is already righteous. 

Once all five Saiyans have joined hands and imparted their spirits onto Goku, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Episode 4 sets aside humor for a suitably epic transformation. Clouds gather and part, streams of light descend from the heavens, and massive waves of energy are released as Goku transforms into the Super Saiyan God.

The moment is one of the best transformations in the franchise to date, delivering a fantastic sense of aura and scale. The heavens themselves seem rocked by what has been accomplished. Eye to eye with Beerus, the episode ends with Goku ready to rematch the God of Destruction.

Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Episode 4 gets the series to the big fight in solid fashion. Despite a slightly drawn-out opening, the episode recovers nicely, bringing both the charm and grandeur the franchise is known for as it prepares to unleash the final element of its long-familiar formula: the action.

Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Episode 4 is streaming on Crunchyroll.

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