This is aof the Japanese-language version of Dragon Ball Super: Broly.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly is more than simply a continuation of the cinematic return of this beloved franchise, and more than just the return of the popular character Broly. This is an animated movie that takes the Dragon Ball franchise to a new peak by telling a story that feels appropriately modernized, while also retaining a nostalgic sheen. It is true in spirit to the original ‘80s and ’90s series while also making changes to certain characters’ backstories to fit better within the Japanese society of today, a delicate balance that is pulled off remarkably well – a few gripes aside.

The big draw of this movie is in the title: offering the first canon appearance of Broly, who fans first met in the 1993 movie Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan. Dragon Ball Super: Broly appropriately expands its title character’s backstory, offering necessary context for the strife between his fellow Super Saiyans, Goku, and Vegeta.

The new movie fills in some blanks in the Dragon Ball series’ history by showing the fathers of Goku, Vegeta, and Broly and explains the backstory of how and why the film’s central characters left Planet Vegeta. Having Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama on board gives this Broly movie the feel of quintessential Dragon Ball, both in terms of the classic visual style and use of humor, and in how its story captures nostalgia even while presenting new themes.

In this telling, Broly’s father Paragus trained him as a Spartan-like warrior, to be used as a tool for his father’s revenge on King Vegeta. Their father-son relationship became more like master-slave, and this narrative felt particular resonant for me. Back when I was a kid, the common thinking in Japan was that children should use their free time to study ever harder, shunning entertainment, to prepare them for the battlefield of the examination room. Placing education above everything was a form of tough love. You can see a similar relationship between Paragus and Broly. For those of us who experienced such heavy training as kids, Broly’s transformation into a being of unsuppressed power is a catharsis similar to the cries we felt in our hearts.

This sets the stage for some interesting social commentary that makes the film feel surprisingly resonant. It seemed odd at first that the brave and imposing warrior Bardock, the father of Goku, has been retconned here as a man who places the welfare of his family above all else, but it’s encouraging to see Toriyama and his team make necessary surgical changes to ensure the film feels modern. A key point in Bardock’s change plays into how Dragon Ball Super: Broly features familiar themes such as passing the baton to a new generation and the bond between parent and child. These themes have been featured in many recent movies, games, and TV series, like Logan and even The Walking Dead, giving the film a contemporary feel. As Dragon Ball fans who have grown up with the series prepare to raise their own kids, this approach is relatable on an emotional level.

There is one weird thing about Broly’s reappearance, however. In the Super series, the character Kale from Universe 6 resembled Broly physically and had similar powers, sparking hope among fans that this was a hint that Broly may return someday. But in Dragon Ball Super: Broly, Goku, and Vegeta encounter the titular Super Saiyan for the first time. Given the similarities with Kale, whom Goku had met in the recent storyline, it is strange that Goku doesn’t mention the resemblance, even though the audience will clearly notice it. I’m not sure whether this was an oversight by Toriyama or deliberate, but while this is only a minor quibble, it’s disappointing that it is not addressed in the script.

With the focus on Broly, Goku, and Vegeta and expanding their histories together, Dragon Ball Super: Broly is smart to bring in a slimmer roster of characters than previous entries such as 2013’s Battle of Gods and 2015’s Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'. At first glance, it might seem stingy, but actually, the drama is improved by making use of the right character at the right time.

As one would expect from a Dragon Ball movie, the film’s action scenes evoke the same hair-raising thrills as the TV series. However, it’s extremely weird that the characters’ battle cries come not from them but from a voice in the heavens. When Goku forms the pose for a Kamehameha energy wave, he doesn't cry “Kamehame… ha!” as he usually would. Instead, the words are spoken from off-screen, as though narrated by the announcer at a wrestling match. This saps those classic moves of their showmanship and feels like an unnecessary change to an established franchise concept.

These annoyances aside, the fight scenes are packed with cool action that are enough to overcome the shortcomings of some previous Dragon Ball movies, and they offer a heavy dose of nostalgia. Broly appropriately balances this great action with the comic relief fans of Dragon Ball have come to know in Super. One prime example is when, without spoiling the scene, two characters escalating a conversation to ridiculous levels in an effort to outdo each other. These lashings of Toriyama humor are true to the original tone of Dragon Ball.