Dragon Ball crashes biggest anime streamer

The release of Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, a new series that retells Goku’s battle with a deity powerful enough to destroy Earth, placed Crunchyroll under strain. The world’s biggest dedicated anime streaming platform experienced access and playback problems as viewers flocked to watch the premiere.

The show debuted on the streamer last Sunday (11 October 2026), began streaming on Disney+ yesterday (14 October) and will arrive on Netflix this Saturday (17 October). New episodes will be released weekly on each platform.

Crunchyroll has struggled under major premieres before, but Beerus is unusual: the series retells an old battle instead of continuing the story. Goku’s clash with the deity already appeared in the 2013 movie Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and the original anime. Even so, rebuilt action and sharper visuals drew viewers back to a four-decade franchise spanning manga, television, movies and games.

That pull extends to South Africa, where many viewers first encountered Goku and his companions through SABC broadcasts years ago. Beerus joined the television franchise in 2015 and was recently featured locally through a Burger King promotion, which included a miniature figure with a special meal. The fast-food chain was a major sponsor at this year’s Comic Con Africa.

The new series begins several years after the defeat of Majin Buu. Peace is interrupted when Beerus awakens and sets out to find a Saiyan powerful enough to challenge him. His search leads towards Goku, setting up a battle familiar to long-time fans.

The first episode makes a strong case for revisiting that story. A standout sequence sees Goku imagine fighting his former enemies Frieza, Cell and Majin Buu, with fluid animation and dramatic lighting bringing fresh energy to the training session. Beerus appears more threatening, casually destroying half a planet in a chilling display of his power.

The sharper visuals, improved pacing and refreshed action aim to make the series more enjoyable. Some quieter character moments have been cut. For a story already told, the premiere delivers a welcome dose of nostalgia while making the familiar adventure feel exciting again.

The improvements extend beyond the visuals. Toei Animation says the production includes extensive new cuts, revised scenes and completely re-rendered footage.

The studio has introduced newly recorded dubbing, additional music and sound effects, and a reconstructed narrative. The goal is to faithfully present the late creator Akira Toriyama’s original ideas and worldbuilding while giving the battles a greater visual impact.

The Japanese cast includes a range of established voice actors, including Masako Nozawa (Goku) and Koichi Yamadera (Beerus). An English dubbed version does not have a confirmed release date. The English cast will see long-time actors reprise their iconic roles, including Christopher R Sabat (Vegeta), who attended Comic Con Cape Town earlier this year.

Matsuto Seya handles composition and direction arrangement, while Tadayoshi Yamamuro serves as animation character designer and general animation director. Norihito Sumitomo composed the music.

Megatera Zero performs the opening theme, Onogami, which traces Goku’s evolution across the franchise. VK Blanka performs the ending theme, Kan Peki No Peki. Both tracks are available on music streaming services.

* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and deputy editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @jas2bann.