Warning: SPOILERS for chapter #98 of Dragon Ball SuperThe ongoing Dragon Ball Super manga adaptation of the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie, which began publication several months after the original release of the movie in 2022, is earning a reputation for making small changes for the better. For the most part, this manga arc is a straightforward adaptation of the movie’s plot. However, the overall story is being improved by changes to the details of some scenes, and that includes Pan’s best moment from the movie, which is made even better in the manga.
The manga adaptation of Super Hero previously gave Goten and Trunks more prominence, answering some of the criticisms the fanbase had with their depiction in the movie version of Super Hero. The story arc’s climactic final battle against the monstrous Cell Max has received the most of these slight changes in presentation, with Cell Max himself being depicted as a more powerful and impressive enemy and most of the heroes getting a chance to make more meaningful contributions in the fight, including Pan.
Chapter #98 of Dragon Ball Super gives more impact and emotional weight to the events around Pan successfully flying for the first time, letting the young half-Saiyan make a major contribution to the fight, grabbing the Senzu bean that Gohan needs to restore his strength.
Pan Saves The Last Senzu Bean In The Dragon Ball Super Manga
In both the movie and manga versions of Super Hero, Gohan’s daughter Pan is training with Piccolo and her ongoing character arc revolves around her frustrations about her inability to fly. In the movie, she finally masters the technique during the fight with Cell Max, flying herself to safety to avoid one of Cell Max’s attacks. Pan doesn’t really contribute to the heroes’ efforts against Cell Max, but this moment is a wholesome and rewarding culmination of her character arc in the movie. Pan’s first flight plays out differently in the manga adaptation of the story.
In the manga, the scene corresponding to Pan’s first flight in the movie actually has Krillin grabbing her and flying her to safety. With the release of Chapter #98, it’s now clear that this was simply building up to a different context for Pan’s first flight. In the manga, she now plays a critical role in the fight against Cell Max. Piccolo attempts to give the heroes’ last Senzu Bean to Gohan, but Cell Max knocks it away. Pan jumps for the Senzu Bean, successfully taking flight for the first time to make the diving save and throw the Senzu Bean back to Gohan.
Pan Is Given More Agency And A Bigger Role In The Dragon Ball Super Manga
The manga version is an improvement for several reasons. For one, Pan helping out her father makes her flying for the first time even more wholesome, giving her a motivation that’s more meaningful than just running for her life. Secondly, like Goten and Trunks, she gets to make a meaningful contribution in the battle against Cell Max, giving Gohan a much-needed power boost at a decisive moment. By being given more agency and making a real contribution to help the heroes, Pan proved that, even if the changes made are small, the Dragon Ball Super manga is still capable of telling a different version of the Super Hero story, and making some great moments even better.
