Sonic the Hedgehog 3 provided the closest thing yet to a proper Hollywood film adaptation of Dragon Ball or Dragon Ball Z. By the time of Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s ending, the trilogy solidified itself as one of the best ever made based on a video game. Sonic vs Shadow in Sonic 3 proved to make an epic finale, as did the many other twists and turns that saw the third act become the most action-packed in the entire trilogy.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s set-up of Sonic 4 will have fans hoping that the franchise can continue this hot streak by translating the same ambitious action as the series develops. Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s post-credits scenes teased that any continuations of the franchise would do exactly this, yet the final moments of the film also raised comparisons to another franchise: Dragon Ball. Fans of the anime have long desired a proper adaptation of Dragon Ball for decades, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 just became the closest thing to exactly that.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Goes Full Super Saiyan
Sonic & Shadow Emulate Goku
With this in mind, it is worth exploring how exactly Sonic the Hedgehog 3 emulates Dragon Ball Z. In the final act of the film, Sonic and Shadow grapple for the Chaos Emeralds. After a brief struggle, both hedgehogs blend their powers with an equal amount of the Emeralds, becoming Super Sonic and Super Shadow.
Related Sonic The Hedgehog’s Chaos Emeralds: Powers, Location & More Explained Sonic the Hedgehog 2 introduced the Chaos Emeralds to the live-action movie series, and here’s everything we know ahead of the third movie.
Super Sonic appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, yet seeing him and Shadow take these forms was an epic moment for game fans. Moreover, it brings to the fore the franchise’s similarities with Dragon Ball. The latter franchise is synonymous with the Super Saiyan form, in which members of the Saiyan species can be overcome with godlike powers in moments of great need. Many have theorized that Super Sonic was based on this from the Dragon Ball manga or Dragon Ball Z anime. Via the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 shows Sonic and Shadow becoming essentially Super Saiyan.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3’s Action Is Everything Dragon Ball Z Fans Want
Custome Image by Yailin Chacon
Beyond becoming Super Sonic and Super Shadow, Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s third act as a whole is reminiscent of Dragon Ball Z. The Super Saiyan comparison leads to immense action scenes on a massive scale, with Sonic and Shadow fighting each other by flying across the planet. The clashes in different biomes lead to mountains being destroyed, the Earth being cracked, and lava spewing into the sky, calling to mind the Super Saiyan clashes of Dragon Ball Z.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s final act is an amalgamation of everything Dragon Ball Z fans have wanted from a proper live-action adaptation…
These scenes are all incredibly fast-paced and lead to a great deal of destruction. In many ways, Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s final act is an amalgamation of everything Dragon Ball Z fans have wanted from a proper live-action adaptation. It is no secret that the disastrous Dragonball Evolution was a huge misfire regarding adapting the anime and manga to the big screen. As such, fans of the franchise have never received action or epic fights on the scale they desire, yet Sonic the Hedgehog 3 may have scratched that itch until a real Dragon Ball Z movie is crafted.