Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is the closest anime fans have ever come to an actual DBZ movie

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 provided the closest thing to a proper Hollywood film adaptation of Dragon ball or Dragon Ball Z. At the time of Sonic the Hedgehog 3By the end of, the trilogy solidified itself as one of the best ever made based on video games. Sonic vs Shadow in Sonic 3 proved to be an epic finale, as well as many other twists that made the third act the most action-packed of the entire trilogy.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3configuration of Sonic 4 will have fans hoping that the franchise can continue this wave of success, translating the same ambitious action as the series develops. Sonic the Hedgehog 3The post-credits scenes teased that any sequel to the franchise would do just that, but the film's final moments also drew comparisons to another franchise: Dragon ball. Fans of the anime have long wanted a proper adaptation of Dragon ball for decades and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 it just became the closest thing to exactly that.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 goes full Super Saiyan

Sonic and Shadow emulate Goku

With that in mind, it's worth exploring how exactly Sonic the Hedgehog 3 emulate Dragon Ball Z. In the film's final act, Sonic and Shadow fight for the Chaos Emeralds. After a brief fight, the two hedgehogs mix their powers with an equal amount of Emeralds, becoming Super Sonic and Super Shadow.

Super Sonic appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Still, seeing him and Shadow take on these forms was an epic moment for fans of the game. Furthermore, it brings to light the similarities between the franchise and Dragon ball. The latter franchise is synonymous with the Super Saiyan form, in which members of the Saiyan species can be overcome with god-like powers in times of great need. Many have theorized that Super Sonic was based on this since the Dragon ball manga or Dragon Ball Z anime. Through the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 shows Sonic and Shadow essentially becoming Super Saiyan.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3's action is everything Dragon Ball Z fans want

In addition to becoming Super Sonic and Super Shadow, Sonic the Hedgehog 3The third act as a whole is reminiscent of Dragon Ball Z. The Super Saiyan comparison leads to immense, large-scale action scenes, with Sonic and Shadow fighting each other while flying across the planet. Clashes in different biomes lead to the destruction of mountains, the cracking of the Earth, and the expulsion of lava into the sky, reminiscent of the Super Saiyan clashes of Dragon Ball Z.

These scenes are incredibly fast-paced and lead to massive destruction. In many ways, Sonic the Hedgehog 3the final act is an amalgamation of everything Dragon Ball Z fans wanted a proper live-action adaptation. It's no secret that the disastrous Dragonball Evolution was a huge failure when 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, but Sonic the Hedgehog 3 may have scratched that itch to a real Dragon Ball Z film is prepared.