Beerus is the God of Destruction of Universe 7, a deity who looks like a purple cat dressed in ancient Egyptian style. He debuts in the film Battle of Gods, released in Japan on 30 March 2013, and he is the character who opens the Super era: with him, Dragon Ball moves from villains who want to conquer the universe to gods who keep it in balance.
Who he is
In Dragon Ball's cosmic order, the Supreme Kais create and protect life, while the Gods of Destruction wipe out planets and civilizations to maintain balance. Beerus's fate is bound to that of the East Supreme Kai: if one dies, so does the other. He has a twin brother, Champa, the God of Destruction of Universe 6, with whom he bickers like a child.
Lazy, capricious and a dedicated gourmet, Beerus spends long stretches asleep and wakes up mainly for two things: good food and an opponent worth fighting. He is always accompanied by Whis, his attendant, who is also his martial arts teacher and stronger than he is.
The character was born with Battle of Gods, which Toriyama started working on about two years before its release. Toei had pitched a lizard-like god; Toriyama turned him into a cat and gave him Egyptian-style clothes. His Japanese name, Birusu, comes from the word "virus", but Toriyama mistakenly believed it referred to beer: that misunderstanding gave birth to the alcohol naming rule for Whis and for the other gods and angels.
His story across the series
- Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Super: after a 39-year nap he wakes up recalling the Oracle Fish's prophecy about a legendary opponent, the Super Saiyan God. He tracks Goku down on King Kai's planet and beats him in a few blows, even at Super Saiyan 3. Then he crashes Bulma's birthday party, loses his temper with Majin Buu over a pudding and flattens half the guests. Goku reaches the divine form and takes him on: Beerus wins, but spares Earth.
- Dragon Ball Super: the series retroactively ties him to several past events. He was the one who sealed the Elder Kai in the Z Sword, shrank King Kai's planet and pushed Frieza to destroy Planet Vegeta. He sets up the Universe 6 vs Universe 7 tournament with Champa, erases Zamasu with his destruction technique and watches the Tournament of Power from the stands.
- The Super films: in Dragon Ball Super: Broly he mostly naps and babysits Bulma's daughter; in Super Hero he lets Broly, Cheelai and Lemo live on his planet after tasting Lemo's cooking.
Powers and techniques
Beerus is among the most powerful beings in the series: according to Whis, he could destroy entire universes. In his fight with Super Saiyan God Goku he holds back a great deal of his strength.
| Technique | What it does |
|---|---|
| Hakai | Erases a target completely, body and soul |
| Sphere of Destruction | A small sun-like ball he enlarges and hurls |
| Imperfect Ultra Instinct | In the Super manga, how he dodges the other gods' attacks |
Relationships
- Whis is his angel, teacher and babysitter: the only one who can keep him in line.
- Goku is the mortal who entertained him most; Beerus rates him the second-strongest opponent he has ever faced, after Whis.
- Vegeta fears him at first, then trains on his planet alongside Goku under Whis's guidance.
- Champa is his rival twin.
- Bulma wins him over with Earth's cuisine, the god's true passion.
Why he matters: our take
Beerus is a brilliant idea because he flips the Z formula. He is not a villain to defeat: he is a force of nature with the temperament of a spoiled cat, capable of erasing a planet over a missing dessert. The fact that Goku loses to him, and that Earth survives thanks to good food and Vegeta's desperate good manners, is pure Toriyama.
As Super goes on he becomes almost part of the family, always grumbling but secretly fond of his Saiyans. He is one of the few characters created after the original manga to truly win fans over.
Did you know? Beerus was originally meant to fight using a spoon or a fork. Tadayoshi Yamamuro, the film's animation director, felt that would be awkward to animate and suggested chopsticks instead.
Trivia
- He is voiced by Kōichi Yamadera in all Japanese media; in Funimation's English dub, by Jason Douglas.
- In Spain he is known as Bills, a name also used in the Italian translation of the films.
- His look draws on a cat and on ancient Egyptian garments, details Toriyama explained in Weekly Shōnen Jump ahead of the film.