The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love YouS2 Ep 6 Review
Next to its birthplace in the land of the Stars and Stripes, the country that loves baseball the most is Japan. Baseball is incredibly popular in Japan, and it has been for more than a century. Hence why Iku Sutou is obsessed with the sport and why sheโs determined to keep the schoolโs baseball team running. Were this any other anime, it would treat the big practice game that Iku and the Rentaro Family has to win seriously. However, since 100 Girlfriends is a comedic parody that loves using meta-humor, this baseball episode winds up being equal parts silly and serious. But mostly silly.
PLAY BALL!
Itโs the day of the big practice game to determine if the high school girls baseball team will survive. And, by the rule of funny, Rentaroโs stand-ins wind up sick, conveniently allowing Hahari, Kurumi, and Mei the chance to play. But this is not the first example of how silly the anime is treating this baseball game.
The second example stems from the fact that their opponents, the Jurassic High Team, are all based on dinosaurs. Right down to their names being puns on dinosaur names.
The episode makes it clear from the start that itโs not trying to treat this game seriously unless it has to. Thus, it has free reign to parody the over-the-top nature of sports anime. From the opposing team coming up with flashy names for moves to said moves breaking the girl’s bats, anime logic is in full effect here. Unfortunately, that also means that the relatively inexperienced Rentaro Family is unable to do much, especially after Iku injures her pitching hand. Before long, theyโre at the bottom of the seventh inning and have yet to score a point.
But then, the opposing team does the last thing they could hope to do. Their leader messes with Shizukaโs head, making her mess up so bad, the poor girl is reduced to tears.
To paraphrase Saruman from Lord of the Rings, โSo you have chosen death.โ
No one. Hurts. SHIZUKA
As saddening as it is to see Shizuka reduced to tears over the enemyโs dirty playing, the episode veers right back into the realm of hilarious with what happens next. Something that, with the Internet still recovering from the high of the end of Dragon Ball Daima, has to be seen to be believed.
Say what you want about 100 Girlfriends, but if youโre a fan of Dragon Ball, you can at least appreciate the affectionate parody that this is. Right down to the iconic eye-catchers. The fact that they got this riled up because the enemy made their precious cinnamon bun Shizuka cry only makes this even funnier.
Anyone who purposefully makes Shizuka cry is deserving of death!
The Perfect Catch
By the time they end their rampage, the Rentaro Family is only four points away from winning the game. Thatโs when Iku gets up to bat, and when things turn serious once more. While the story has already shown Iku dealing with her masochism, the climax of this episode has her dealing with another fear. In this case, itโs her fear of hitting someone in the stands by accident.
Cue the episodeโs CHADtaro moment!
And with that, Iku secured the future of the girls baseball team. The anime got to have fun with a sports episode. And the fans got to see Rentaro make out with a cool tomboy!
In a series that gives us plenty of funny moments and is all about enjoying its premise, this episode might be one of the best thus far. Top five episodes just for the Dragon Ball reference.
One year ago, the anime workd was devastated by the news of Akira Toriyamaโs death. Toriyama, the man many consider the godfather of the modern Shonen manga, was gone. Millions of people around the world, from his friends and family all the way up to world leaders, all mourned his passing. However, his death would not be the end of his story. At least, not yet.
Less than a year earlier, Toei animation had announced that Dragon Ball would be returning with a new anime series to celebrate its 40th birthday. Even better, though, was the fact that Toriyama himself had written the story for this new anime, Dragon Ball Daima. Now, by fate or chance, Daima had become the last thing Toriyama worked on for the world that he created. If fans were already excited as it was for Dragon Ball to return in anime form, now they wanted to see how his final story would play out.
Now that Gokuโs untold adventure had come to an end, though, how does Daima hold up? Did it meet fans expectations? Could it have done anything better? Is it even canon? While that last question will likely be debated for a while, the first two have an actual answer to them: yes and yes.
What is Daima About?
If you didnโt keep up with Daima during its run, hereโs a quick synopsis.
Taking place shortly after the defeat of Majin Buu, Goku and his family are enjoying their lives now that peace has returned (and Gokuโs alive again.) Unbeknownst to them, Gomah, the new Supreme King of the Demon Realm that Dabura ruled before his death, has been watching them for a while. Terrified at how Goku and the others defeated Majin Buu and seeing them as a threat to his rule, Gomah hatches a plan. Traveling under the radar to Earth, he uses the Dragon Balls to turn Goku and all his allies into kids, thinking they wonโt be a threat in that state. And, for good measure, he kidnaps Dende to make even more Dragon Balls in the future.
Naturally, Goku and the others canโt let this stand, and when someone from the Demon Realm comes saying they were sent to bring the ones who beat Buu, they embark on a quest to rescue Dende and return to their normal ages. This quest will take them to the Demon Realm, a part of the cosmos that has never been fully explored in the history of Dragon Ball!
This is Like GT but with Better Writing
In case itโs not obvious, Dragon Ball Daima takes a lot of inspiration from another anime in the franchise, Dragon Ball GT. Released back in the 90s by Toei as a sequel to DBZ, GT told a completely original story that starts with Goku being reduced to a child by a set of Dragon Balls. The initial arc would see him, Trunks, and his granddaughter Pan travel the galaxy to retrieve these Dragon Balls in the hopes of saving Earth from being destroyed. Becauseโฆreasons!
In hindsight, GT felt like an attempt by Toei to fuse the original adventure genre of Dragon Ball with the more popular Shonen fighting genre that most people know the franchise for. Unfortunately, while it did have its good points, most notably Super Saiyan 4, GT wasnโt as good as DBZ. Toriyama himself had little to no involvement beyond some character designs, and it showed! The plot tried too hard to be funny, only to come off as cringe. Several of the characters became unlikable. And the less said about Dolltaki, the better! Itโs for these and many other reasons that fans debate whether or not GT is even canon or part of another timeline!
Daima is Toeiโs second attempt to tell a story that returns Dragon Ball to its adventurous roots. And unlike before, Toriyama was fully on board. In aย recent interview with Akio Iyoku, Daimaโs exec producer, it was confirmed that the series was a deliberate attempt to evoke the feeling of GT. Funnily enough, that same interview confirmed that Toriyama was only meant to have limited involvement. But Toriyama found it so exciting, he pretty much handled it all by himself.ย
In hindsight, that might partly why he died so young, but at least he died doing what he loved. And it also explains yet another thing he worked on being a big influence on Daima.
Good Old JRPG Action!
Outside of his work as a mangaka, Toriyama is famous for his work in another medium of entertainment: video games. He was the character designer for the Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger series, the latter being one of the greatest JRPGs ever made. Whether he intended to or not, it seems that his experiences with those games helped to influence how he wrote Daima, because it feels an awful lot like a JRPG.
Itโs been stated several times throughout this blogโs reviews for this series, but Daima feels like the Dragon Ball equivalent to Dragon Quest. The quest to save an entire world from a tyrannical king. The ragtag party of heroes that add more members as the adventure goes on. The concept of the Medi Bugs even sounds a lot like items you find in an RPG!ย
It doesnโt stop with the story and gameplay mechanics. Up until the final battle against Gomah, the fights give off the feeling of a classic JRPG fight. And this blog isnโt the only one whoโs noticed the similarities. Plenty of other fans have noticed the comparisons between Daima and Dragon Quest.ย One article from Screenrantย even says that it only serves to make Daima an even bigger tribute to the legacy of Toriyama. It combines his magnum opus for both manga and video games into a fairly entertaining story that could easily work as a standalone video game! Itโs funny enough to be one!
Toriyama Never Lost his Sense of Humor
When it comes to the action, Dragon Ball Daima can feel a tad lackluster when compared to Z and Super. However, there is a good reason for that: Dragon Ball didnโt start out as a franchise focused solely on fighting. Fighting and martial arts were always a part of the story, but in the beginning, Dragon Ball was more concerned about the adventure. The entire story starts because Goku and Bulma go on an adventure to find the rest of the Dragon Balls together. Daima was an attempt to return to the franchise roots as a story inspired by Journey to the West, best exemplified by Gokuโs retrieval of his Power Pole. By focusing more on the adventure aspects, this meant that the series could also focus more on the comedic aspects.
Toriyama was a man with a pretty good sense of humor. His first big manga, Dr. Slump, was a gag comedy. And while it would come to be best known for the fights, Dragon Ball never really lost its sense of humor. Thanks to its premise, Daima was able to bring the comedy back in full. From the oaf and straight-man routine that Goku and Glorio established to even the villains proving to be fairly goofy, you can tell Toriyama wanted to make his fans laugh. And it largely worked. Special mention goes to Hybis and his absolute deadpan attitude towards everything!ย
Thankfully, Daima never forgot about the action, and when it wanted to focus on that, it went HARD! By the time the final episodes rolled around, it had already returned to the same levels of action from DBZ before starting to edge closer to what comes in Super. And judging by the Internetโs reaction, fans were more than satisfied with what we got.
SUCH EPIC FANSERVICE!
Speaking of which, can we just bring up the fact that Daima was amazing at delivering fanservice? Most people associate that concept with images of attractive anime characters, but in a broader sense, itโs about giving the fans what they want to see. In the case of Dragon Ball Daima, it was getting to see things that plenty of fans wanted to see. The return of Gokuโs Power Pole was a good example of fanservice for those who like the earlier Dragon Ball adventures, but thereโs more than that.
Exhibit A: Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta. Vegeta was only ever shown achieving this form in video games, which were, by their nature, non-canon. Getting to see that form appear in the anime, albeit as Kid Vegeta, was a big deal. However, that would end up paling in comparison to what we would get next.
Exhibit B: Super Saiyan 4 Goku. Say what you want about GT, but you cannot deny that SSJ 4 was cool! The red fur and wild hair may feel super-edgy these days, but that can be chalked up to it coming from the 90s. That decade was all about being edgy! What was more important is that this marked the first time in decades that fans got to see the fabled SSJ 4 in the anime, and we just ate it up! People are already saying that Gokuโs transformation into SSJ 4 is the second coming of the legendary first time we saw SSJ 3. And theyโre right!ย
Just donโt expect any explanation as to why this form never comes up in Super.
They Shouldn’t Have Rushed Things so Much
When it comes to it, there are two main problems regarding Dragon Ball Daima. One seriously affects the overall story, while the other is something that mainly concerns hardcore fans.
The big problem is the length and pacing of the series. The first nine episodes are focused on the setup and then Goku and the others’ journey through the first of the three worlds making up the Demon Realm. The time spent in the Second World amounts to around five episodes, with the last five focusing on the final battle against Gomah and his army. No matter how you look at it, thatโs some pretty uneven levels of focus! The show spends so much time in the Third World and expanding it, the lack of attention the Second World gets is a problem. Especially when you consider that it was hinting at parts of the Demon Realm we may never get to see!
The other problem is regarding whether or not Daima counts as canon. Since none of what happens gets mentioned in Super, some fans wonder if it counts as canon. The fact that Super Saiyan 4 never gets brought up doesnโt help matter. However,ย that same interview with Ikoyuย confirms that, yes, Daima is canon, mainly because it was written by Toriyama. That answer, though, does imply that anything made for the franchise following his passing may be non-canon.ย
My thoughts? Who cares?
Let’s be Happy We got more Dragon Ball
Who cares if Dragon Ball Daima is canon or not? Who cares if might contradict the established lore for Dragon Ball in a few ways. And who cares that none of this ever comes up in Super (yet.) At the end of the day, I donโt think whether Daima is even canon should be whatโs important. Whatโs important is that we got more Dragon Ball.
Itโs not something that fans want to think about, but the passing of Toriyama marks the end of an era for Dragon Ball. From now on, the franchise will have to continue without its creator, and while plenty of franchises have managed to do so, thereโs always the concern that things wonโt be the same. Whatโs more, many of the people who voice the characters arenโt getting any younger. Sooner or later, theyโre going to have to retire or will eventually pass away. Masako will let her voice live on through AI, but thereโs no telling what will others will do. Even Bulmaโs original seiyuu passed away years ago!ย
The bottom line is that Dragon Ball may not last forever, as much as we may want it. Sooner or later, itโs going to have to end or end up like The Simpsons: a pale shadow of its former self. So the way I see it, we should enjoy Dragon Ball as much as we can while we still have it.
A Worthy Send-off for a Legend
So, was Dragon Ball Daima a perfect series? No! It had its ups and downs, and I do think it couldโve benefitted from more episodes. However, the idea of a perfect story doesnโt exist, and if it did, that would just mean mankind couldnโt tell anything better. At the end of the day, though, Daima wasnโt trying to be a perfect story. It was just trying to entertain people, either by making them laugh or squealing in joy. And it largely succeeded, with most of the people I know and follow online loving it.ย
Whatโs most important, though, is that this series was the final gift that we got from Akira Toriyama. Thereโs no telling if he knew that his life was coming to an end, but if he did, then he chose to spend his final days pouring his heart and soul into making Daima the best that he could make it. And it paid off! Most fans seemed to love Daima, and consider it a worthy final work from a man who helped change the world. Dragon Ball will likely go on for years to come, and it might not be the same without Toriyama, but heโs already given us everything he had. Heโs more than earned the right to go to that big studio in the sky where all the great storytellers in human history get to chill for the rest of eternity. The least we could do as fans was make sure he got the sendoff he deserved.
And we did. Arigato, Toriyama-Sama. Youโve earned the rest.
It’s over, everyone. After five months and twenty episodes, Dragon Ball Daima, the series made to honor the franchise’s 40th anniversary, has ended. The real question, though, is whether or not the series ended on a high note. And since it wound up being the last thing Toriyama worked on before his passing, fans wanted the finale to be the highest note possible. So, did it stick its landing? Did Toriyama choose to end the story in an epic fashion, or a comedic one?
Let me put it this way: if you loved Toriyama’s sense of humor, then you’re going to laugh at how the finale plays out.
The second the episode cuts away from the Toei logo, Daima lets everyone know it’s not messing around. Instead of wasting time with the OP, it opts to get right into the action as SSJ 4 Goku and Gomah continue their final battle. And much to Dragon Ball fans elation, Daima gives eight minutes of glorious, uninterrupted fighting. And I do mean uninterrupted, as beyond the screaming, there’s almost no talking of which to speak. Just two super strong people punching each other in fast-paced sakuga fashion, epic beam struggle and all!
Those eight minutes aren’t just to entertain the audience. They’re a testament to why Dragon Ball is such a legendary anime. When it wants to go all-out on the fighting, it will pour every yen it has into giving the audience a show to remember.
Unfortunately for the heroes, their big gambit fails at the last second, leaving them unable to get the Evil Third Eye out of Gomah. For a moment, it looks like things might really be all over for Goku and his comrades with Gomah poised to kill them all. It’s like those cutscenes some video games add after the player defeats the boss, only to make it seem like they failed. And like those cutscenes, Daima pulls something out of the fire that saves them in the most unexpected fashion.
At first glance, it might seem like having Kuu be the one to stop Gomah feels like a cheap copout. However, this is Toriyama we’re talking about. That man loved to make everyone think things would go a certain way, only to have something unexpected and silly happen. Like Yajirobe cutting off Vegeta’s tail? Or Recoome getting one-shotted? Watch something long enough, and you’ll notice these sorts of things!
Plus, it makes what happens next pretty funny, too.
ALL HAIL KING KUU
So, Gomah doesn’t die after being defeated. Instead, the heroes opt to imprison the now ex-Demon King along with Degesu in a magic prison for the next 99 years. At least they’ll have plenty of video games to play while they think about what they did. However, things get interesting when Arinsu declines to become the next King (or Queen) because she didn’t get her wish from the Dragon Balls. Instead, the title goes to the one responsible for defeating Gomah: Kuu!
From being hated during his first appearance to being loved by everyone.
From Zero to Hero to King.
The most beloved and funniest character in all of Daima, Supreme Demon King Majin Kuu!! pic.twitter.com/ofcbG6MDRJ
Of all the ways that this could end, I donโt think anyone expected Majin Kuu to be the one becoming the new King of the Demon Realm. However, it makes sense. He may not be strong, but heโs good at befriending others and recognizing their talents. Case in point, he makes Arinsu his Vice-Demon King so she can keep using her knowledge to help everyone. Even better, he makes Neva, Marba, Glorio, Duu, and Kadan all Ministers to help him rule. And for the first time in eons, the Demon Realm has a ruler worthy of the position!
And so, like any good JRPG, the world this adventure took place in becomes a better place. People can now travel freely between the Demon Worlds, and thanks to the tunnels opening, the gas that gave Goku so much trouble in the Third Demon World becomes much lighter.
And so, with their quest done, Goku and the others head home, heroes one and all. But not before we get one last joke.
Leave it to Toriyama to turn a seemingly ancient and unique artifact into something found at a drug store. I had the biggest grin on my face when I saw that.
PEAK. ANIME.
So, how was the finale to Dragon Ball Daima? Honestly, it was pretty good! It did a great job of balancing fanโs expectations for the action with Toriyamaโs sense of humor. That final fight between Goku and Gomah may not have been as epic as the fights heโll have in the future, but it stands as one of the series best in recent years. The kamehameha alone might be among the best in the entire franchise!
Dragon Ball Daima, What else can I say. Absolute Cinema. (Thank You Toriyama) pic.twitter.com/wwIBfpii5z
As for the comedy, for those who saw the outcome as a cop out, I reiterate my previous examples. Toriyama understood the humor behind hyping someone up, only to have them absolutely embarrassed, and that was something he never forgot. The ending wasnโt just an epic shouting match. It was also a return to the comedy found throughout Toriyamaโs works!
Weโll likely be doing a full series review for Daima soon, so we can fully explore what worked and what didnโt. However, at the end of the day, I would say that Daima proved to be a success for Dragon Ball. Even if it hadnโt been the last thing Toriyama worked on before he died, it likely still would have been a success.
Also, it should be pointed out that the finale ended right before midnight, March 1st in Japan, exactly one year to the day that Akira Toriyama left this world to join the other great storytellers in Heaven. That could not have been a coincidence! People knowingly chose the finaleโs date in honor of Toriyamaโs memory! It was Japanโs way of allowing him to move on to Otherworld, his work fulfilled!
Go, Akira Toriyama. Go teach a dinosaur to ride a ball in Heaven and spend eternity with the great storytellers of history.
The following is an emergency announcement from the D&A Anime Blog concerning an important member of the Dragon Ball community.
Less than a year ago, the world of anime wept at the loss of Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. Now, another prominent member of the anime community is in need of our help: Mike McFarland.
For those who arenโt aware, Mike McFarland is a veteran voice actor with more than 400 roles to his credit. The one we should concern ourselves with the most, though, is one of the OG conossseuirs of Waifus, Master Roshi. And right now, heโs in trouble.
Earlier this week, Colleen Clinkenbeard revealed on Twitter that Mike went to the hospital for what he thought was a bad ear infection. Instead, it turned out to be a brain tumor that the doctors had to get out of him. Thankfully, the operation was successful, and Mike is out of the hospital and recovering. However, with that comes another problem: paying the bills. He will need someone to stay with him until he is fully recovered, which wonโt be cheap. That is why Brandon McInnis and J. Michael Tatum have set up a gofundme page to help the man cover his medical fees. Fortunately, the fundraiser has already met its goalโฆbut some extra money cannot hurt.
Many Dragon Balls are still mourning the loss of Toriyama a year ago, and Iโm still saddened by the loss of Rachael Lillis in that same year. So, the fact that the man who gives Master Roshi life facing something so scary is too much to bear. Fans of Dragon Ball and anime need to do whatever they can to help a man who plays one of the OG Shonen mentors in his time of need. And if this winds up being more serious than doctors first thought, we need to ensure that he has enough money for further care.
When Dragon Ball Daima was announced last year at NYCC, fans were thrilled. For the first time in years, Dragon Ball would be getting a new series, and Akira Toriyama was the one who wrote it. It felt like a dream come true!
Then, in the spring of this year, the world would end up losing Toriyama. Dragon Ball Daima would be the final work that he would contribute to the world that he had created. Suddenly, it became more important than ever that Daima was a huge success. And so, the world waited with bated breath for the day when it would premiere, ready to honor the memory of a man who inspired millions of its people. Th
Iโm glad to say that Toriyama didnt disappoint with his final work. He cooked us a feast of thrills and laughs.
Since this is the first time Dragon Ball has had an anime in a while, a good portion of the premiere is devoted to getting everyone up to speed with events up to the defeat of Majin Buu. While some might see it as an issue, itโs essential for two reasons. Firstly, it establishes that this will take place before the events of Super, so no Super Saiyan God or Blue. Secondly, it introduces us to the leading antagonistic group.
Meet Gomah, Degesu, and Dr. Arinsu, the new King of the Demon Realm, the Supreme Kai of the Demon Realm, and a Core Person of the Demon Realm. While much of the rest of Universe 7 and parts of the other Universes have already gotten fleshed out, the Demon Realm has remained notably unknown until now. I think Toriyama wanted to correct that by making the primary setting of Daima, and if thatโs the case, Iโm glad he chose to do so before he died. He even gave them their own Dragon Balls and guardians to protect them, and retconned the Namekians point of origin to be from the Demon Realm. So, congrats Piccolo. Youโre now a slug alien demon!
The main plot of the episode is that Gomah has watched how powerful Goku and the others are and fears them to be a threat to his rule. So, he and Degesu (and another Namekian) travel to Earth to use the Dragon Balls to make Goku and everyone else kids so they wonโt be a threat. In essence, itโs the plot of GT but on a larger scale. By the time the credits start to roll, we can already hear everyone beginning to shrink down to the size of kids. And the kids shrinking down to the size of babies!
I know that this is supposed to be serious, but I still canโt help but find it funny. Toriyama took the plot of GT, the series that was made without his direct involvement, and made it ten times better. Thatโs essentially him saying โYouโre doing it all wrong, you guys. Let the master show you how itโs done!โ Given how Daima is meant to celebrate the franchise 40th anniversary, though, it makes sense why Toriyama would want to tell a story like this. He tried to get the series back to its roots, and it glad he got to do so before he died.
This was an excellent start to what will likely be one of the most giant anime of the year. I have no clue how long Daima will run, but I know that Iโm going to enjoy it every step of the way.
For many anime fans; plot and character development can make, or break a series. If that’s the case, then what about the series’ title card? The first thing you see in every anime opening before that actual episode starts, is the title or logo of the series that you’re watching. What does it say about the series as a whole? Does it give you clues as to what you’ll be in for if you decide to tune in? We break down and analyze how different anime title cards appeal to different anime watchers, and what feelings they give off as a result. Coming later this week!
Dragon Ball Super Broly’s One-2-One Analysis!
Every Dragon Ball fan knows that there are two different versions of Broly; the OG one that didn’t give a damn and blew up everything while trying to kill Kakarot, and the Dragon Ball Super reimagined version who was exiled from Planet Vegeta. The one that we’re reviewing is the DBS version, and we’ll compare the two based on the concept and development of their character. Coming later this week!
Sonic Redemption: The Rise, Fall, and Return of an Icon!
Sonic has been through a lot in the past 30 years; and with two live-action installments (with a third on the way), two new games, and a series on Netflix (if its still there), it looks like the Blue Blur wants to remind us that he’s NOT dead just yet! From his decades-old rivalry with Mario to bridging the gap between old fans and new ones (basically having one classic Sonic game and one Modern one), Sonic continues down a path of redemption after what appeared to be an inevitable downfall during his career as an icon; after making the transition from 2D to 3D. More on that later this week!
That’s all we’ve got for this issue of D&A Entertainment Weekly! Until next post, stay nerdy! ๐
I have been a Dragon Ball fan since Toonami made its debut in 1997, and like every fan since then, I’ve always rooted for Goku during every battle he had. From the time he went toe-to-toe with Vegeta during the height of the Saiyan Saga, to throwin’ hands with Beerus in Battle of Gods. Goku has been unstoppable throughout the whole franchise; except for that one time he got killed by Piccolo during the Raditz fight, exploded along with Cell during the end of the Cell Games, and ‘died’ in one Hit – get it? XP
Throughout the series the Earth-bound saiyan has had his share of world/universal threats, and regardless of who the worst of the worst villains is (…Frieza), there have been some that seem to resemble the main saiyan. In The Tree of Might we had Turles; the forgotten saiyan warrior who grew 10x stronger every time he ate from that tree. Now in the age of Dragon Ball Super, there is another Goku-like threat in the form of both a god…and a saiyan. He’s everything Goku would’ve been had he not hit his head as a child, but carries with him the old persona of Vegeta during his Saiyan Saga days. He’s…Goku Black.
He’s what Goku would’ve been…
My first thought upon seeing this character was ‘haven’t we done this already?’, but there was something different about this ‘evil Goku’. First, his appearance was much slender than Goku’s actual appearance, because Goku’s a lot more buff around the shoulders and chest. Second, he wore a Potara earring on his left ear; which is the same ear Goku wore his during the Buu arc. Third, he can travel through time like the son of the saiyan prince; which he’s been hunting down for quite awhile. Fourth…he has a Super Saiyan form called Rose’ (which might be opposite to Goku and Vegeta’s Super Saiyan Blue). Nevertheless fans were quite fond of this new character even though he’s just the body-swap incarnation of the actual villain, Zamasu.
Part 1 – The Origin of Beauty: Enter, Goku Black!
So when and how did Goku get his body stolen? Well it might have something to do with the Super Dragon Balls, a wish, and unaltered timelines. (Yeah, I don’t like them either so lets just get on with it.) Zamasu went to Universe 6 from the unaltered timeline and gathered the seven Super Dragon Balls (actually you can’t “gather” them, they’re planet sized and just happened to be there when he arrived), then summoned Super Shenron and asked to have his body switched with Goku’s (of that timeline), and thus became Goku Black. That’s the story right? Nope.
Goku Black and Zamasu are actually the same entity from the same timeline. Thanks to Trunks not understanding how jumping through timelines HAVE CONSEQUENCES, Goku Black was inevitably born. Zamasu was a Supreme Kai-in-Training under the eye of Gowasu, but because of their passive nature towards mortals and his growing hatred of them due to their sinful desires, Zamasu rejected Gowasu’s teachings and became a rouge Kai. You pretty much know what happens next; he kills (Future) Gowasu, swaps bodies with Goku, became Goku Black, chased down Future Trunks, destroyed West City of his timeline, revealed to Universe 7 Present Goku that he killed his wife and son, got his ass handed and lectured to by Blue Vegeta, fused with Future Zamasu, defeated by SS2 Trunks, and had his timeline erased by Zeno. This FIEND actually went around pretending to be Goku while destroying universes from Trunks’ timeline and making Super Dragon wishes, before finally having his plan; the “Zero Mortals Now with all of that out of the way, let’s get on to his skills and personality.
The Rose’ Energy Scythe!
Part 2: The Essence of Beauty and the Hatred of Mortals!
Before Goku Black was Goku Black, he was Zamasu. Zamasu was a patient student under his master’s teachings, but harbored a hatred for mortals and their wicked ways with the gods (kais) not doing anything about it. Taking the phrase ‘if you want something bad enough, you gotta do it yourself!’ to heart, Zamasu killed his master and went rouge before gathering the Super Dragon Balls and becoming Goku Black. As Goku Black he was an unsympathetic, cruel, sadistic, homicidal, and unhinged bastard! He loves toying with his enemies before brutally killing them; doing is best Seth Rollins maniacal laughter impression while doing so. Even though he’s the extreme opposite of Goku, there are a couple of things that he shares with him; the will to get stronger by doing it naturally (or take a page out of Ginyu’s playbook and injure yourself and get a zenkai boost), he’s goal oriented, and likes to test his power before going all out in battle.
His skill set is pretty much all of Goku’s moves and abilities; except for the Energy Scythe and Energy Blade (Sickle of Sorrow and God Split Cut) – which the latter was actually Vegito’s move. You want a Kamehameha? Black’s got it. You want a new Super Saiyan form? Black’s got it. Basically he’s got the skills of Goku along with the skills of a Kai (or Supreme Kai); Kaio-Ken, Black Kamehameha, Super Black Kamehameha, SS Rose’, Black Spirit Bomb, God Split Cut, Sickle of Sorrow, Mass Replication, and so many other attacks and techniques that I don’t feel like naming because its way too many to name! He can also Potara-fusion with Zamasu to become Fused Zamasu, but we all know what happens when a Saiyan fuses with a Kai…
Super Saiyan Rose’ Black
Part 3: The Legacy of Goku (Black)!
Goku Black is the direct opposite of Goku as Zamasu, but he’s also Goku from Trunks’ unaltered timeline though its Zamasu parading around like he’s Son Goku. At first I never understood why so many people liked this character, but I guess Toriyama-san thought it would be a cool idea to have a mirrored evil version of Goku who had all of his abilities along with the power of a god. Goku Black is basically what Goku would (and could) be had he not hit his head when he was a baby, so perhaps Goku Black’s appearance and overall persona is just a glimpse of what that would look like; a ‘what if Goku never hit his head and stayed evil’ scenario.
I know its been said that by the end of the arc the quality of the writing went downhill. The Dragon Ball fandom will drag the ending of Goku Black’s arc through the mid for years to come. Yes, the final battle between Future Trunks and Fused Zamasu should’ve been it and ended it there, but then Zamasu pulled a last-minute “gotcha”; causing Zeno to come in and finish the job by erasing the timeline. You defeated a god and STILL had to call for help to finish the job! What kind of ending is this?!
On the bright side though, Goku Black is pretty boss in Dragon Ball FighterZ. So, this is gonna wrap up my One-2-One on him. Until next post, stay nerdy my friends! ๐
In 1989 a series…no, a franchise came about that would become one of the most ground-breaking anime titles to ever be created or produced. This legendary franchise has been a part of our lives since the 90’s, and now future generations are getting the chance to experience the action, the adventure, and the epic awesomeness that is Dragon Ball Z. Old school fans have watched Son Goku grow up and take on the Red Ribbon Army in Dragon Ball, go Super Saiyan on Frieza in Dragon Ball Z, put Baby in a corner in Dragon Ball GT (see what I did there?) and fight against the gods in Dragon Ball Super.
Who knows what the next saga for Goku and the gang will entail, but right now, fans get the chance to relive the early days of Goku’s battles in the newest game (that’s out in stores now); Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot!
After careful examination, sources confirm that the game’s sagas will only go from the Saiyan Arc to the Majin Buu Arc. (Sorry Super fans T.T) Nevertheless there’s quite enough content, action, and gameplay to go around. Right off the bat a lot of fans are saying that the game as a whole is a giant mashup of the Legacy of Goku series from Game Boy Advance – which from our personal experiences in playing the games ourselves is not too far off. (Being that this game is an open world Action RPG with real-time combat that’s not turn-based, we can see why fans may be making these comparisons.) For those stepping into the world of Dragon Ball for the first time, and you find yourselves wanting to get your hands on this game, we believe you’re in for quite a treat – although the final decision about how you feel and experience the game is up to you.
Despite the fact that there aren’t any Super characters that you fight against or play as (as far as we know), the game does offer some pretty sweet ‘things’ that might make your overall experience awesome either epic and awesome, or leave a lot to be desired. No matter how you slice it, if you’ve been a Dragon Ball fan since day one (or you’re just starting on the path to becoming one), and you own a PS4, X-Box One, or even a PC, then you must absolutely pick up a copy of this game! (And we probably will too, hopefully!)
Sorry this post was a little late, but as always we’ve got more content coming your way. So from us to you, stay nerdy my friends! ๐
Since 1989 We’ve seen the mighty members of the DBZ troop become who they are today; from Goku’s adventures from when he was a child, to the friends and frienemies that he fights alongside with whenever the forces of evil strike his home planet of Earth. (By way of Planet Vegeta, of course.) For 30 years we’ve seen some of the greatest battles take fold and have gone down in the Dragon Ball Hall of Fame; such as Goku vs. Frieza, Gohan vs. Cell, and Piccolo vs. Android 17. While we’re on the subject of the green man from Namek, many of us old school fans know that he wasn’t always a good guy. In fact if he kept his original persona from back in the day (considering the level he’s at now), well…he’d be a problem. (However that possibility is pretty much dead now.)
Piccolo (or Piccolo Jr.) is the son of the late King Piccolo, who indeed was an evil Namek. His dream was to dominate the Earth and crush anyone who dare oppose him, but it wasn’t until that fateful day of the World Tournament, that he came across the Earth-bound saiyan we’ve come to know and love. There’s a lot of things we know since their fateful encounter, but to some there are a few things that you may not know about the villain-turned-hero Namekian. Here are seven things you may (not) know about Piccolo.
We’re all familiar with this duo!
7. Originally, Piccolo Was Supposed To Be A Demon!
As a fan of the original Dragon Ball when it first came out, you’d think that after hearing the name ‘Demon King Piccolo’ that the one we know was supposed to be an actual demon. Yep, according to Toriyama, Piccolo’s current design wasn’t originally part of the plan. During Goku and King Piccolo’s first encounter, the part where he was considered a demon king held up, but during the Saiyan Saga, it was bright to his attention that Piccolo was in fact a race of green slug people known as Namekians.
6. He’s No Older Than Gohan!
Well, never saw this one coming. Just by looking at Piccolo’s stature, you’d never think that he was actually a child. He looks like an adult and certainly acts like one, but technically speaking, he was really only just a toddler when he was first introduced into the series. You’d never think that after Goku’s death that Piccolo would train up Gohan and (dare we say it) actually be a better teacher/mentor/father-figure than Goku – and BOTH of them are children!
5. He’s One Of Two People To Actually Kill Goku!
Every single villain after Piccolo tried it, and every single one of them failed to do so. However Piccolo was only one of two people (the second being Cell) to actually kill the main character of the show, Goku. All out of options on how to kill Raditz Piccolo charged up his super special move that we’ve seen all throughout the franchise; the Special Beam Cannon! Goku had to hold his brother in place so he couldn’t dodge, however he didn’t have enough time to dodge himself, so Piccolo happily killed them both. Sorry, Vegeta.
“Finally…at long last…!”
4. Namekians Only Need Water To Survive!
This one’s tricky depending on whom you ask but with Piccolo’s abilities as well as all other Namekian abilities, it seems that they only need water to survive. Why is this? It could be the fact that since his race has the traits of plants (i.e. regrowing limbs after they get destroyed) you’ll only see them drinking water as part of their diet. At other times you may have seen him eating other foods, but that could all be the work of filler.
3. He’s Had Crossovers with One-Piece!
You know how we’ve dreamed of seeing an anime crossover when we first brought up the conversation in the past? Well our Piccolo has been a part of that great convo! (Him and the VA that voices him, Chris Sabat!) With One-Piece and Dragon Ball being two of the most popular franchises ever made (next to Naruto, but he came out later on), it would only make sense that both Piccolo and Zoro would cross paths with one another and even get a crossover called Cross Epoch.
2. He’s Sacrificedย Himself For Gohan Numerous Times!
As much as he hated Goku back in the day, Piccolo found himself gaining a bit of a soft spot for Gohan – to the point where he would give his own life to save him. It was pretty clear that this would be somewhat of an on-going pattern since the fight with Nappa in DBZ; where Piccolo put himself in harms way in order for Gohan to live. In Super he did the same thing when Frieza was firing a blast at Gohan. After doing this many times over the franchise, it’s pretty clear who’s the most important person in the Namekian’s life.
1. James Mastersย Regrets Taking Piccolo’s Role Because His Son Loves Dragon Ball!
Everyone involved in the movie title that ‘Shall Remain Nameless’ we’re embarrassed to be a part of it due to the fact that they we’re really fans. (Even the director admitted that he was looking for a paycheck rather than put more passion into a title that has been our childhood.) The only person who was an actual fan of the franchise was James Masters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer for you 90’s kids out there), and that was due to the fact that his son is a Dragon Ball fan. He says that playing Piccolo was something that his son was proud of him for, even though the title that ‘Shall Remain Nameless’ bombed.
And thus ends our post on the seven things you didn’t know (but now know) about Piccolo. Until next post, stay nerdy my friends! ๐
Hey guys! We got another gaming review for you! This time we’ll be reviewing a title from the classic-but-still-good Nintendo DS, and its a title from a franchise that we’re all familiar with. Yes guys n’ gals this one’s a DBZ post, as we’ll be reviewing the turn-based action-packed RPG that is Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans! The game itself is based on the hit anime and manga, as the story takes place from the 5th season of Dragon Ball, to the end of the 1st season of Dragon Ball Z.
Yamcha and the Earthlings doin’ damage!
When it comes to turn-based RPG’s you kinda know what to expect; you go through a series of ‘Overworld’ stages while collecting items and equipment to help you in battle, you encounter (or auto-encounter) an enemy, you fight said enemy, you collect loot and EXP. The controls of the game itself are rather simple, as you’re given the following commands; attack, defend, special, item, switch, flee, and ultimate. You’re given a team of three people from the start of the game; Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien (all of which will be at Level 2 or Level 3) I like that fact that you’re given a huge chunk of HP upon starting the first Overworld level (between 200-350), as the enemies there will deal anywhere between 20-35 damage per hit (higher with bigger foes).
When you kill enough enemies and level up, there are six different stats that you have to choose from; power, defense, recovery, technique, speed, and luck. Each of the six Dragon Ball heroes have different results when it comes to stat growth; like say Goku after he levels up upon winning a battle, by the time he reaches Level 60 or higher, you can already tell that he’s the strongest character in the game based on his stats. The game does give you some great challenges and the boss fights are always fun, especially the Nappa one. (Turn on Kaio-Ken and drop that bastard for killing your friends!)
Once you reach a certain level of the game (say the one right before you fight Vegeta and Nappa) you’ll be able to go on a quest for the dragon balls. Collecting all seven of course will net you some goodies, though I’m not one to spoil the surprise but I will say that one wish in particular will allow you to face a nightmarish threat. It’s such a great game and you’ll have a lot of fun, especially once you’ve maxed out all six characters and try to deal 50,000 damage or more on a slew of enemies! (Seriously, the damage numbers are high in this game!) All-in-all I would give this game…
4.2 / 5 Stars
If you still have an original DS, DS Lite, or DSi, this game is only gonna cost you anywhere between 4-6 dollars on ebay or any other online store (its a DS game so they’re incredibly cheap). On that note that will do it for us on this post as well as review.
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