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! 😉
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! 😉
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! 😉
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 Sacrificed 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 Masters 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! 😉
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.
If you’re an anime fan who has just turned 30 or is about to turn 30 this year, then you might be surprised to discover that the grand staple of anime titles; Dragon Ball Z, has been around for as long as you’ve been alive! It’s hard to believe that one of the gateway titles that every 90’s kid has watched is now turning 30. We’ve watched the Earthbound saiyan we know as Son Goku (aka Kakarot) grow up right before our eyes; from the time he fought the Red Ribbon Army, to his battle with Jiren in the Tournament Of Power.
We all remember the time Goku went Super Saiyan on Planet Namek against his battle with Frieza, and just when we thought that the Super Saiyan transformation was going to be the climax of the series, Toriyama had a few more tricks up his sleeve. For this post we’re going to be shining the spotlight on ten different levels of the Super Saiyan transformation that fans have seen in the last 30 years. Prepare yourself, cuz’ we plan on going over 9000 baby!!
I WILL SAVE CHRISTMAS!!!
10. False Super Saiyan
The first hint of the Super Saiyan transformation was first seen in the DBZ movie entitled Lord Slug. In this form Goku’s hair does stand up as he gains a golden aura surrounding his body, however his hair does not turn gold, but does gain a reddish tint. His irises are gone, and his base power seems to have multiplied (somewhat akin to the Kaioken, which multiplies the user’s base power several times over).
This, is a Super Saiyan!
9. Super Saiyan
We’re all familiar with this one. Legend has it that once every 1,000 years a Super Saiyan is born, and it looks like Goku got to do it before Vegeta did – yeah, I said it! In this form a saiyan’s power level is multiplied 50 times from its base, as the muscles bulge slightly with a golden aura surrounding the body, and the hair stands up and becomes gold. We see Goku fight Frieza in this form, as well as Future Trunks when he kills Frieza, and Vegeta when he blasts Android 19.
It increases your power and mass, but it also slows down your speed…
8. Super Saiyan Grades 2 & 3
This level of Super Saiyan is ranked somewhere between the traditional level, and Super Saiyan 2. The only drawback of this form is the fact that while your power and mass is increased dynamically, your speed is significantly slower. Future Trunks had to learn the hard way when he fought Perfect Cell…
This, is a Super Saiyan who has surpassed a Super Saiyan!
7. Super Saiyan 2
The first time we saw this form was when Gohan took on Super Perfect Cell (or just Perfect Cell) during the Cell games – and won! This form takes the power of a Super Saiyan and doubles it, plus the saiyan that achieves it gains a slightly more edgier personality (perhaps a little cockier). We also see Goku using this form against Majin Vegeta, who also achieved this form thanks to Babidi.
This is a Super Saiyan 3…
6. Super Saiyan 3
This is the strongest Super Saiyan transformation in Dragon Ball Z, or…it was. There are only two people who can take the legendary transformation to its absolute limit, and that is Goku and Gotenks. This form pushes the hidden power of a saiyan warrior to the brink of its limits – and shatters it! This form is also the most draining in the Z series, so you won’t be able to maintain it for long.
Step into the Grand Tour!
5. Super Saiyan 4
We know Dragon Ball Super put this debate to bed, but nevertheless GT is a part of the franchise’s history – canon, or not! It was only after Goku (who was transformed back into a kid in this series thanks to Pilaf) became a Golden Great Ape, did he realize this new Super Saiyan transformation. In this form his hair (and height) return to normal, but his body is covered in a dark pink fur, except for his chest, and his eyes are now yellow with red outlines on the outside.
He’s become what we’ve feared the most…the Legendary Super Saiyan!
4. Legendary Super Saiyan
Unlike the traditional Super Saiyan transformation, the power of a Legendary Super Saiyan is more like a ‘power source’ than a battery. Any saiyan that achieves this form is able to expel tremendous amounts of power – sometimes uncontrollably. So far Broly and Kale are the only two saiyans who have achieved this form.
Super Saiyan God Vegeta!
3. Super Saiyan God
We all saw this form back during the Battle of Gods movie as well as Dragon Ball Super when it first came out. Goku was the first to go into this transformation during his battle with Beerus, and eventually he and Vegeta learned to master this form through some god ki training with Whis. In this form the saiyan’s hair turns crimson red as well as his eyes, and gains a fiery red aura. Although the color red symbolizes rage, the next form calms it while elevating the power level of its transformation to godly heights.
It’s Super Saiyan…but blue?
2. Super Saiyan Blue
Upon mastering the use of god ki, Goku is able to take that rage-like aura, and calm it down via a blue aura. His hair returns to its original Super Saiyan style, only with a blue color and a heightened level of power thanks to his god ki training. Combine this with the Kaioken and you’ve got an unstoppable badass transformation that will make any enemy tremble! (Spoiler: Goku’s the only one who’s done it!)
Elegant, yet deadly!
2 1/2. Super Saiyan Rose’
During the Goku Black saga, Zamasu stole Goku’s body in another timeline and went on the hunt for Future Trunks. Now as a saiyan god he’s mastered Goku’s Super Saiyan transformation and has become Super Saiyan Rose’. In this form Goku Black’s hair stands up and becomes a bright hot pink color with his eyes turning somewhat of a grey color. He has mastered the godly ki and perfected it into something elegant, as well as super deadly.
Empty your mind, release your thoughts…
1. Ultra Instinct
This form is a ‘last resort’ transformation that is exceptionally hard to achieve, and master. Even the gods like Beerus find this form hard to grasp, but in Goku’s case, he has to empty his mind of thoughts that would cause him any distraction of any kind. Having complete zen while in this form can only be done if Goku is in an absolute dire situation; such as him fighting against Jiren, who is incredibly strong. In this form Goku’s speed is so quick that he can predict what hos opponent’s next move will be. Ultra Instinct puts the user’s mental state at such a high level, that they will always be ten steps ahead of whatever plan or moves their opponents can come up with.
Whew, this post was a mouthful, but there you have it! These are the Super Saiyan forms we currently all know from Dragon Ball Z to Super. Until next post, stay nerdy! 😉
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