There’s a running gag in Dragon Ball surrounding Vegeta: he keeps getting the raw end of the deal. No matter how many times he gets stronger, no matter how much he yells, he seems to end up losing when it matters the most. Toriyama admitted that he didn’t like Vegeta that much, despite how he’s become the co-protagonist of the franchise alongside Goku. Knowing this, you can’t help but feel that what happens to Vegeta in this episode feels like a cruel joke Toriyama’s playing on him from beyond the grave. Once again, Vegeta gets shafted.
Dragon Ball Just Solved the Problem of Keeping Them Away from Villains
At the end of the last episode, our heroes were getting ready to leave the abandoned home of the Namekians for the next Tamagami. However, they weren’t alone. Neva, the last Namekian in the Demon Realm and guardian of its Dragon Balls, appears before them. And while he pretends to act senile, Piccolo sees through his act. Thus, Neva gets right to the point: he wants to go with them to the next Tamagami.
While the flight is a bit cramped for the occupants, it does give viewers the chance to learn more about the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls. When they were created, they were unguarded like the other sets were. As was the case with the sets on Earth and Namek, though, evil beings sought to use their power. In other words, the Tamagami were created to address one of the biggest flaws the Dragon Balls have had throughout the franchise: that anyone can use them for evil if they get their hands on them.
This…this is smart writing!
Honestly, this decision makes a lot of sense. Thanks to inventions like the Dragon Radar, the Dragon Balls main defense of being scattered across whatever planet they’re on becomes little more than an issue of time. And given how villains have tried to use the Dragon Balls time and again, with King Piccolo succeeding, it highlights how dangerous they are in the wrong hands. Having a powerful guardian to protect them means that most people cannot use them unless they’re strong enough. And given how Goku had to go Super Saiyan to beat one, it’s likely that if Namek had their own Tamagami, Frieza wouldn’t have gotten close to them. That’s some smart writing going on! The kind that makes me wonder if Toriyama took a page or two from fans like TeamFourStar
As an aside, this episode establishes that Piccolo doesn’t know Namekian. Didn’t he and Kami speak it during their fight in the World Martial Arts Tournament that one time, though?
At any rate, Vegeta gets to fight the next Tamagami, and like with Goku, he’s more than capable of holding his own. Sadly, the fight is cut short when Vegeta falls underwater and is attacked by a kraken, swallowing him whole.
Kuu, now Duu? Where did Toriyama come up with these names?
Meanwhile, back with Dr. Arinsu, she’s given up on using Majin Kuu to get the third Dragon Ball. Instead, she and Marba use the last of the essence of Buu to create another Majin, Majin Duu. Whereas Kuu seems to have Kid Buu’s build and Super Buu’s intelligence, Duu takes after Good Buu in both appearance and mannerisms. He’s big, goofy, and loves to eat chocolate and other candies. Much like Good Buu, though, underneath his unremarkable exterior, Duu is a formidable warrior. When he fights the Tamagami, he’s able to give it a run for its money. The fight doesn’t end before the episode does, but what is shown proves to be a good callback to Majin Buu’s first appearance in DBZ.
Basically, Duu is strong but silly, like Buu. And if what we have seen on social media is true, Duu might not be the last Majin we see before the show is done.
So, once again, Vegeta has gotten shafted by fate and the anime, meaning it’s up to Goku and the others to save him from the Kraken. That, or Vegeta might end up killing it from the inside. Meanwhile, we’ll also be seeing whether or not Duu measures up to his template. Given how much fun Buu was even when he was evil, this could make for some entertaining fights.
Full disclosure: the original draft for this review was somehow erased like Zeno erased a third of the Dragon Ball multiverse, leaving it to be redone. Thus, this review will not be quite as detailed as one would hope it would be, but enough to cover the key points of the tenth episode of Dragon Ball Daima.
Speaking of Zeno, we might have been introduced to Zeno’s predecessor as the ruler of the multiverse in this episode. As it turns out, the Demon Realm might be the oldest place in all of creation, predating everything that we have seen!
Giant Sea Monsters!?!?
Having completed everything they can in the third Demon World, Goku, Panzy, Glorio and Shin all set out for the Second Demon World. Unfortunately, the show drops some hints that indicate it doesn’t intend to stay long in this second world, which largely consists of vast oceans…with giant sea monsters in them!
Kaiju-sized monsters aren’t anything new to Dragon Ball thanks to the Saiyans being able to become Great Apes. However, the Krakens that dwell in the ocean are shown to be so powerful, even Goku has to give them a wide berth. It’s the first big reminder since the start of the series that Goku’s operating with a noteworthy handicap, hence the need to return to his adult form fast as he can.
So that’s how the Multiverse came into existence!
The main focus of this episode, though, comes when Goku and the others arrive at the original homeworld of the Namekians. Besides serving as a call-back to Namek and New Namek, this is also where Shin drops some major lore regarding the history of the cosmos. According to Shin, the Demon Realm existed before the rest of creation, but one of the first Supreme Demon Kings asked a Super Majin named Rymus to create more worlds for the Demons to explore. Rymus’ creations became what we know as the multiverse for Dragon Ball!
This is big news in more ways than one. Besides confirming that the Demon Realm is, in fact, the origin point for existence, it gives us a concrete look at how the multiverse came to be. However, while it may seem to contradict everything we learn in Super about Zeno and how he governs the multiverse, it doesn’t. Rymus looks a lot like Zeno does, leaving many fans to conclude that Zeno is a descendant of Rymus.
It’s details like this that make worlds like Dragon Ball so entertaining. I doubt few fans ever considered learning how the Multiverse began, but Daima decided to tell us anyway.
Kuu turns out to be a chump!
The other big thing about this episode is that we got to see the fight between the first Tamagami and Dr. Arinsu’s new minion, Majin Kuu. Despite getting hyped up as being as strong as Majin Buu, if not Kid Buu, the show managed to pull the wool over all our eyes by having Kuu lose the fight! Kuu puts up a good struggle, but he’s ultimately unable/unwilling to keep fighting the Tamagami. Thus, he bails, leading Arinsu to deem him a failure and head back to the drawing board.
This was such an unexpected twist. Given how he shared the skinny physique of Kid Buu, it would be easy for fans to assume that he was as strong as Kid Buu. And given how Kid Buu is the biggest menace Goku has faced up to this point in his life, that prospect is terrifying. Instead, it seems that Toriyama or whoever came up with this part of the story decided to prank us. Personally, I’m fine with this. Toriyama always did have a good sense of humor.
What does Neva want?
The episode ends on a cliffhanger on the hero’s side, and for good reason. Right as Goku’s group is getting ready to leave the ancient Namekian home to meet Vegeta’s group, they’re approached by a lone figure, the last Namekian in the Demon Realm, Neva. But what could the ancient Namekian want with the group?
We already know by this point, since the next two episodes are already out. Rather, three episodes, depending on when this goes up.
By the time you’re reading this, the year 2024 will either be over or about to be over, but what a good it was for anime. From long-running juggernauts like One Piece celebrating its 25th anniversary to Dan Da Dan breaking the Internet, there were plenty of anime that stood out from the crowd this year. It does beg the question, though: who stood out the most? While people can have their own opinions on what constitutes the best, there were plenty of anime that stood out as a whole rather than just one or two moments.
I’m RJ Writing Ink for D&A Anime Blog, and we’re going over my picks for the best anime of 2024. For this list, we will be restricting picks to anime that either premiered in 2024 or began a new season in 2024. Furthermore, that whole season must have aired in its entirety over the year. Sadly, that means that previous entries like One Piece or Mushoku Tensei will not count here. The former has been running continuously for decades while the latter only aired the second half of its second season. Don’t worry, though. They will be appearing in another post. It should also be noted that these are all anime that I have seen, and can form an opinion about.
Solo Leveling
It was almost a year ago when we were introduced to the South Korean power fantasy known as Solo Leveling. Based on the web novel/manwha of the same name, Solo Leveling is set in a version of the world where portals to dungeons filled with resources and monsters have been appearing for more than a decade. Only those with supernatural abilities, called Hunters, can hope to stop the monsters. Unfortunately for Sung Jin-Woo, he’s the weakest Hunter around, a fact that leaves him trapped in a catastrophe that should have left him dead. Instead, this mysterious program called the System saves him, gives him the unique ability to level up via RPG mechanics, and forces him to continually get stronger to stay alive. What follows is Jin-Woo going from being a meek nobody into someone who could become the most powerful Hunter alive.
Calling Solo Leveling South Korea’s answer to Sword Art Online would be an understatement. Like Kirito before him, the story of Sung Jin-Woo serves as a power fantasy for everyone who wishes they could be strong enough to get the most out of life. Whereas Kirito started his journey as a bit of a badass, though, Jin-Woo has to put himself through the ringer to survive the events he’s been forced into. And while some people might see the story as unoriginal, that’s not really the point. The anime looks insanely good, and whether he’s fighting monsters the size of buildings or murderous Hunters, Jin-Woo looks so cool. And this is only the start; I read the entire manwha, and you’re not prepared for what will come!
Ranma 1/2
Dread it, run from it, but no matter what you do, Ranma 1/2 will not stay dead! The third anime series to be based on Rumiko Takahashi’s manga of the same name, Ranma 1/2 is a modern remake for one of the first series to make it big in the West. If you haven’t heard about it or seen the previous versions, here’s the basic plot:
Ranma Saotome is a young martial artist who has the misfortune of being put into an arranged marriage with Akane Tendo, the daughter of an old friend of his father. Their father’s plan is for the two to carry on the Tendo family’s dojo, but there are several problems with this. Firstly, Ranma and Akane grow to quickly dislike each other. Secondly, thanks to his father’s stupidity, Ranma himself has a curse that turns him into a girl. When he gets hit by cold water, he becomes a girl. When she gets hit by hot water, she turns back into a boy. Chaos ensues.
The second of Takahashi’s works to get a remake in recent years, Ranma 1/2 is every bit as crazed and hilarious as its predecessors. Faithfully recreating the original series art style and tone, the series manages to do quite well for itself on Netflix, bringing the classic romcom to a new generation of fans. While some may take issue with the way some things were censored, the series is pretty faithful to what came before it. Plus, it is funny to see Ranma and Akane go from being at each other’s throats to caring about each other, only to be back at each other’s throats again.
My Hero Academia S7
My Hero Academia, the superhero Shōnen series that took the world by storm, returned for its penultimate season, and didn’t waste any time getting down to business. The final battle between the Heroes of Japan and the villains led by All for One and Shigaraki begins in full. As Deku races to defeat Shigaraki before he and All for One can join forces, his friends and allies are forced to fight an all-out war that spans all of Japan. Everyone on both sides is pushed to their absolute limits as the battle to decide the fate of the world rages, and there’s no guarantee everyone will make it out alive.
Say what you want about MHA, but it knows how to create an effective spectacle when it wants to. With the manga having ended this past summer, people were watching to see if this season would live up to the hype. Thankfully, it more or less managed to do this, with the big moments being as epic as they are in the manga, while the more emotional ones maintaining their weight and importance. The one problem is that the season ends right as the climax of the final battle is about to take place, leaving it up to the next season to settle everything. It might just be me, but I was expecting this to be the final season. Then again, it did have to let the manga finish, so it’s understandable why that didn’t happen.
Kaiju No. 8
If you were to combine the Tokukatsu genre with the Shonen tropes of series like My Hero Academia, then the end result would be Kaiju No. 8. Set in a world where Kaiju attacks are a fact of life, the story is about Kafka Hibino, a 32-year old who has tried several times to fulfill his dream of joining the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force alongside his childhood friend…only to fail each time. Before his next and final attempt, though, he winds up the host of a parasite that gives him the ability to turn into a humanoid Kaiju with super strength. Dubbed Kaiju No. 8 by the JAKDF, Kafka has to keep his new powers secret from everyone while he uses them to fulfill his dream, only for another humanoid Kaiju to start causing trouble for him and other new recruits.
I wasn’t joking when I said this show combines Tokukatsu with My Hero Academia. Kafka’s dreaming of joining the Defense Force despite repeated failures and lack of skill are just like how Deku was at the start of his story. The big difference is that Kafka starts the series off far older than characters like Naruto, Deku, and Luffy do, giving him a more mature perspective about life. Beyond the unconventional Shonen protagonist, though, what helps Kaiju No. 8 stand out is how drop-dead gorgeous the animation is. Just look at one of the clips Crunchyroll put on YouTube, and you’ll be blown away at how good everything looks. With a second season on the horizon, it’s clear that the powers that be see promise in this new kid on the block.
The Elusive Samurai
From the creator of Assassination Classroom and the studio that makes Bocchi the Rock and Spy x Family comes this delightful historical fantasy-comedy, The Elusive Samurai. Set 700 years ago in Medieval Japan, the anime tells the story of Tokiyuki Hojo, the heir to the Kamakura Shogunate that governs the country. When one of their retainers betrays and murders his family, though, Tokiyuikihas to go on the run as he works to avenge his family. There’s just one problem: Tokiyuki’s only real skill is a superhuman ability to run and hide.
While he may not fearless or boisterous like many Shonen Jump protagonists, don’t mistake his running for cowardice. One of the main themes to his show is the importance of knowing when to run and fight another day, something that most of the Samurai of his day fail to consider. And when he does stand and fight, he weaponizes his dodging skills to become a nigh-uncatchable menace. Coupled with the gorgeous artwork, fluid animation, and quirky sense of humor, The Elusive Samurai is both one of the best looking anime of the year, as well as one of the best in general.
Dragon Ball Daima
Fans have been waiting for years for the return of Dragon Ball Super, but until then, we can ride ourselves over with Daima. The final project of the late Akira Toriyama, Daima returns the franchise to its roots for its 40th anniversary. Set after the defeat of Majin Buu but before the events of Super, the story begins when Gomah, the new King of the Demon Realm, uses Earth’s Dragon Balls to turn Goku and his friends into kids. With a baby Dende having been kidnapped by Gomah, Goku and the others journey to the Demon Realm on a quest to get him back and return to their proper ages. Along the way, they explore the rarely-seen Demon Realm and gain new friends in the form of newcomers Glorio and Panzy.
It may break my earlier rule due to it carrying over into next year, but Dragon Ball Daima is an exception. With Toriyama’s passing earlier this year making this his final contribution to his creation, it would be disrespectful not to include it. While the series has yet to hit its stride in terms of action, it more than makes up for it by returning to its roots as an adventure comedy. Given how this is the last thing we’ll ever get from Toriyama, though, I’m more than happy to wait for the action to crank up to what fans have come to expect from the franchise.
Dan Da Dan
Our last entry needs no introduction but is getting one anyway, Dan Da Dan. Part supernatural thriller, part romcom, Dan Da Dan revolves around Momo Ayase and Ken “Okarun” Takakura, two teenagers who believe in the supernatural. When the two make a bet to prove whether ghosts or aliens exist, they wind up in a world of trouble. Momo gets abducted by perverted aliens and discovers she has psychic powers, while Okarun gets possessed by a ghost and gains ghost powers…but loses his manhood and balls. Thus, the unlikely pair has to team up to get Okarun’s junk back while also dealing with more aliens and ghosts that are after them.
I normally don’t like to pick favorites on lists like this, but this is the exception: Dan Da Dan is easily the best anime of 2024. The animation is absolutely gorgeous, the characters are lovable and quirky, and the story is absolutely unhinged. As in original FLCL levels of unhinged. Between all this and the sheer amount of gifs and memes to be found, Dan Da Dan easily took my top spot for favorite anime of the year. While the first season ended at a bit of an inconvenient moment, it doesn’t detract from the sheer enjoyment for the entire show. And we don’t have to wait long for a second season; it’s coming July 2025!
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Now that Goku has beaten one of the Tamagami, his name is spreading like wildfire throughout the Demon Realm. This next episode of Daima has us dealing with the aftermath of Goku’s victory and the unwanted attention it provides. And while the episode largely focused on the comedy, we got a hint about something Gomah is looking for, and see the birth of a potential threat to Goku.
Don’t Steal From Goku
Having won the first of the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls, the gang decides to spend the night in a hotel instead of camping out again. That means that Goku has to put on a disguise to avoid attracting attention thanks to his newfound notoriety. Since it’s Goku, though…it doesn’t last very long. And, just as the others fear, thieves attempt to steal their Dragon Ball. They do succeed for a short time, but thanks to Panzy putting a tracking device on it, and Goku’s intimidation, they get it back pretty quickly.
The fact that they almost lose the Dragon Ball isn’t the point, though. The point the series is trying to make is that, from here on out, they’re going to need to be a little more careful about their prize. To the best of my knowledge, they didn’t bring a dragon radar, so if they lose it again, it could hard to get it back. And speaking of losing things, guess who lost their own plane due to it getting stolen by bandits.
In a rather hilarious echo of the first group, Vegeta’s group lost their own plane after he beat up a group of bandits. What’s worse is that when Goku’s team catches up to where Vegeta’s team is stuck, they don’t have the room to hold all of them. Thus, any chance of the parties merging gets put on the back burner.
To be fair, it seems like keeping the entire party in two separate groups is a deliberate handicap on the story’s part. If they all joined up into a single group, they would be strong enough to handle everything thrown their ways. Goku, Vegeta, Glorio, Shin, and Piccolo would mow down every enemy in sight, while Bulma and Panzy would invent something capable of getting them straight to King Gomah. No Mr. Warp needed. As for Hybis, he might be more important than he realizes. Here’s why.
Just a Theory. A Dragon Ball Theory!
During this episode, word reaches Gomah that not only have Goku and the others followed him to the Demon Realm, but Goku already beat one of the Tamagami. With his plans to neutralize the potential threat having backfired, the king once again laments being unable to obtain the Evil Third Eye. Described as a powerful artifact lost during the reign of one of Dabura’s predecessors, the Evil Eye is said to grant immense power to anyone who puts in on their forehead. However, I don’t think it’s actually lost. During this episode, it’s revealed that Hybis has this weird, living he found attached to his belt. The fact that this came up right as we heard about the Evil Eye again can’t be a mere coincidence. It’s subtle foreshadowing that this potentially powerful MacGuffin is already in the hero’s hands and they don’t even realize it. If I’m right, then all those years reading One Piece and learning about foreshadowing were worth it!
While Vegeta’s party ends the episode with them poised to recover their plane from the bandits, the episode ends by shifting back to Marba and Dr. Arinsu’s attempts to make a clone of Majin Buu. They manage to succeed, combining the Buu fragment with a Saibaman seed. I never thought we’d see the Saibamen again, so this was a big surprise. Unfortunately, then we learn the name that Arinsu gives her new minion: Majin…Kuu.
I’m sorry, but what? I’m aware that Toriyama liked to name his characters based on puns. However, for the life of me, I can’t figure out if Kuu is meant to be a pun, or just a lame reuse of Buu. I’m really hoping that there’s a pun in there, or that Kuu is just as strong as Buu. Otherwise, the tension of having someone compete for the Dragon Balls will seem a bit pointless.
It now looks like the race is on for the Dragon Balls, and while this episode was relatively slow, not every episode has to be an absolute banger. Comedy is just as much a part of Dragon Ball as action, and since Daima is returning the franchise to its roots, we should expect plenty more comedy.
It’s been two months now since the start of Dragon Ball Daima, there’s yet to be any dub of it on Crunchyroll. So far, the only dub for the new Dragon Ball series has been in the form of a compilation film that came out for a few days in November, and that only covered the first three episodes. With simuldubbing becoming more and more common in recent years, these two months could feel like years for those who insist on only watching dubbed anime. Granted, many anime still like to get a few episodes out before they start airing the dub to prevent it from being overtaken, but that’s not the point. But the wait for the dub of Daima will only be a few more weeks. In a recent post on their website, Crunchyroll announced that the dub for Dragon Ball Daima will begin January 10th, 2025.
Besides the obvious interest that stems from the dubbing of the new addition of a legendary anime, there’s another reason why people should pay attention to the dub of Daima. Because they’ll be spending most, if not all, of the series stuck in their kid forms, most of the returning characters won’t be voiced by their regular actors. The one exception will be Goku, once again voiced by Stephanie Nadolny. She’s famously provided the dub voice for Kid Goku in most Dragon Ball media. Most of the rest of the kid-ified cast will be voiced by relative newcomers. What makes this exciting (to me, at least) is that it’s giving a new generation of VA’s to leave their marks on the popular franchise. More importantly, if they do well enough, that could lead to them getting more work. With how tough the entertainment business can be, especially for newcomers, landing a potentially high-profile role can go a long way for job prospects.
As for me, I’m just happy to be able to watch the series in dub form come the new year. Having spent my teen years watching the original Dragon Ball in dub form online, it will be nice to get to hear Stephanie Nadolny’s voice again after all this time. And I wholeheartedly support letting my generation of VA’s try their hand at Dragon Ball.
Now this…this is more like it! We’ve been waiting eight episodes now for Dragon Ball Daima to give us a fight that’s truly worthy of the franchise’s name. We’ve gotten plenty of good action scenes and sparring matches, but we have yet to get the kind of fight where Goku shows us why he’s one of the GOATs of anime. However, all of that has changed with his fight with the first of the Tamagami as the entire Demon Realm watches. More importantly, though, this episode offers us some surprising lore regarding the Demon Realm, Majin Buu, and what it is that Dr. Arinsu could be after.
Goku vs the Tamagami
The long-awaited fight between Goku and the first of the Tamagami begins in earnest, and it was worth the wait. While not to the level of power that fans have grown used to in Dragon Ball, Daima is quick to remind us that, kid or not, Goku remains a formidable foe. As his fight against the Tamagami attracts the nearby villagers, they’re stunned to see him not only match the guardian of the Dragon Ball blow for blow, but begin to dominate him. For longtime fans of the franchise, though, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Goku is like that, after all.
Since we know that Goku will inevitably win, the fans should be paying attention to how the fight plays out rather than the overall outcome. And Toei managed to do a good job of animating it. From Goku blocking a hammer with his Power Pole to going Super Saiyan and having a beam clash, the series makes this a fun watch. But what was even funnier was how Goku ultimately wins the Dragon Ball.
I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting Goku to have to win the Dragon Ball by playing a version of the Shell Game, but…it feels like something Toriyama would want to do. Remember, Akira Toriyama was known just as much for his sense of goofy humor as he was for all the action. Having the Tamagami test Goku using the Shell Game, only for him to effortlessly point out the being’s attempted con, just screams Toriyama. It’s nice to see his imprint on Dragon Ball, but it’s a little sad, too, since he’s no longer with us.
At any rate, Goku ultimately manages to do what no one in the Demon Realm ever has and wins the first Dragon Ball. With that in hand, they head toward Warp-Sama to meet with their arriving comrades and head to the Second Demon World. As it turns out, the fight isn’t the episode’s highlight. It’s what comes after.
Dr. Arinsu Has a Bigger Plan in Store
As Gomah and Degesu are looking over old footage of the Z Warriors fights, they notice something when watching the moment when Vegeta blew himself up trying to kill Majin Buu. As the pieces of Buu began to reform, a lone figure managed to grab one of them before it could merge with the others. That person was none other than Dr. Arinsu. She was there during the Buu Saga!
It only gets crazier from there. While everything else is happening, Arinsu goes to a mysterious witch named Marba, currently brewing some kind of creation in a cauldron using that fragment of Buu. It’s not made clear right away, but the audience meant to guess that Arinsu is trying to create some kind of clone of Buu. That’s not even the craziest part, though. The crazy part is that Arinsu reveals that Marba is the one who created Majin Buu! As in, the original, psychotic, virtually feral, black air force wearing menace that pushed Goku and the others to the brink!
This is a major retcon to the world of Dragon Ball. From his inception, fans have believed that Majin Buu had one of two origins: either Bibidi created Kid Buu, or Kid Buu was this entity that existed for eons that Bibidi found. Now we know that both of those aren’t true, with Marba being Buu’s creator. And even though everything worked out and Buu (the good part of him)is now Goku’s friend, that still makes Marba indirectly responsible for countless deaths over millions of years. And now she’s helping Arinsu make a clone of Buu, the main difference being that this one will actually obey its master.
I’ve had my suspicions before, but now it’s becoming clear that Arinsu might be the real big bad of Daima. She’s set everything in motion by manipulating Gomah and bringing Goku to the Demon Realm; if she has her own Buu, she will be trouble. Keep in mind that at this point in time, Goku could only beat Buu because of a Spirit Bomb. Imagine how tough it would be for him to fight another Buu in his kid form!
Dragon Ball Daima is starting to heat up, and I’m glad I’ve stuck around for it this long. It’s a little sad knowing that we’re almost done with the First Demon World, but with most of the quests done, it’s time to move on. I can’t wait to see what the next world looks like.
Dragon Ball is the template for the modern Shonen manga, and that means most mangaka learned from its successes as well as its shortcomings. And one of the franchise’s biggest shortcomings has to be how Goku comes to outshine almost every other character. That’s expected since he’s the main protagonist, but at some point, the franchise’s default strategy for dealing with the big bads became “wait for Goku.” Even TeamFourStar pointed this fact out in their abridged series. Thankfully, the franchise has started to learn from this in recent years by giving other characters the chance to show what they can do. And with Goku reduced to chibi-sized for the duration of Daima, his party can show that they’re not just there to keep Goku on the right path. They can fight, too, as Supreme Kai proves in this episode!
So I was Wrong about the Plane
At the end of the last episode, I speculated that Kibito’s prescence had something to do with Shin’s plane not working. However, it was something simpler. A rock used for the energy converter isn’t working, thereby making the plane useless. Which also makes me question why they even bothered to have it? Thankfully, Hybis, one of King Kadam’s men, shows up to give them a ride. Before the episode’s out, the team of Hybis, Bulma, Vegeta, and Piccolo have made it to the Demon Realm. Kibito stayed behind to watch the Lookout with Popo.
Honestly, this is much better than having to wait longer to see how Bulma and the others make it to the Demon Realm. Even better, it solves the issue of not having the right pin # for Mr. Warp. Way to think on your feet, Toei!
Meanwhile, Goku’s party continues to have a string of bad luck as the Gendermerie return looking for Goku. He’s able to elude them thanks to his Instant Transmission, but then they try to arrest Panzy because they (rightfully) suspect her for attacking them in that village. Another fight ensues, and the trio of Goku, Shin, and Glorio proceed to beat everyone unconcious. However, their plane gets destroyed in the process, once again hindering their travels…
…is what you’d think I’d say! However, they find an extra Gendermerie plane and decide to steal that instead. As a bonus, this will mean that fewer people will try to stop them.
This fight, while nowhere near as epic as what we’re used to in Dragon Ball, is still good. The reason being that, unlike in most cases, Goku can’t handle everything on his own. For the first time since he was a kid, he’s in a position where he has to rely on his friends to help. And after years of being considered weak compared to the Saiyans, Shin reminds us just why he’s a Supreme Kai in the first place. He may be young by his race’s standards, but he’s still fairly capable.
As if to highlight the greater emphasis Shin has in this series, the next thing that he does is get rid of the collar Panzy’s forced to wear around her neck. The series already implied it, but this episode confirms that the collars the Third Demon World resident’s wear suppress their magic and can be used as tracking devices. Dr. Arinsu created them back during Dabura’s reign, so this is something that’s been going on for a longtime. It further emphasizes how unfair a place the Demon Realm is, and that it’s high time for a regime change. Given how this is a Shonen series, there’s a good chance that by the time Daima ends, those collars will be a thing of the past. Especially since Shin tells Panzy that the magic he used to break her collar can be used by anyone. Shin and Panzy could be the key to liberating the people of the Demon Realm in the near future!
In addition, this episode also reveals Shin’s true Glind name, Nahare. Just like Goku has his Saiyan name, Shin has a Glind name. Neat!
The series is now seven episodes in, but it feels like the pacing hasn’t picked up at all, though that’s about to change. The episode ends with Goku and the others making it to the first of the Tamagami warriors that guard this dimension’s Dragon Balls so that he can fight them. Given what the preview for the next episode has to say, it looks like we’re in for a good fight. And while I don’t doubt the strength of the Tamagami…it’s Goku. The man is going to fight actual gods in the near future, can solo most characters in all of fiction, and has fought Superman three different times. He may not have won any of those fights, but he did put the Man of Steel through his paces. He can handle the Tamagami.
What is Glorio after? We know next to nothing about this enigmatic gunslinger from the Demon Realm, but given how he gave Goku and Shin the means to go after Gomah, he seems trustworthy. Despite Goku trusting him, Supreme Kai has remained noticeably on guard around him. On the surface, it could be because of the underlying tension between the different worlds of the Demon Realm. But as this week reveals, Shin might be onto something about Glorio, as we learn who he’s actually working for.
Glorio’s True Loyalties?
After Panzy joins the party and they set off in a new ship/plane, the group has to make an emergency landing. A consequence of their ride being unable to handle all that weight. So, while Goku goes to use the bathroom, they have to ditch half of their supplies. That, and soldiers from Gomah’s army come looking for Goku. His decision to stand up to the Gendermerie has made him a wanted man. It’s only a matter of time before Gomah realizes that Goku followed him home, and tries to throw everything he has at him. If not thanks to his army, then due to a certain someone very close to him.
When Glorio first appeared, he claimed to have been hired by King Kadan to bring him the one who beat Majin Buu. However, Kadan himself said Glorio only came to him with the idea, meaning he was hired by someone else. That someone else gets revealed when, after making camp for the night, Glorio makes a phone call to his actual employer, Dr Arinsu. AKA Shin and Degesu’s older sister and chief scientist for Gomah.
Quick aside, this episode also confirms how the Glind, Supreme Kai’s race, are born from plants. Cool bit of lore there.
🔸New information that adds even more depth to the characters' stories : _ It is well confirmed that Kaioshin's race, the Glinds, are born from trees. There are 5 of these trees and they would give 5 different types of Glinds ! _ Son Goku doesn't wash his hands after shitting. pic.twitter.com/uEAJUuI4DE
For the record, the fact that Dr. Arinsu hired Glorio behind Gomah’s back should not be surprising. Given how she gave him the idea to use Earth’s Dragon Balls to make Goku and his friends kids, I suspected she knew that would make them get involved with Gomah. The fact that she already traveled to their Universe ahead of Gomah corroborates this. My working theory is that she’s pulling strings to ensure that Goku takes down Gomah for her own benefit. Or she could just be luring the Saiyan into a trap. Either way, this means that Shin’s concerns about Glorio are more justifiable now.
Does that mean that Glorio is a direct threat, though? That’s uncertain, as we soon learn why.
When a Minotaurus Demon (cool reference to Greek Mythology) shows up wanting to eat the party, Goku and Glorio argue over who will fight him. So, the two decide to have a sparring match to see who will be the Demon’s opponent, much to their “enemy’s” irritation. Though, given who he’s dealing with, the Minotaurus isn’t much of a threat.
We’ve gotten glimpses of how capable Glorio is in a fight, but this sparring session is when we truly start to see what he can do. As expected, he does manage to put up a good fight against Goku, even managing to knock the Power Pole out of his hands. What’s more, we get to see what kind of magic Glorio uses: he’s got lightning magic! He can fire it off like ki blasts, generate it from his fingertips like he’s a Sith Lord. He can even turn it into a weapon like a whip!
🔸The animation itself is quite good. The start of the fight between Son Goku and Glorio is a little weak in terms of visual prowess, but we quickly move up a gear as soon as Kaioshin suggests to Son Goku to become more serious ! pic.twitter.com/ue8kSMTiDb
It’s clear that Glorio is indeed strong. Right now, I’d say he’s likely one of the strongest in the Demon Realm. However, Goku makes it clear that, even in his kid form, he’s still stronger. The fact that he can still go Super Saiyan is a testament to that. It also puts into perspective how powerful the adult Goku would be compared to the people of the Demon Realm. Gomah may have underestimated Goku’s strength, but the show had to nerf him for it to work. Otherwise, he would likely steamroll through everything, and that wouldn’t be any fun!
Oh, and the Minotaurus pulls a Mr. Satan and bails.
OK Dragon Ball Daima EP 6 was the best episode now for me, a big 10/10 ✅!
🔸Toriyama's humorous touches are at their peak, it feels so much like Dragon Ball from the 80s😂
So, while fans now know that Glorio is sus, I don’t think it’s much of a problem. My guess is that even if something bad happens, it will be because Glorio had to fool Goku. Which, given that it’s Goku, won’t be that hard. However, Goku has a habit of befriending those who start out opposing him, so I think Glorio will warm up to him with time.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, there’s good news and bad news to end the episode. The good news is that Bulma finished fixing Shin’s ship. The bad news? When Kibito, Vegeta, and Piccolo go to use it, it shuts down almost immediately. Though I suspect it might have something to do with Kibito, mainly because the ED shows Bulma being the one to go to the Demon Realm. This will just justify that.
It’s taken a while, but it seems like Daima is starting to pick up steam. I suspect things will start to get a little more exciting over the next few episodes as we get into this for the long haul. I’m not complaining; this is Toriyama’s last gift to us, so I want it to last as long as possible.
You know, considering how much Goku and Luffy eat, it feels appropriate that they’re balloons at the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
This year marks the hundredth anniversary of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, though it’s only the 98th. It got canceled from 1942-44 because they needed the rubber for World War II. In that time, countless cultural icons have had their likeness be a part of the parade, reflecting what is considered popular in the US. And with anime having gone mainstream, that now includes the likes of Shonen icons such as Goku and Luffy.
This year, Goku appeared at the parade with a new balloon. Rather than the Super Saiyan Blue balloon that’s been used since his 2018 debut, Goku was shown off in his base form, smiling as he gives a two-finger salute to those watching. Considering how his new series, Daima, has him returned to a child form, this is very timely on the part of whoever makes the balloons. It should also be noted that this is first time Goku’s in the parade without his creator due to Akira Toriyama’s passing earlier this year. It should be noted that NBC’s hosts for the parade did not make any mention of Toriyama as Goku went by, though. It feels like a missed opportunity.
As for Luffy, this year marks his second year of being a part of the Macy’s parade, having debuted in 2023. Unfortunately, the future Pirate King’s debut was marred when his balloon got blown into a tree as it passed by. The branches tore open the brim of his iconic straw hat, making it resemble a bucket hat instead. Fans took this in stride, though, as many jokingly called him “Bucket Hat Luffy” and even made fanart of it.
MONKEY D. LUFFY ARRIVES AT THE 2024 MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE WITH A FULLY INFLATED HAT pic.twitter.com/zEHVtbsx2o
Unlike last year, this year had no branches or trees to get in Luffy’s way. Considering how the One Piece anime had its 25th anniversary this year, it’s good to see this happen to him. It’s a reminder of how much people love One Piece and support its creator, Eichiro Oda. Oda has had to take frequent breaks from the manga in recent years for his well-being, but many fans have been understanding of his needs.
Did you see the parade this year? Any other anime characters you hope to see join someday? Let us know!
Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, the trip of Goku, Shin, and Glorio witnessed the cruelty of Gomah’s reign first-hand as they extorted a village for their money. Or worse, for their very life essence. Thankfully, a mysterious little girl with a penchant for engineering provided enough of a distraction for Goku to do his thing. The question is, who is this girl who seems oddly similar to the likes of Bulma? Fans, meet Panzy, the next party member and the Demon Realm’s equivalent to Bulma…in more ways than one.
Meet Panzy, the New Bulma
After escaping the hopeless soldiers in the village, Goku’s party gets a formal introduction to the mysterious girl seen in the OP and ED, Panzy. A native of the Third Demon World, Panzy is, for lack of a better term, a younger version of Bulma. Young being subjective here, since we learn that Demons can live a thousand years. At 82 years old, she’s basically the human/saiyan equivalent of an 8-year-old.
Regardless of her age, though, I wasn’t joking when comparing her to Bulma. She’s incredibly smart, resourceful, and extroverted for someone her age, being the one who made her failed bombs that she tried to use. She’s also able to get the group a faster route to the castle they’re headed to, which her father rules.
Did we not mention that she’s a princess? Bulma may not be a princess (unless being married to Vegeta counts,) but with how rich she is, she might as well be! The only difference between her and Panzy is that Panzy has magic telekinesis!
A Good Old-Fashioned Goku Beatdown
At any rate, now that they’re at the castle, it’s revealed that Panzy’s father, Kadan, hired Glorio to bring the guy who beat Majin Buu to him. This was so that that person could defeat King Gomah and allow Kadan to become the new Demon King. While the man may be a bit arrogant, even offering to let Goku marry Panzy (lol), given what we remember about Dabura and what we’ve seen of Gomah, he’d be an improvement.
Speaking of Gomah, we get an update as to what he’s doing. Instead of holding Dende captive, he’s treating him like he would any baby: with love and care. Granted, it’s pretty obvious he’s only raising him so that when he gets big again, he can make Gomah more Dragon Balls.
At any rate, Kadan is obviously unsure as to how strong Goku is given his current state. So, he has Goku fight the entire castle garrison on his own. What follows is a…well I wouldn’t even call it a fight for Goku. It’s more like him just getting a warm-up in as he wipes the floor with the soldiers. In the episode’s best moment, he even flexes by briefly assuming his Super Saiyan form just for the heck of it!
As someone who binge-watched the original Dragon Ball online during high school, this fight was incredibly nostalgic for me. It harkens back to the days when Goku fought enemies like the Red Ribbon Army on his own or with his friends. Good times!
By the end of the episode, Kadan gives his full support to the group as they set off on the next leg of their journey, giving them a new plane to use in the process. They even offer to leave a message for the second group of Vegeta, Bulma, and Piccolo that will be following them. The most significant thing that happens, though, is that Panzy decides to join the group as their fourth party member.
New Party Member Acquired
This entire episode easily cements Panzy as the best girl of Daima. Everything about her reminds viewers of how Goku and Bulma’s friendship formed in the early days, and it looks like history will repeat with him and Panzy. Unfortunately, the group’s bad luck doesn’t seem to let up. First, Shin continues to think that Glorio is sus. Secondly, their plane goes down as they’re headed to…wherever it is they’re going to. It looks like this is going to be one of those long Shonen series.
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