Kai Episode 53 (18 April 2010)

[Khalid Shahin]

General Discussion for DragonBall Kai episode 53, aired 18 April 2010.

孫悟空、最後の一撃…ナメック星宇宙に散る
Son Gokuu, Saigo no Ichigeki... Namekku-sei Uchuu ni Chiru
Son Goku's Final Blow... Planet Namek Scatters Throughout Space

[Metalwario64]

Thank goodness they got rid of that ridiculous flashback. They also got rid of those throwaway shots of earth, resulting in a whole Z episode cut down to about 10 minutes. Makes me so happy, because I always skipped "Mighty Blast of Rage" or whatever it was called, because the whole episode was almost entirely throwaway shots and flashbacks. The music during that scene fit well, and is one of my favorite Kai tracks.

Great Elder's death scene was also much better this time around, and had a couple of wonderful pieces of music playing, instead of the inappropriately placed Movie 2 track like in Z (which also played mostly when it showed Fr­ieza standing around in the series).

Also, LOL at Yamcha doing the NEP!

[Gaffer Tape]

Yamucha did the next episode preview?! I have to go check this out!!! Squeeeeeeeee!

EDIT: Okay, checked it out. "Yo! Yamucha da!" Awesome! Although I find it extremely funny that the only reason he's doing it is because Goku is believed to be dead, yet Yamucha himself has been dead for the past 40 episodes or so. Not that I'm complaining!

Just out of curiosity, was it like this in Z? I know in the episode that ended where it was believed that Jackie Chun had killed Goku, the other characters did the next episode preview, but did it happen again here?

[Bura]

Great episode! I liked how Vegeta got everyone angry again. Would've been hilarious if he was hit with one of those stone dragonballs after that. But oh well. XD I still don't get why Saichoro-sama simply disappears since he didn't do this when he died on Namek. But I guess the Namekians are a bit relieved. Just imagine burying someone that huge

Anyway, a great episode. I always feel for Goku at that moment. Especially the first time when I didn't know he was still alive.

By the way, they totally spoiled Goku still being alive in the next episode preview, didn't they?

[Son Wukong]

The pacing is probably still the number one thing I like about Kai. I was starting to get tired of the whole Sayajin/Freeza arc. Maybe because I've seen it a couple of times in the last 3 years due to new (Z) products being released constantly.

[BobZ]

It was a neat episode. Freeza has got to be the most self-loving and persistent villain ever.
He refused to believe that a Saiyan that was said to be a low class warrior would be able to take him down.
The psychological trauma Goku caused the space tyrant was very severe.

In other terms, I found it a bit funny how the Namekians quickly overcame their sorrow of the Grand Elder passing away. The dramatic mood was suddenly changed with a different topic that was brought up.

So, next week we're going to have a non-action episode and one week later we'll have the appearance of Trunks-san, as well as a new ending. Yay! I wonder when are they going to change the opening as well...

[worldmonsters]

Wow I think the really good thing about this episode was that they used like... 3 tracks of background music in total? At least there was A LOT of silence, especially when Freeza was killed. Okay I just checked and maybe not 3, more like 6 or 7, but there was a lot of silence that helped the mood A LOT! Don't know how it was in the Japanese version though, this is my first time in Japanese.

I thought the pacing worked, the music worked, everything just worked and it made it a really nice watch I think maybe my favorite Kai episode (well, in how it was adapted from Z).

[dan2026]

A massive improvement on the original in this episode.
Rest in peace, massive flashback, you most defiantly will not be missed.

So now the Namek/Freeza arc has been reduced in size from 72 to 38.
34 whole episodes of filler and padding gone.
Wow, if there was any evidence that Kai was needed, here it is.

[Blue]

Notice anything?

[JulieYBM]

"Excuse me, has anyone seen my third arm? YOU CAN'T MISS IT, IT'S PURPLE!!"


That is...very odd.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

These screw ups are so bad, but I only notice them when someone posts them here on Daizex. Very funny though, you'd think the artists would catch these things before working on the next frame.

[Mike]

Notice anything?

Nope, that's actually his foot. I thought the same thing when watching the episode but in the next shot when it zooms out you can see his severed legs laying right behind him. It's just the weird angle that's making it look like another arm.

-Mike

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

Well it's hard to tell with this pic, but that foot has a thumb....and four fingers. Freeza's foot has three toes. The intention could have been to have been a foot(nice catch btw) but the artist drew it like a hand.

[Blue]

Well it's hard to tell with this pic, but that foot has a thumb....and four fingers. Freeza's foot has three toes. The intention could have been to have been a foot(nice catch btw) but the artist drew it like a hand.

True, Freeza's feet look absolutely nothing like his hand.

http://www.brandonsports.com/ver2/pic_g ... -final.jpg

[Gaffer Tape]

So is three-handed Freeza a Z shot or a Kai shot?

[Hujio]

So is three-handed Freeza a Z shot or a Kai shot?

Just from looking at it, that's definitely re-used footage from Z. Notice how there are little breaks in the lines of Freeza's body? That's from traditional animation where the ink didn't quite make it to the cel. Anytime you see that, it's a dead giveaway that it isn't modern digital animation. That, and it doesn't look like flash animation with little detail.

[dan2026]

Notice anything?

That is defiantly his foot.
I can only see evidence of two toes and they don't look like fingers.

They really shouldn't have put them so close, so it could pass for an arm though.

[KaiserNeko]

Taking a look at it, that's definitely his lower half down there. You can see his tail; it's definitely his foot, not an arm.

[Son Wukong]

Notice how there are little breaks in the lines of Freeza's body?

Not really. I'de like to know what you mean though.

EDIT: oh wait, you meant the outer contours of his body. Yes, now I see it.

[Gaffer Tape]

So is three-handed Freeza a Z shot or a Kai shot?

Just from looking at it, that's definitely re-used footage from Z. Notice how there are little breaks in the lines of Freeza's body? That's from traditional animation where the ink didn't quite make it to the cel. Anytime you see that, it's a dead giveaway that it isn't modern digital animation. That, and it doesn't look like flash animation with little detail.

Yeah, that's what I thought, and I can see what you're talking about. I just wanted to make sure. Thanks for confirming for me.