What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

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What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by ColonelAdams » Tue May 04, 2021 12:38 pm

Original doesn't just mean it's a never done before premise (although that can apply), it just means it has ideas that you wouldn't see anywhere else. For example, plot beats shouldn't feel recycled, but rather they should feel fresh.
To elaborate on this, I'll explain my pick, the Saiyan arc. Toriyama wanted to write an Alien Invasion story, that's been done a lot before, so how does he make it original? Well for starters since it's Dragon Ball it will be Martial Artists vs Aliens, that's a little interesting. But wait, what if the alien invading was the main character's brother? Now that's original. Oh yeah, and what if the brother wasn't even the main antagonist, and what if the main character DIED in the first arc? Never seen that before. That's not even mentioning the team up with the main antagonist of the last arc, and that fact that the actual main antagonist fights and gets away by choice. This makes it an arc that feels completely Dragon Ball, and in my opinion the most original arc in the series.
So what would you pick? Again choices could be based on premise, freshness of plot beats, or both.

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Re: What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by PurestEvil » Tue May 04, 2021 2:41 pm

The Pilaf arc for its unconventional humor
The Buu arc for how badshit insane it is
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Re: What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by MasenkoHA » Tue May 04, 2021 3:00 pm

I’m gonna second Majin Boo for pure balls to the wall insanity.

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Re: What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by It_Is_Ayna_You_Flips » Tue May 04, 2021 3:16 pm

Saiyan Arc: More because of how it stands out when compared to the rest of Dragon Ball. The characters are all very well developed, the villain is beaten by being worn down (instead of just one big overwhelming move), Goku actually humbles himself and begs for his son's life, literally everything about Piccolo. You have to look outside the series itself (to the Trunks and Bardock stories) to find another Dragon Ball story that manages to combine as many unique pieces to create a compelling story.

Red Ribbon Arc: There's just so much, you guys. So many new locations and characters. The villains are a pencil pusher and his secretary. The major threats are taken out half way through the arc. And it's really the last time we'll ever get to see Goku grow in real time because of something happening to him.

Also! The Red Ribbon Arc has fights that happen in actual environments. Places like dungeons, forests, a military base. Doesn't sound like much but it really helps the arc stand out.
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Re: What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by Big Boss » Tue May 04, 2021 4:15 pm

Piccolo Daimo arc. For the first time in the series' history, Toriyama attempts to introduce consequences to the story. Krillin's death at the beginning of the arc really set the stage for how dark this portion of the story would become. We had deaths of many major characters and, coupled with the genuinely shocking scene of Daimo killing Shenlong, these twists really set this arc apart from EVERYTHING that came before it (and arguably after). The level of intensity and emotional weight on Goku's shoulders has still yet to be matched to this very day.

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Re: What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by sunsetshimmer » Tue May 04, 2021 7:22 pm

To not repeat arcs already mentioned, i will say Shadow Dragons arc is great example. For such series as DB, where dragon balls always save the day and they can always seek for help outside of Earth or escape it if needed (like in Buu arc) it was pretty original to not only turn dragon balls to main villain, but also lock entire Earth from the rest of universe. It was the first time since...like ever, when characters couldn't rely on anyone but themselves. Probably the last time was King Piccolo arc. Escape Earth? Can't do. Get help from anyone outside of planet, even gods? Nope. Revive anyone or get revived? Forget it. They can ask namekians to summon Porunga, right? Sorry, Earth is locked, Porunga can't do a single thing. Even though what was happening in actual episodes wasn't innovative, entire plot around it was. Tbh even though finale was badass, i keep thinking if it wouldn't be better if they didn't let Gogeta destroy negative energy, as in the end they still got help from entire universe.
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Re: What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by WittyUsername » Tue May 04, 2021 11:30 pm

I’d say the the Red Ribbon arc is fairly unique when you stack it against the rest of Dragon Ball. The titular villains only comprise a portion of the story and it’s arguably the closest the series has ever come to giving Goku some actual character growth. Goku is probably at his most proactive during that arc, while from Piccolo Daimao onwards, he’s often used as a plot device, despite being the main character. It also has a crossover with Doctor Slump, which is pretty wacky.

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Re: What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by SupremeKai25 » Wed May 05, 2021 4:41 am

The Future Trunks arc because it introduced for the first time a main antagonist/villain who thought he was doing the right thing and was envisioned as morally grey. Even Toriyama in an interview said that Zamasu was the first villain in his story to present a moral dilemma. This arc is also very original because of the ending, the only time when Dragon Balls can't be used to just undo everything the villain accomplished.

As for the "never been done before" part, I've certainly never seen any other fictional villain merging with the LITERAL COSMOS!!

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Re: What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by Kamiccolo9 » Wed May 05, 2021 10:37 am

SupremeKai25 wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 4:41 am The Future Trunks arc because it introduced for the first time a main antagonist/villain who thought he was doing the right thing and was envisioned as morally grey. Even Toriyama in an interview said that Zamasu was the first villain in his story to present a moral dilemma. This arc is also very original because of the ending, the only time when Dragon Balls can't be used to just undo everything the villain accomplished.

As for the "never been done before" part, I've certainly never seen any other fictional villain merging with the LITERAL COSMOS!!
Thanos did it 40 or so years ago.
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Re: What is the most ORIGINAL Dragon Ball arc?

Post by Scientist Fu » Wed May 05, 2021 10:45 am

Majin Boo arc.

I could also put GT in there. GT probably got the most original ideas ever.

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