Post
by Cipher » Sun Oct 21, 2018 11:16 am
Really liked the chapter, after being a bit let down by the previous two.
I really have nothing bad to say about it, for that matter. Even Toyotaro's action, a weak point for Super, is improved. The number of panels could still be cut down, but it's better than the usual, and we have less page-space dedicated to attack wind-ups (possibly to emphasize the dexterity and speed of Ultra Instinct, but this is certainly something I'd like to see continued in general, even outside of the form). At any rate, Goku and Jiren's battle feels suitably powerful and fast, and works in some fun bits of choreography.
Thematically, I like that Ultra Instinct itself is a sort of misdirection--still featuring exploitable weaknesses as the toll on Goku as he reacts automatically to such a strong opponent is too much--and it winds up not even being the biggest lesson Whis intended to teach. This not only pays off on something Whis has been drilling all the way back to "F," but also the main themes of the arc and Beerus and co.'s directive all the way back at the start of the tournament. Jiren, an inherent loner so blind he couldn't see the reason he wasn't accepted by his master, is about to get lesson in teamwork from the biggest assholes in the multiverse.
For one arc in all of Dragon Ball to highlight teamwork in this way, as the main thematic thrust, without sacrificing its devil-may-care attitude for trite moralizing--which I don't at all think this does (again, these are still four of the multiverse's biggest assholes, but they're at least each other's assholes)--works and gives the story line its niche.
I like that Jiren's outburst about exploiting openings not being true strength represents the difference between Goku polishing technique while he goes for pure power.
I even like Vegeta in this chapter! I grow tired of him when he's only brought in for his own big solitary moments, as they inevitably feel like shadows of Goku's, and thus distracting obligations as inclusions. When he's the straight man to the wildcard Goku, though, I wind up liking his role quite a bit, and their banter near the end as they settle on teamwork is enjoyable.
Jiren's backstory--while I did like that the anime left his wish unstated, if nothing else about the way it was executed--is, in addition to dovetailing nicely with the arc thematically, also hilariously goofy Dragon Ball. He isn't a superhero, at heart, but a martial artist forced into the role by his master. And when his master refused to recognize him for reasons he couldn't see to interpret as anything other than insufficient strength, he pursued it to such ridiculous extents that he wound up being the strongest person in the multiverse. That's a perfect backstory for the strongest person in the multiverse in Dragon Ball. There's no deep explanation, no complicated technique--the strongest guy in existence got that way because he misinterpreted his master's intentions and thought that was what he wanted. He thought he needed to get stronger, so he did.
Just a good start to the climax all around. I think, with the exception of Gohan vs. Kafla, this story line really is going to read well as a single-sitting revisit, as previous ones have. Looking forward to seeing how it transitions into the Goku-Freeza-17 finale, as I still assume it will.
Overall one of the best things Toyotaro's done with this arc is to remember that it's a martial-arts story. And with the elements on the table for its climax, it sure doesn't let you forget that.
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