Deep Thoughts: The World Tournament Saga

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ABED
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Deep Thoughts: The World Tournament Saga

Post by ABED » Thu Mar 09, 2023 12:53 pm

The previous saga didn't have an ending. It wasn't a story arc. I guess you could say it ended when Videl found out who he was and thus the persona didn't have much need anymore, but I don't. The sagas exist for marketing. I don't know why they break it down where they do, but the last arc ended with Vegeta smashing the punch machine. This saga is where we start with the tournament, but the seeds are planted for the body of the story arc. Here we meet the mysterious Shen. He has a hell of an ominous introduction and Shinichiro Ohta gives the voice this very calm but almost dangerous sound to his performance. Sadly, Kaioshin is never that interesting again.

Before we delve into all that, let's talk about the tournament itself. It's gone from a prestigious tournament whose spectators were made up of martial arts fans. They may have been naïve, but clearly they were there because they liked the sport. Now the tournament is much bigger and the fans that comprise it are even less knowledgeable and are there for the celebrity of Mr. Satan. As the characters point out, the tournament is a shell of what it once was. A big difference is now there's a kid's division, which is really pathetic. It mercifully doesn't last long and we get to the main event of Goten vs. Trunks. Sorry, let's go back a bit, I think this is where we start to see the first signs of Mr. Satan's good heart. He's a blowhard, but I do think he genuinely cares about his fans. He also clearly loves his daughter. It's the beginning of Toriyama humanizing what is mostly a gag character. Back to the main event, the fight lasts about 1 and a half episodes but it's worth it. It's a lot of fun seeing these two friends fight and see the reaction of not just the crowd but our heroes. This is how they were expecting the day to go – exciting fights and friendly competition. Trunks is a prick and turns Super Saiyan for a split second to send Goten out of bounds even after saying he wouldn't. But like most kids that age, Goten gets over it with the promise of toys. I love Goten and Trunks' friendship. Goten is an innocent naïve kid who is only one year younger than Trunks and Trunks acts like his more mature and sophisticated. Oh my god, I just forgot. I didn't mention that really sweet moment from the previous saga where Goku meets Goten. It's one of the top 10 most emotional moments in the series. See, great comedy and great emotion can exist in the same story.

For the adult division, Yamcha has finally learned his lesson and retired. Kuririn beats up a bully, which is always fun. Piccolo shockingly gives up when he realizes Shen's divine nature, though doesn't quite guess how high up the food chain Shen is. Next is Videl vs. the enigmatic Spopovitch. It didn't bother me for years and I even though "how cool is this. This is hardcore!" Now I see it as needlessly brutal. Videl's beat down is so savage and leads nowhere. Spopovitch is easily disposed of later. What was gained? It's from here that we get the slow unveiling of the story arc, and the structure works really well. It makes the darker parts stand out. I've grown to enjoy contrast over the years. Instead of one tone, starting one way and ending another can do a lot to accentuate the intended emotion the author is going for. After Toriyama wrote three nonstop dark story arcs, starting this one with a lighter tone works really well.

Random Thoughts:
"Buu? Sounds like a fart." This is such a great line.
I didn't get the Bibidi, Babidi, Boo reference until a friend of mine pointed it out by accident. I was supposedly the expert and loved showing him DBZ and explaining it all to him and yet this reference went completely over my head. Unlike Drax the Destroyer, plenty of things go over my head.

The Dub:
The dub didn't include Goten calling the attack "Kamekameha". I was looking forward to it. It's weird what lines stick in your head and want to hear. The other that I recall wanting to hear was in the Android Saga when Vegeta tells Kuririn that he should go drink milk.
"Daddy's coming, sugar beet!" is a delivery I'll always remember. Rager really was the perfect choice for Mr. Satan.
Kent Williams is such a great choice for Kaioshin. There's a quality that's similar to the original without it feeling like a soundalike.
The biggest truths aren't original. The truth is ketchup. It's Jim Belushi. Its job isn't to blow our minds. It's to be within reach.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott
Happiness is climate, not weather.