MistareFusion's Dragon Ball Dissection! (Updated 2/16/26!)

[Gaffer Tape]

Balancing Beerus - Dragon Ball Dissection: The Battle of Gods Arc Part 2 (Anime)

Dragon Ball Dissection December continues its look at the animated version of The Battle of Gods Arc. It's god ki. It's timing Beerus's trip to Kaio's world. It's taking Beerus's slap scene and milking it for every millisecond of drama it can be milked for. Merry Christmas!

[Scsigs]

Just watched &, while I'm thinking about it since you mentioned it, Sumitomo also scored Kai: The Final Chapters rather than Toei continuing to use Kikuchi's score to finish it out after the Yamamoto controversy. I assume since he was already scoring Battle of Gods at the time they were starting to put the episodes together. In Kai, his score is very hit or miss, with compositions being very out of place over scenes that they don't fit with. Others, however, he did very well. Hell, the song that plays over the scene of Goku & Vegeta potara fusing into Vegetto in the Future Trunks Arc he actually wrote for Kai, then reused it for Super, which is a pretty cool detail. Super, I don't remember a lot of the music sounding out of place, but then again I've only seen the episodes of Super I've seen once when they aired on Toonami, so I'm definitely due for a rewatch.

[The Dark Knight]

In Kai, his score is very hit or miss, with compositions being very out of place over scenes that they don't fit with.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that the person who composes the music has nothing to do with how it's actually placed in the show. If that's indeed the case, then the way his music was used in general, be it in Kai or Super, had nothing to do with him.

[Scsigs]

In Kai, his score is very hit or miss, with compositions being very out of place over scenes that they don't fit with.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that the person who composes the music has nothing to do with how it's actually placed in the show. If that's indeed the case, then the way his music was used in general, be it in Kai or Super, had nothing to do with him.

I wouldn't be surprised by that, tbh, especially for Kai: TFC & its own weird editing history (being greenlit 2 years after Kai originally ended & being edited by Toei rather than Q-Tec, being intended just for the international market initially before being used to keep the timeslot when Toriko was cancelled, being edited down further in the initial episodes to speed along the early part of the storyline to get to the main plot quicker for the Japanese broadcast, etc). However, I would think the composer would have at least SOME input into where their tracks are placed when the audio is being mixed together, especially since they're employed by the company producing the project if the music is being directly produced for it.

[FoolsGil]

I have to disagree with Beerus' antagonism to the point of bullying is a good aspect of the anime. I really liked Battle of Gods and what I liked about it the most was Beerus. Seeing him just being an asshole to Vegeta is a lot. And I do not like Vegeta at all, and I sympathize with him. I always think about the flashback with the universes 1st and 2nd most softest pillows and I think about how the absurdity that whole scene was. Like was that really necessary? Any of that?

[Gaffer Tape]

Battle of Pacing - Dragon Ball Dissection: The Battle of Gods Arc Part 3 (Anime)

Dragon Ball Dissection December comes to an end, and so does The Battle of Gods Arc. The fight against Beerus rages on, but is it enough to fill more than four episodes? Should Goku be annoyed by Super Saiyan God? And which of the four versions of this story is the best?

Thanks so much for watching DBD December. I hope you had as much fun as I did. But I need to go rest now. Actually, no. I need to go finish installing a new garbage disposal. Then I can rest!

[The Dark Knight]

The movie this arc was based on was already too long, we didn't need a version that was almost triple its length.

[nineko]

Finally, someone who agrees with me that Beerus destroying a small piece of rock was the best version of that scene, everyone else seem to think that Beerus pretending to fall asleep is funnier, but I don't like it at all.

[Koitsukai]

Gotta say, whether I agree or not with the dissection (in this case, I do), I greatly enjoy and look forward to Dissection December. I can't believe it's over!

This was my fifth DD, here's to many more to come!

[Noah]

It’s been just under a year since I last checked this thread, but I’m back again to drop my thoughts on the content that was dissected after:

Dragon Boy and The Adventure of Tongpoo

• I didn’t really like the main character’s design in these prototypes. Thank god Toriyama came up with something different for Dragon Ball. Goku’s hair, even though it’s pretty unusual, is way more iconic.

• A long time ago I used to think Blue Dragon (2007) was a Toriyama production post DB, until I looked it up and found out he was actually just the character designer and the anime was based on a game from the year before. It’s a shame DB burned him out so much during its original run, I would be really interested to see what he would do in a second large-scale production.

• All the little nudity jokes just remind me of Oda saying something along the lines that Toriyama is the most perverted guy he’s ever met lol

• I liked Tongpoo’s concept more than Dragon Boy’s, mainly because it felt more different from what Dragon Ball was at the beginning.


Dr. Slump (1997)

• I’m not a big Dr. Slump fan, but I gotta say this remake actually seemed pretty interesting.

• I think Wikipedia might be right, if I’m not mistaken, by around 2000–2003 most anime were already being produced digitally. What really surprised me is that this one is from 1997 and still wasn’t hand-drawn.


Neko Majin

• Given how dry things were content-wise during that period, a lot of good parts of this spin-off are still fresh in many fans’ memories. I remember reading this in my early teens and finding it kinda weird: another (Super) Saiyan called Onio? Freeza being alive and having a son? But also thinking it was really cool to see Super Saiyan Goku in his EoZ gi.

• It definitely could’ve been better, but I liked that it served as a basis for how DB characters might look like some time after the final manga chapter.


Heya! Son Goku and His Friends Return!!

• I thought you were gonna comment on how lame Cabba’s design is like, he’s basically just a short Teen Gohan. I like his design way more in the manga adaptation of this OVA because he looks a lot more like Vegeta.

• As for the villains, I think it’s was neat the concept that they showed up at a time when they were nowhere near being a threat, but then they just disappear? I don’t remember any kind of redemption arc or anything like that.

• You basically listed everything I think of when I remember this OVA and look at all the DB material that came after it: Toriyama’s block when it came to making a story after the manga ended, his obsession with Freeza, who kept getting mentioned until he was finally revived and obviously the story never moving past the “peaceful” period between Majin Boo’s defeat and the 28th Tenkaichi Budokai.

• It’s funny to notice that this OVA really kicked off the trend of characters getting together at barbecues or similar events.

I• t’s sad to remember this is the last piece of DB media with a soundtrack composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi. I’ve probably said this in several threads already, but to me he’s the John Williams of Dragon Ball and should always have been present in any piece of animated media. After his passing, they really should’ve found someone who could compose in a similar style.


The Korean and Taiwanese live-action movies

• Well, this was something… I guess? Thanks for sharing your experience, because I would never have taken the time to watch any of these lol, but I really appreciated what the first Korean movie attempted to do... well, until they decided to go absolutely random.

It’s been a really long while since the last time I watched Legend of Shenron, but the idea that a Taiwanese movie would not only adapt Dragon Ball but also elements from that movie? Never would’ve crossed my mind. I lol’d hard at the action sequences, though.


Dragonball Evolution

• Probably the only thing I like about this movie is Bulma’s characterization, even though it does deviate a bit from her original manga counterpart.

• Something that really came off as strange to me is why Japan never attempted to do a live-action DB movie. I mean, they’re capable of producing good stuff (see Death Note and Rurouni Kenshin, for example), but I guess Evolution kinda explains why. An accurate world and faithful characterization require a lot of budget, and not everyone is willing to invest in that if profit isn’t guaranteed.

• It's funny how, for a long time, I thought that if it weren't for this movie, DB would have stayed 'dead' for much longer, because it managed to enrage Toriyama to the point that he came out of retirement to produce new content for the franchise lol


Battle of Gods (2013)

• One thing I’ve always remembered about this movie is a short commercial with Freeza and Cell complaining about being left out of the first DB movie after 17 years... little did Freeza know he’d be in the next one lol.

• Probably the best DB movie out there, even considering Broly (2018). Even though a lot of fans criticized the lack of action, I’d say the characterization, jokes, and vibes are top-notch!

• Even before Daima, I felt that this was such a missed opportunity to introduce him as a Super Saiyan 3. It wouldn’t have led to much, but it would still have been remarkable.

• Although I do agree with you about the Pilaf gang in this movie, I wish it had just remained a one-time thing instead of being stretched to the point of Mai dating Future Trunks (ugh).


Jaco the Galactic Patrolman

• Even with all of Toriyama’s “effort” to say this story isn’t that exciting, I liked it, and I actually think it would’ve been great if it had been animated in DBS before RoF arc.

• I laughed a lot at the scene where Jaco explains to Tights how he pees. That random government guy turning into their housekeeper felt kinda out of nowhere, but whatever. And I had totally forgotten there was an inconsistency (at least appearance-wise) between Goku’s and Bulma’s ages in Minus.


Resurrection ‘F’ (2015)

• It’s wild to imagine that Maximum The Hormone’s song as a tribute to Freeza ended up inspiring Toriyama to create this story. I remember reading interviews where he said he wanted to have produced this during the original serialization, and I can’t help but imagine how bizarre that would’ve been.

• I’m really glad you’re going to dive deeper into this story when you get to the respective arc in DBS, because there are things I think improved (even if not enough for me to stop seeing the overall plot as kinda shallow).

• What I’ve always liked about watching your videos are the alternatives you propose to make the story better, and I’d honestly love to know more about what Freeza’s Empire was like at that point, Sorbet questioning whether reviving him was the right call, and obviously Freeza’s training.

• The most annoying part from the middle to the end of the movie is exactly what you said: plot points about characters learning from their mistakes get thrown in, but both the characters and the movie itself treat it like a joke.


The Battle of Gods Arc (Manga)

• I never really stopped to think about how weird it was that both the manga and the anime initially portrayed Beerus in a much more villain-like way.

• I didn’t remember that the manga tried to use Champa’s introduction as an indirect bridge for Freeza’s army deciding to revive him, that was nice.

• Toriyama must’ve had some kind of “big regret” about fusing Kibito and Shin, considering that both in Super and Daima he created a plot to undo that.


The Battle of Gods Arc (Anime)

• Wow, I had completely forgotten that the anime didn’t even try to explain why the Pilaf Gang are kids now. I remember that early Super had a bunch of flashbacks to Kai/Z scenes, well it wouldn’t have killed them to do something like that, or even reanimate something to explain who they are and why they’re like this now.

• I don’t know if you’re going to comment on this later, but I always find it funny how both the Toei version (anime) and Toyotaro’s show Kid Vegeta with bangs covering his forehead, while in Toriyama’s version he looks like he was always bald lol.

• I laughed a lot at your narration of how over-the-top Beerus slapping Bulma was.

• I honestly thought you were going to hate the Goku vs. Beerus fight in this anime version. Personally, I remember finding the way they dragged it out pretty annoying... the random Aura Dragons stuff, but I thought the scenes with the other characters were actually decent.

• I totally agree that the movie version is, and always will be, the best way to tell this story.



Other thoughts

• Now that all that’s done, I can say that back in 2016, when I first found this thread and got hooked on how DB stuff was analyzed like never before, it felt like a distant dream just to see you dissect GT, so now that you’re on Super, I can only imagine how entertaining it’s gonna be. Even the parts I’m not much into, like the manga from the Future Trunks arc and onwards, it should be fun.

[omegalucas]

Ready to cover Battle or Gods and presumably Resurrection F *another time*?

[Gaffer Tape]

It’s been just under a year since I last checked this thread, but I’m back again to drop my thoughts on the content that was dissected after:

I just wanted to say how fun it was to travel through last year's videos with you. It was a great way to recap my year and put it behind me. Thanks!

Ready to cover Battle or Gods and presumably Resurrection F *another time*?

Haha, it's amazing how many comments I've gotten about this, and I'm very tickled that so many people have said I was the first person they thought of when this was announced.

[The Dark Knight]

Haha, it's amazing how many comments I've gotten about this, and I'm very tickled that so many people have said I was the first person they thought of when this was announced.

By the time you get to it there'll be another one in development.

[Scsigs]

It’s been just under a year since I last checked this thread, but I’m back again to drop my thoughts on the content that was dissected after:

I just wanted to say how fun it was to travel through last year's videos with you. It was a great way to recap my year and put it behind me. Thanks!

Ready to cover Battle or Gods and presumably Resurrection F *another time*?

Haha, it's amazing how many comments I've gotten about this, and I'm very tickled that so many people have said I was the first person they thought of when this was announced.

To be fair, it IS hilarious irony. You JUST started retrospecting Super & the last 2 Z films that series adapted & THEN Toei goes ahead & announces that they're doing essentially a Kai version of the arcs from Super from before Moro, combining the recutting aspect of Kai with the art clean-up of what they just did with the Fishman Island arc of One Piece.

[omegalucas]

To be fair, it IS hilarious irony. You JUST started retrospecting Super & the last 2 Z films that series adapted & THEN Toei goes ahead & announces that they're doing essentially a Kai version of the arcs from Super from before Moro, combining the recutting aspect of Kai with the art clean-up of what they just did with the Fishman Island arc of One Piece.

This, especially considering the emphasis made on the videos on there already being so many versions of these arcs. So yay another one!

[Gaffer Tape]

Dragon Ball Dissection is so back! What did I miss while I was gone? Oh. A whole new version of Super. Well, that's awkward. Anyway!

The Airtight Case for Slice of Life! - Dragon Ball Dissection: The Resurrection 'F' Arc Part 1

Resurrection 'F' is not a great movie, but the TV version adds lots of character moments. As far as I'm concerned, there's an airtight case for slice of life, and I will hear no objections! It's aliens from the Planet Snak. It's Vegeta making snacks. And it's Videl having the unthinkable idea of letting her daughter decide her life path for herself!

[Kenji]

On the topic of Chi-Chi acting extremely cruel for no reason:
I'm not sure if this was talked about in your dissection of the first episode, and forgive me if it was, but wasn't Chi-Chi supposed to be over the entire "I don't want my family to fight, I want my family to study" thing in the Boo Saga? She seemed to be pretty chill about it as long as her son married a well-off family, and admitted she was only doing it for the strict purpose of Gohan becoming a rich man. Why is she even back to this kind of behavior in Super to begin with? Did the show ever explain that?

[PhantomSaiyan]

Why is she even back to this kind of behavior in Super to begin with? Did the show ever explain that?

Super writers flanderizing the characters, that's the only reason unfortunately

[Scsigs]

So, I rewatched a few of the episodes between the Battle of Gods & Res F arcs of Super just the other day, mainly just to see if they actually explained how Vegeta god SS God & Blue which I didn't remember that they did. The main thing that I have to say about them is that...I just don't like how Goku & Chichi are flanderized in them. Chichi being back to an overbearing parent with Pan, despite becoming more relaxed with Goten, as well as how she treats the money Mr. Satan gave them ostensibly to keep Goku working the fields. Whether she actually spent the money or not (it's possible since it was over a period of 6 months), considering they establish that Ox King was helping them pay for everything they need to, you'd think she'd save that money in a bank or something to let it collect interest.
Goku as well was flanderized for the sake of comedy. His overbearingness when it comes to wanting to go train with Whis & Vegeta is, I feel, a bit of a step too fair & feels more like Abridged Goku than Toriyama's. Like, I know Goku loves to train & surpass his previous limits, but I would think he'd be able to handle things more maturely when we have things like Goku training with Gohan in the Time Chamber, then he had them relaxing for the next several days afterwards. It's why I have problems with some of the comedy in the Buu Arc, as it at times goes against what the characters should be acting like & Super has those problems at times when writing its comedy.

On the topic of Chi-Chi acting extremely cruel for no reason:
I'm not sure if this was talked about in your dissection of the first episode, and forgive me if it was, but wasn't Chi-Chi supposed to be over the entire "I don't want my family to fight, I want my family to study" thing in the Boo Saga? She seemed to be pretty chill about it as long as her son married a well-off family, and admitted she was only doing it for the strict purpose of Gohan becoming a rich man. Why is she even back to this kind of behavior in Super to begin with? Did the show ever explain that?

This. Yes, Chichi should be over it. She actually started sparring with Goten, so she was the one who became ok with it. Her having an entire episode dedicated to being an overbearing grandma dictating what her ganddaughter should do rather than leaving it up to her son & his wife goes against that development. It's not the only instance of character regression & flanderization in Super, as both Goku & Vegeta also suffer from these problems, but they're not the only ones. It's really dumb.

[The Dark Knight]

So, I rewatched a few of the episodes between the Battle of Gods & Res F arcs of Super just the other day, mainly just to see if they actually explained how Vegeta god SS God & Blue which I didn't remember that they did.

Blue was never explained in any version of the story (movie, anime, or manga), but Goku says in episode 27 that Vegeta reached SsjG without the need for the ritual. He didn't go into detail about how that happened, just that it did.