Dragon Ball Rewatch, Week 25 - DB episode 111-115

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

I like it as well. The Denshi Jar being a rice cooker also works and for me doesn't diminish Piccolo one bit. Tone's a tricky thing and years ago I would've said that anything that dissipates tension or a threat is bad, but now not so much.

Indeed.

I think, overall, consistency in tone is an overrated concept in modern pop culture.
IMO, one of the main reasons Buffy The Vampire Slayer works, and is as heartwrenchingly dark and harsh in places, is because there's frequent levity; it's a very funny show, and even in its darkest moments, isn't afraid to be goofy. So, you're sort of going up and down; you're laughing, then you're crying.
Hell, in The Irishman, Scorcese's most recent flick, it's dark and intense, but there's a lot of legitimately laugh-out-loud moments in the film. I think a lot of lesser directors would have tried to play it far straighter, and been afraid of sacrificing the seriousness of the film by having these comedic moments.

Piccolo achieving his youth wish is a great example of this, too, actually. His laughing is actually really funny to watch, and the way he suddenly ceases his laugh when he picks up the balls to make the wish... It's all very funny. He's an utter goofball, but he's also a heartless killer. Amidst all the zany behaviour, he kills Chiaotzu, gets his ultimate power, and kills the dragon. It's a dark time.
And then he goes and has a nap with his eyes open, and drinks his melon soda, etc., or recites a childrens' nursery rhyme to spit out his demon spawn...

I think Piccolo in this arc might be the perfect example of Dragon Ball's tone as a whole, to be honest; the way it mixes the darkness with the levity.

Yes, he's equally menacing and funny at the same time. His over the top fear after Roshi reveals the Denshin Jar from inside the Hoi Poi capsule is a good example as well because it's just the sheer absurdity of a big scary green alien guy being so deathly afraid of a rice cooker, seeing as it was the same thing as what he'd been sealed away in last time by Mutaito long ago.

[Robo4900]

I like it as well. The Denshi Jar being a rice cooker also works and for me doesn't diminish Piccolo one bit. Tone's a tricky thing and years ago I would've said that anything that dissipates tension or a threat is bad, but now not so much.

Indeed.
[...]
I think Piccolo in this arc might be the perfect example of Dragon Ball's tone as a whole, to be honest; the way it mixes the darkness with the levity.

Yes, he's equally menacing and funny at the same time. His over the top fear after Roshi reveals the Denshin Jar from inside the Hoi Poi capsule is a good example as well because it's just the sheer absurdity of a big scary green alien guy being so deathly afraid of a rice cooker, seeing as it was the same thing as what he'd been sealed away in last time by Mutaito long ago.

Yep!

Honestly, the rice cooker might be my favourite gag in this arc. The object of Piccolo's ultimate fear, and the core thing Tenshinhan and Roshi spend all this time fussing about, is a rice cooker!!

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

Indeed.
[...]
I think Piccolo in this arc might be the perfect example of Dragon Ball's tone as a whole, to be honest; the way it mixes the darkness with the levity.

Yes, he's equally menacing and funny at the same time. His over the top fear after Roshi reveals the Denshin Jar from inside the Hoi Poi capsule is a good example as well because it's just the sheer absurdity of a big scary green alien guy being so deathly afraid of a rice cooker, seeing as it was the same thing as what he'd been sealed away in last time by Mutaito long ago.

Yep!

Honestly, the rice cooker might be my favourite gag in this arc. The object of Piccolo's ultimate fear, and the core thing Tenshinhan and Roshi spend all this time fussing about, is a rice cooker!!

I know right, and for an arc that marked the gradual change in direction of the series toward what became the standard formula for much of DBZ this one bit in particular really gets me. Even as serious in stakes as the Piccolo Daimao arc is at times it still has an ample amount of humorous moments and the Denshin Jar's reveal is no exception with the fact that this thing which had been built up to so much is a rice cooker thus making the part where Piccolo looks like he's going to soil himself at the mere sight of it all the more hilarious, and i always break down laughing every time. XD

[ABED]

And it works because that tone isn't the norm either before or after. Toriyama was right to do a reset and start off light and slowly build tension until the final round of the tournament.

[MyVisionity]

I'm not really feeling this arc very much on rewatch. I think I might prefer what comes before and after over it. I'm not sure exactly what it is that isn't working. Maybe it's the pacing and all of the filler messing with the flow. Maybe it's the newfound gravity in the tone that doesn't quite click.

I don't really like Sno and Hacchan appearing again, or Gyuumao and Chichi in the following episodes. I enjoy all of those characters, but I think the filler cheapens their significance somewhat.

This arc pretty much contains the last of the gag humor element that DB was known for before the shift into the primarily straightforward and serious tone of the rest of the series.

[ArmenianPepsi]

Yes, he's equally menacing and funny at the same time. His over the top fear after Roshi reveals the Denshin Jar from inside the Hoi Poi capsule is a good example as well because it's just the sheer absurdity of a big scary green alien guy being so deathly afraid of a rice cooker, seeing as it was the same thing as what he'd been sealed away in last time by Mutaito long ago.

Yep!

Honestly, the rice cooker might be my favourite gag in this arc. The object of Piccolo's ultimate fear, and the core thing Tenshinhan and Roshi spend all this time fussing about, is a rice cooker!!

I know right, and for an arc that marked the gradual change in direction of the series toward what became the standard formula for much of DBZ this one bit in particular really gets me. Even as serious in stakes as the Piccolo Daimao arc is at times it still has an ample amount of humorous moments and the Denshin Jar's reveal is no exception with the fact that this thing which had been built up to so much is a rice cooker thus making the part where Piccolo looks like he's going to soil himself at the mere sight of it all the more hilarious, and i always break down laughing every time. XD

I'm with you there. The way the gags are incorporated into the serious moments can be quite funny, but totally not ruin the mood. You can get a nice chuckle from a joke, but still be able to take the story that surrounds it seriously. If that makes any sense xD

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

Yep!

Honestly, the rice cooker might be my favourite gag in this arc. The object of Piccolo's ultimate fear, and the core thing Tenshinhan and Roshi spend all this time fussing about, is a rice cooker!!

I know right, and for an arc that marked the gradual change in direction of the series toward what became the standard formula for much of DBZ this one bit in particular really gets me. Even as serious in stakes as the Piccolo Daimao arc is at times it still has an ample amount of humorous moments and the Denshin Jar's reveal is no exception with the fact that this thing which had been built up to so much is a rice cooker thus making the part where Piccolo looks like he's going to soil himself at the mere sight of it all the more hilarious, and i always break down laughing every time. XD

I'm with you there. The way the gags are incorporated into the serious moments can be quite funny, but totally not ruin the mood. You can get a nice chuckle from a joke, but still be able to take the story that surrounds it seriously. If that makes any sense xD

Yes, and it's things like the above which really show how even in one of the more serious storylines there are still some really good funny moments in there even if not quite to the heavy extent with the Pilaf and 21st Budokai arcs which have a Dr. Slump leaning direction as more gag based.

[KBABZ]

This arc pretty much contains the last of the gag humor element that DB was known for before the shift into the primarily straightforward and serious tone of the rest of the series.

I would like to point out that Frieza's top henchmen are named after dairy products and play Rock Paper Scissors to decide who goes first.

[ArmenianPepsi]

This arc pretty much contains the last of the gag humor element that DB was known for before the shift into the primarily straightforward and serious tone of the rest of the series.

I would like to point out that Frieza's top henchmen are named after dairy products and play Rock Paper Scissors to decide who goes first.

Then you have a tubby pink monster that can turn people into chocolate to eat them, has the mentality of a spoiled little kid, but is also the most powerful force in the universe. Able to totally decimate almost anything or anyone at will.

[MyVisionity]

This arc pretty much contains the last of the gag humor element that DB was known for before the shift into the primarily straightforward and serious tone of the rest of the series.

I would like to point out that Frieza's top henchmen are named after dairy products and play Rock Paper Scissors to decide who goes first.

I don't really consider being named after dairy products "gag humor". And of course there are still bits and pieces of humor within the series, it's just a much smaller presence. The Ginyu Force is more of an exception.

Yes of course with Majin Boo the series revisits some of its gag roots, but even then it's still dominated by the darker and more serious tone that the Z-era is known for. At any rate, I was just referring to how the series evolved after Daimao with the shift out of gag humor.

[Robo4900]

This arc pretty much contains the last of the gag humor element that DB was known for before the shift into the primarily straightforward and serious tone of the rest of the series.

I would disagree with that.

The Saiyan arc does go pretty intense for a lot of its run, but the Namek arc has the Ginyu force, who are all massive goofballs in much the same way as the Pilaf gang are, though they happen to be really strong fighters as well. Remember the Ginyu recruitment scene, where the captain is running various ridiculous trials for Freeza's soldiers to participate in to see if they'll make it as Ginyus?... Then he ends up killing all of them, laughing all the while?
It's scary and intense, but also really funny.

And actually, even the Saiyan arc is loaded with goofiness... Kaio refuses to train Goku until he can deliver a funny joke, which is then brought back in the Namek arc with the rest of the gang.

All throughout the rest of the run, there are gags in every episode. The gags aren't the main point anymore (they haven't been since at least the very first arc), but as is the case here in the Piccolo arc, and in the 22nd Tenkaichi, and in the latter half of the Red Ribbon arc, there are gags everywhere, mixed in with the fairly serious storytelling. It's like the work of Joss Whedon -- yeah, it goes dark places, and is mostly played straight, but there are gags up the wazoo.

I still stand by my view that a lot of the "the gags stopped after OG DB" perception comes from people seeing a separation between OG DB and Z that really isn't there in anything but name. That, and the way the scripts were written for the English dubs.

I don't really consider being named after dairy products "gag humor".

Gags are jokes. Humour is usually derived from jokes. Such as the rice cooker, Piccolo sleeping with his eyes open or drinking melon soda, all of the stuff that happens in the driving episode in the Androids arc...
Similarly, the Ginyu force being named after dairy products, and their general behaviour as a bunch of goobers, is also a collection of jokes, or gags.

... So I don't understand what you mean by "I don't consider this gag humour"...

And of course there are still bits and pieces of humor within the series, it's just a much smaller presence. The Ginyu Force is more of an exception.

As I laid out above, I don't think it's a smaller presence. Maybe if you're comparing the later stuff to the Pilaf arc, or the 21st Tenkaichi. Maybe even early Red Ribbon. But anything after that, I'm not seeing what you mean.

Yes of course with Majin Boo the series revisits some of its gag roots, but even then it's still dominated by the darker and more serious tone that the Z-era is known for. At any rate, I was just referring to how the series evolved after Daimao with the shift out of gag humor.

I'd argue the Red Ribbon arc was that shift, and that shift was sealed by the 22nd Tenkaichi.
As for Boo... I mean, I'd argue it's doing the exact same thing as the Piccolo arc, tonally.

[KBABZ]

To specifically address the Buu arc for a bit, I agree that it is more willing to play a joke... but that doesn't REALLY happen until Buu shows up. Plus, a lot of it is deliberately disturbing humour. Buu turns an old man into milk for a blind kid to drink, cures the kid, and then flies off to blow up a city whilst CHEERING. It goes from funny, to disgusting, to heartwarming, and then disturbing.

I think Buu's ability to turn people into candy is this as well. It's initially funny when he does it to Dabura, but when he uses it on Kami's Lookout, it's like a slasher movie. One of the most horrifying moments in the entire franchise, for me at least, is when Super Buu turns Chi-Chi into an egg and then steps on her, and Goten WITNESSES THIS. The tone and mood of the Buu arc is played and subverted like a hyperactive kid on a sound board, it's a near-complete blender once Toriyama got bored of the high school and Tournament stuff.

(and on a Your Mileage May Vary note, for me the reasoning for this is because Toriyama was long-since tired with the manga and went from writing whatever he felt like to writing WHATEVER he felt like)

[Robo4900]

To specifically address the Buu arc for a bit, I agree that it is more willing to play a joke... but that doesn't REALLY happen until Buu shows up.

Hard disagree; the Great Saiyaman stuff is a highschool romcom. It's silly as fuck.

Plus, a lot of it is deliberately disturbing humour. Buu turns an old man into milk for a blind kid to drink, cures the kid, and then flies off to blow up a city whilst CHEERING. It goes from funny, to disgusting, to heartwarming, and then disturbing.

I think Buu's ability to turn people into candy is this as well. It's initially funny when he does it to Dabura, but when he uses it on Kami's Lookout, it's like a slasher movie. One of the most horrifying moments in the entire franchise, for me at least, is when Super Buu turns Chi-Chi into an egg and then steps on her, and Goten WITNESSES THIS. The tone and mood of the Buu arc is played and subverted like a hyperactive kid on a sound board, it's a near-complete blender once Toriyama got bored of the high school and Tournament stuff.

On the other hand, I completely agree with this... IMO it kinda takes what the Piccolo arc did in regards to balancing the humour with the serious stuff, and went even further with it.

(and on a Your Mileage May Vary note, for me the reasoning for this is because Toriyama was long-since tired with the manga and went from writing whatever he felt like to writing WHATEVER he felt like)

I think for the Boo arc, Toriyama knew it was the end, so he decided "Fuck it, I'm doing whatever I like."
Whatever he felt like any given week, he did it. He knew roughly how he wanted the ending to feel, he knew roughly this and that idea of where the next few weeks would go, but basically had no obligation to have to tell another story after this one, ever. So, he just did whatever he felt like.

IIRC he also had a different editor for most of the Boo arc than he'd had for a lot of the rest of the "Z" storylines, and I think that editor gave him more freedom.
Though personally, I think the Boo arc may have turned out better if one of Toriyama's earlier editors had advised on it more. To be honest, basically all the arcs after Namek suffer from this issue; lots of ideas are a bit messy, course corrections are sudden and jarring, etc.

[KBABZ]

IIRC he also had a different editor for most of the Boo arc than he'd had for a lot of the rest of the "Z" storylines, and I think that editor gave him more freedom.
Though personally, I think the Boo arc may have turned out better if one of Toriyama's earlier editors had advised on it more. To be honest, basically all the arcs after Namek suffer from this issue; lots of ideas are a bit messy, course corrections are sudden and jarring, etc.

That is correct. While Buu is VERY divisive, it is incredibly unique as a Dragon Ball arc, and it's a very welcome change of pace after four straight arcs in the classic Villain Arc formula that took over the franchise starting with Daimao and played deadly straight almost the entire time.

[Robo4900]

That is correct. While Buu is VERY divisive, it is incredibly unique as a Dragon Ball arc, and it's a very welcome change of pace after four straight arcs in the classic Villain Arc formula that took over the franchise starting with Daimao and played deadly straight almost the entire time.

Agreed. It feels like a breath of fresh air to me, when I get to it. I love the entire original run (including GT), don't get me wrong, and at one time, as a kid, I would've said the Androids/Cell arcs were my favourite, but the Androids arc is a bit much, and is a bit of a stale mess in a lot of ways by the time it ends. So getting back to something more willing to be silly and different is nice. A shame it pretty much completely runs out of steam once Boo eats Gohan, but... Well, we'll get to my more in-depth thoughts when we get there. However far away that is.

I will say this, though -- I think if Toriyama had decided to continue doing Dragon Ball for another couple of years, the next arc would've felt a lot like a mixture between the Boo arc and Super. Toei were smart to not try to do this with GT, since they would have probably failed to do it right (GT only got good when they moved away from trying to emulate Toriyama's style, after all), but it kinda disappoints me that Super isn't generally willing to be as ambitious and weird as Boo was. It's quite safe... It doesn't really feel like the natural next step after the Boo arc. That's one reason I like the Broly movie, though; it tries new things, it's weird, it's willing to play with new directions, etc.

[KBABZ]

Yeah. I haven't watched Super yet, but from what I can gather it's closer to "More Dragon Ball Z" rather than "New Dragon Ball Z".

[ABED]

That's one reason I like the Broly movie, though; it tries new things, it's weird, it's willing to play with new directions, etc.

I'm not following. What new things did Super: Broly try?

[Robo4900]

Yeah. I haven't watched Super yet, but from what I can gather it's closer to "More Dragon Ball Z" rather than "New Dragon Ball Z".

Well...

If GT is an attempt to proceed onto trying new things, Super is an attempt to keep running in place on the same groove that people typically associate with "DBZ".

There are a lot of nods to OG DB, but in general, the direction is clearly one of "Market this to nostalgic people who watched DBZ 20-30 years ago."

I have issues with this approach, but it's generated a few stories I really did love, and a lot of people really dig it, so I can't exactly advise against seeing it, though given the mixed quality of the material itself, I have a hard time recommending it to anyone who hasn't already seen basically everything else.

I'm not following. What new things did Super: Broly try?

Spoilers for Super Broly:

Spoiler:

Well, arguably the movie is really the story of Broly, Cheelai, and that other dude, which allows it to be a different kind of story to the kind Dragon Ball usually tells. Goku, Vegeta, and all the other guys we would usually assume to be the main characters don't really have any arc to speak of, they just sort of react to what's happening in the story, and try to beat the big dude who's a threat. Broly and his friends, and his abusive father, are really the only active parts of the story.

On top of this, despite the scale being quite enormous in a literal sense, with us looking at various time periods and locations throughout the galaxy and throughout history, it's actually quite a small story. The usually-enormous ensemble cast of Dragon Ball is whittled down to a very minimalist group, letting everything breathe in a way it really hasn't since like... The 21st Tenkaichi? Maybe Red Ribbon?...
Even mainstays like Beerus, Whis, Goten, Trunks, and Piccolo are only given cameos, pretty much. Gohan, Kuririn, Yamucha, Tenshinhan, and various others who are somewhat mainstays in the original run, and have continued to appear a lot in Super, don't show up AT ALL. So, we get a very focussed little story. Particularly nowadays, Toriyama likes to kind of involve everyone, or almost everyone, so this is unusual.

The titular "main villain" of Super Broly isn't a baddy. He's kinda forced to undergo a transformation that loses him his mind and makes him become a threat, but Broly himself just kinda wants to live a nice life. If he had his choice, he wouldn't be fighting anybody. That's unusual for Dragon Ball. At best, in the past, we've had villains who are just misunderstood, and end up fighting for good by the end of the arc, after seeing a better way (Tenshinhan, later Boo), or do the same over a longer period (Piccolo, then later Vegeta).

[MyVisionity]

This arc pretty much contains the last of the gag humor element that DB was known for before the shift into the primarily straightforward and serious tone of the rest of the series.

All throughout the rest of the run, there are gags in every episode. The gags aren't the main point anymore (they haven't been since at least the very first arc), but as is the case here in the Piccolo arc, and in the 22nd Tenkaichi, and in the latter half of the Red Ribbon arc, there are gags everywhere, mixed in with the fairly serious storytelling. It's like the work of Joss Whedon -- yeah, it goes dark places, and is mostly played straight, but there are gags up the wazoo.

I don't really see the gags anymore after Daimao. The storytelling becomes so serious that the gag humor is naturally phased out. I agree that it had already stopped being a "gag manga" prior to this arc, but the gag humor still had a distinctly noticeable presence in the series that in my view ends with Daimao.

I don't really consider being named after dairy products "gag humor".

Gags are jokes. Humour is usually derived from jokes. Such as the rice cooker, Piccolo sleeping with his eyes open or drinking melon soda, all of the stuff that happens in the driving episode in the Androids arc...
Similarly, the Ginyu force being named after dairy products, and their general behaviour as a bunch of goobers, is also a collection of jokes, or gags.

... So I don't understand what you mean by "I don't consider this gag humour"...

General humor/jokes and "gags" are two different things. The rice cooker is a gag, the Ginyu antics is a gag, but a lot of the comedy found in the second half of the series is just that, comedy.

I don't consider being named after dairy products a gag since all of the series' characters are named after things. Unless you consider every character a gag character because of their names. And if that's the case, then the Ginyu are no exception.

Yes of course with Majin Boo the series revisits some of its gag roots, but even then it's still dominated by the darker and more serious tone that the Z-era is known for. At any rate, I was just referring to how the series evolved after Daimao with the shift out of gag humor.

As for Boo... I mean, I'd argue it's doing the exact same thing as the Piccolo arc, tonally.

Yes, but only after the series had shifted out of that mode. It's a departure from the previous arcs and a return to the Daimao days.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

Love how serious the series has gotten in these episodes. Looking back this arc is definitely OG Dragon Ball at its best. My thoughts on the previous week, current week to follow:

Episode 111 - Kame-Sen’nin’s Final Mafuba!!

From the onset of this episode there is a sense of uncertainty and fear build up from Bulma and gang who watch the Dragon Balls location from the radar and notice a discrepancy. The Kikuchi track carries this notion of something terrible possibly happening, especially as Bulma is unable to contact Roshi. Meanwhile in the beginning of Roshi and Daimao's fight there is some great use of silence to emphasize the tension as Daimao shows his coniving side spitting out the Dragon Balls and trying to temp Roshi into taking them back. Roshi's experience shows as he refuses to give in and instead waits for the moment where he can prepare his own trump card - the Mafuba. While the preparation for this technique has Daimao terrified it also highlights the aforementioned fragility within this episode. The notion that Roshi's technique could be the demise of him or Daimao becomes a breaking point for this arc where it could either escalate or be resolved. The cutback to Yajirobe driving Goku to Karin Tower was incredibly brief, which shows how inconsequential their side quest has become by comparison as they are not in possession of any Dragon Balls themselves and lack power in this situation. Once Roshi fails to trap Daimao, and Daimao manages to summon Shenron the episode ends with both anticipation and hesitation for what will come next.

Episode 112 - Piccolo Daimao’s Youth Restored?!

There is a sense of fear in the first half of this episode followed by a feeling of uncertainty in the latter half because of the content of the former. Bulma noticing all the Dragon Balls in one place from the radar as the sky turns dark emphasizes the fear of Daimao's imminent return to full power. This is all made possible by Daimao summoning Shenron, which puts him in a position of power like no villain in the series has thus far. The emphasis on Bulma and gang not knowing whether it was Roshi or Daimao that summoned Shenron was perfect for this moment. In addition the formerly stoic Tien appears petrified at the sight of Shenron in Daimao's command showing the tides have turned in terms of which should be Goku's most feared adversary. Tien communicating with Chaoitzu to ensure he makes a wish before Daimao was a great way of showing their bond and dependancy for one another in times of need. Daimao however shoots Chaoitzu down with ease, and after getting his wish to be young again he instantly murders Shenron causing the Dragon Balls to turn to stone indefinitely. Tien aware of how dire a situation this is and clearly mourning Roshi's death and Chaoitzu's beating expresses his frustration by smashing a massive rock. Once Daimao regains his youth we see his truly ruthless side shaterring the Pilaf gang's desire for having their own kingdom to rule and blowing them off his ship without a care. The contrast between this sense of despair and Goku being oblivious to it through his happy reunion with Oopa only necessitates the need for greater tension leading to the inevitable rematch between Goku and the now youthful bodied Daimao.

Episode 113 - King Castle on the Offensive-Defensive!!

Throughout this episode the looming fear of Daimao's domination persists. In the beginning the scene of Daimao's ship hanging over the world works on both a literal and metaphoric level as it shows his position of power and how the story has taken a turn for the worst. Daimao's malicious character is evident from him shooting the globe giving an example of what he would do to the city of the king of the world. Unknown to the innocents celebrating the arrival of the king of the world their moments would be short lived as Daimao would only cause fear and harm upon his arrival. The queues for people giving the king bouquets of flowers was interferred by the shockwaves of everyone he shot down and kills along the way to the king's stage. Even for those who aren't killed or critically injured like Suno are left devastated when she is knocked to the ground and sees the flowers she wanted to give the king were tarnished. The king narrowly escapes but is horrified to see the devastation caused to his city and the people he loved. The juxtaposition with Oopa and Bora's delight to see Goku again continues to build anticipation for Goku and Daimao's upcoming confrontation, especially because it shows the differences in perspective as the former is unaware how dire the situation has become. Oopa in particular is excited to show Goku his punches, emphasizing that he looks up to him and specifically his strength. By contrast the uninterested Yajirobe commands no respect, but only when he agrees to climb Karin Tower with Goku gets launched by the super strong Bora and has a good head start for climbing the tower the whole way up. The importance of climbing the tower is brought to the forefront through constant reminders of the tragedy of the fall of our heroes great teacher - Muten Roshi. Tien remembers Roshi's attempt to defeat Daimao using the Mafuba, and Bulma and gang remain devastated at losing both him and Chaoitzu. With Goku falling asleep on Yajirobe's back there is some uncertainty moving on to the next episode, but nonetheless this has been some of the most exciting content thus far in this series.

Episode 114 - Goku’s Wish!! Even Karin-sama is Worried

Some recurring themes throughout this episode are the ongoing reign of Daimao, and our heroes motivation to avenge their fallen friends. From the onset the use of Kikuchi's score emphasizes the utter horror at the sight of Daimao atop the king of the world's helicopter and the guards look at him with fear. Silence followed as King Furry's guards attempt shooting Daimao but are shocked to see him remain unharmed. Daimao's maliciousness shows as he grabs a guard by his head, hang him from above before dropping him and blasting the city after threatening the king. Suno is left even more devaststed by her tarnished flowers as they are blown by the wind and she sees the damage caused by Daimao's assault. Meanwhile, Turtle and Puar cry as Roshi and Chaoitzu are placed into their capsule coffins. Everything seems hopeless for anyone who has witnesses what Daimao is capable of. Goku and Yajirobe still oblivious to the catastrophes are concerning themselves with reaching the top of Karin Tower. Oopa shows concern for Goku's safety in particular, although Bora, showing he has gained trust in Goku assures his son that he will be ok. There is one humorous scene with Yajirobe with Goku on his back falls down slightly as he was thinking too much about the food, although he learns his lesson and manages to get him and Goku to the top, knocking himself out in exhaustion as a result. Unsurprisingly, everything Karin's tower has to offer comes off as a whole new world for Yajirobe. He is shocked to know Karin has his own way of watching the world below, and feasts on the senzu beans without having any idea of the side effect that one is completely filling. Goku by contrast knows how to take senzu beans right as he takes one and is back to his usual fighting self. Moreover, the loss of Roshi remains a melancholic motif throughout the episode. Bulma and gang notice someone reading a magazine on a bench outside - it turns out to be Oolong, a very real moment that emphasizes the point that once someone is gone it takes time to accept it. When Goku is told by Karin Roshi has died there is a montage of his memories with him, including the first time he flew on Kinto Un, his jokes, the training and meditation exercises he gave him. Overall there is huge amounts of emotional weight added to Roshi's death, which worked as a motivational factor to push the story forward with Goku heading off to find the Choshinsui Water in the upcoming mini adventure.

Episode 115 - Get Your Hands On It! The Mysterious Super Sacred Water

This episode works as both a bridging point for Goku and Yajirobe's next mini adventure and a reminder of the devastation caused by Daimao's reign. The opening scene features scene of Central City in despair accompanied by a somber Kikuchi track, which emphasizes the misery over what has occurred. At Daimao's new castle Piano's demand for Daimao's enslaved subjects to make him a meal in a brief time shows other aspects of his dictatorship, which are causing great emotional distress for the innocents even when they are not harmed or killed. Karin shows his wisdom as both Goku and Yajirobe come off anxious as they await him to say a word about the Choshinsui Water, Goku irritates Karin briefly with his lack of patience by grabbing him from behind but nonetheless knowing how dire the situation is Karin agrees to tell them a scary tale of many who died trying to find it. Unsurprisingly we see Goku is clearly the more courageous of the two as Yajirobe doesn't want to go on this journey and only goes around Karin Tower looking for food but ironically ends up getting sucked into a portal to the icy labyrinth where the Choshinsui Water is hidden. Goku soon follows and is pleasantly surprised to see Yajirobe. In this icy labyrinth Goku faces his first challenge in the form of a tough ice monster, which even a Kamehame Ha has no effect on. Goku and Yajirobe manage to narrowly escape sliding down a long slope, although its the uncertainty about where that will leave them that keeps the tension going throughout this mini adventure. Back at Central City we see Suno's kind personality once more as she watches over an innocent old lady and getting frustrated by Daimao kills more people. Suno's attempt to shoot Daimao and save the day herself was quite admirable, although once she tries she realizes its not so easy. As the episode ends there are more reminders of Roshi's tragedy as Tien continues trying to learn the Mafuba becoming irritated by his lack of progress, and a mysterious figure emerges from the Cave of Darkness that appears to be him, leaving many questions yet to be answered as this mini adventure for Goku and Yajirobe continues.