Dragon Ball Daima: Episode 6 - Official Discussion Thread

[JulieYBM]

"OG DB was this slow, but it had more episodes."
It was originally supposed to end at Pilaf, so "originally," it had 13 episodes, and nothing super impactful happened either until the last three. And I'm fine with this, good storytelling works by slow rising action setting up things so they have a good payoff at the end, not constant mindless action.

Toriyama had three chapters finished by the time publication began and reportedly had no idea what he was going to do for Chapter #4 and onward, so I feel like the question of intention is kind of pointless.

That being said, a lot of these past three or so episodes have felt like taking a single 15-page chapter's worth of plot and stretching it out across a single 20 minute episode. That didn't really work with Dragon Ball (1986), I don't really see it suddenly working here. The first five episodes really would work better as three—maybe four, but without the Gokuu and friends scenes in the first episode.

Anyway, to get back on the subject of Episode #6 specifically: I wish the build up to Gokuu and Glorio sparring had been more emotionally charged. Let there be conflict and tension! Let Glorio be upset with Gokuu! If Gokuu can't change, do radical work with Glorio and Panzy!

[nineko]

Speaking about Glorio, one of his lines makes no sense, he asks Goku "do you really think you're that much stronger than me?", duh, yes? Wasn't that the reason Glorio went to Earth in the first place? I know he's a double agent and all, but deliberately enlisting the help of someone weaker than him and claiming otherwise wouldn't hold any tactical advantage, unless he wants to fool everyone until the last episode, and then go "trololo I'm stronger than you all".

[Yuji]

Speaking about Glorio, one of his lines makes no sense, he asks Goku "do you really think you're that much stronger than me?", duh, yes? Wasn't that the reason Glorio went to Earth in the first place? I know he's a double agent and all, but deliberately enlisting the help of someone weaker than him and claiming otherwise wouldn't hold any tactical advantage, unless he wants to fool everyone until the last episode, and then go "trololo I'm stronger than you all".

He says right after that line that it doesn't matter how strong he used to be, he's just a child now. The implication being that Glorio thinks the wish decreased his power that much that he's no longer as formidable as when he fought Boo and they're comparable. As to why he chose to recruit Goku in spite of the power loss, their main objective now is to get their old bodies back and, therefore, their old strength back.

[Luso Saiyan]

He says right after that line that it doesn't matter how strong he used to be, he's just a child now. The implication being that Glorio thinks the wish decreased his power that much that he's no longer as formidable as when he fought Boo and they're comparable.

Exactly. And Gomah shares that belief has well.

[Cipher]

I've held off a lot on saying this just to avoid weird dramatic responses, but I think at this point it shouldn't be that bit an issue to state that I really don't think this series is going to have a ton of re-watch value. Things happen, but the plot itself isn't really progressing. There's too little a sense of movement, even if locations change. The lack of any real B-plot has definitely helped highlight this as an issue with the series. We're six episodes in—probably a fourth of the way through the series—usually there would be a nice dramatic shift here, but instead it still feels like the series is trying to get off the ground.

Fully agreed. I don't see myself coming back to this, really, unless it has a phenomenal and surprising back half.

Every episode is pleasant enough while watching, and never frustrating in the way Super's TV series could be, but the brisk plotting of both Dragon Ball as a manga (and Super, as a manga) and the single-volume Toriyama series with which this is of a piece is lacking here, and I'm waiting for an element of unpredictability, also always DB's forte.

At a fourth of the way through the series, it is yet to demonstrate that it will ever get off its fairly telegraphed path, and indeed isn't even out of its first act.

It's visually beautiful, and amusing, but I don't see myself particularly wanting to sit through the first six episodes again at this point. When I'm done with each episode, too, I don't really find myself thinking about it or wondering what will happen. I'm shocked to say this, but for as dire as Super TV could be, that's not something I could say about it.

For the first six weeks, the most interesting things to talk about have been lore drops.

Tonally, it's a nice, fitting send-off for the series under Toriyama. But six weeks in I'm not sure it's capturing some pretty key components of the magic—again, either of Dragon Ball or like Toriyama series.

I don't mean to sound overly hard on Daima, or like I actively dislike it—and it is a better show than Super. But I can't say I'm chomping at the bit for new episode either. I'd just like to be surprised.

[Ronin]

I am enjoying it, but I agree that there does seem to be a lack of anything majorly interesting happening in a series that's apparently gonna be around 20-24 episodes. The lore is cool, but you could still have that while also progressing the story a bit more each episode. We don't need any filler episodes in a series this short. As far as re-watchability, I can't say that I'd never re-watch it, but it wouldn't be any time soon. If they made a manga version that's more compressed, then I'd most likely re-visit that instead.

[Zephyr]

Hopefully next year they announce that Toyotaro is drawing a manga adaptation of the show, complete with a brisker pace.

[sangofe]

Hopefully next year they announce that Toyotaro is drawing a manga adaptation of the show, complete with a brisker pace.

Hopefully Toyotaro won't be drawing an adaptation.

[Rory]

Hopefully next year they announce that Toyotaro is drawing a manga adaptation of the show, complete with a brisker pace.

I genuinely struggle to think of something I want less.

[LightBing]

Where's everyone getting the information about the 20 episodes?

It feels like such a deadline is influencing people's opinion on the pacing. We're above a quarter of the way, if it's true, makes sense people are antsy with the current pace.

If it's indeed 20 episodes, then I'm a bit concerned that they'll rush the plot later. As it stands, it doesn't feel like a 20 episode series, it's enjoyably expanding the Demon Realm while moving forward.

[Mr Baggins]

The pace is already brisk. Since the party arrived in the demon realm, they've been to like eight completely different locales in the span of just four episodes. Lots of new interactions and enjoyable stuff happening.

Adventure stories have been structured like this since time immemorial, complete with the character arcs and intros Daima already has. Anyone expecting them to push big antagonistic plots majorly forward this early in the show is setting themselves up for disappointment.

[Neo-Makaiōshin]

Where's everyone getting the information about the 20 episodes?

Daniel Castañeda, localization & dub director for Toei LatAm said Daima was 20 episodes long.

https://somoskudasai.com/noticias/anime ... ol-latino/

[LightBing]

Where's everyone getting the information about the 20 episodes?

Daniel Castañeda, localization & dub director for Toei LatAm said Daima was 20 episodes long.

https://somoskudasai.com/noticias/anime ... ol-latino/

I suppose this could refer to only season 1 or something of that sort.

Because otherwise, the last stretch will be rushed and bring down what has been a lovely show so far.

[goku the krump dancer]

Because otherwise, the last stretch will be rushed and bring down what has been a lovely show so far.

Which is the primary concern that I think most of us have.. nothing has happened so far yet there’s still four, potentially SIX major antagonist they have to face with at most maybe 18 episodes left.

[Cipher]

The pace is already brisk. Since the party arrived in the demon realm, they've been to like eight completely different locales in the span of just four episodes. Lots of new interactions and enjoyable stuff happening.

Adventure stories have been structured like this since time immemorial, complete with the character arcs and intros Daima already has. Anyone expecting them to push big antagonistic plots majorly forward this early in the show is setting themselves up for disappointment.

We're six episodes in and they are no closer to achieving any of their goals than they were when they entered the Demon Realm (and what their immediate goals and next destination are has remained oddly undefined). This would be fine if we were learning about our cast, but we've spent more time learning about the world than them. Revealing character interactions are narrative progress—lore about the surroundings not so much.

If this is brisk, what are the opening DB arc or Toriyama's short series? Again, the first arc is several DBs down and past its first major twist/conflict at this point, while defining a whole new cast. The Sand Land adaptation from the other year covers the entire manga in its first six episodes.

Daima is charming, but a well-paced adventure series it is not. Or hasn't been thus far.

[StaticMania]

Yeah...

Character interactions and establishing dynamics have been surprisingly lacking so far. The series' charm has been mostly carried by Goku...and it looked like Panzy's introduction would give Goku someone else to bounce off energy-wise, or at least be a middle-ground between him and the other 2.

She still could be, but this latest episode chose not to start with that.

[Mr Baggins]

We're six episodes in and they are no closer to achieving any of their goals than they were when they entered the Demon Realm (and what their immediate goals and next destination are has remained oddly undefined). This would be fine if we were learning about our cast, but we've spent more time learning about the world than them. Revealing character interactions are narrative progress—lore about the surroundings not so much.

Look, if the style of narrative isn't your bag, to each their own. But nothing in this quote is a true statement by any stretch of the imagination.

They've been specifically talking about their immediate goals (albeit briefly) in almost every episode until now. At first, it was reaching the palace of the Third Demon World's king. Currently, it's reaching the Third Demon World's Tamagami to seize its Dragon Ball, of which there are only three in this adventure unlike the original manga's seven – presumably at the end of each act, if they divide the series per world. They of course hit plenty of stops along the way, just as in DB's first arc.

We've been learning about our cast and their journey about as much as, if not more than, the worldbuilding stuff. This very episode was a revealing character interaction. The whole previous episode introduced a brand new party member and her backstory. The episode prior to that introduced a number of elements about the characters and world and its denizens.

I can go into further detail if you'd like, but given that you'd previously mentioned you didn't care to rewatch any of these episodes, I think you in particular would benefit greatly from doing just that. I'm not being snide here; that's a genuine recommendation from me to you.

As Rory said, it's abundantly clear at this point what Daima is doing. The show is so plainly more about the world and its revolving cast of characters than it is about plot, or any of those big bombastic conflicts that defined Super's arc structure. We're already getting ample progression with the main party dynamics and we're only six episodes in. I think we'll be fine.

[Hellspawn28]

I wonder what tree Zamasu was born from? I find it odd that he was not sent to the other side of the demon world if he was born bad.

[Yuji]

I wonder what tree Zamasu was born from? I find it odd that he was not sent to the other side of the demon world if he was born bad.

It's implied the Glinds have left the demon world so I wonder if new trees were planted and all new Glind are born in trees outside of it, or if they're still born in the demon world and somehow migrate out of it?

[sangofe]

I've held off a lot on saying this just to avoid weird dramatic responses, but I think at this point it shouldn't be that bit an issue to state that I really don't think this series is going to have a ton of re-watch value. Things happen, but the plot itself isn't really progressing. There's too little a sense of movement, even if locations change. The lack of any real B-plot has definitely helped highlight this as an issue with the series. We're six episodes in—probably a fourth of the way through the series—usually there would be a nice dramatic shift here, but instead it still feels like the series is trying to get off the ground.

Fully agreed. I don't see myself coming back to this, really, unless it has a phenomenal and surprising back half.

Every episode is pleasant enough while watching, and never frustrating in the way Super's TV series could be, but the brisk plotting of both Dragon Ball as a manga (and Super, as a manga) and the single-volume Toriyama series with which this is of a piece is lacking here, and I'm waiting for an element of unpredictability, also always DB's forte.

At a fourth of the way through the series, it is yet to demonstrate that it will ever get off its fairly telegraphed path, and indeed isn't even out of its first act.

It's visually beautiful, and amusing, but I don't see myself particularly wanting to sit through the first six episodes again at this point. When I'm done with each episode, too, I don't really find myself thinking about it or wondering what will happen. I'm shocked to say this, but for as dire as Super TV could be, that's not something I could say about it.

For the first six weeks, the most interesting things to talk about have been lore drops.

Tonally, it's a nice, fitting send-off for the series under Toriyama. But six weeks in I'm not sure it's capturing some pretty key components of the magic—again, either of Dragon Ball or like Toriyama series.

I don't mean to sound overly hard on Daima, or like I actively dislike it—and it is a better show than Super. But I can't say I'm chomping at the bit for new episode either. I'd just like to be surprised.

I, on the other hand, have been watching the episodes twice. I have almost never rewatched episodes like this. Daima has a great feeling to it. The characters feel like themselves. The lore development is great. It looks beautiful. better than anything Dragon Ball I have seen, and it makes me smile. At the end of every episode I have been "WAIT, WHAT?! IS THE EPISODE OVER ALREADY?!" I guess at 42 years old I am still a big, playful kid. And I am so happy for that. That I can enjoy things without analyzing and going into detail.