Dragon Ball Super: Manga Chapter 90 - Official Discussion Thread

[wertham]

I liked this chapter A LOT! It's a relief, because I wasn't so convinced with last episode. I really liked Mai's role, and the interactions between Goten, Trunks and their classmates were funny and made me nostalgic for my teenage years

Beta #7 has some Caramel Man vibes and I liked that too. I think Toyotaro has understood Toriyama's comedy this time!

For now, these chapters and Super Hero's character interactions didn't contradict each other (I checked). We'll see how the (unnecesary) retelling of the movie plays out.

About Trunks and Mai... Well, she isn't interested in Trunks for now, but maybe in the future, when Trunks ages a little bit more (twenty something), she'll go DiCaprio with him I don't think it would be THAT problematic in that case... Especially considering that we don't have to worry about someone getting de-aged by Dragon Balls in real life

[fleahop]

Absolutely loved this chapter.

Pros:

• The gags were spot-on and while they didn't make me actually laugh, Dragon Ball almost never does. It's more of a cute humor and it did so without going into sexual assault or cringey over-the-top goofiness.
• The fight scenes were awesome and I love seeing Krillin's experience be so useful. The power of each character felt really grounded and made sense relative to everything else around them. Also loved Mai taking action.
• The dialogue made sense. While it seems simple, this has been an issue for me with most of DBS. The way characters spoke to each other in this chapter felt more realistic (even in DB terms).
• Designs, art, and movement of the characters is possibly better than it has ever been in DBS.

Cons:

• Mai and Trunks is weird. If she leaves it at this, and waits until he's an actual adult to pursue anything I think it's okay. She hasn't really done anything wrong in my opinion, but Dragon Ball's track record is atrocious so I'm nervous already. I will defend the "dates" comment though, as I have taken my minor sister-in-law on a "date" as an example of people should treat her. It doesn't have to be weird (again, knowing DBS tho...).
• Some people may hate me for this but there were too many panels. Unnecessary information and padding where it's not needed. It's better than before *coughgranolahcough* but could still use work.

Maybe it's just me, but would Dragon Ball be better off if it just turned into a slice-of-life manga? It seems like all of the best moments these days aren't revolving around any serious villains or battles, but rather stuff like this.

[capsulecorp]

Maybe it's just me, but would Dragon Ball be better off if it just turned into a slice-of-life manga? It seems like all of the best moments these days aren't revolving around any serious villains or battles, but rather stuff like this.

It's not just you. The first couple episodes of the DBS manga had me hoping this would be the direction they went, and to some extent they have; obviously Battle of Gods and DBS:SH have a lot of slice of life and comedy elements... not to mention the hilarious Arale episode of the DBS anime.

[Miracles]

Maybe it's just me, but would Dragon Ball be better off if it just turned into a slice-of-life manga? It seems like all of the best moments these days aren't revolving around any serious villains or battles, but rather stuff like this.

It wouldn't be Dragonball if it turned into a my daily life series. Now if you want to add more slice of life into it, I think that would be better. Still Dragonball is a battle manga at the end of the day. This is where the meat and potatoes are at.

[JulieYBM]

Maybe it's just me, but would Dragon Ball be better off if it just turned into a slice-of-life manga? It seems like all of the best moments these days aren't revolving around any serious villains or battles, but rather stuff like this.

It wouldn't be Dragonball if it turned into a my daily life series. Now if you want to add more slice of life into it, I think that would be better. Still Dragonball is a battle manga at the end of the day. This is where the meat and potatoes are at.

Dragon Ball has been a dozen different things, one more on the list of different types of stories really is not going to harm it.

[Zephyr]

I know if I was hungry for a slice of life story, I wouldn't be reading Dragon Ball.

[goku the krump dancer]

Definitely in the minority as well with these last few chapters, i'm not opposed to slice of life with DB but it has to move the story forward or really fill in gaps that needed to be explored, but because its attached to a retelling of a movie we just got, these chapters did none of those things imo.. On top of the fact that I wasnt too big on DBS Super Hero in general that only stifled my interest even more. Just glad it didnt over stay its welcome.

Curious to see what changes they make to the main plot of the movie though.

[GreatSaiyaJeff]

Not a bad chapter, this mini arc was fun and weird and I'm all for it. Loved how well Krillin was utilized in this chapter. Also the zombies returning to their families was funny and kind of wholesome.

[Trouser]

Man, Trunks and Goten are so weak it's embarrassing.

[Shorty GZ2]

Man, Trunks and Goten are so weak it's embarrassing.

Hedo made Blue-level androids

[super michael]

I find the manga really enjoyable, this chapter Goten, Trunks, Mai and Krillin really shined.
Dr Hedo is a fun character.

Mai in her costume reminds me of Saber from Fate/Stay Night.

[nineko]

Man, Trunks and Goten are so weak it's embarrassing.

The one thing I don't get is why they didn't turn Super Saiyan until Kuririn broke the control box thingy.

[Shorty GZ2]

Thought the last gag of the zombie androids going back to their families was funny lmao

I'm a bit confused about this disk, didn't Trunks and goten already steal the disk and there was indeed a disk in there that had the cell blueprints? Now it's just an empty cover?

There was a compartment under the disk slot where the CleanGod autograph was.

I've seen a couple movies and series (that one film based on a true story about the teacher hooking up with a student and that series A Teacher) where the adult didn't do the right thing in the situation and put a stop to it immediately. This doesn't seem anything like that, Mai has been reluctant to date young Trunks until even now and even then she doesn't exactly seem keen.

The plotline is still being written, though, with zero self-awareness or clear messaging that the notion of Trunks and Mai getting together is bad and wrong. And now in this chapter there seems to be an indication of Mai even warming up to Trunks.

At this point, I'm somewhat relieved they just stuck to Mai having zero interest in Trunks at all in spite of his simping (especially with him expressing it to her upfront here). I don't think there was any indication of her warming up to him beyond even possible friendship when she says he's the only (not-Future) Trunks she has in this world (well, timeline) & acquiescing to dates with him to get him to pursue the bad guys. From reading this manga, if there were, it'd prob be more obvious where Mai'd have cartoonish blush lines instead of exasperated sweatdrops & sighs.

Man, Trunks and Goten are so weak it's embarrassing.

The one thing I don't get is why they didn't turn Super Saiyan until Kuririn broke the control box thingy.

For the big heroic finish of course, Trunks didn't even resort to using ki blasts till he was trapped under the dino-droid's foot.

[nineko]

Yes, but it's like they had to be saved by Kuririn's intervention, while I'm sure they could have broke free by their own if they turned super sooner.

[kemuri07]

In regards to the whole Trunks x Mai thing, I don't think DBS wants us to really think too much on it. Like, I think it would be much skeevier if Mai was very obviously a middle aged woman trapped in a child's body. But I don't think that's what going on here since it seems like she's regressed into a more child like state since she was turned into a kid, with her acclimating to school life pretty darn well.

Though what is a bit weird is: wasn't she crushing on Future Trunks during the Goku Black arc? So if she is indeed warming up and possibly willing to engarge in a relationship, that's absolutely weird, especially if you take into account that she is a middle aged woman (like she's as old as Bulma by this point, right?). Again, I don't think that this is meant to be taken that way, and they're clearly making her act more childlike to justify it.


I think I'm warming up to this arc as, for the most part, I'm having fun with it. I do like how they're building up the world, and it is a nice change of pace from the last album. I am still baffled by this being an actual arc and why it threw me off so much at the start of it. To be honest, I would much rather prefer that rather than this serving as a prequel to the Super Hero film, that this was its own Manga separate from the main DBS manga: A slice of life manga that focuses on characters that don't normally get time in the spotlight just living their lives.

[Cipher]

I'm genuinely glad people have enjoyed these chapters, since it means they're enjoying the manga in general, but I guess I have to count myself the odd man out. No doubt I'd feel differently if I didn't know where this was going, but even then, I think this all ran a little long. The episodic structure led to the chapters feeling predictable, there weren't any belly laughts from the comedy, and there weren't any major character beats or growth to back it. Toyotaro also seems a little tired on art (although there's some great stuff here like the dinosaur fight)--potentially from doing such densely scripted, panel-heavy chapters. There's cute stuff here, but this little run was probably a low of Super for me, personally, above only the Earthling-mook fights in the Moro arc. (Where I had similar issues: Predictable chapters that didn't offer a lot of laughs or wows in terms of action, and which didn't have any real character beats or growth to them.) I think my favorite of the three was the first chapter, where it still felt fresh and I got a couple of chuckles out of the scenario and presentation, but it turned out to be a case of diminishing returns on my end.

[TKA]

I love this version of Goten so much. He's not a caricature like in GT, and actually has a well-defined personality, unlike in the Buu arc. Him being more socially aware than Goku and Gohan put together is funny because he's the only Son that has a relatively normal upbringing hanging out with someone his age.

Krillin needs to be a cop that actually does his job by arresting Mai.

[JulieYBM]

Krillin needs to be a cop that actually does his job by arresting Mai.

If you support women's rights then you need to support women's wrongs (trying to conquer the world), too.

[TKA]

Krillin needs to be a cop that actually does his job by arresting Mai.

If you support women's rights then you need to support women's wrongs (trying to conquer the world), too.

We can’t have these adult women dressed in young people drag grooming our kids

King Furry needs to pass an Act to stop this from happening

[Cipher]

Krillin needs to be a cop that actually does his job by arresting Mai.

He should probably arrest Kame-Sennin first.