“Piccolo Jr. Saga, Part 1”<\/p>\n
Dragon Ball<\/i> is at the point where, at only 16 episodes left, I’m already beginning to miss it. I know that I lose a lot of cred for admitting to liking Dragon Ball<\/i>, but I think that part of that is based on the fact that Dragon Ball Z<\/i> came out to the Western World first. One friend I was talking to said that he had assumed that it was more of the same.<\/p>\n
Well, it’s not! Things that would actually be covered in Dragon Ball<\/i> – say, character relationships – are reduced to “yeah, [x] happened while you were sleeping” ([x] being characters getting married and having children and whatever … despite the sense that these people would never have touched each other before).<\/p>\n
But enough about Z<\/i>, how about this next foray into the Tenkaichi Tournament? Boy, the time sure does fly when you watch a million episodes of this show in a week.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In the aftermath of Piccolo Daimao’s reign (which, if you really stop to think about it, only lasted one<\/i> day … but it was a day that would live in infamy!), Goku goes to see Karin for further training, only to be referred to Kami-sama.
\nWith everyone dead brought back to life because Goku’s existence proves that wishes are a-okay, it’s time for three years of training before the next Tenkaichi, jam-packed with Ma-Junior, some old guy and Chichi! Also Cyborg Tao Pai Pai. You know how it is.<\/p>\n
The aftermath stuff was good, and some<\/i> of the training was good, but there was a two episode adventure featuring Kuririn, Yamucha, Tenshinhan and Chaozu fighting a volcano. I mean … well, I don’t really think I need to dignify the rest of that with a variety of criticism.<\/p>\n
At the same time as all of this, Goku is learning from Mr. Popo, who I really don’t know what to make of. I’d prefer to think that he’s not a racist stereotype, instead just being a djinn with jet black skin. But he always refers to himself in the third person and he has a silly sort of voice and style of speaking. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt because, despite the thick lips that Toriyama uses on dark skinned characters, he’s used them on some others as well.
\nMaybe.
\nBut then I never saw anything wrong with Jynx, so what do I know. <\/p>\n
The insert of the three year time lapse seems rather arbitrary; we don’t get to see Goku learn anything much beyond being quiet like the sky and what have you. When he comes back, he’s taller but he still somehow has the same head and Nozawa Masako has made her voice a little bit deeper. It’s a strange effect, it’s like there was no scaling done. His hair certainly comes off second best in this deal.<\/p>\n
Still, we get to have good times with these old friends, including the truly bizarre sight of Oolong in a suit, but with wings and a duck’s tail. Another highlight includes Yajirobe in a Lucha Libre mask. This alleged “Piccolo Jr.” (here called Ma Junior) hasn’t got to do much yet, but he is much more swishy<\/i> than I would have imagined. He’s more proud than brooding, and he’s the sort who could play a very vain or silly character. So it’s only fitting that Furukawa Toshio also voiced my arch nemesis General Blue. Curse your tongue stabbed brain, General Blue!<\/p>\n
In summary: Go Kuririn! Fight, before your strength is as nothing in the eyes of the Z!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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