Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball remains an iconic anime effort and continues to make waves and set trends four decades later. Dragon Ball is effectively expanding its universe through new video games, feature films, and manga chapters, but October 11 marks the release of a brand new anime — Dragon Ball DAIMA — that’s set to redefine the franchise’s status quo. Any new Dragon Ball anime would be cause for celebration, but DAIMA is especially special as it is the last Dragon Ball title to feature the late Toriyama.
Dragon Ball DAIMA tells an original story that sends Goku into the misty demonic realm, but not before he and the rest of the Dragon Ball cast are transformed into mini child versions of themselves. DAIMA’s Dragon Ball advertising and promotion was incredibly dominated by the return of young Goku, complete with his classic Power Pole accessory. DAIMA has confirmed that other fan favorite characters like Vegeta will be joining the ride. Unfortunately, those expecting Dragon Ball DAIMA to be a pivotal story for the Saiyan prince should set some realistic expectations before they are inevitably disappointed.
Dragon Ball DAIMA Appears To Pair Together Goku & Shin
Shin Is Better Equipped To Handle A Demon Realm Adventure
Goku has had many different partners accompany him on his adventures, and Dragon Ball DAIMA attempts an original dynamic between the heroic Saiyan and Shin, the Supreme Kai of Universe 7. Goku and Shin are no strangers to each other, but they rarely spent time together. opens up several exciting possibilities for DAIMA. Shin makes sense as a deuteragonist in Dragon Ball DAIMA due to his knowledge and connection to the demon realm. Degesu, the equivalent of the Demon Realm’s supreme Kai – the Makaioshin – appears to be one of the main threats of the series, who may even actively resent Shin for his role in Babidi’s defeat and the death of the Demon King Dabury. Dragon Ball hasn’t shied away from the fact that Shin is incredibly powerful, but he rarely shows off his abilities. Dragon Ball DAIMA will probably be the show that Shin always deserved and will help viewers better understand what he brings to the table. There’s also an inherent joy in the awkward chemistry between Shin and Goku – especially Goku Mini – as Shin’s regal and austere nature clashes with Goku’s reckless recklessness. This, if nothing else, gives Dragon Ball fans something new they haven’t seen before.
Vegeta, while a devoted partner to Goku and one of Dragon Ball’s strongest characters, is naturally at odds with the Demon Realm and the unique threats it poses. Vegeta will certainly resent his mini-transformation and desire to reverse the process, but he’s also a character who respects the greater dangers of the universe and knows when it’s foolish to go into harm’s way. It is true that Vegeta was temporarily struggling with demonic traits when he succumbed to Babidio’s dark manipulation and became Majin Vegeta. However, Vegeta is probably embarrassed by this desperate and eye-opening experience. A trip to the Demon Realm can only remind him of this dark period in his life. Furthermore, Dragon Ball DAIMA may be a story that requires Shin to lead the way, and Goku is on the way. Shin may have unique Kai intel that allows him to travel to the demon realm and it is Goku who is his traveling companion rather than the other way around. If that’s the case, then it makes even less sense for Vegeta to play a central role in Dragon Ball DAIMA since he and Shin barely have a relationship. He would be an extremely odd choice to accompany Shin, despite his incredible strength.
Vegeta Has Never Been One Of Akira Toriyama’s Favorite Characters
Toriyama’s Personal Involvement In DAIMA Works Against Vegeta
It’s always interesting when the audience’s reactions to certain characters and elements of the narrative don’t match the reactions of the creator. Toriyama is responsible for almost all of Dragon Ball’s most successful decisions, but it’s interesting to see which elements and individuals bring him the most joy. Vegeta has been one of the fandom’s most beloved characters since his first appearance, and a Dragon Ball character that has become incredibly prominent in all of the series’ merchandise. It should come as no surprise that Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO features at least 15 versions of Vegeta, while other coveted characters like Tien, Krillin, and Yamcha only have one. It’s also worth noting that Shin isn’t even on Sparking! base list ZERO. Toriyama talked about his favorite Dragon Ball characters and Vegeta is surprisingly not on the list. Toriyama was even prepared to let Vegeta die for good on Planet Namek after he felt the character had run its course and served its purpose. This is also why Vegeta plays such a background role in Battle of Gods and Resurrection ‘F’, the latter of which features a particularly blatant display of ego that leads to the destruction of Earth.
That’s not to say that Toriyama doesn’t appreciate Vegeta as a character and understand what he brings to the series, especially playing against Goku, but he’s not someone who gets much exposure. Piccolo is actually at the top of Toriyama’s character charts, which is one of the reasons why the Namekian is front and center in the latest film in the series, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Vegeta’s mainstream popularity means he will usually play an important role in most Dragon Ball media, and Toyotara’s passion for the character has helped him gain powerful techniques and original transformations in the ongoing Dragon Ball Super manga. That being said, it’s important to note that Toriyama plays a major creative role in Dragon Ball DAIMA, especially when it comes to the central story of the series. Toriyama’s level of creative control, not to mention his ambivalence towards Vegeta, makes it increasingly unlikely that he will play a major role in the new series. In fact, Piccolo has a better chance of getting his moment in the spotlight and helping Goku and Shin during their detour of the Demon Realm.
Dragon Ball DAIMA Is Likely To Follow In Dragon Ball GT’s Footsteps
Vegeta Also Had A Diminished Role In The Previous Dragon Ball Z Sequel Series
Dragon Ball DAIMA is an original entity, but it has already been compared as a modern version of Dragon Ball GT and an attempt to “redeem” the previously maligned sequel due to several similarities between the two expansions of the franchise. One of the most notable details about Dragon Ball GT is that it features an older version of Goku who must travel across the galaxy to collect Black Star Dragon Balls. Dragon Ball DAIMA doesn’t turn Goku back into a kid, but the entire cast does. Broader details on DAIMA’s Dragon Ball have been scarce, but it also looks like there will be a search for a new set of Dragon Balls and even a glimpse of a creature that looks suspiciously similar to Dragon Ball GT’s Black Smoke Shenron. Dragon Ball GT doesn’t touch on the Demon Realm, and it wouldn’t be accurate to refer to DAIMA as a remake or reboot of Dragon Ball GT, even though they seem to share a lot of the same DNA, at least during this time. early stage. However, there is quite a bit of overlap between Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball DAIMA, so it’s entirely possible that the new series will use GT as a blueprint for Vegeta.
Vegeta has a very sparse role in the opening Black Star Dragon Ball Saga Dragon Ball GT, which DAIMA most closely resembles. Vegeta is basically ignored and left behind on Earth while Goku, Pan, and Trunks scour the corners of the galaxy for the Dragon Balls. Vegeta becomes more prominent after the Dragon Ball GT rebirth, returning to an action-packed narrative rather than the more playful emphasis on adventure reminiscent of the original Dragon Ball. Vegeta becomes a villain in the subsequent Baby Saga and is essential during the final battles of the series against Son Shenron and Omega Shenron. Even so, Vegeta is largely overlooked in Dragon Ball GT, and characters like Uub and Pan end up getting more. It’s not hard to imagine Dragon Ball DAIMA adopting a similar formula, with Vegeta participating in the final battle of the series if the main antagonist DAIMA travels from the Demon Realm to Earth. A final showdown where Vegeta Mini helps Goku Mini and Shin would be better than nothing, but it’s still not what character showcase fans are hoping for.
Dragon Ball DAIMA’s Place In The Timeline May Prevent Vegeta Development
Vegeta’s Potential Could Be Cut Short By The New Series’ Placement
Dragon Ball created an impressive and ever-evolving timeline that spanned several decades. Ultimately, Dragon Ball is stronger because of the franchise’s decision not to exist in a vacuum so that the characters can age and the world has the luxury to grow. Details of the Dragon Ball DAIMA timeline have yet to be confirmed, but evidence suggests that it takes place shortly after the defeat of Kid Buu, but before the events of Dragon Ball Super. The absence of key Dragon Ball Super players like Beerus and Whis suggests that Dragon Ball DAIMA takes place before their arrival. Additionally, Dragon Ball DAIMA’s emphasis on the Demon Realm appears to be a direct result of the Demon Revenge Plan, where Degesu, Dr. Arinsu and Gomah want to attack the Dragon Ball heroes to eliminate powerful villains like Babidi, Dabura and Buu who share a connection with demons. The basic problem with new Dragon Ball material trying to fit in with earlier parts of the timeline is that they end up being limited in terms of character development and powers.
Dragon Ball Super has already been dismissed, all before the Dragon Ball Z World of Peace saga, as it means that characters like Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan actually underwent transformations like Ultra Instinct, Ultra Ego, and Gohan Beast during the 28th World Tournament. Another prevailing theory as to why Vegeta won’t be starring in Dragon Ball DAIMA is that there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between where his character is during the defeat of Kid Buu and at the beginning of Dragon Ball Super. He doesn’t have any new transformations or abilities that would potentially unlock if he was on the whole adventure with Goku in Dragon Ball DAIMA. Oddly enough, there have been rumors that Vegeta will actually achieve the Super Saiyan 3 transformation in Dragon Ball DAIMA, which would be incredibly exciting, but at this point it’s just a rumor that seems to be seeing. It also wouldn’t explain why Vegeta never used this transformation in Dragon Ball Super, other than dismissing it as a flawed form that wastes stamina.
Vegeta Could Help Lead A Secondary Storyline Back At Home
Dragon Ball DAIMA May Feature Dangers Beyond The Demon Realm
Dragon Ball DAIMA embraced the idea of Goku, Shin, and a new host of demonic characters such as Glorio being the individuals leading the charge in the Demon Realm. However, this does not mean that there will not also be conflicts on Earth that need to be resolved. It would be a huge waste to equip all these mini versions of characters like Vegeta, Piccolo, Master Roshi and Buu who can’t really do anything or get enough screen time. The Dragon Ball DAIMA trailer highlights that there are at least some action sequences involving these characters, including Vegeta Mini. This means Vegeta Mini can stay on Earth to hold the fort while Goku fights in the unknown territory of the Demon Realm. This isn’t the show Vespers fans were hoping for, especially after he did a lot of the heavy lifting in the Dragon Ball Super manga, but it’s still better than nothing.
The fans deserve to see Vegeta Mini actually serve a purpose in Dragon Ball DAIMA instead of just being a silly sight gag. It’s possible that the action shots of characters like Vegeta Mini and Piccolo Mini from the trailer are actually limited to the Dragon Ball DAIMA opening credits rather than being part of the series’ story, but hopefully that’s not the case. Dragon Ball DAIMA is incredibly exciting for fans of the series and is sure to be a worthy evolution of the pioneering shonen series. It’s just important that Vespers’ vocal fan base sets realistic expectations so they don’t have to feel sorry for themselves.