The new series Dragon Ball DAIMA is offering a very different sort of continuation of the Dragon Ball story, and thanks to its placement in the series’ chronology, it has an opportunity to avoid one of the biggest tropes in the other series: the need for new transformations. Instead, Dragon Ball DAIMA can be more like the original Dragon Ball, offering a grand sense of adventure.
Transformations and new forms have become so commonplace for Dragon Ball that it’s expected of any new project to bring in a new transformation along with it, but that forgets that the original Dragon Ball anime didn’t introduce any new forms of its own. The first new form, Super Saiyan, didn’t get introduced until well after Dragon Ball Z started, and each enemy since then has required Goku and Vegeta to obtain newer, stronger forms in order to win. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s important to remember that Dragon Ball existed well before the era of new forms, and it could again.
If DAIMA Takes Place Before Super, Then It Wouldn’t Make Sense For Goku To Get A New Form
Giving Goku a New Form in DAIMA Would Confuse Things
All indications currently point to DAIMA being set before Super, or at least in an alternate continuity from it. The absence of any characters from Super, as well as certain developments, like the changes to Goku and Vegeta’s clothes, all go to reinforce the idea that DAIMA takes place before Super. If DAIMA is indeed meant to be before Super, then it wouldn’t make much sense to give Goku a new transformation in this series. The question, of course, would become “why didn’t Goku use this new form in Super?”
The only way such a new transformation would make sense is if Goku is only able to perform it in his Mini form, and wouldn’t be able to pull it off as an adult. That would automatically explain why it doesn’t show up in Super (he can’t do it) and why it’s exclusive to DAIMA. One might be inclined to point out that the existence of GT didn’t prevent Dragon Ball Super from introducing new forms, which is true. However, Dragon Ball continuity is a bit more tightly maintained these days than it was when Super first debuted, so the powers that be may not want to cause further continuity issues.
The original Dragon Ball didn’t need to introduce new forms for each big villain, so DAIMA can certainly get by with making use of the transformations that already exist (and it will, as Mini Goku is seen going Super Saiyan in the trailer). With a massive new world to explore in the form of the Demon Realm, there’s plenty for Goku and the other characters to do and see in DAIMA without worrying about new transformations and power-ups. It can play up the traveling adventure element, much like the original Dragon Ball did, and focus on more than just action.
New Forms Worked Great For Z, GT, & Super (But DAIMA Should Still Avoid Them)
DAIMA Should Set Itself Apart By Avoiding New Forms
None of this is to say that there’s anything wrong with introducing new forms. The introduction of Super Saiyan in Z is without a doubt one of the most iconic moments in anime history, and Ultra Instinct in Super was nearly as impactful. However, new forms shouldn’t be created because they feel mandatory; they should be added when it makes sense to, in service of the story. These two transformations in particular stand out because of how essential they feel to the story, whereas other forms (like Super Saiyan 3) just didn’t quite pack the same punch.
With Goku already reduced back to child size, it would make sense to treat him in much the same way he was treated when his character was just a child, at the beginning of Dragon Ball. Goku also won’t be on his own in this adventure, just like he wasn’t in the original. It will be far more interesting to see Goku rely on his companions rather than power through confrontations with a new form or ability. These new characters deserve a chance to shine and receive development as much as the old fan favorite characters do, and having Goku do everything would subvert that.
DAIMA is meant to be a 40th anniversary celebration for the franchise, so it makes a lot of sense for it to hearken back to where it all started. It’s already doing that by making Goku a kid again, but it should also bring back some of the other elements which made fans fall in love with Dragon Ball to start with.
All Signs Point To DAIMA Bringing More Love To The Original Dragon Ball Era Than Ever Before
Dragon Ball’s Original Era Deserves Acknowledgment
From what’s been seen of DAIMA so far, it definitely looks like this Dragon Ball adventure will be more in line with the original series than Z or Super. That may be a bit different from what some fans are expecting, but as the origin of it all, it can’t get any more authentically Dragon Ball than a young Goku traveling the world with a group of friends. Dragon Ball Z, for example, visited new places like Namek, but it didn’t really get to explore those places due to the imminent threat they were under. With DAIMA‘s conspiracy to de-age the characters, Goku is on a mission more like acquiring the Dragon Balls.
It will certainly be interesting to find out just what kind of series Dragon Ball DAIMA is going to be, especially since it was the last work that Akira Toriyama contributed heavily to before his passing earlier this year. Toriyama was always fond of the original tone of Dragon Ball, so it stands to reason that this anime series, as a tribute to the franchise’s origins, might reflect that fondness. Dragon Ball DAIMA can set itself apart by being a throwback to the original, and avoiding the common trope of new transformations.
Dragon Ball DAIMA is the fifth overall series in the action-adventure anime franchise. It features most of the classic cast members as de-aged versions of themselves, including Goku, Vegeta, and Bulma. The series was announced at NYCC 2023, with creator Akira Toriyama returning to handle DAIMA’s run.
- Seasons
- 1
- Writers
- Akira Toriyama