Dragon Ball Re-Watch

[Captain Cadaver]

In lieu of SS2's recent thread, I decided to rewatch the anime, going from the start of DB to the End of Z. I chose to go this route rather than joining the reread to examine differences and I'd say the anime gets pretty underrated when it comes to the improvements it made (at least prior to the Freeza Arc). Obviously, this will be at a far slower rate and the amount I watch and when won't be consistent. Anyone else is welcome to join in.

With Episode 1, the addition of Goku chasing a smilodon off a cliff as well as him adjusting the trajectory of his log when going off-course beforehand does a good job at showing how well he knows the terrain he's grown up in. One thing in the episode that bugged me was the error made with the Four Star Ball's stars, with it having three stars in a row and one below them in the zoomed in shots, yet having their normal placements in the wider shots where it's not the focus. Seems really strange when this was about 2 years after the manga had started.
It's nice to see how selfish Bulma was at this point of the series in using Goku for her own gain, an element that made the Hunt for the Dragon Balls Arc very compelling for a simple action-comedy. The early addition of Pilaf as a means to exposit about the Dragon Balls in a way that wasn't a 1-for-1 adaption was a good way at having the anime stand on its own whilst establishing Pilaf as the main antagonist of the arc.

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Episode 2 had a few interesting things to note. At the start of the episode, for just a moment, you can see Bulma's bike has Kawasaki written on it. Also, the male character in the tv drama Bulma fawns over is called Poruno. That's right, she was getting thirsty for a guy basically named porno. This is why OG Dragon Ball is great
I like how Goku refers to the food he's going to gather as "tastier and healthier" than what Bulma has. This is pretty interesting when you take into account how many preservatives, sugar and chemicals go into mass produced food today and wouldn't be something that someone who lived off the land with natural ingredients would easily handle. 80s Toriyama was based.
It's pretty funny to see Pilaf declaring he wants to wish for world domination to usher in global peace and then shows he'd do so by executing anyone who pissed him off. It definitely adds just a bit more to Pilaf's character and makes it apparent he's blue Stalin. The place where Goku and Bulma stayed the night is also named Ryugadani, for those interested in location trivia.

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Episode 3 has some interesting references to the Urashima-taro legend at the beginning, such as Bulma hoping the turtle doesn't come back with a tatamebako and Roshi singing a song about Urashima as the turtle brings him towards land. Pretty odd, but I can excuse it in a world that has some real world parallels to it and it'd later be established Buddhism is a thing in DB's Earth too. An interesting bit of trivia is that Roshi says he found the three star ball below the ocean about 100 years ago, which gives a good idea of how long ago it was that the DBs were last used. Bulma also makes a pun when hearing about the Kinto'Un by thinking Roshi said kuri kinton (a chestnut and mashed sweet potato dish). It's nice to see how OG Dragon Ball packed a fair bit of wordplay into its gags.
It's pretty interesting that the turtle was surprised by Roshi being unable to ride the Kinto'Un and being appalled by him asking Bulma for her panties when his perverted nature is far from a sudden occurrence (especially when the anime would later present him as having had this since his youth). The former would seem to support what I've expressed before that pure heartedness has more to do with being true in what you desire (take Vegeta's "Pure Evil" line) and Roshi constantly tries to retain a dignified image when having no dignity towards his perversity, whilst the latter can be easily explained by it being a completely different ballpark for a man who's lived with no women for how knows long to be watching exercises videos that don't contain panties to seeing a woman in person, so the turtle didn't really have the opportunity to see this side of Roshi before.
The filler with Pilaf was pretty funny in showing the incompetence he has as a leader, as well as how savage Roshi can be. Old meng set them up to drown just because they acted rude on his property. It's also interesting to note someone other than Shu and Mai informs him of Kame House's location, meaning he had more than those two henchmen in the anime.

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Episode 4 was a pretty 1-for-1 adaption of the manga, so not as much to say about changes. It was a missed opportunity to turn a panel of exposition in the manga into something that flowed with the narrative, but at least they showed it in a visual manner. Other than that, not much to say. It was good at delivering comedy and introducing Oolong. Episode 5 coming soon...

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Episode 5 perfectly captures what makes this arc one of, if not the, best in the series. We see on full display the selfishness of both Oolong and Bulma in how they interact that helps make this cast of characters a stand-out amongst the main casts of each arc. With the comedy surrounding it then transitioning into action where (for one of the few times) Yamcha will appear as far from a pushover, I'd say this is the episode that captures what makes this arc a stand-out. It's also interesting that Toriyama made distinctions on Capsule categorisation, which he seemed to overlook later in the series. There's a change here from the manga that also makes Yamcha's character better. Instead of not judging Oolong for bullying Pu-erh, he seems to take this more personally. This helps highlight the inversion within this arc as a character portrayed initially as a villain has a far stronger sense of comradery than the rest of the main cast combined.
From what Yamcha said, Gohan was quite famous. I imagine this would be how he was able to maintain his body after death, considering Roshi would later state that the world had lost a great man when hearing of his death.
It's also interesting to hear Hiromi Tsuru's voice acting for Bulma and Toru Furuya's for Yamcha compared to later in the series. Tsuru's voice here doesn't show as much distinctiveness as later, but this is pretty nice in showing Bulma's voice as maturing along with her character. Yamcha's also has a more varied tone compared to many Furuya did prior and at the time. You can see hints of his Amuro Ray and Seiya within it, though there's a depth to it that still makes his early Yamcha performance distinctive.

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Episode 6 is one of the best of the arc in terms of comedic antics, with it also doing a good job at adding Pilaf's gang into the mix without drastically changing events. Not much more to say about it beyond being an entertaining caper, though it's an interesting bit of trivia that Yamcha and Pu-erh had been friends for almost 2 years at this point. Also, Oolong is the enemy of #MeToo. I miss when DB was able to make sexual jokes without fear of repercussions and without destroying a character's integrity (unlike DBS Roshi).

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Episode 7 had a good balance of action and comedy. Seems Kid Goku was an ultra Chad with how he had Chichi ensnared once he tapped that pussy In all seriousness, I did like how this showed a major aspect of the arc in characters subverting the tropes of their archetypes, such as Gyumao being quite kind to those with ties to him despite his fierce introduction or Chichi being very capable for what initially appeared as a damsel in distress.
There is one notable animation error though. When Goku goes off on the Kinto Un, the next shot of Bulma shows her without her tights. Pretty surprising that such an error went by unchecked, considering the effort put into the early episodes. Also, Yamcha asking Chichi if his face looks trustworthy and showing his smile with the missing tooth is the best piece of comedy in the arc.

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Following on from that, Episode 8 went a step further with Roshi completely going against everything expected of the typical mentor figure in his incompetent attitude and perverted nature. He did so in such a way that the perverted sage has become somewhat of a trope today in anime/manga. Also, he replies with "That's got nothing to do with it." when Turtle says he can't be departing if he got immortality from the Immortal Phoenix. Nice that this left things open for Roshi's revelation of his immortality being a lie in the Piccolo Daimao Arc being consistent. Also, there's more wordplay with involving Chichi's name, which can alternatively be read as "Father" (Chichiue) or "Breasts" in Japanese. It's a shame not as much wordplay goes on in DB's humour today, with the most done in recent years being Majikayo from Super.
It's interesting to note Roshi is disappointed with Gyumao for not being able to get rid of the flames around Mount Frypan himself. Perhaps Gyumao is indeed past his prime and the strength Gohan would present when fighting Goku at Baba's was a representation of where Gyumao and Roshi used to be during the peak of Roshi training those two, or maybe Roshi simply expected Gyumao to reach new heights through continuing to train.
As I've said many times, it's interesting how Yamcha has so much martial arts knowledge such as knowing of Son Gohan, the Kamehameha, etc. despite being a bandit. There was a lot of potential for explanation that unfortunately was never capitalised on.

 

[ahill1]

That's very nice. When you're up to the Red Ribbon arc, give me a heads up that I'm going to watch it as well considering it has very added up scenes and filler episodes, namely the ones involving Colonel Silver and Tao Pai Pai. Filler isn't that relevant, but venturing in some of them in the old DB anime which I really appreciate from the pickings of the soundtracks to the way it was animated makes it a good thing to spend your time with.

 

[ahill1]

I've always liked the "outside of the arena" moments from the early Budokais. It makes the event seem "bigger" in a way.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Episode 9 was probably the least important in the arc, though I wouldn't say it's one that could be removed. In order for the group to not be stuck in the desert at the end of the arc they'd have to either make sure the rubble didn't conveniently crush any capsules Pilaf had or stop to get some on the way, and you may as well make the latter exciting if going with it. I'd also argue that Yamcha helping the group out here was essential to his comradery with them in Pilaf's castle not being too rushed.
It's interesting to note that Toninjinka's name was changed to Usagi Ninjinka in the anime. Both names mean the same thing (Rabbit who turns people into carrots), but it's odd that Toei would change the reading of his name. Speaking of the Carrot Master, it's pretty funny in retrospect that the guy who could turn people into carrots is beaten by someone who's birth name is a pun on carrot.

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Episode 10 was one with less to talk about than the others beyond a basic plot summary, though I did find it funny how Oolong called out Bulma's bad personality as being something only a man made her boyfriend by a wish could put up with. One thing here that I should've also mentioned about episode 5 is that it's good how and when Toriyama decides to remove capsules as to not make the journey easy. This is a point in the series where Hoi Poi Capsules' uses were integral, so stopping them from being a plot device was a good idea.
It is weird how the subtitles make an obvious translation error as when Pilaf is counting the Dragon Balls, the subs have him say Five Star Ball twice. It's not an error with the original script, since you can clearly hear Shigeru Chiba say San Shinn Chu (Three Star Ball).

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Episode 11 was quite entertaining. It's funny to see how desensitised Bulma has become from Oolong and Roshi's antics to the point she immediately expects Pilaf to turn things into a capture gone sexual and shows some level of growth from her short adventure. It's also funny how Pilaf comments on modern girls being far more more daring, which seems a pretty major commentary on the immodesty that started to emerge in society from the 60s and onward. Based Pilaf.
Another thing I find interesting about the Pilaf gang here is their loyalty. Shu and Mai could've simply stole the Dragon Balls and make their own wish when Pilaf was knocked out by the sleeping gas as many other henchmen might do if the opportunity ever presented itself. It definitely does a good job at showing the inversion of comradery in this arc with how loyal Shu and Mai are to Pilaf, especially with all the tortures he's given them in the anime...or maybe their anime selves have Stockholm Syndrome after all that I also prefer how they handled Mai's ball joke in the anime as it fits better with the later events of the series to have Pilaf give a flat retort rather than a hyperbolic 4th wall break that references Dr. Slump.
The pinball filler was entertaining. It overall served to just fill time, but it did further highlight Pilaf's incompetence as well as Bulma and Oolong's inability to work together. Honestly, it being skippeable is probably the biggest criticism I can give of this arc.
I noticed they reused animations from the Goku VS Yamcha fight for Goku and Yamcha punching the walls. Not a surprise, considering Toei tended to reuse footage a lot for their anime at the time such as Hokuto no Ken and Saint Seiya, but they generally tended to not do as much animation reuse for DB back then.
Another random bit of trivia - Not related heavily to the episode's content, but this was the first piece of DB related material I ever watched (though back then, it was in the Blue Water dub rather than the original Japanese).

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Episode 12 is one that I find to show another unique quality of the arc, being how all the cast play their role in the arc's endgame (though this will prove stronger in the next episode). Oolong stealing the wish from Pilaf makes him the original Arc MVP. Also, the reveal of having a berserk transformation that killed his grandfather is a choice that's praise-worthy. Along with adding an oblivious tragedy to Goku's character, it does stand out compared to most of the power ups it inspired in Shonen. Out of control transformations have become a trope in Shonen, yet Oozaru Goku still stands out amongst them for the main character having actually caused a significant fatality through it, something that seldom happens in Shonen unless the fatality was a villain and lacking the overblown melodrama other similar power ups in Shonen had can make it seem like a breath of fresh air when going back to it. Naruto kind of did something unique with it at first, though even that started to become victim to the trappings I mentioned as time went on.

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Following on from last time, it's good how everyone worked together to stop Oozaru Goku and Pu-erh of all people took the victory. A major change I find works very well in the anime is offering scenes of Yamcha overcoming his fears to save Bulma to make the catharsis they get in hooking up with each other at the end of the arc more well paced rather than coming out of nowhere like the manga.

With all that said, the Pilaf Arc (which is far fitter to refer to its anime self than it would be for the manga) has a lot of stand-out qualities compared to later arcs such as being an inversion of the heroic band plot with how selfish, dysfunctional or flawed many of the characters are, with some of the characters that could be called villains tend to have greater senses of loyalty than the more "heroic" characters. There's also some level of social critique, some poking fun with quick and to-the-point gags like Oolong's design being a literal communist pig to more overarching things such as Goku having gathered such strength of body and character from not living in a society SAIYANS RISE UP. Most of the characters on the journey get some level of catharsis and even some development, with it having just enough to warrant the series being continued whilst also being a complete story in its own right. It may be simplistic, but it's simplicity done very well. As far as rating the arc, I'd give it a 8/10.

Now, onto the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Episode 14 - I liked the addition of Bulma's group getting a B-Plot, even if inconsequential. The comedy of Galu not getting the right kind of girl for Roshi is good, in particular him having no sort of basis for judging beauty. [Insert fat acceptance joke here]. I must say there's some things odd with the jokes concerning Kuririn though. How does Goku even know what a pachinko ball is when he's lived in the wilderness? Did Gohan just so happen to have a pachinko machine prior to Oozaru Goku wrecking his house? Also, whilst I find it funny, why would Kuririn have a male magazine titled Homo? Was it his Plan-B in case Roshi swang the other way? I don't mean to nitpick gags, but when situational comedy relies on character consistency to work, it just comes off as weird choices.

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Episode 15 - It was a surprising choice that Toei implemented the dollar system for the wanted posters when Zeni was already established as the main currency of the DB World. It was later established in supplementary material that there are parts of the world that don't use those systems, so this lines up pretty well when a wild west desert area probably wouldn't have the same currency as the more centralised cities. I also like how it showed how Lunch ended up being chased by the police rather than jumping straight into this, plus the bounty hunter talking to her had a fair bit of character for an unnamed filler character.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Episode 16 did a good job in showing the dynamic between Goku and Kuririn, with Goku having an honest yet naive approach to things and Kuririn being more cunning, wrapping up an element of their training in a nice sitcom manner. It's also pretty interesting how Toriyama offered such realism as Goku's clothes being worn out from his battles and journey, something that would only again be taken note of after he defeated the Red Ribbon Army.

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Episodes 17 - 19 are worth all discussing together due to the constant focus on Goku and Kuririn's training regime. Roshi's training is perhaps the best of all the methods introduced in the series as the major focus given to the difficulty of the training regime to make the results seem more earned, the variety in activities and aspects of strength along with it summing up many of the ideals of what it truly means to be a martial artist and having no safety nets for failure. There were many times in which Goku and Kuririn could've died if slipping up just a tiny bit, which is more than can be said for all later training regimes (though the anime did provide this for Goku's Gravity training on the ship).
As far as additions go for it, having a desert area of the training islands is one I'm mixed about. It would seem quite unlikely for such a climate to exist there, though it could also be a way of conveying just how large the island is. Including Kuririn remembering how he was mistreated at Orinji Temple was good. It doesn't add much that we don't learn later on, but it does do a good job at endearing his character to the audience quicker.
I must say I appreciate Lunch's character more-so than I previously gave credit to. The sneezing joke gets old fast and she was only there to be eye candy when Bulma wasn't around, but it is nice how different her blue haired personality is to Bulma. Certainly adds more variety.

As for the other perspectives, the martial artists training for the Tenkaichi Budokai was a missed opportunity. It could've been good if setting up major characters as Namu or fleshing out competitors such as Giran or even random preliminary characters. It's a bit disappointing that it was instead given to characters we'd never see again. The focus on Yamcha's training was nice, though it makes the previous filler seem meaningless when we never saw how the group got back to Metro West. I did like how it added a scene showing Bulma genuinely concerned for Yamcha's safety, adding more to their early relationship than just Bulma being selfish. It's also pretty funny that Oolong would make a deadpan joke about Yamcha being dead in some field, considering his first death would indeed be in a remote field area.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Episode 20 - I liked the addition of the B-Plot with Bulma's group and how a manga event in Kuririn beating the Orinji Temple bully connected to it. Kuririn actively confronting his fear by standing up to and defeating his former bully was nice when comparing it to how modern anime has started to treat the subject. Remember kids, don't be a Virgin Deku. Be a Chad Kuririn.
It's also interesting to note the comment from the Shishiga-ryu Kenpo fighter on Goku's poor stance. Helps show his progression in skill from thereon with the later comments made on his perfect stances within later tournaments. It was also a nice addition that Goku's sense of smell made him even more sensitive to Bacterian's stench. It's the kind of realism to heightened senses' flaws that isn't really capitalised on later in the series.
It's also nice to hear back when Namu was voiced by Kaneto Shiozawa. I think his BT3 and Kakarot seiyuus were far more fitting, but it is nice to see the voice of Rei from HnK and Oberstein from Legend of the Galactic Heroes voice a DB character. RIP

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Episode 21 - Kuririn continues to be the stand-out character of the arc with his lack of confidence before being able to prove his own worth. I particularly like the addition of the entire spectator grounds cheering Kuririn on due to both his endearing situation and Bacterian being someone everyone wanted to leave ASAP. Kuririn having no nose will bring into question why he'd later try to sniff the diamond they got from the pirate cave.

 

[ahill1]

I always assumed that the fighter mocking Goku's stance only denoted how skills such as a good defensive posture means nothing when you have power to spare. Similarly, Kuririn also laughed at Goku's stance when this latter was about to run for the 100 meters only for later to be awestruck at Goku's speed.

I think I didn't get it well enough, but did they show Namu in the 21st filler training parts? I remember that during Goku's training regimen for the 22nd they showed Tenshinhan and Chaozu at Goku's around the world adventures and I really liked it. Like you said, it helps setting up future challenges, and in Tenshinhan's case besides adding a little more of sauce to the conflict, makes Goku's guess on Ten being unbelievable more easily explainable.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

I always assumed that the fighter mocking Goku's stance only denoted how skills such as a good defensive posture means nothing when you have power to spare.

I'd say it was the opposite. Goku had power, but his skills weren't as high a calibre to match which was ultimately his undoing in the final match.

I think I didn't get it well enough, but did they show Namu in the 21st filler training parts? I remember that during Goku's training regimen for the 22nd they showed Tenshinhan and Chaozu at Goku's around the world adventures and I really liked it. Like you said, it helps setting up future challenges, and in Tenshinhan's case besides adding a little more of sauce to the conflict, makes Goku's guess on Ten being unbelievable more easily explainable.

They didn't. I was proposing they should've shown preliminary or finalist competitors rather than random ones we never see again.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Episode 22 - It's surprising how fast paced the series was at this point. Nowadays, something like 2 significant battles in one episode would seem hard to believe. Guess Toei really underestimated how long the series could run for. I like the change made in Roshi's breeze attack to be something of a kiai rather than seemingly just the kinetic energy of Roshi's swole ass arm, since the former idea is far more fitting with the advanced martial skill Roshi should have that's later reinforced by the Tsuru School (eg. Taopaipai clearly being aware of what a kiai is). I do think it was pretty unnecessary to introduce Namu's backstory early as the scene of Roshi reading Namu's mind is still left in.
It's also good how they presented some conflict between Goku and Giran to make their fight a bit more personal whilst also showing the differing personalities of them and Namu.
It is quite strange how Yamcha was the only one to make the Jackie Chun = Muten Roshi connection when you'd expect Kuririn to at least see through it. At least Yamcha got a chance to shine in some way through this though.

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Episode 23 - Wild West Giran
The episode handled creating a break from the action to further flesh out the minor characters very well. I also like the focus placed on showing how much effort Goku needed to escape the Guru Guru Gum and the heightened balance his tail gave him, which both make far more sense than the idea of the tail just granting more power some have which isn't reinforced at any point after this arc. It's also a nice point of showing how Goku seemed to be scared in general of falling from the height Giran threw him rather than just concerned with the match. Does a good job showing the progression with how Goku would endure such a fall in the next Budokai.

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Episode 24 - Following on from what I said before, Kuririn's insistence on looking to Goku for advice helps present his later strategy of using the panties as well as his performance in later Budokai as far more independent. It is odd Chun would be awarded the win when leaving the ring. I guess there's a clause he knew about in the rules that you can leave to the lobby and still win if your opponent doesn't get up in the 10 count?

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Episode 25 - Goku VS Namu is one of my favourite Budokai bouts. The audience will naturally want Goku to win, but Namu's cause has him come off as the more sympathetic party deserving of winning. We also get a point that helped weld in the later revelation of Goku's Saiyan heritage with how Namu was sure he hit the right spot (ie. his pressure points). I also like the revelation of water being so easy to achieve in the city. It's a nice fish out of water moment that's fitting with a lot of early DB, so it allows for a win-win scenario without it being a plot convenience.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Watched through episodes 26-28, the Goku VS Jackie Chun fight. It's easily my favourite Budokai fight due to seeing how both fighters kept countering each others' moves and it overall being the closest match in the franchise when both characters were near unable to stand at the end, even missing the 10 count. It was somewhat convenient that Galu landed inside the ring after his Oozaru transformation, though excusable when his Oozaru self was moving towards Roshi.
Roshi competing and winning the Tenkaichi Budokai to help his students grow from learning there's always a bigger fish does help show a key difference between DB and Z. In DB, a major focus is placed on martial arts philosophy and having its training and practice allow characters to learn important life lessons to build character. Going to Z, or even as early as the 23rd TB, you have the plot of powering up to save the world become the driving force that causes a lot of the more meaningful aspects to take a back seat a lot of the time. That's not to say the later arcs are without meaningful characterisation and lessons (in fact, Z as a whole probably has better character drama than DB), but a lot of that gets sidetracked by energy beams and contrived power ups rather than honing one's skill and mindset.

So, as for the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai Arc as a whole, it is a very solid tournament arc. It had perhaps the most focus on training out of any arc in the series whilst doing so in a very balanced way; one somewhat grounded in real martial arts training principles, yet hyperbolic enough in the regime to keep the superhuman nature that made Dragon Ball's action entertaining. Along with that, you have a tournament in which we see a range of interesting tactics and the importance of both confidence and humility. Like the previous one, it's simplicity done well that acts as something more recent DB material could learn a lot from. 7/10.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Episode 29 was a nice filler episode that shows the exploration and mystical adventure aspect of early DB. I'm not too keen on Namu not given much time to shine, but I'm OK with him being beaten by a Pteranodon. Not only would it be unexpected for him to be in top shape after getting back to his village immediately, but his fighting style of aiming downward is also ineffective on a flying opponent. This is an aspect I like about OG Dragon Ball. Power wasn't the be all and end all of battles; skill and technique was just as important.
I also like how it established the Giras live close to Namu's village. Makes the locations of DB's world feel more lived in. Shame that their interactions never got expanded on beyond this episode.
It's also entertaining to see Kaneto Shiozawa voice such a flustered and humble character as Namu. When used to him voicing characters in other anime such as Rei, Kazama Shin or Paul von Oberstein, Namu was quite the departure from these.

Now, fully onto the Red Ribbon Army Arc.

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Episode 30 makes one nice addition. Pilaf states that it's been 1 year and 15 days since he summoned Shenlong, which plugs the plot hole of the DBs being used a little over 8 months after their last use in the manga. It does mean Goku would've been searching around for near 4 months though which is contradicted later by Bulma commenting on how fast he's gathered the DBs, so it's difficult which way you take it. Maybe the Meshikiya-zoku measured a year in 8 month cycles and the Dragon Balls had a lower recharge time after not being used for a century?
There's a nice bit of lore introduced with the antique owner telling Pilaf that the crown in his shop was worn by Emperor Aremasandaru who founded a kingdom in the north around 300 years ago. I like this detail since the name is a fusion not just of Alexander the Great, but also the Japanese term "arimasen" which usually refers to not having something, alluding to the shop selling fake antiques. Also, the owner can be seen reading a newspaper that says Mexico '86 on the back in reference to the World Cup. I can go with the DB world having equivalents of real world countries, though this will look strange in retrospect when the Cell Arc introduces the Age calendar. I guess this is one of the places in the world that doesn't use it like Penguin Village
We also get the introduction of NANTO HO'OKEN NO SEITEI SAUZA, I mean, Colonel Silver. Surprised they used someone with such a badass voice as Banjo Ginga to voice someone Toei knew would be a fodder character, which doesn't help how much this episode hyped him up as the next major opponent.
Also, whilst it may have just being Toei nerfing Goku's speed, I like how he can't run fast enough to catch up to them in the desert, seeing as how sand isn't a flat surface. It's a nice case of realism the series doesn't usually have.

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Episode 31 was a nice continuation of the previous one's filler plot. It is interesting how it presented Chichi as strong enough to push Goku far back. It goes along well with showing her training gains by the time of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. I'm not too keen on how large they made Silver's forces, considering the amount of men under his command in the anime seems to dwarf General White's and at least be on par with Blue's forces. Seems like a weird choice for someone with the rank of colonel.

 

[ahill1]

I found it curious that Namu resorted to his flying attack when Goku was all dazed into the ground lol. Yeah, he noticed Goku could grab him with his tail again, but that was far from the best solution to deal with Goku in that situation. I get the feeling AT was being funny at that point by having Namu employing this strategy at such a moment.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

I found it curious that Namu resorted to his flying attack when Goku was all dazed into the ground lol. Yeah, he noticed Goku could grab him with his tail again, but that was far from the best solution to deal with Goku in that situation. I get the feeling AT was being funny at that point by having Namu employing this startaegy at such a moment.

I find it more questionable how he was allowed to do that when hitting an opponent when they're down seems to be treat as egregious at the Budokai. I guess that rule wasn't implemented yet.
That aside, I can understand Namu's mindset. It was his best way of assuring Goku would stay down, whereas something like trying to kick him out normally may not work if he suddenly woke up and used his tail.

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Episode 32 - I like how it was a three-way struggle for the Dragon Balls between Goku, Pilaf and the Red Ribbon, an idea we wouldn't see an equivalent of in the manga until the Freeza Arc. I do wish Anime Pilaf had been a constant thorn in the RRA's side for longer though, given it'd provide more incentive for him developing a case that could hide a DB's signal and the development of the Pilaf Machines' strength. It's also nice how this episode shows a progression of Goku's strength when you compare how easily he can smash through Pilaf's walls compared to the limits he had when he was last captured by Pilaf.

 

[ahill1]

Nice comparison between the three poles wishing the DBs like at Namek.

I'd say the Pilaf gang weeping when they saw Goku going for the DBs later on and seeking for a weakeness is also significantly more meaningful in the anime with how much contact they had with Goku, while in the manga I think Goku turning into an Oozaru was everything they had to go by, with it not even being made clear whether they knew it was Goku iirc.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

One thing I forgot to mention with the previous episode is that it's interesting how Silver immediately rebuked the order to wait on standby until Brown's unit arrived. Not for name-dropping a character that will never be relevant, but in showing more to Silver's character in how determined he is to gain glory himself. This will tie into the episode where he's defeated somewhat, as well as offer a potential explanation of why his forces seem so large compared to White. It's unlikely the first floor of Muscle Tower could contain a lot of troops and stationing them in the village would be difficult. Maybe White only stationed his most elite troops there and Silver was entrusted with the majority of his General's forces (likely General Copper) for both his capabilities and as a means to display his worth. It also adds as a nice way of changing the manga's events in a way that carries the same tone, since Silver being commanded to wait for Brown's aid gives him the same lack of accomplishment as Brown's company finding the Dragon Ball for Red in the manga.
On the subject of brown, it does make me wonder why the anime didn't have him make an appearance as another officer sent after Goku or the other main characters. Would've made a good opportunity for filler, something this arc seemed to use quite a bit and to mostly positive effect.

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Episode 33 - Having the opening scene hyping up Silver with what will come after it seemed pointless, especially with his abilities not being impressive by the standards of Budokai competitors. I do wonder if this was the point though, showing how great he is by human standards but run of the mill to Budokai finalists. The scene of him giving the ball to Red is interesting in how he states that only someone like Red is worthy of ruling the world. I guess this helps with that thread Curtis made since it seems Red must just have top tier charisma. Also, Red tells Silver the Dragon Balls are necessary for world domination. I guess even he knew how ridiculous his true wish would sound to others 2
I really like Roshi's explanation of the Dragon Balls' origin. Despite having no ties to the true answer aside from a connection to Earth's God, it acts as a nice bit of lore in humanity finding a creation story to apply to a mystical aspect of their world. It's the kind of fleshing out of the DB's culture and lore you don't often see.

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Episode 34 has Goku VS Silver. I prefer the take the anime did of having Silver leave Red's office and leaving his fate ambiguous, rather than making him some jabroni who was likely executed offscreen. Makes him one of the more fleshed out members of the army in the anime rather than the bland fodder he was in the manga. Goku using the capsules and the attention put into their numbering makes me wonder if someone's made an appendix of all numbered capsules in the series. Maybe there's a guide on Kanzenshuu or something.

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Episode 35 - I do like how Goku only needed to be told the RRA soldiers were bad guys for him to mercilessly beat them. It definitely shows that primal nature that ties to his upbringing (and, later, his Saiyan instincts) and the gag of him forgetting how cold it was when rushing off to Muscle Tower was pretty funny.
We see that White drinks alcohol in his spare time. Not much of a detail, but it's more of a perspective into his personal life than the manga offered.

 

[ahill1]

I remember some filler scenes involving Silver, mainly the one in the jungle, with Gyu-Maoh and him fighting some boxers. The anime had me hyped up for Goku's fight with him 1st time I watched. I remember that they almost ended up fighting while in the jungle.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

One thing to make note of in the past episodes is they removed the part of Red telling Black not to stand behind him and make him look small. Surprising, considering its relevance later on.

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Episode 36 - Two interesting things to note in terms of powerscaling.
The segment where White says it's a shame he won't be able to get in any exercise against Goku means a lot more in the anime as he's fully aware that Goku beat Silver and comments he can see how he did so after seeing Goku beat his men, whereas we're not given any indication that White knew Goku defeated Silver in the manga. This would mean White > Silver in terms of power, at least in the anime.
Just before the end of the Metallic fight, Goku says he'll have to use his reserve power, a slightly different translation from going all out like in the manga. I'd say both of these carry the same meaning in Goku needing to show everything he's got, though I prefer the anime's approach of him needing to try and settle things with a full power Kamehameha as even a Kamehameha not at full power is still treat as more potent than physical strikes at this part of the series.

I might as well bring up Metallic's radar noting Goku as "Looks Alien". I'd like to say this adds a piece to the Saiyan revelation, but the context definitely suggests it to be using the word more in line with something such as "illegal alien" in Goku not being someone who should be in Muscle Tower.

Also, whilst it's already been said by MistareFusion, I do agree that Muscle Tower is a plot line that was introduced at a perfect point in the series as the idea of getting through a simple tower filled with dangerous foes isn't something that could work at later points in the series where characters could just fly or destroy a good amount of the tower with ease. Babidi's spaceship was a logical revamp of it in a way to fit in with the increase in scale of the series, though didn't make the same impact due to a large difference in tone.

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Episodes 37 and 38 - Goku VS Murasaki is definitely one of the most underrated fights in the series. It's the perfect display of Goku's critical thinking skills as he utilises many aspects of his surroundings to counter Murasaki and there's a good use of weaponry that isn't so common in later fights, at least not from both parties. In the same way Muscle Tower in general could only work here, this is a fight that wouldn't work later on as Goku's naivete wouldn't be as in character in later arcs where he had more worldly experience and would just come off the same as Super nerfing his intelligence.
On the subject of comparisons, this fight further adds to the difference in tone between Muscle Tower and Babidi's spaceship. Despite having comedic elements, there was a definite sense of tension in which each of Goku's opponents proved a major threat in some way, be it power or otherwise (Metallic's durability and rockets, Murasaki's ninjutsu, Buyon's elasticity), whereas Babidi's minions are established to be a pushover from the start by Vegeta saying Dabura isn't all that and all but Gohan VS Dabura being easy wins (and that would've been if Goku/Vegeta intervened) despite the serious tone of events. Both work in their own ways as Muscle Tower is meant to convey how much further Goku needs to progress in experience whilst Babidi's Spaceship shows off the experience the Saiyans have accumulated, though the tension of Muscle Tower certainly makes it the far more engaging of the two to watch for several episodes.
Continuing on this subject, I can't help but think that with the similar structure, Toriyama was inspired to make the Goku VS Yakon fight from the opening of the Murasaki fight in which Goku has to evade strikes and adapt to the dark.

Murasaki's perversion also manages to tell the same type of gag whilst keeping it fresh, something many comedic series fail to do (*cough*Gintama*cough*). The whole trope of a shinobi needing to kill their target when their identity is seen due to the secrecy of the profession is given a comedic take with Murasaki needing to kill Goku to hide his hobby. We also see more of the inside of Murasaki's house such as a framed photo of a kunoichi, which sheds some detail into his personal life.
I also like how Goku comes to an agreement with Murasaki saying everything's fair in a life or death battle. Certainly helps show a fair bit to Goku's ethics on fighting for real compared to tournament bouts.