Note: I won't be giving my final thoughts on the RRA Arc until episode 78 as I'd say the use of the Dragon Balls that started the arc off makes it a more cathartic ending point.
Episode 69 - Bulma mentions the Dragon Balls' signals can be masked by living tissue, which contradicts the filler with the Pteranodon eating one and adds another one to the list of things GT forgot with that episode involving the giant having a DB in his tooth. :toei I guess you could chalk it up to Bulma hypothesising though.
It's good that it showed the damage done to Goku's clothes from constant travelling and battles as wearing it down. Shame this kind of realism doesn't really come up again after he gets what may as well be magic fabrics for his later gis. Goku being able to tell Oopa is male does a good job showing him as having learnt from his adventures, with his immodesty doing well in showing he hasn't changed in every aspect.
Episode 70 - The early fights in Baba's gauntlet show a good contrast to the later ones in Z with how strength sometimes didn't matter compared to abilities and skill, particularly with Kuririn VS Dracula Man. This match also serves as a good way to bring Kuririn's character back to the status-quo after his confidence in getting far in the Tenkaichi Budokai without it being character regression.
It's a shame that there wasn't other opportunities like this where the supporting cast were allowed to get in some victories against opponents that weren't complete pushovers outside of tournaments, the Saibaimen battle being the only other major exception, though I can understand why Toriyama didn't implement similar scenarios. One-on-one team battles were already becoming fairly stale in Shonen with Sakigake! Otokojuku milking the concept around this time and despite how well Yu Yu Hakusho sold, it did nothing to improve on this formula.
It was nice that Pu-erh got an opportunity to do something again, even if just this once. It's also interesting that the battle confirms both vampires and Christianity exist in DB's Earth. A shame the former concept wasn't explored outside of the 2nd DB movie though, considering vampires could've been a way to make new threats without resorting to power creep. Even treating it as a gag, I find it weird the ghost would be offering Kuririn a blood transfusion without knowing his blood type, though I'm unsure if there's anything to suggest different blood groups are a thing in the DB universe. Also, Dracula Meng didn't retreat because of the Christian imagery; Oopa was just T-posing on him to assert dominance
Episode 71 - Yamucha VS Suke-san shows more of what made the previous episode good in how Yamucha can't win with strength alone and each side does their best to employ comical tactics. The filler with Roshi asking Baba to lend him some money was bad when you remember Roshi can rake in up to a billion Zeni from the diamond, assuming he remembered to take it back from Lunch. I guess she must've been in her blonde form throughout the entirety of off-screen time between Goku chasing Blue and the filler at Karin's
As for good filler in the episode though, I do like how Goku knew straight away what the birds were thinking as its good characterisation of showing how much the natural lifestyle has honed his experiences and I find Baba testing him to be decent.
Going back to the subject of money, I do find it strange Bulma never bothered to bring up paying Baba off when even a billion zeni isn't much for her. I can understand Yamucha refuting this by wanting to test himself, though Bulma not bringing it up is weird. Then again, Bulma in the early arcs is characterised as not having the most insightful mind at times despite her genius, which at least shows some growth when comparing her Cell Arc self figuring out the most convenient way of stopping Gero.
Reminder that this is the last time Yamucha gets a canon victory over an opponent who isn't a no-name
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Episode 72 - Despite Yamucha ultimately losing, his battle against Mummy-kun is probably Yamucha at his best. We see from the fight his true pride as a fighter as well as his battle smarts in analysing how best to approach his opponent. It's a shame that this version of him is practically non-existent by Z. It does come off as bad that Toei didn't alter Bulma not getting that Yamucha's opponent was a Mummy as this really doesn't work in the anime with the elaborate sarcophagus introduction and Kuririn asking Goku "Don't you know what a mummy is?"
It's stange Roshi would say nobody's ever beaten Mummy-kun yet know Akkuman is usually saved for last. Perhaps as Baba's brother, he was aware of her roster order without anyone getting past match 3 though.
It's interesting to note that in the filler of fighters lined up outside Baba's palace, one of them says he once came 3rd in the Tenkaichi Budokai. Odd that the anime would suggest that a 3rd place decision was part of the competition prior to the 21st TB for no reason as to why that isn't the case now. Would've made more sense for him to have said he was once runner-up.
) to launch a spinning attack. It's also very impressive that Kuririn could instantly work out 16 + 27 without a second's pause. The post-battle scene of the gang together also helps highlight Bulma's intelligence too, so good job Toei.
