Dragon Ball Re-Watch
- Thread starter Captain Cadaver
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Episode 151 - It's pretty interesting to note that Chichi being made to do the tasks of a homemaker as house wife training does bleed into her characterisation in Z. Perhaps this filler can be used to help explain the transition of her characterisation between the 23rd TB and DBZ? I do like the usage of the Basho Fan, though it's a shame it wasn't used for later DBZ filler or in GT.
Episode 152 - This is probably the biggest low point in the mini-arc's writing. Goku not using bukujutsu to get across the chasm or save Chichi is questionable, though you can at least assume he hadn't mastered it and his last minute usage of it against Piccolo was more of a fight or (literal) flight response. What can't be excused on the other hand is, as @[mention]ahill1[/mention] made good note of, Goku not immediately sensing that the phantom enemies weren't real when Popo's training should be second nature to him now; something the 23rd TB made apparent at multiple points such as the fight against Ten.
Despite that, the episode isn't completely terrible. The tie ins to Chinese mythology and Journey to the West are a good way at bringing the original anime full circle and it at least delivers on Goku promising to meet with Gohan again once he'd grown up and become stronger. I also like the voice of Annin as Keiko Yokozawa does an excellent job switching between a capricious, almost bratty girly voice and a more serious mature tone. It's a shame this episode and the next would be the only time she provided voices in the franchise.
Episode 153 - So, we learn Grandpa Gohan likes a Giant Woman. So, what is there from Steven Universe they didn't rip off from Dragon Ball and SJWfy?
2
The ideas it had about how souls ascend into the afterlife are interesting when considering the manga had already introduced Enma at this point. It does a decent job tieing together the cosmology and its rules for the series and it's a shame Toriyama didn't canonise these fantastical elements.
The result of the long fetch quest is pretty convoluted and down to such a great amount of chance you have to really suspend your disbelief. I can buy Baba's fortune telling bringing Goku to exactly where they needed, but why wouldn't it send them directly to Kame House if Roshi had a book on making a Basho Fan? I guess you could excuse that by Umigame not keying in on it without Goku and Chichi having found the carvings in Octagon Village, but what chance was there Chichi would pick up the egg shell when learning the Fire-Eating Bird quest was pointless? It's all needlessly convoluted and convenient.
Also, Galu is trying to get out of the giant furnace in a limited time, yet never thinks to boost his speed by doing a feet Kamehameha?2
Overall, the Wedding Dress Arc (or I guess if wanting to give it a more serious name, something like the Mount Frypan Arc or perhaps the Mystical Adventure Arc) has some major inconsistencies with both plot continuity and character development, not to mention relying on heavy plot conveniences in a story that plays out more like a video game fetch quest. I wouldn't say it's completely terrible or worthless though, considering we get to see Goku and Chichi work together as an effective team, some expansion on the divine aspects of the world and it acts as a nice tribute to the fantastical aspects and staple characters of the original anime. Nevertheless, it was still the lowest point of the original anime's writing. I'd give it a 4/10. At least it doesn't do much to damage previous or later aspects of the series as some later filler would.
Might do a separate thread for DBZ now that this one's become fair length, though I'll leave that up to what those viewing it would prefer.
Episode 152 - This is probably the biggest low point in the mini-arc's writing. Goku not using bukujutsu to get across the chasm or save Chichi is questionable, though you can at least assume he hadn't mastered it and his last minute usage of it against Piccolo was more of a fight or (literal) flight response. What can't be excused on the other hand is, as @[mention]ahill1[/mention] made good note of, Goku not immediately sensing that the phantom enemies weren't real when Popo's training should be second nature to him now; something the 23rd TB made apparent at multiple points such as the fight against Ten.
Despite that, the episode isn't completely terrible. The tie ins to Chinese mythology and Journey to the West are a good way at bringing the original anime full circle and it at least delivers on Goku promising to meet with Gohan again once he'd grown up and become stronger. I also like the voice of Annin as Keiko Yokozawa does an excellent job switching between a capricious, almost bratty girly voice and a more serious mature tone. It's a shame this episode and the next would be the only time she provided voices in the franchise.
Episode 153 - So, we learn Grandpa Gohan likes a Giant Woman. So, what is there from Steven Universe they didn't rip off from Dragon Ball and SJWfy?
2The ideas it had about how souls ascend into the afterlife are interesting when considering the manga had already introduced Enma at this point. It does a decent job tieing together the cosmology and its rules for the series and it's a shame Toriyama didn't canonise these fantastical elements.
The result of the long fetch quest is pretty convoluted and down to such a great amount of chance you have to really suspend your disbelief. I can buy Baba's fortune telling bringing Goku to exactly where they needed, but why wouldn't it send them directly to Kame House if Roshi had a book on making a Basho Fan? I guess you could excuse that by Umigame not keying in on it without Goku and Chichi having found the carvings in Octagon Village, but what chance was there Chichi would pick up the egg shell when learning the Fire-Eating Bird quest was pointless? It's all needlessly convoluted and convenient.
Also, Galu is trying to get out of the giant furnace in a limited time, yet never thinks to boost his speed by doing a feet Kamehameha?
2Overall, the Wedding Dress Arc (or I guess if wanting to give it a more serious name, something like the Mount Frypan Arc or perhaps the Mystical Adventure Arc) has some major inconsistencies with both plot continuity and character development, not to mention relying on heavy plot conveniences in a story that plays out more like a video game fetch quest. I wouldn't say it's completely terrible or worthless though, considering we get to see Goku and Chichi work together as an effective team, some expansion on the divine aspects of the world and it acts as a nice tribute to the fantastical aspects and staple characters of the original anime. Nevertheless, it was still the lowest point of the original anime's writing. I'd give it a 4/10. At least it doesn't do much to damage previous or later aspects of the series as some later filler would.
Might do a separate thread for DBZ now that this one's become fair length, though I'll leave that up to what those viewing it would prefer.
