“Dragon Ball Daima” aired in Japan on Oct. 11, but many fans waited until November to watch this new addition to the “Dragon Ball” franchise, with the English dub of “Dragon Ball Daima” released in U.S. theaters on Nov. 10. The show has already received a rating of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, with fans worldwide sharing their newfound love for the show.
“Dragon Ball Daima” was written by Akira Toriyama, who is the creator of the “Dragon Ball” franchise. Toriyama passed away on March 1, which left many fans in disbelief. The “Dragon Ball” community was in fear of what the future might hold for the franchise since the last time a “Dragon Ball” show aired was March 25, 2018. Thankfully on Oct. 12, 2023, the release of “Dragon Ball Daima” was announced to be in the fall of 2024. Now that the show is here, fans finally get to see what events take place a year after the Majin Buu Saga from “Dragon Ball Z.”
The show brings a new kind of child-like whimsy into the world of “Dragon Ball”, with an intro accompanying this feeling providing lyrics that remind you of a childhood nursery rhyme, making the viewer feel like a kid again, and getting ready to see what new adventure awaits them on their favorite show. Do not be fooled by this animation, however, because Dragon Ball tends to become very serious very fast, so it will be interesting to see how they balance the tones that are given off in the show going forward.
“Daima” reanimates some of the Majin Buu Saga from “Dragon Ball Z” in the first episode, splashing a world of vivid color onto multiple classic sequences in the series, and although we did get a full reanimation of the Majin Buu Saga in “Dragon Ball Z Kai”, it does not come close to how well “Daima” reanimates scenes in the saga. There are training and fighting sequences that feel so quick and witty, yet so smoothly animated. The visual effects and colors that pop off the screen make the show feel like eye candy.
If I had to compare how well the animation is for this show, I would say it is almost on par with the animation of the “Dragon Ball Super: Broly” movie. It felt like I was watching a new “Dragon Ball” movie the entire time, which is a huge step up from the animation in “Dragon Ball Super.” I do not believe that the animation in “Dragon Ball Super” is bad, but I will say that the beginning portions of that show are terrible in comparison to how well Daima’s animation is shaping up to be.
Based on the first three episodes of “Daima”, the story feels like a breath of fresh air. We are finally going to see new variations of many things in the Dragon Ball Universe, such as the Dragon Balls, the world, and the characters. The show adds a lot more depth to the lore of the franchise. Fans will be pleased with the amount of new information they get fed within just the first three episodes of the show.
With “Daima” taking place in the Demon Realm, we are looking into how the world will appear in both the intro and the show. You can see drylands filled with volcanoes, floating islands with lots of greenery, and deserts littered with massive fossils that loom over the land. In the promotional art for this show, you can see three panels that seem to be different regions in the Demon Realm which is where the show takes place. All three of these panels display different colored skies, which certainly adds to the feeling of being in unfamiliar territory.
Overall, I am extremely excited to see what this show has in store for its fans. There are currently five episodes released in the U.S, however, only the first three episodes of the series have gotten an English dub. Fans of the English dub will have to wait a little while until the next episode comes out. However, if you do not mind reading subtitles, you can jump straight into the fourth and fifth episodes, and experience what new journey awaits you in “Dragon Ball Daima.”
If I had a chance to use the Dragon Balls to make any wish, I would wish for this show to be fully released already. I just cannot get enough of it, and I am extremely happy with how the show is starting. If you are a returning fan of the franchise, I highly recommend that you watch it. If you are not too familiar with the “Dragon Ball” franchise, then I recommend that you at least watch the original “Dragon Ball” and “Dragon Ball Z” before watching this series.