Change can be really tough, especially when you’ve had certain expectations for a long time, only to have reality throw you a curveball. Believe me, I totally get it. When the news first broke in October 2023 that Dragon Ball Daima was on the horizon, I was right there with the skeptics. It was a shock to think that after a five and a half year wait since the breathtaking Tournament of Power arc in Dragon Ball Super wrapped up, we’d be returning to weekly episodes with Goku and friends reverted to kids. Honestly, at first, it felt pretty disappointing, but after reluctantly checking out the initial episodes, I must confess—I was mistaken, and maybe you were too.
By 2025, it’s almost a trend to criticize the Dragon Ball series, and there’s some merit to the critique. Compared to the detailed choreography in shows like Attack on Titan or Jujutsu Kaisen, the fight scenes in Dragon Ball can seem a bit less refined. Often, animators mask this by making characters move so fast we barely grasp the action. Plus, Dragon Ball Super sometimes relied too heavily on ballooning transformations that diluted suspense—Super Saiyan Blue Evolved, anyone? Goku’s foolishness, Gohan’s frustrating underperformance, and Vegeta’s perpetual losing streak were sore points too. Yet, Daima is effectively shutting down all that criticism.
In 15 visually stunning episodes, the new series returns Dragon Ball to its origins. Remember when Goku’s Super Saiyan transformation was a rare thrill, embodying legendary power? In Daima, Goku enters this form sparingly, like in episode five to tackle King Kadan’s minions, and only a handful of times in the episodes following. Instead, the show emphasizes skillful hand-to-hand battles, sparking an old-school vibe with a dash of Power Pole acrobatics. The jaw-dropping moment came when Vegeta revealed his Super Saiyan 3 transformation in episode 12 to snatch the Dragon Ball from Tamagami Number Two. This not only corrects a long-standing inconsistency (Vegeta missing out on SSJ3 is such a headscratcher) but also indicates a willingness to refine the Dragon Ball canon within Daima.
The choreography here rivals the spectacular clash between Broly, Goku, and Vegeta in the 2018 Dragon Ball Super: Broly film. There’s Goku gracefully evading Tamagami Number Three’s energy attacks, countering with swift kicks, then flipping mid-air to dodge Tamagami’s mighty hammer only to break its handle with a slick Power Pole move—that brought tears to my eyes. These battles aren’t just filler; they carry real weight and engagement beyond flashy ki explosions.
The plot elegantly builds on beloved Dragon Ball Z arcs without getting tangled in the sometimes divisive Dragon Ball Super narratives. Let’s be real, Dragon Ball Super doesn’t always get the credit it deserves—the Tournament of Power might just be the best saga in the entire series. However, it occasionally got bogged down in its divine complexities, like the Fused Zamasu face-off against Vegito Blue, which ended with the all-powerful Zeno simply erasing the villain. In contrast, Dragon Ball Daima picks up nicely after the Buu saga and manages to expand the story without undoing past events, and it’s done beautifully.
Sure enough, Goku is still as goofy as ever, and he’s not the stoic hero he was battling Cell or Frieza in Dragon Ball Z. Many episodes focus more on exploration than combat. Yet, with intriguing new faces like Glorio, Dr. Arinsu, and Panzy, the journeys through the Demon Worlds become adventurous digs into a part of the Dragon Ball lore we thought we knew well. We have about a month left until Daima reaches its season finale. I’m urging you all—fans and critics—to give this remarkable series a fair shot and then maybe reconsider your stance, because Daima might just be exactly the shot of life and respect the Dragon Ball franchise needed.
