Dragon Ball fans have been willing to roll with the punches and give Dragon Ball DAIMA the benefit of the doubt, even with certain inconsistencies and suspensions of disbelief in play. Topics like power scaling, Demon Realm physics, and the strength of magic tasers aren’t especially important when they result in compelling character development and bold, unpredictable storytelling. 16 episodes in, Dragon Ball DAIMA has been able to have its cake and eat it too, seizing equal opportunities for world-building lore and frivolous, fun filler.

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 16, “Degesu,” is a fascinating combination of these extremes that helps usher in the final villain. Episode 16 resolves several of DAIMA’s most important storylines, but it’s also prone to lose itself in silly theatrics and extended gags that are ultimately unnecessary. “Degesu” reflects Dragon Ball DAIMA’s best and worst impulses, but Episode 16 thankfully ends in a way that sets the anime’s final episodes up for success.

Related

Dragon Ball DAIMA Gets Tragic in a Bold But Imperfect Episode 15

Goku and friends’ assault on the First Demon World prompts excellent action and enlightening backstory in a solid episode that spins its wheels.

The Gendarmerie Force Are a Mixed Bag in a Busy Episode

The Elite Squad Are Easy Obstacles for Vegeta

The Gendarmerie Force were set up as oblivious punchlines upon their debut, so it would have been interesting if Dragon Ball DAIMA subverted expectations and found a way to make them dangerous. Even then, silly action can still be successful when it catches the characters off-guard and does something different. Majin Duu’s battle against Tamagami Number One is a perfect example of this. None of the Gendarmerie Force’s actions leave much of an impression and this “threat” is put to rest only two episodes after they’ve been introduced. It makes you wonder why they’re present at all, beyond a playful Ginyu Force allusion.

Related

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 17 Teases Final Boss for Anime Finale

The final villain of Dragon Ball Daima has been revealed, setting the stage for a grand finale as the anime nears its last episodes.

The Gendarmerie Force are rich in personality when they’re first introduced, but Episode 16 alreaady delivers diminishing returns. It doesn’t help that “Degesu” repeats the team’s entire introduction sequence with zero differences. It feels like a blatant waste of time to reuses past assets. This could have been funny if someone just impatiently destroyed the Gendarmerie Force in the middle of their presentation, but Dragon Ball DAIMA doesn’t evolve the gag or do anything original with it beyond what was seen during its first appearance. If nothing else, Vegeta’s decision to take on the Gendarmerie Force is the most entertaining way possible to humble these deluded warriors.

Vegeta effortlessly neutralizes these soldiers in a cathartic combat sequence and even seems annoyed about wasting his time with them. The top Gendarmerie Force member does actually have a powerful weapon at his disposal – or at least one that looks intimidating in the context of his peers. Naturally, this attack is humorously undercut and reduced to a gag rather than an actual challenge for Vegeta. Nobody expected the Gendarmerie Force to be real threats and this isn’t a surprising outcome for these characters, but their defeat is at least entertaining.

Degesu’s Gambit Falls Apart During a Tense Confrontation

The Heroes Make Serious Headway & Start Wrapping Up Loose Ends

With the Gendarmerie Force out of the way, Goku and company are free to storm Gomah’s Demon King Palace and prepare for the final battle. “Degesu” gets a lot of mileage from the eerie atmosphere that’s present in Gomah’s castle. Creative environments and set design have been a consistent highlight in Dragon Ball DAIMA and Episode 16 does not disappoint. There have been glimpses of the Demon King Palace, but this episode showcases a whole new side of it. The castle has an M.C. Escher-esque labyrinth quality to the Demon King Palace that makes it feel like the characters have entered Demon Slayer’s Infinity Castle or DIO’s Mansion from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. This leads to some worthwhile exploration and simple problem-solving akin to the Tamagamis’ post-battle puzzles.

Dragon Ball DAIMA also tries to thin its herd as the characters prepare for the endgame. Stripping the excess and distilling this story down to its most important players helps raise the tension and build higher stakes for DAIMA’s final episodes. On some level, it makes sense to leave Panzy behind, especially with her father nearby, but it’s odd to see Glorio decide to sit out the final conflict and not lend his skills to battle. Panzy and Glorio do eventually rejoin the fray, but their initial decision to stay behind feels unusual and more like manufactured drama. Panzy plays an important role in the subsequent attack on Degesu, as do Glorio and even Hybis. In fact, Hybis’ new hat actually helps save the day, which makes it seem like his silly Evil Third Eye trade was meant to be and actually – somehow – a really smart decision.

Related

Dragon Ball DAIMA Ratings Rise as the Anime Begins Its Final Arc

Dragon Ball Daima delivers a much-needed ratings bump as the 40th-anniversary anime series inches closer to the finish line.

The heroes’ infiltration of Gomah’s Demon King Palace also helps Dragon Ball DAIMA put to rest one of the anime’s most interesting storylines. Degesu uses baby Dende as collateral and is even prepared to kill the infant Namekian if it means he’ll be able to safely escape. The heroes’ confrontation with Degesu is genuinely suspenseful and one of the tensest moments to come out of the anime. The art direction really hits on another level here, both in terms of the low angle framing that makes Degesu seem even more powerful & the creepy music from Kosuke Yamashita’s score that accompanies the uncomfortable moment. All this makes Degesu feel scary and threatening after a season of ambivalence.

There’s equally heavy emotion surrounding Shin’s scene with Degesu – and later Dr. Arinsu – that lingers and weighs down on him. “Degesu” rescues Dende and resolves a crucial crisis that’s been in play for the entire series. It would have been nice to get a little more of this material and for DAIMA to have treated it like a more pressing concern throughout the season, rather than a half-baked idea. There’s not even two minutes of baby Dende content in Dragon Ball DAIMA. Just a few more check-ins with all this would have made this storyline feel more important and created some sense of anxiety. Any fears that Gomah and Degesu may corrupt Dende were erased very quickly.

Dragon Ball DAIMA’s Evil Third Eye Finally Kicks Off the Anime’s Endgame

A Monstrous Metamorphosis Sets Up the Final Battle

It’s exciting to see Dragon Ball DAIMA fearlessly forge forward. Even the heroes’ exploration of the First Demon World is surprisingly fast-paced and direct. It’s beginning to feel like DAIMA has burned through all of its extraneous “filler” ideas and that the final four episodes can purely focus on big battles and story closure. The Evil Third Eye is a terrifying relic, but leave it to Dragon Ball to play this powerful weapon for laughs. Gomah’s initial difficulties with the Evil Third Eye are rather hilarious and highlight the thin line between powerful and powerless.

It brings to mind how the Namekian Dragon Balls were useless without anyone who can speak their language and summon Porunga in Dragon Ball Z. Gomah’s strife is a silly development that takes up an unexpectedly long portion of the episode. There’s even pushback when Gomah dons the Evil Third Eye and it fails to settle into his forehead until several attempts. Dragon Ball DAIMA doesn’t completely deflate the stakes and follows up this silliness with raw power. DAIMA understands there’s a necessary give and take when it comes to tension and release, which is beautifully reflected in the episode’ final minutes.

Related

Dragon Ball DAIMA Finally Remembered Mini Goku is Supposed to Be Weak – But What’s Even the Point Anymore?

The latest episode of Dragon Ball DAIMA adds to the series’ confusing power scaling by finally weakening Goku, but it came far too late.

There have been a lot of similarities between Dragon Ball DAIMA and Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land: The Series, specifically the anime’s second story arc, which was one of the last stories Toriyama wrote before Dragon Ball DAIMA. These similarities become even greater once Gomah acquires the Evil Third Eye and ascends to his final form. It’s a moment almost identical to what happens to Muniel – another villain who isn’t physically intimidating but undergoes a monstrous, muscle-bound metamorphosis in Sand Land‘s final act. This is hardly a problem and, if anything, it’s actually kind of touching to see so much crossover between Dragon Ball DAIMA and Sand Land.

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 16, “Degesu,” ends on an exciting note that makes it easier to forgive some of the pacing, padding, and tonal issues. “Degesu” begins on rocky territory and there’s a bit of an aimless quality as it works through its various ideas. Episode 16 works better when it’s viewed in the context of what it’s accomplished. Several lingering storylines come to a head and there’s something to be said for all of DAIMA’s characters – heroes and villains alike – being together. “Degesu” makes it possible for DAIMA’s final four episodes to go all out and surpass the anime’s previous heights.

‘Dragon Ball DAIMA’ is now streaming on Crunchyroll