On March 1st of last year, the creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, passed away at the age of 68. The man whose work and characters had become influential the world over across several generations and artforms was gone, and his loss will be felt for years to come. While we may never know how aware or not he was of his condition we do know that, while Dragon Ball itself had been going through a resurgence in popularity in recent years, he had stepped back to more of a producing and guiding role as more came in to take on more responsibilities. It was a surprise to most when a new Dragon Ball anime was announced with reportedly more involvement directly from Toriyama himself since the end of the Dragon Ball Z anime. As fans learned more about this new series, reception and expectations were mixed to say the least, but most waited patiently to see what came of it. This would prove to be the last anime Toriyama worked on before his death (along with an adaptation of his lesser known manga Sand Land), but it was still months off. So, after wiping their tears, the global Dragon Ball fanbase waited patiently for this last work: Dragon Ball Daima.I mentioned all that preamble because, for better or worse, Daima’s association with being Toriyama’s last word on Dragon Ball is something the show will never be able to separate itself from, and that has proven to be both a boon and a burden for it. As a boon, it provides fans with one last full fledged adventure with these characters from the mind of man who made them so iconic and lovable for over forty years. As a burden, while Daima is undoubtedly Toriyama at his most Toriyama in a long time, it also doesn’t make for the best television at times. Taking place between the final fight with Kid Buu and Battle of Gods movie (though there are some continuity discrepancies but what else is new), the show follows Goku and his main group of friends as they are turned into children by a new foe’s wish and must travel to the Demon Realm to save one of their friends and return to adult form. Many were quick to point out that this sounded oddly similar to the beginning premise of the much maligned sequel Dragon Ball GT, and there are most definitely similarities to that series as this one goes on, also for better or worse, with one in the better column being the much anticipated return of Stephanie Nadolny, Funimation’s first voice for Gohan and Kid Goku, back to reprise Goku for the first time in more than a decade, a role she slips back into like she never left.At only twenty episodes, Daima is the franchise’s shortest main series to date, which has its own perks and disadvantages. Twenty is already an unusual episode count for most anime, which typically land between 12 to 26 episodes. And while Daima certainly does not outstay its welcome, pacing is not exactly one of its strengths, as the first third drags quite a bit before getting to the first big fight, followed by a pretty eventful second third, and finishing with a final third that cuts many seemingly important threads short but goes out with a beautiful spectacle with its final battle that will no doubt be held up with some of the best the franchise has known. Also, as this is meant to be an interquel of sorts (not just because it’s set before Super but also the final chapters of the original manga), Daima is inherently without any real stakes for its principal cast since they can’t die or change in any significant way. And as for the original worldbuilding and characters, there are several aspects that feel very thought out while others still feel they need work. So really, what your enjoyment of Daima will hinge on is if you like well animated fights and/or find it fun or funny to watch. Personally, however, Daima’s action and comedy for very often hit or miss. But while its misses felt like major whiffs, its hits strike you right in the gut.That leads me to the most frustrating thing I can say about Daima: Overall, it’s just…okay. It is by no means a failure at the story it wanted to tell, and its solid ending helps to look over many of its shortcomings, but it ends on being a perfectly serviceable story with a handful of great heights and far too many missed opportunities. That may not be the most respectful thing to say about such an iconic artists’ final story in a series that has had no less than a legendary run, but it’s how I feel coming away from it. With that said, you can most definitely feel that Toriyama put a great deal of himself into this, for the first time in many years, and to go out like that is something we should all aspire to, not just in art but in life. There is little doubt that Dragon Ball will continue without Toriyama’s guidance, if only because it is simply too profitable at this current point to stop. I also don’t doubt we’ll stop getting good shows or movies or manga out of it since Toriyama left it in the hands of those he trusts to keep things going as he would have wanted. But there is simply no replacing Toriyama himself, someone who inspired so many for so long and will continue to do so. Daima may not be the perfect show or the best Dragon Ball thing, but it’s a heartfelt goodbye from the man who started it all, and for that reason, it will always be remembered well. Now, it is up to us to go on our own adventures and tell our own stories to keep the magic alive for the generations that will come after us. Until we meet again.
