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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
I feel about this as I did the first volume. It’s still fun to read but messy and pervy (though slightly less so).
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
This volume was lots of fun! Except maybe the part with the giant ape. I hate monkeys.
This one was much more enjoyable than the first. Lots of action and plot progression, new characters, more background knowledge, and less perversion!
There are moments where I find myself thinking "no, I must have imagined it to an exaggerated degree. There's no way the original Dragon Ball was as perverted as I'm remembering it," but then I read volumes like this one and I find myself going "ohp. No. Somehow it was even worse than I was remembering it." There were definitely some things that I must have forgotten or blocked out entirely. In all fairness, re-reading this as an adult, I feel like a lot of the perverse elements and humor do get subverted more than one might expect from an older series (especially this one,) but it's still a little shocking to see.
That aside, the first minor arc of the series gets wrapped up in this volume, with the final chapter or so starting up the new arc. We get introduced to antagonist Emperor Pilaf and his two lieutenant henchpeople in this volume, and I'd honestly forgotten how much they broke the Fourth Wall, let alone helped to subvert some of the aspects of the story with their own humorous spin on things.
Considering this is also the first time we see Great Ape form Goku, I must say I find it interesting that after Goku reverts due to his tail getting cut off, Oolong poses the question "is he some kind of space alien?" Toriyama decided that Goku would be an alien as a retcon move, so I'm wondering how early into the creation of the world he decided that, if this line is in volume 2. Additionally, I do find it funny that there have been so many parallels drawn between the Saiyans having their Great Ape transformation be a result of looking at a full moon and the way that werewolves also change during a full moon, and that that is even pointed out by Bulma in this volume prior to Goku's transformation. To say nothing of the little werewolf-esque howl Great Ape!Goku even makes upon completing his transformation. It's fun to see how self-aware this series is, because I don't think I ever picked up on that when I was younger.
I'm already started on volume 3, so expect that review to follow soon as well!
That aside, the first minor arc of the series gets wrapped up in this volume, with the final chapter or so starting up the new arc. We get introduced to antagonist Emperor Pilaf and his two lieutenant henchpeople in this volume, and I'd honestly forgotten how much they broke the Fourth Wall, let alone helped to subvert some of the aspects of the story with their own humorous spin on things.
I'm already started on volume 3, so expect that review to follow soon as well!
Another so so volume entry for me. All we do is complete the dragon ball hunt and then the climax to the Emperor Pilaf saga ends very anti climatic.
With Goku dead and the Saiyan's arriving within a year's time, everyone decides to split up and train their hardest. Goku with King Kai, Gohan with Piccolo, and the rest with Kami. However The Saiyan's arrive earlier then expected and their power is unmatched. Also, like I said before Yamcha is a character that just gets dragged through the tar pit because once again he enters a fight but is defeated AGAIN!!!
And the high jinx only continue as our cast of characters finally run into a few actually bad bad guys! Everyone continues to be the but of some sort of joke however, and male nudity is still a thing. Akira Toriyama is fearless!
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated