It's always fascinating to consider how each new Dragon Ball anime contributes to the greater whole and how fresh content can reinvent and recontextualize classic ideas. This has very much been the case with Dragon Ball DAIMA, the franchise's newest anime that was released in celebration of Dragon Ball's 40th anniversary. Dragon Ball DAIMA begins with a curious premise that involves Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and the rest of the anime's greatest heroes all getting turned into children as part of a vile revenge scheme by the Demon Realm's new top brass. These changes have prompted a unique learning curve for Dragon Ball's heroes as they attempt to grow accustomed to their new bodies and weakened strength.
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A brave trip to the Demon Realm - which has largely been unexplored territory for Dragon Ball - appears to be the heroes' best chance at turning back to normal and rescuing Dende, who has been kidnapped by Supreme Demon King Gomah. Each episode of Dragon Ball DAIMA elegantly highlights the Demon Realm's many differences and the true extent of its mysterious magic. Goku and company have experienced new forms of food, transportation, enemies, and allies. However, one of the Demon Realm's most interesting developments is a variety of bugs that ostensibly operate as versatile single-use tools and power-ups. Dragon Ball DAIMA has only scratched the surface of what's possible with the Demon Realm's Medi Bugs, but fans are already drawing comparisons between this gross new concept and the original Dragon Ball's DynoCaps.
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Demon Realm Medi Bugs Create Unpredictable Problem-Solving Scenarios
This New Concept Is Not An Exact Science
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Dragon Ball DAIMA has already gotten a lot of mileage out of the "stranger in a strange land" dynamic that's befallen Goku during his time in the Demon Realm. Goku has decades of experience under his belt, but the Demon Realm is such a unique universe where he's truly out of his element and reliant on Glorio and Shin's help to learn the ropes. DAIMA once again turns Goku into a sheltered child who is oblivious of the outside world, just like he was in the original Dragon Ball. Goku receives a brief primer on the Demon Realm's Medi Bugs and what they're able to accomplish, but there's still likely to be a steep learning curve in this department. Goku displays a similar level of amazement and reverence for this concept as he did for Bulma's DynoCaps in the original Dragon Ball.
An entertaining aspect of Dragon Ball's DynoCaps is that they can ostensibly transform into anything - whether that's a weapon, clothing, transportation, or even a makeshift home. The Demon Realm Medi Bugs boast comparable limitless possibilities. Similarly, the DynoCaps can only be used once. Bulma could have multiple versions of the same DynoCap, but each Capsule was a single-use experiment. The Demon Realm Medi Bugs work in the same way, especially since they're something that's actively consumed by the user. This creates a scenario where Goku will need to be selective with these bugs and not just abuse them whenever he's overwhelmed. The original Dragon Ball had numerous scenarios where Goku and Bulma were stranded or inconvenienced because they had run out of Capsules or had to barter them for something else. It's easy to imagine a similar situation in Dragon Ball DAIMA where an opportunistic Demon may only provide help to Goku and company if he's willing to give up some of his most powerful bugs.
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The Demon Realm Medi Bugs are also guaranteed to involve some unexpected surprises where Goku doesn't realize what he's gotten himself involved in. Goku's care-free and forgetful nature makes it easy to believe that he could overlook what bugs he's acquired or misjudge how they're supposed to work. For instance, Goku could have a Fire Bug, but it's unclear if this bug will help him breathe fire, shoot out fire from his hands, or set himself on fire, as he temporarily becomes a living flame. Dragon Ball's Capsules had a similar element of unpredictability to them where they trigger surprises or don't work exactly as expected.
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Bulma could know that she has a Motorcycle Capsule, but its specifics remain unclear. Much like Dragon Balls DyncoCaps, the Demon Realm Medi Bugs seem to advertise vague concepts without exact details. This opens Dragon Ball DAIMA to some fun and playful scenarios where Goku is forced to roll with the punches and learn on the fly when it comes to the various bugs that he activates. This is ultimately more interesting than a circumstance where Goku has complete control. It helps further remove Goku from his comfort zone, even when he thinks he holds the advantage. This creates opportunities for Goku to showcase his creativity and strategic skills, which have always been some of his most endearing traits.
Demon Realm Medi Bugs Help Further Connect DAIMA To The Original Dragon Ball
Medi Bugs Are Another Opportunity To Recapture The Original Anime's Energy
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Dragon Ball DAIMA is rich in new ideas that successfully expand upon the franchise's lore and boldly push it to exciting places. At the same time, Dragon Ball DAIMA was explicitly produced to celebrate Dragon Ball's 40th anniversary. There have been previous Dragon Ball anniversary projects, such as Dragon Ball: Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return!! or Dragon Ball: The Path to Power, but they've mostly been enjoyable excuses to hang out with these characters again or remake old content.
Dragon Ball DAIMA is unique in the sense that it actively wants to recapture the original Dragon Ball's energy and takes several strides to create explicit parallels. The most blatant of these parallels is Dragon Ball DAIMA's decision to turn Goku and many of the anime's characters back into children. Dragon Ball DAIMA also brings back Goku's Power Pole, which was a staple of the original series. The new anime also largely removes Goku's flight ability and other heightened powers that are most commonly associated with later Dragon Ball series, rather than the original. Dragon Ball DAIMA even brings Bulma back in a major role that's reminiscent of her part in the original Dragon Ball.
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Dragon Ball DAIMA's Demon Realm is What Namek Should Have Been in DBZ
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DynoCaps were essential in Dragon Ball, but they're barely referenced in Dragon Ball Z and beyond. The Demon Realm's Medi Bugs is yet another way in which Dragon Ball DAIMA revives a "retired" element of the original anime, albeit with a new spin. DAIMA is the perfect place to experiment with such a concept and it wouldn't even be surprising to learn that the Demon Realm's impressive Majin scientist, Dr. Arinsu, helped play a role in the Medi Bugs' creation, just like Bulma did with the Capsules. Alternatively, it will be exciting to see the relationship that Bulma develops with these bugs and how she's able to apply her DynoCap knowledge to them. It wouldn't be impossible for Bulma to reverse-engineer these bugs' science in order to advance Capsule Corporation research. It'd be a satisfying full-circle moment if Bulma uses the Demon Realm Medi Bugs to develop new and evolved DynoCaps in future Dragon Ball Super stories.
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Demon Realm Medi Bugs Are A Smart Solution To Goku's Weakened State
DAIMA Has Been Very Interested In Curbing Goku's Godly Strength
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A growing complaint about Dragon Ball is that Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the anime's main characters have just become too powerful and it's unclear where else they can be taken. The concept of numerical Super Saiyan transformations became so ridiculous that Dragon Ball Super had to pivot to a color-coded system. Even this has been abandoned to some extent as Dragon Ball Super pivots to character-specific transformations that play by their own rules, such as Ultra Instinct Goku, Ultra Ego Vegeta, Gohan Beast, and Orange Piccolo.
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Regardless of whatever these transformations are called, there's still a prevailing belief that Dragon Ball's heroes have become too strong and it's become progressively difficult to feature satisfying threats and rewarding breakthroughs. This is likely a major reason why Dragon Ball DAIMA is set before Dragon Ball Super, so it doesn't have to worry about godly ki and any of the franchise's more recent overwhelming power-ups. Dragon Ball DAIMA has taken great strides to scale down, rather than build up, especially when it comes to the heroes' power levels. The de-aging transformation has made Goku and company significantly weaker and less comfortable with how their altered bodies work. However, DAIMA has also introduced even more ways to weaken characters, such as the Demon Realm's heavy gas-laden atmosphere, which makes prolonged flying impossible.
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A weaker version of Goku is ultimately in Dragon Ball's best interest and it lends itself to more compelling and suspenseful combat. However, audiences still want to see occasional bursts of power and exciting spectacles. The Demon Realm's Medi Bugs function like DynoCaps, but they're also a shortcut to power-ups and greater abilities, which becomes the perfect solution to this. They're a tool that gives Goku heightened powers that reverse his weakened state, but only in a temporary context. The whole Medi Bug system allows Goku to largely be weaker in Dragon Ball DAIMA, yet occasionally able to exert greater strength during special circumstances. The power-ups that the Medi Bugs provide are temporary, but there's also a finite number of these bugs. In Dragon Ball Z and beyond, Goku can seemingly spam his Super Saiyan transformation to his heart's content. The Demon Realm Medi Bugs force a greater level of restraint and strategy. They can help Goku become stronger, but he also needs to be precious in this regard, or he'll find himself in even greater trouble.
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DAIMA's Medi Bugs Are Also An Answer To Transformations & Fusion
Demon Realm Medi Bugs Provide An Opportunity To Explore New Forms
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Goku has yet to experiment with Super Saiyan strength after he's been transformed into a child and entered the Demon Realm. It seems as if this transformation is possible, since it's prominently featured in Dragon Ball DAIMA's opening and closing themes, but it's likely that it will face similar concessions as the rest of Goku's standard skills. Dragon Ball GT previously explored the idea that Super Saiyan transformations are more strenuous on a child's body and that some of the more powerful transformations can't be maintained as long.
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Dragon Ball DAIMA may make standard Super Saiyan transformations possible, but nothing beyond that. This creates a scenario where Demon Realm Medi Bug power-ups may be Goku's most logical option when it comes to transformations. These Medi Bug power-ups and transformations might be more viable for Goku because they're single-use powers and not something that's continually taxing his body. It's also a clever way to empower Goku with certain upgrades, but ones that still aren't on par with his previous Super Saiyan skills.
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Dragon Ball DAIMA also has the opportunity to tease a dark and unexpected side to these power-ups and transformations, because these bugs aren't meant for Demons, not humans - or Saiyans for that matter. Warp-Sama's intense entry protocol for the Demon Realm means that Goku is conceivably the first non-Demon to consume these bugs. They might work differently or have surprising side effects - some of which could even be permanent - when they're eaten by someone like Goku. This is a clever way for Dragon Ball DAIMA to create further intrigue with these new items and still use them to push Goku out of his comfort zone. Dragon Ball DAIMA has already teased the Join Bug, which opens the door for unique fusion combinations that don't need to be permanent and can seemingly involve multiple people.
This aspect of the Demon Realm's Medi Bugs gives Dragon Ball DAIMA the freedom to explore transformations that don't have to become permanent parts of the series if they're ultimately unpopular. However, it's also a successful way to test the waters for what works and what the fans might want to see more of in future Dragon Ball stories. It wouldn't be impossible for Goku or Bulma to smuggle some bugs home so that Dragon Ball Super returns to these concepts again. Bulma could even help mass-produce these bugs, akin to Senzu Beans and DynoCaps, so that they become a recurring aspect of the franchise. Dragon Ball DAIMA's Demon Realm Medi Bugs are a fun way for the franchise to return to the original anime's Capsule concept, but they're also likely to become so much more than this and an exciting way for Dragon Ball to evolve.
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Dragon Ball DAIMA
Not Yet Rated
Action
Adventure
Animation
Fantasy
Martial Arts
Due to a conspiracy, Goku and friends are transformed into children. They intend to travel to a mysterious new world to undo this change
Seasons 1
Story By Akira Toriyama
Writers Akira Toriyama
Franchise(s) Dragon Ball