Dragon Ball’s newest adventure, the whimsical and adventurousDaima, takes place in the time between the Majin Buu Saga and Beerus' arrival on Earth. Reverting Goku to a child once more, the series returns to its roots while making the most of the incredible new Demon Realm that acts as its backdrop. And thoughDaimamay invoke the spirit ofDragon Ball’s earliest arcs, the anime’s focus on elements introduced during the Majin Buu Sagashines a light on just how underrated that arc has become.
Dragon Ballis home toone of the greatest runs in anime and manga history, from the arrival of the fearsome Demon King Piccolo to the passing of the torch in the Cell Saga. Over that time, several iconic characters joined the franchise, like Vegeta and Frieza, while the introduction of the legendary Super Saiyan changed the landscape of the shōnen genre forever.
The Majin Buu Saga, however, which served asDragon Ball’s final arc prior to the series' rebirth inDragon Ball Super, hasnever been met with quite the same level of adoration. I always felt the arc was a drop-off that aimlessly wandered after the neatly wrapped character arcs enjoyed by Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta during the Cell Saga, and it seems most fans share that sentiment. Though asDaimacontinues to make use of lore established during the Buu Saga, the series just keeps reminding me of how many fantastic moments and elements the arc introduced toDragon Ball.
Daima Makes Use of an Underutilized Buu Saga Character
Shin Shares the Spotlight in Dragon Ball Daima
The Majin Buu Saga begins without much objective following a seven-year timeskip, after which Gohan attends high school and fights small-time criminals as the Great Saiyaman. It takes its time in picking up the pace, but finally does so during the World Martial Arts Tournament, which ushers in the return of Goku and brings the main cast together again. The fun is disrupted, however,when the mysterious Shin arrives and strikes a deep fear in Piccolo.
Dragon Ballbuilt Shin up to be a major presence in the story, and while the Supreme Kai eventually kick-starts the events that lead to the introduction of Majin Buu,he never quite lives up to the expectations the series built around him. And asDragon Ballcontinued past the Buu Saga, he only faded further into the role of a side character.Dragon Ball Daima, however, has made sure to not only make Shin a central presence in the story, but goes so far as to expand on his origins and show off his abilities.
Dragon Ball Daima Reveals Shin’s True Name, Marking a Big Shift for the God
Dragon Ball Daima’s latest episode has revealed the Supreme Kai’s real name, shedding light on one of the Kai’s many mysterious qualities.
Shin’s lack of development and underutilization during the Majin Buu Saga has always been a point of contention among fans, who believe his character was largely wasted following his epic introduction. Luckily,Daimais making full use of the Supreme Kai, and has taken the opportunity tobuild upon his character in a way that the Buu Saga ultimately couldn’t. His presence has also been a clear reminder as to why his initial introduction was so exciting in the first place, showcasing that Shin can bring a different element toDragon Ball.
Daima Revisits the Magic That the Buu Saga Introduced
Demon World Natives Use the Magic Introduced in the Buu Saga
Dragon Ball Daimareveals early on thatShin is actually native to the Demon Realm, a universe that houses all sorts of different Majin. Of course, the concept of Majin was introduced during the Buu Saga, through the Wizard Babidi and his mysterious magic.Daima, by setting its events in the Demon Realm,pushes the concept of magic to the forefront of the story, after the series abandoned it duringDragon Ball Super.
Clearly, Akira Toriyama felt that the Buu Sagaintroduced more exciting elements to the series than it had time to explore, and createdDaimain an effort to bring those concepts to life. Never before was I interested in learning the backstories of characters like Dabura, Babidi, or even the wildly incapable Pui Pui. But Akira Toriyama is regarded as a masterful storyteller for a reason, and was able to build upon the Buu Saga’s less prevalent characters to create a world brimming with wonder forDaima.
The creation of therecently introduced Majin Kuuhearkens back to Buu’s awakening from the mysterious pod that housed him. On release, the chaotic Buu immediately began terrorizing the Earth, andit isn’t a stretch to assume that Kuu will do the same in the Demon Realm. All the parallels betweenDaimaand the Buu Saga may also lead to a return of the arc’s most beloved and influential component.
Daima Has Teased the Return of Fusion
Join Bugs Tease the Introduction of an All-New Fusion
What fans typically remember most aboutDragon Ball’s Majin Buu Sagais the introduction of fusion. Through the Kai’s Potara earrings, following Vegeta’s finally completed character arc, the Saiyan Prince and the low-level Kakarot fused to become Vegito. While the ultimate Saiyan warrior isn’t the final victor in the fight against Buu, there are fewer more iconic moments than Vegito’s introduction.
The fusion between Goten and Trunks, Gotenks, was also incredibly popular following its introduction. So much so that the two half-Saiyans still use the fusion dance in modernDragon Ball. While Goku and Vegeta have access to Potara earrings inDaima, the series has teased an all-new fusionby introducing Join Bugs. And though nothing has been confirmed, thepicture accompanying the bugs shows three people fusing together. The possibility of a fighter consisting of the power of Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo would be an absolute game-changer for the series.
And it wouldn’t be possible without the Majin Buu Saga introducing fusion toDragon Ball. Because the arcs that precede Buu’s introduction are some of the most iconic in all of anime and manga, fans of the series often neglect all the good the Majin Buu Saga introduced. But now thatDragon Ball Daimais well underway,the anime has drawn viewers' focus back to the elements which made the arc special.
Dragon Ball DAIMA
Cast
Dragon Ball Daima sees Goku and his allies inexplicably shrunk into miniature forms, prompting a journey to the Demon Realm. This animated adventure, part of the Dragon Ball franchise, explores their mission to solve the mystery and restore their original statures. Released in October 2024.
