Face It, Dragon Ball Daima’s World Building Is Becoming a Big Problem For the Anime

Warning: Contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Daima Episode #13Dragon Ball Daima has been a largely enjoyable entry into a franchise that has done it all and more over the span of 40 years. Focusing on the adventurous spirit that once defined the series, Goku's newest adventure is filled with all the whimsy and fantasy that only a world created by Akira Toriyama can provide. The Demon Realm has been a fantastic addition to the Dragon Ball universe, and the main cast's exploration of the far-off land has been nothing short of magical.

As Daima has progressed, the adventurous focus has slowly shifted towards action, featuring a highly energetic battle between Super Saiyan 2 Goku and Tamigami #3, followed by the long awaited reveal of Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta. Going into the series' newest Episode #13, titled "Surprise", fans were excited to see what the intertwining plot threads involving the main cast and the mysterious Arinsu might have in store. With all the pieces in place to move the story forward in a meaningful way, Daima instead dropped the series' most meaningless episode yet.

While flying their way to the First Demon World, the Goku and Glorio gang experience plane trouble yet again, forcing a crash landing on an unknown planet. What follows are antics with giants ripped straight out of Dragon Ball GT's divisive opening arc. It is currently unknown exactly how long Dragon Ball Daima will run, though many rumors point to a 20-episode length. The most recent episode is undeniably fun, but any more focus on world building may be detrimental to the anime.

Daima's Excellent World Building Is Becoming an Issue

Heavy Focus on Building the Demon Realm Is Slowing Daima to a Crawl

The Demon Realm has been a strong point for Daima since the main trio of Goku, Glorio, and Shin first touched down in the Third Demon World. An undeniable breath of fresh air for a series that needed it, The Demon Realm put familiar characters in all-new situations while featuring the incredible trademark creature designs, landscapes, technology of Akira Toriyama. Unfortunately, however, 13 episodes into the series, the world is still being built.

The most recent detour to Planet Mega was largely action-packed and fun, but the issue lies in the fact that it did nothing to progress the plot. The prior episode, which created a buzz around the series with the introduction of Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta, was brimming with energy and style, and pitted both the main cast's team and Arinsu's Duu against separate Tamigami Dragon Ball protectors. With both parties victorious, there was no better time to bring the two parties into conflict than in the latest episode.

Though entertaining in its own right, Daima spent valuable time on Planet Mega that should have been used elsewhere, especially if the series is set to only have around 20 episodes. Not only does the newest episode offer little in terms of plot development, but it also halts the strong momentum that was built in its previous stretch of entries. The Demon Realm has been an excellent inclusion to the Dragon Ball franchise, but the time spent building it is now actively hurting its newest anime.

Daima's Latest Episode Is Reminiscent of GT, and Not in a Good Way

Daima Is in Danger of Repeating GT's Mistakes Following Its Recent Episode

Dragon Ball Daima's newest run-in with giants is a direct call back to GT's sixth episode, which saw Goku, Trunks, and Pan land on Planet Mommath and deal with its inhabitants in search of a Black Star Dragon Ball. Though Daima's version of events offers much more action and intensity than its predecessor, pinning its strongest fighters against a giant and its dog, the episode's similarities to GT are obvious, and that isn't really a good thing.

Goku, Trunks, and Pan looking on at Giants in artwork created by Akira Toriyama.

Dragon Ball GT is an incredibly divisive series among the franchise's fanbase, being the first and only TV anime in which Akira Toriyama had no involvement. And a large portion of the criticism hailed towards the series stems from its many missteps in its opening arc. Being Dragon Ball's earliest attempt at returning the franchise to its adventurous roots, GT's first arc takes the focus away from fighting, and is unbearably slow because of that. The episode on which Daima's latest is based is a prime example, throwing its cast into a world for a detour that is ultimately pointless in the long run.

The series doesn't only have to focus on fighting, and the long section chronicling Goku's youth is proof. However, when Dragon Ball's characters are capable of destroying planets with a flick of the wrist, combat with giant dogs does not hold much weight, especially when it does nothing for the plot of Daima. Not only is the latest episode reminiscent of GT in content, but also in the wrong steps that it's taking. An evil doctor with two new versions of Majin Buu is after the same Dragon Balls that Goku and company are. Detours aren't quite needed at this point.

Side Quests Can Be Fun, But Daima Needs to Focus Down the Stretch

There Are Bigger Problems in the Demon Realm Than Giants

A close-up of Super Saiyan Goku from Dragon Ball Daima Episode #7.

In a vacuum, there isn't much wrong with Dragon Ball Daima's latest episode. The world is vibrant and colorful, the action is top-notch, and it even features some last-minute Super Saiyan heroics from Goku. However, given where the series currently is in its timeline, along with the stakes that have been building throughout its run, there is no longer a need for episodes in which nothing of note happens.

Arinsu's plans and ties to Glorio still need to be explained, Gomah has still yet to leave his castle outside of the opening episode, two new Majin Buus have been freed into the Demon Realm. While Dragon Ball Daima was busy having its cast do battle with giants, none of those plot points moved in any direction. It's unknown how many episodes the series has remaining, though if the anime is following the two-cour formula of anywhere from 23 to 26, then it is already halfway through its run with much to be resolved.

Dragon Ball Daima has been an enjoyable addition to the long-running franchise, and even a breath of fresh air where one was sorely needed. Though, if the series doesn't begin to focus down the stretch, it is going to have some serious problems as the anime approaches its finale.