REVIEW: ‘Dragon Ball DAIMA’ Episode 6 — “Lightning”

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 6, “Lightning,” sees Goku (Masako Nozawa) and his friends get their journey back on track after their unexpected stop. But when a surprising threat appears, Glorio (Kôki Uchiyama) questions whether or not the Saiyan is as strong as he has been told, prompting a match between the two.

Picking up where the last episode left off, we see the group’s plane go down after overloading it with cargo. While the landing ends up being less than a true crash, Panzy (Ai Fairouz) needs to make some repairs before they can get going again. The group’s momentary delay is mostly occupied by some poorly planned poop jokes centered around Goku. These eye-rolling attempts at humor will likely fall flat for anyone over the age of ten. However, Goku’s trip behind the bushes helps him narrowly escape a confrontation.

Conveniently, while Goku steps away, Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 6 sees the rest of the group approached by a passing Gendarmerie craft. It seems the authorities are on the lookout for Goku after his battle a couple of episodes back. We also learn during this questioning that Glorio is from the First Demon World.

As the group continues its journey, Panzy begins asking questions about Supreme Kai (Yumiko Kobayashi) and the history of their race, the Glinds. There is some interesting information gleaned here, particularly about Kai’s connections to the other Glinds we have met in the Demon Realm. That Degesu (Jun’ya Enoki, Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions) and Arinsu (Yôko Hikasa, Metallic Rouge) are related to Kai feels like much less of a bizarre coincidence once we learn exactly where the Glinds come from.

Supreme Kai isn’t in the mood just to answer questions, though. As the group travels, Kai begins to ask his own questions about Glorio. Still suspicious of their guide, Kai seems determined to get to the bottom of who exactly he is. When the group sets up camp for the night, we see that Glorio is indeed reporting back to Arinsu, but to what end remains a mystery.

Supreme Kai’s suspicions about Glorio help the character significantly. In previous appearances, much of the character’s time has been spent relegated to lore exposition and looking shocked when something happens. Despite being one of the guardians of our universe, he frequently seems less than useful. Seeing his mind and awareness come into play gives the character something to do while he leaves the punching to Goku.

When dawn breaks, the group learns that the cave they settled into for the night is the home of a giant minotaur. When the minotaur discovers the group, he starts his day with a quick meal made up of the interlopers. Glorio decides to dispatch the monster, only for Goku to question whether or not he can and offers to defeat the monster himself. This prompts a disagreement between the two, causing them to face off against each other, with the now-forgotten minotaur looking bewildered in the background.

Throughout the ensuing fight, Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 6 returns to the confounded minotaur, who can’t believe he is simply being ignored. This bit of humor, which plays at how easily the Z Fighters can be distracted, is an enjoyable poke of fun the series makes at itself. Awareness of what you are can be a strength for any media, and this moment is a great example.

The battle between Glorio and Goku is the first real fight sequence Daima has delivered. This first look feels like a tone-setter for what fans can expect from the battles moving forward. If so, things promise to be fast and fun. The battle allows both characters to flex their muscles, even as we quickly see that Goku severely outclasses Glorio. However, the Majin can at least force Goku to go Super Saiyan.

The iconic Super Saiyan transformation is one that any Dragon Ball fan has seen countless times at this point. As such, it would be understandable if Toei Animation didn’t go too hard with this moment, knowing virtually everyone is familiar with what is about to happen. Nevertheless, Goku’s first full transformation in this series is treated like it’s the first time it’s ever happened.

Great cinematography builds the hype, making the moment exciting for new viewers while creating a hardcore nostalgia moment for long-time fans who will undoubtedly be reminded of when the first time they saw the transformation left them in awe. While there are some smaller moments this series has struggled with so far, it’s at least good to know that when the gloves come off, it looks like it will bring that classic Dragon Ball heat.

Despite some uneven humor, Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 6 lands the hits it needs to. The care taken in Goku’s transformation here leaves the viewer with the feeling that when a moment matters, the series will come through. As a franchise that has always leaned heavily on its biggest moments, this is promising.

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 6 is streaming now on Crunchyroll and will arrive on Netflix next week.