REVIEW: ‘Dragon Ball DAIMA’ Episode 15 — “Third Eye”

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 15, “Third Eye,” sees Goku (Masako Nozawa) and his friends touchdown on the First Demon World. But they are soon surrounded and in danger of being overrun by their enemies. Unbeknownst to them, an ancient artifact of incredible power is unknowingly being worn by one of their own as a belt buckle.

When it comes to fighting, the Dragon Ball franchise has some unwritten rules. One of them is that attempting to overwhelm a foe with a multitude of smaller energy blasts never works. Whenever it’s tried, the target inevitably bursts through unscathed. It’s as predictable as s fighter politely waiting for a foe to finish transforming before attacking. It’s just how it’s done. At least, until now.

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 15 breaks long-held franchise rules.

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 15 turns this predictable scenario on its ear. During the initial clash with Gomah’s forces, Goku brazenly stands in the middle of the area, reflecting blaster bolts at enemies with his Power Pole. It’s clear he has no concern about the incoming fire until a single hit leaves the Sayain momentarily incapacitated.

It seems Gomah’s forces use some form of shock ray that delivers an electric-style surge to its target. This shock seems capable of circumventing the powerful Z Fighters’ usual defenses. While a single hit doesn’t seem to do any last damage, repeated strikes could overwhelm the target. This loophole creates an unexpected level of tension as even Goku and Vegeta (Yûdai Mino) must use caution when entering blaster-saturated areas. And caution has never been the Sayains’ strongest virtue.

Helping make this twist even more successful is how so much of Dragon Ball DAIMA‘s previous entries cling to previous conventions. With so many small elements calling back to previous entries in the franchise, it would be easy to expect this scene to be approached the same way. As the fighting starts, the immediate expectation is that “kid” Goku will be seen once again ripping through an army, much like he did to the Red Ribbon Army way back in the original series. This scene makes all the previous homages to the past feel like more integral elements to the series setup, as they now enable this twist to land so much better.

From the safety of the castle, Gomah (Shôtarô Morikubo) and Degesu (Jun’ya Enoki) watch the unfolding battle. As his monitors dart between the various combatants, he is shocked when the camera fixes on Hybis (Reimi, Megalo Box). To the Emperor’s shock, he discovers that Hybis’ belt buckle holds the Third Eye. Upon making this discovery, Gomah hastily demands that Degensu retrieve the item in secret.

As Degensu heads out to fulfill his new mission, Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 15 pauses its story to fill viewers in on what exactly the Third Eye is, as well as give a brief history of its impact on the Demon Realm. While this sequence is technically effective in its primary task, it’s the laziest way the series could deliver the information. If the item had been brought up earlier in a conversation, the obtrusive stop to the story would’ve been unnecessary, allowing the action of the episode to flow far smoother. Its placement here makes the solid information it delivers feel more like a nuisance than a help.

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 15 delivers an exciting, chaotic battle.

Meanwhile, the heroes struggle to overcome the massing forces arrayed against them. As luck would have it, though, a solution presents itself. Just as massive tanks roll towards the heroes, explosives rain from the sky. It seems Panzy’s father found that plane he was hoping to hijack and brought along reinforcement. With more targets on the field, Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 15 sees Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo finally cut loose, since the enemy’s fire is now diluted between them and the new threats.

The chaos of the battle throughout the episode delivers fun and exciting action as it takes advantage of the unique circumstances. There are rarely so many fighters participating in a single battle in this franchise. Jumping from one hero to the next delivers a style of battle that feels fresh and unique here.

While the fight plays out to its inevitable conclusion, a transformed Degesu, now in the shape of a woman, tries to get Hybis to give him his belt. While the offer of a kiss is rejected, Hybis gladly takes Degesu’s bizarre-looking hat in exchange. This leaves the villain’s mission fulfilled, though it also sees him feeling a little insulted that his kiss was so casually disregarded.

As the episode closes, Degesu returns to Gomah just as the Z Fighters mop up the remaining enemy forces. As the frustrated Gomah rants about his troops’ misfortune, Degesu reminds him they can still send the elite squad out to fight them. The troubled look across the minion’s face in this scene confirms that he intentionally avoids the matter of the Third Eye, perhaps fearing what his Emperor will do with it.

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 15 is a treat to watch. It subverts so many expectations and delivers a ton of excitement and action. It would be a perfect episode if it wasn’t for the lackluster implementation of the Third Eye’s background.

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 15 is streaming now on Crunchyroll and will arrive on Netflix January 31st.