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Dragon Ball DAIMAhas created an exciting and fresh treatment for theDragon Ballfranchise, incorporating overlooked characters and concepts. While this includes the Demon Realm to explore elements fromDragon Ball Superand the Majin Buu Saga, another crucial aspect comes from the earliest days of Akira Toriyama’s story, withthe main cast turning back into kidsto recapture the charm of the earlyDragon Ballstories.
While this development, reminding of the much-maligned plot twist at the beginning ofDragon Ball GT, results in the characters being obviously depowered, thus opening the field to more interesting challenges, this may have not been the case for each member of the cast. Goku, Piccolo, and Vegeta are seen struggling to get the best out of their new bodies, but one classic character can only benefit from becoming young again.
Gomah’s Wish in Dragon Ball DAIMA Levels the Playing Field for Master Roshi
Roshi Is the One Character Who Benefitted the Most From Turning Young
Muten Rōshi, known in the West as Master Roshi, was long overlooked, especially since the start ofDragon Ball Z.WhileDragon Ball Superdid a lot to bring the character back into the spotlight as a powerful and experienced warrior, Roshi also gets a fun makeover thanks to Gomah’s wish to shrink him back to his child form, returning him to his prime inDragon Ball DAIMAepisode #2.
Master Roshi was an invaluable teacher to Goku in the originalDragon Ball,helping the young Saiyan develop his martial arts chops and even teaching him the Kamehameha. His honed grasp of the basics and fighting abilities have allowed him to fight those far younger and even stronger than him, yet his old age has caught up with him, never quite showing viewers his true potential. While it’s unknown how Master Roshi will use his rejuvenated form,it’s fair to believe he could be much more powerful than ever before inDragon Ball DAIMA.
After Goku and his friends were shrunk to their child forms inDragon Ball DAIMAepisode #1, the next installment shows multiple characters similarly affected, drastically altering their appearance. This includes surprising characters like Piccolo, Mr. Satan, and Master Roshi, with Roshi shaving off hundreds of years of age,showing newfound agility and youthful exuberance.Of all the characters affected by Gomah’s wish, Roshi takes it easily and positively, seeing it as an opportunity to make up for lost time and prepare to enjoy the pleasures of life again.
Dragon Ball Daima Retcons Namekians & Changes Everything Fans Thought They Knew About Them
Namekians are one of the coolest original species in Dragon Ball canon, but in Dragon Ball DAIMA, a huge retcon confirms their nefarious origins.
In his newly-transformed state, Roshi not only takes no time flirting with the birthday party catering staff but also shows immediate control over his transformed body, surprisingly better than Goku at first. Given Roshi’s focus on strength training for Krillin and Goku inDragon Balland his unwavering grasp of martial arts fundamentals,Roshi’s young form can reasonably be seen as similar in power to Goku’s and the others.However, Roshi also shows zero interest in fighting inDragon Ball DAIMA, despite his natural and raw instinct being enough to outpace godly adversaries.
Master Roshi’s Fight IQ Is His Advantage in the Dragon Ball Franchise
Instinct Powerful Enough to Conquer Immense Foes
Master Roshi, aka Kamesennin (Turtle Sage or Turtle Hermit), was an invaluable teacher to Goku and Krillin in their youth. Still, byDragon Ball Z,he was relegated to the position of a background character. Roshi’s newly transformed state inDragon Ball DAIMAcalls back toa moment fromDragon Ball Superchapter #39, where Roshi, despite notably having a pitiful power level, was able to fight in the Tournament of Power.The master’s honed senses and pseudo-Ultra Instinct abilities allow him to defeat Kahseraland even momentarily become a tricky opponent for Jiren.
This is a testament to Master Roshi’s centuries of fighting insight and grasp of the basics. He can read his opponents and anticipate their strikes, no matter how quick.Whether this mastery level appears again inDragon Ball DAIMA, along with the teacher’s use of the Kamehameha, remains to be seen. Still, withDAIMApredatingDragon Ball Superon the timeline, Roshi can show Goku how it’s done once more. Given that Roshi’s insights and natural fighting IQ helped Goku awaken Ultra Instinct Sign, it’s fair to have high hopes for him inDAIMA.
Goku’s Mentor Has No Intentions to Fight in Dragon Ball DAIMA
Regaining His Youth, Master Roshi Has Other Plans
As shown inDragon Ball DAIMAepisode #2, Roshi predictably uses his young form as an excuse to enjoy life no longer hampered by his advanced age. Given that the character is so infamously lecherous that one can google “Dragon Ball Pervert” and find Master Roshi dominating the image gallery,it’s easy to imagine him using it for less-than-noble purposes. Such antics are true to his character, although Roshi has already quickly shown his valuable insight into Goku’s predicament.
InDragon Ball DAIMAepisode #2, Goku tries to fly, only to crash into one of the catering tables where Roshi coaches him on how Goku’s suddenly shrunken state has affected his balance and coordination. This is despiteRoshi seemingly never showing the ability or inclination to fly, initially out of spite of his rival teacher, Master Shen. Still, again, his understanding of the human body gives key insight as Goku gets his bearings. Master Roshi’s big moment may be another instance of comic relief, but his wisdom as a teacher still shines through inDragon Ball DAIMA.
Dragon Ball DAIMA
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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.
