The execution of combining a whimsical search for the Dragon Balls, while featuring super-powered fights is a tough needle to thread, but Dragon Ball Daima accomplished the task. Dragon Ball GT tried to make it happen after the release of Dragon Ball Z, but it didn’t quite hit the notes. The anime featured a lot of quality elements that many of the future series used. However, it also lacked a clear story and felt too much of a tone step backward in comparison to its predecessor.
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On the other hand, Dragon Ball Daima blended everything so well together. Akira Toriyama was deeply involved with this project, but he didn’t have nearly the same involvement with Dragon Ball GT. That’s a huge distinction right out of the gate, as he’s the creator of the Dragon Ball universe. There are plenty of works outside of his immediate influence that did well, but they obviously feel truer to the source material with Toriyama commanding the project.
Dragon Ball Daima’s Direction Made Sense From The Jump
The first major win for Dragon Ball Daima was that it didn’t struggle to find its footing. It’s a simple, but well executed plot of a sole antagonist trying to stop the Z Fighters by turning them into kids. They then were tasked to go to the Demon Realm and track down the Dragon Balls before King Gomah did. None of the scenes or tone shifts felt forced. The adventure of Goku and friends felt a lot like the OG Dragon Ball series. Then the next scene would feature a Dragon Ball Z-type brawl versus a Tamagami and the heroes achieving higher power levels.
Dragon Ball GT tried much of the same concept, only with Goku being turned into a child by accident, so the story felt less committed to the plot. Kid Goku is causing goofy antics and searching for the Dragon Balls with Pan and Trunks, while adult Vegeta is fighting for his life against a terrifying new villain in Baby. The anime didn’t find its balance and failed to connect with its humor or combat. Long story short, it felt too adult for kids and too silly for the older audience.
The stakes of each arc just felt completely off, and they branched off in a lot of directions. The focus of the story centered on the search for the Black Star Dragon Balls, but inside of the main plot were layers of numerous other stories that detracted from it. Dragon Ball GT was supposed to be more of an anime that felt appropriate for kids to watch, and the plot felt too scatterbrained because of that.
Dragon Ball Daima Didn’t Insult The Viewers’ Intelligence
The dialogue in Dragon Ball Daima knew what it was doing. It made sarcastic jokes and poked fun at the story in a playful way. The Tamagami made the Z fighters answer ridiculous math questions and compete in mind games to get the Dragon Ball after they’d already won the battle. Hybis constantly prodded Vegeta, and tried to hit on Bulma.
While on the other end, Goku, Vegeta and Piccolo are focused on becoming stronger and preparing for the threat that awaits them. Toriyama wrote a story that appeased fans on both ends of the spectrum, and made it compelling despite everyone knowing the eventual ending of the franchise because of Dragon Ball Super.
Dragon Ball Daima might’ve been a case of less is more. When constraints are placed on a anime instead of full control, the creative minds behind it sometimes find a way to produce better content. Dragon Ball GT fell into the other category as it was supposed to be a sequel to Dragon Ball Z instead of a prequel. While some creative choices proved valuable, the misses were certainly there too.
The ending to franchises like Game of Thrones and Fullmetal Alchemist are perfect examples to display next to Dragon Ball GT. They moved past where the books/manga had stopped, and tried to create their own story. It just didn’t work fully. What do you think? Was Dragon Ball Daima better at handling tone and story, or was Dragon Ball GT just a case of critics being too harsh on a non-Toriyama entry? Let us know in the comments.
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