May 7th, Age 767: after 11 years, the Tenkaichi Budokai is finally reopened, though Goku and co are apparently too busy android-training to notice. Instead, Mister Satan is champion, beating some jerk called “Spopovitch” in Round 1, then facing Jewel in the finals #HistoryofEver
The 24th TB also introduces a new “youth division” for entrants under 15, which is won by Satan’s daughter Videl. Satan becomes famous as world champ and moves to Orange Star City, which is renamed “Satan City” in his honor. Though they don’t bother renaming the high school.
When Mister Satan first appears in the lead-up to the Cell Games, he’s introduced simply as the world martial arts champion (using 格闘技/kakutōgi, a different word for “martial arts” than 武道/budō ala the Tenkaichi Budokai).
Then in the Buu arc, we learn that Satan won the last TB, which was the very next one after Goku’s victory over Piccolo. Since Goku won the 23rd TB, this would logically mean Satan won the 24th, though this specific number is only used in the anime and guides.
As Videl heads off to fight Spopovitch at the 25th TB, the announcer says the last tournament was 7 years ago (this is also where we learn Videl was youth league champ). Since the Cell Games were also 7 years ago, obviously this should mean the two took place around the same time
Presumably then, the slightly retcon-y implication is that Satan’s fame as “world champ” during the Cell Games was due to his victory at the Tenkaichi Budokai. The Daizenshuu 7 timeline likewise dates the 24th TB to May 7th of 767, five days before the androids attack on May 12th
(As I’ve mentioned before, May 7th is the date the Daizenshuu timeline always uses for the TB, so the fact that using it here places Satan’s victory slightly before the androids arrive seems more like a happy coincidence than intentional design, but hey, if it works it works)
On the other hand, Cell talks to Trunks as if the Tenkaichi Budokai is ancient history rather than something that happened a week and a half ago. But then, having come from an alternate apocalyptic timeline 20+ years in the future, he’s probably not up on current events.
More details on this unseen tournament: besides Spopovitch, Mighty Mask also loses in Round 1, while Killer loses in Round 2, Punter loses in the semi-finals, and the final match is between Satan and Jewel. Apparently this tournament had four rounds, as was planned for the 25th.
The same old announcer as always MCs the 24th TB. His official verdict: it stinks!
It’s also around this time that Capsule Corp hears from a farmer out west, asking about some weird old abandoned CC vehicle he found while hiking. The CC folks have him send in a picture to help them identify it…
Meanwhile, as Goku trains and kinda sorta goes to driving school, he remains healthy the whole time and so never bothers to take the special heart disease medicine Trunks gave him. Surely only a cartoon character could be so dumb!
Speaking of Trunks: backing up a bit, Trunks is born roughly half a year before the androids attack (2.5 years after he first appears). If the androids arrive on May 12th of 767, this should put his birth around November of 766, and indeed 766 is his official birth year.
When he first appears, Trunks describes himself as both 17 years old and from 20 years in the future (presumably just rounding down). In the Buu arc, kid Trunks is said to be 8, making him a year older than the 7-year old Goten (possibly rounding up, but more on this later)
However, while Bulma and Vegeta have a child together, they don’t get married or cohabitate. Sinners! (Vegeta refers to Bulma as his wife in the Buu arc, so they’re apparently married by then)
Tomorrow: May 12th!
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Toyotaro’s postscript for DBS vol.24 details the creation process of the ch.104 one-shot: originally this was a text prologue he got from Toriyama, which he revised and put into manga form. And now the Super Hero arc is really, truly done: “Look forward to future developments!”
Toriyama also designed the Red Pharmaceutical Company air truck for the Super Hero arc epilogue:
Toyotaro’s vol.24 author’s comment explains how Toriyama’s corrections were typically about how manga ought to be, rather than simply how DB should be. He was a manga artist above all. “I will never forget the approach to manga which sensei taught me, and continue to do my best!”
Dragon Ball Daima, ep.20: it’s the end, but the moment has been prepared for. The fight with Gomah is samey but looks amazing and is over soon enough for Kuu to ascend the Iron Throne, plus other fun wrap-up stuff. Thanks for everything Toriyama, and farewell. #DAIMA #ep20
Since Daima airs at 11:40 PM in Japan, the final episode on February 28th ended right as the date ticked over into March 1st, marking the one year anniversary of Toriyama’s death. So far there’s no word on if this was intentional on the part of the production team, though.
The title ゼンカイ/Zenkai comes from 全開, meaning “full power”, hence the translation “Maximun” (see also the DBZ ending theme ZENKAI Power). I’ll give it another week, but if there’s no further clues on the red letters, I’ll assume it was just about using all 20 dakuten letters
Executive producer Akio Iyoku discusses Daima’s origin: 6 years ago during DBS: Super Hero’s production, they decided to do a new TV series. At first Toriyama’s involvement was going to be minimal, but he really got into it, creating most of it in the end. mantan-web.jp/article/202502…
Iyoku says Daima was intended as a show that parents could watch with their children, so it was made to appeal both to kids and adults in their 30s who were kids back when DBGT first aired. So yes, making Goku and co kids was specifically done to appeal to the GT generation.
While making Goku a kid was seen as making the series accessible to a wider audience, it was Toriyama’s idea to turn the entire main cast into kids too. Toriyama was also concerned many people wouldn’t know DB’s story, hence the general overview at the start of each Daima episode
It’s already November 20th in Japan, which means Dragon Ball has officially reached its 40th anniversary. In case you weren’t paying attention and/or born at the time, here are some highlights from the first 40 years of DB history… #DragonBall40th
1984: gag manga superstar Akira Toriyama concludes megahit Dr. Slump, and in November debuts its follow-up in Weekly Jump. This Journey to the West-inspired kung-fu adventure kicks off as inventor girl Bulma recruits monkey boy Goku to track down the titular dragon balls.
1985: after last year’s tail-end teaser, things begin in earnest. The initial “quest for the dragon balls” arc wraps up in May, and Toriyama shifts gears to a tournament arc (always a fan favorite in his Dr. Slump days) with the lecherous Roshi and Goku’s new cueball-esque BFF.
According to Bunshun Online, Dragon Room head honcho Akio Iyoku has stepped down from Shueisha and established his own company, Capsule Corporation Tokyo. Supposedly he wants Shueisha to keep DB’s manga publishing rights but for CC Tokyo to handle DB games/anime/etc.
As you might imagine, Shueisha is reluctant to part with DB to any extent, and negotiations are still ongoing. According to this article, anyway. Shueisha has apparently confirmed that Iyoku is stepping down, but not confirmed any of the particulars so far.
Bunshun Online reached out to Toriyama and asked if he would be working with Iyoku in future, but Toriyama said he couldn’t comment publicly, only through Shueisha. He also said the company name “Capsule Corporation Tokyo” was Iyoku’s idea, not his own.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai ep.41: Pissed Myst’s great and the logistics of Dai’s sword are interesting, while the castle’s just there to be knocked down. But it knocks down well. 4/5 #DragonQuest#ep41