Dragon Ball DAIMA’s first two episodes were some of the most amazing moments in anime history, as they totally redefined the Dragon Ball franchise by adding several new concepts, changing what fans knew about several popular characters, and taking the Dragon Ball franchise in a unique new direction. But one of the most fascinating parts of Dragon Ball DAIMA was how it reintroduced the idea of hunting for the Dragon Balls, giving them the magical aura they’ve lacked for many years.
The Dragon Balls were introduced in the first episode of the Dragon Ball anime and the first manga chapter. Goku and Bulma first meet when Bulma’s Dragon Radar picks up the Four Star Dragon Ball that Goku’s grandfather left him. Bulma explains to Goku that whoever can gather all seven Dragon Balls can summon Shenron and make a wish for whatever their heart desires. Eventually, after much bickering, Goku decides to join Bulma on her quest, and the pair set out to find all the Dragon Balls.
The Early Dragon Ball Hunts
In Early Sagas, Finding The Dragon Balls Was The Main Focus
This hunt is the focus of Dragon Ball’s first saga, the Emperor Pilaf Saga. While trying to recover the balls, Goku and Bulma encounter many characters who would become Dragon Ball mainstays, including Yamcha, Oolong, and Master Roshi. They would also learn that they were not the only people who wanted the Dragon Balls, leading to them clashing with the evil Emperor Pilaf. The saga ends with Emperor Pilaf collecting all the balls and using them to summon Shenron. However, before Pilaf can wish for world domination, Oolong interrupts and wishes for a pair of comfortable panties. Despite Pilaf’s protests, Shenron grants this wish before the balls return to stone and are scattered around the world again.
The Dragon Balls would again become the focus during the show’s third saga, the Red Ribbon Army Saga. During this saga, Goku embarks on a quest to recover Grandpa Gohan’s Four Star Dragon Ball, only to learn that the evil Red Ribbon Army was trying to collect all the balls so their leader, Commander Red, could make a wish. This leads to Goku traveling the globe, battling several of Red Ribbon’s generals as he does. But, when Bora dies defending Goku and Upa from Mercenary Tao, Goku vows to collect all the Dragon Balls and wish the man back to life, driving him to search for the balls even more intensely.
However, the fourth wish on the Dragon Balls was the one that dramatically changed the status quo. Made during Dragon Ball’s final saga, the Piccolo Jr. Saga, Yamcha wishes for every being killed by King Piccolo and his sons to be resurrected. While this wish was a massive and memorable moment that made perfect sense in the context of the arc, it represented the Dragon Balls shifting from magical relics that had to be chased to world reset buttons and a glorified taxi service.
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