DRAGON BALL SUPER: PART 8 (BOX SET REVIEW)
By: RogueSymbiote
Spoilers Ahead!
Summary
As the Tournament of Power quickly approaches, Goku must locate a replacement fighter as Majin Buu has fallen into hibernation. Goku surprises everyone by suggesting Frieza fill the final spot on Universe 7's roster. After a quick visit to Hell, Frieza agrees to join the team in return for being wished back to life if they are victorious. Goku agrees and Universe 7's team is complete.
Universe 6 prepares for the tournament with Cabba instructing Caulifla and Kale how to transform into Super Saiyans. Caulifla does so easily, but Kale struggles. After fearing that Cabba has stolen Caulifla's attention away from her, Kale explodes with power and transforms into a Super Saiyan form unfamiliar to anyone. Caulifla is able to ascend to Super Saiyan 2 and stop Kale before she kills Cabba.
After returning to the land of the living, Goku and Frieza are confronted by hired henchmen to prevent the duo from appearing at the tournament on time. Frieza uses this as an opportunity to demonstrate his improved strength and stamina in golden form. After dispensing with the henchmen, the complete Universe 7 team teleports to the Tournament of Power!
The tournament commences and it isn't long before Universe 9 and their trio of danger are defeated by Goku and Vegeta. With all fighters eliminated from competition, the Zeno Samas destroy Universe 9 as promised. The reality of impending doom sinks in with the remaining competitors. After eliminating another fighter with the aid of Android 18, Krillin is knocked out of bounds by Frost.
Goku is confronted by Caulifla and the pair begin to battle. Kale is once again distraught over being sidelined and erupts into her monstrous Saiyan form once again. Vegeta quickly warns Goku that Kale may have unlocked the power of the Legendary Super Saiyan. After erupting with devastating energy, Jiren targets Kale and knocks her out. Goku wishes to fight Jiren, but 5 other fighters from Universe 11 known as the Pride Troopers step in. Androids 17 and 18 join Goku, Kale and Caulifla against Universe 11.
Three of the Pride Troopers corner Caulifla and Kale. Caulifla sacrifices her body in order to protect Kale. This act of love pushes Kale into Super Saiyan form once again, but is now in control of her actions. The Saiyan women unleash powerful blasts and knock out all 3 of their opponents at once. Goku, 17 and 18 take out the remaining 2 Pride Troopers.
Gohan and Piccolo face off against the final 2 fighters of Universe 10. Their opponents prove to be skilled fighters, but the Saiyan and Namekian are seasoned warriors. With impression displays of power, Gohan and Piccolo each eliminate their opponents which results in the destruction of Universe 10.
Hit meets his match in speed with Dyspo of Universe 11. After trading blows, K'nsi from Universe 11 steps in to help his ally. Goku then joins the fight, teaming up with Hit. After a fury of blows and display of unique abilities, Hit eliminates K'nsi as Dypso escapes to fight again. Goku and Hit agree to fight later in the tournament and focus their attention on other opponents for now. 39 minutes remain in the Tournament of Power! Which universe will come out on top?!
Review
Dragon Ball Super: Part 8 officially commences the Tournament of Power! The unique battle system and monumental stakes make for a captivating experience. The battle royale style tournament allows for exciting team ups and combos. Watching Master Roshi and Tien work together is pure nostalgia. Hit and Goku's team-up is something many of us have been wanting to see since Hit was introduced. Bringing Frieza back was unexpected and intriguing. There are many directions that decision could take us, but it's guaranteed to be interesting (yes, I've already watched all of DBS, but for the sake of this article I'll play dumb).
The action, music and animation are beautiful throughout these episodes. There is a lot going on, but everything is clear and concise. The new animation styles and techniques introduced to portray action and abilities are well executed. The voice acting is on point as always. While the dialogue is childish at times, the overall narrative is compelling. I realize I just called an anime's dialogue childish, don't judge me.
My only real complaint is how simple turning Super Saiyan has become. I love the addition of female Saiyans into the franchise, but they legitimately turn into Super Saiyans after watching Cabba do it once and focusing on "back tingles"... Caulifla even turns Super Saiyan 2 without even thinking about it. I'm all for female Super Saiyans, but that could've been achieved out of desperation during the tournament. That aside, having Kale essentially be the Broly of Universe 6 is absolutely amazing. I know some people might not like it, but it caught me off guard which rarely happens. Overall, Dragon Ball Super: Part 8 is a fun and exciting addition to the series.
Box Set Review
Dragon Ball Super: Part 8 features episodes 92-104 on two Blu-ray discs. The semi metallic box art of Super Saiyan Caulifla is fantastic. The episodes can be enjoyed in both English and Japanese. Extras include textless songs and an interview with Sonny Strait (Krillin), Mike McFarland (Master Roshi), Chuck Huber (Android 17). In the interview, this trio of Dragon Ball voice acting legends discuss how the tournament of power has affected their characters. You can find your copy of Dragon Ball Super: Part 8 right here!
Note: Funimation provided us a review copy in exchange for an honest review
