Thursday, January 7, 2016

"Dragon Ball Z, Vol. 26: Goodbye Dragon World!" by Akira Toriyama


Rating: 


Previously on

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(I) A new evil has arrived in the Dragon Ball Z Universe and its name is Super Boo.
buu

(II) Goten and Trunks have successfully transformed into Gotenks, except that Super Boo tricked them and absorbed them including Gohan.
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(III) Goku is luckily alive now that the original Lord of Lords sacrificed his life to resurrect Goku who now is Earth's last hope. 


That is what you missed on Dragon Ball Z!

We have finally arrived at the final volume of this manga series and I couldn't be anymore excited and proud. In total I have read 42 volumes of Goku's live and I cannot believe this is the end but the journey was worthwhile. I have never read 42 volumes of mangas which is excruciating because I have been editing all the Goodreads information from the titles, the descriptions, and the images to make it authentic and perfect. It is exhausting editing for 42 volumes but it is worth it because I love this series and highly recommend it for all readers.

Dragon Ball Z is overrated for many because it impacted our mainstream animation for decades now. The mangas were already popular, then came the animation which lasted for over 100 episodes each series (Dragon Ball & Dragon Ball Z) and then you have the video games and all other merchandises. Just writing it alone it is tiring but nonetheless I love and cherish this series. I believe it is one of the all-time greatest with Sailor Moon and other famous Mangas.

In a way I felt as though you grow up with these characters. You witness Goku from as a child and you get to see him as full adult with children and hopefully grandchildren in the future. While Goku is the main protagonist, you get to witness that he is already accepted that the new era of fighters is approaching and he needs to retire but not without a fight! 

Goku witness Gotenks and Gohan getting absorbed by Super Boo and now needs to fuse with another strong fighter in order to beat Super Boo. At first you believe it is going to be the pathetic Hercules but luckily at the last minute Vegeta is able to come back to Earth like how Goku did in the previous volumes and fuse with Goku. It is interesting how Vegeta was able to put his pride aside because never in a millions years you would think that Vegeta would bond with Goku in order to become a stronger fighter and help humanity. 

They become essentially Super Vegerot and beat the living shit out of Boo. I know every volume there is always fighting and I am writing constantly how badly these fights out but its true worth the read to witness these different fighting sequences. Super Boo tries to pull the same stunts to Vegerot but it doesn't work since they are not idiots. In the moment that the blob is going to absorb Vegerot, they enable a force field that is able to protect them and they are able to enter Super Boo is cellular form.

Now that they are inside Super Boo, they witness that everyone is still alive inside of Super Boo's organs, they are simply tied to him in a cocoon. Vegerot finally reverts back to their original selves and Vegeta destroys the earrings never again to fuse again with Goku. They help released their friends and escape except Super Boo notices what they are doing and enters inside his body. He tells them not to cut the original Boo out of his body because at that point he will lose that tiny shred of humanity and become a spawn of pure evil. They don't listen to him and immediately he is transformed into Kid Boo.

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The difference between Super Boo and Kid Boo is that Kid Boo has no moral compass and works with pure evil and anger as fuel and has no limit in his abilities. The gang escape to Kaio-Shin's planet and Kid Boo follows them. Vegeta is already dead so they fight will Goku finds a way to save his strength and destroy Kid Boo. Meanwhile Dende reach the planet where the Namekians live and ask them to summon the Dragon Balls to help his friends and the Earth. He is able to restore the Earth back before Boo destroyed it and summon everyone who is not evil and have been killed by Boo which they are all granted. 

Goku makes the connection that the only way to destroy Kid Boo is by summoning Genki-Dama which is a chi-ball that worked in the previous volumes with destroying Freeza and other people. He receives a bit of chi from his family and friends, the planet but not enough to kill Kid Boo. The clock is ticking and now the Original Boo decides to fight Kid Boo to help the gang. Vegeta at that instant finally accepts that Goku is the ultimate fighter. Vegeta makes the connection that Goku never became a stronger fighter because of pride or simply being the best, Goku essentially was humble about the whole experience and simply wanted to protect those who he loves, and the Earth that he lives in.

Vegeta at that instant I believe completely changes and I absolutely love this moment. I felt like at this moment Vegeta is redeemed by his past and accepts Goku as a friend. Vegeta makes the connection that this time Goku has saved the Earth too many times and for once he needs a break. Goku alone cannot destroy Kid Boo and Vegeta tells him that Earth should be the one to help Goku and destroy Kid Boo because if they don't then in all honesty they really don't deserve their planet to be saved.

Vegeta with Lord of the Worlds help, he announces to all humans to give their chi to Goku to help destroy Boo. Goku receives like about 10% which is pathetic and you can hear the thoughts of people who believe this message is Bobbidi and refuse to help. Vegeta is losing his patience with screaming and not apologizing for his language and forces them to help. Kid Boo beats Boo and witness Goku and is trying to stop him so Vegeta is trying to fight Kid Boo with no success. Humans keep arguing until finally Goku speaks and ask for their help.

In that instant I wanted to cry because that scene in the manga is what makes this entire series come into full circle. We witness every single individual that Goku has encounter since he was a little boy and we see them after all these years/volumes and they give their all to Goku. We witness Android #17, Upa & Bora, Frankenstein, and the entire snow village from Dragon Ball. They provide now 50% power-up which is extremely powerful but still not enough and humans are still being a pain in the a@$. 

Finally Hercules yells from the top of his lungs saying that give their chi to him to destroy Kid Boo and sure enough in 1 second, the chi-ball reaches 100% and Kid Boo attacks. The chi-ball is the size of the moon and nothing can stop this attacks but still it is hard to release this attack since Goku is powerless. So Dende ask for his 3rd wish to restore Goku's normal levels of power and it is granted. Goku has reached his peak and devours Kid Boo within the chi-ball. As he wishes Boo farewell, he admires that Boo fought all by himself and practically killed everyone and hopes one day he could be resurrected as a good guy so that way Goku can fight him.

Kid Boo is destroyed and the Earth is saved. I cannot believe it is finally over. No one more evil, danger, and peace to the galaxy. Vegeta wants to kill the original Boo but Hercules doesn't allow him and in order to protect him on Earth, they erase everyone's memories of Boo in order for him to be safe. The gang meet back up at Kami-Sama's palace and it is the best feeling in the world to be reunited with your family again. 

Everyone forgets about Boo but they know that somehow Hercules saved them from something and once you believe the story is over it is not quite. We are shifted 10 years into the future which would put Goku is in mid-30s or late 30s and everyone is living the wonderful life. Gohan quit fighting, got married to Videl, and has a kid name Pan who is a mini-Videl excited to compete. Goten and Trunks are teenagers now and Goten looks horrible with that messy hair but Trunks looks marvelous. Goku is hanging out with Vegeta, Bulma, and the rest of the gang as they are getting ready for the Tenkaichi Budokai tournament. 

No one understands why Goku is competing but apparently this new fighter has shown up and is quite powerful to Goku estimates. Goku makes sure that this contestant fights him and as the match begins we learn it is a little boy named Oob. I didn't make the connection at first and felt like an idiot but Oob is the reincarnation of Boo! Duh! Well Oob doesn't want to fight and Goku teases him until Oob strikes back and he is powerful and never knew about his abilities and strength. 

So in the end Goku becomes Oob's master and they fly far away so they can begin their training and help the next generation of fighters. I really loved this ending because it went back to the roots of Dragon Ball especially how Oob is the new kid Goku. I love endings of the stories that leave it wipe open in case Akira Toriyama decides to continue the series in manga form or anime. After Dragon Ball Z ended, it makes you wonder about what new evil will come to Earth now that Oob is this powerful fighter and wanting more Goku adventures to come.

Knowing how impactful the anime is for both Western and Japanese Cultures, you would think they would continue the anime after the conclusion of Boo. Nope. They focus on the video games more and made a few movies that take place a few years after the ending with this God of Destroyer who looks like an Egyptian cat. Then they did re-edits of the original anime and it is now that in Japan they have started the new Dragon Ball Z sequel called Dragon Ball Super that takes place 18 years later after the defeat of Kid Boo. I don't know any details since I haven't seen the anime yet. 

I cannot believe I am saying Goodbye to Goku and all these hilarious unique characters but I know they will always be a part of my memories and my childhood. I loved every second of this magnificent journey and for now I believe it is a temporary farewell. Who knows what will happen in the future and it would fantastic if Akira Toriyama continues the manga after all these years as a tribute to the fans. Thank You Akira Toriyama for this enchanting story and all the handwork you have put into Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. Goodbye.

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