Where To Watch Dragon Ball Daima

Much like big American superhero comic books, there are many manga and anime that are intimidating for newcomers simply because of how long they are. Titles can be as relatively short as the 141-episode-long “Hunter x Hunter” or as long as “One Piece,” which is well over 1,100 (!) episodes. What’s more, unlike, say, the Spider-Man comics, you can’t simply pick and choose the story arc that appeals to you and skip the rest when it comes to the likes of “One Piece” or Naruto.” It’d be like watching only season 3 or 5 of “Game of Thrones” or “Lost,” robbing you of important context and serialization.

And yet, that doesn’t stop anime fans from recommending newcomers outright skip big chunks of the source material, whether that means ignoring the many filler episodes and arcs of “Naruto” or bypassing the entirety of the original “Dragon Ball” and starting with “Dragon Ball Z.” However, that would be a huge mistake; not only would you miss out on learning about the origin of Son Goku’s adventures and the importance of characters like Bulma or Krillin, but also because “Dragon Ball” is simply a delightfully silly adventure story (created by the late Akira Toriyama) that’s as essential to the franchise as the all-out-brawls of “Dragon Ball Z.”

That’s especially the case now that the best “Dragon Ball” title in decades has finally arrived — one that feels like a spiritual successor to the very first “Dragon Ball” anime and revitalizes the legendary anime, reintroducing it to a whole new generation. Enter “Dragon Ball Daima,” a new anime taking place shortly after Majin Buu’s defeat at the very end of “Dragon Ball Z.” In terms of story, “Daima” follows Goku and his friends as they all get turned into children by the new king of the Demon Realm, who uses the Dragon Balls to try and prevent Goku and the other Z fighters from defeating him.

“Daima” is a sequel, a side adventure, and a pseudo-reboot all at once, making this a unique experience for “Dragon Ball” fans both old and new. Perhaps more importantly, the show makes the franchise more accessible than it’s ever been before, with “Dragon Ball Daima” now streaming on Netflix in addition to Crunchyroll.

The first thing to notice about “Daima” is how silly and funny it is. Not that the “Dragon Ball” franchise has evern been super serious, but compared to the constant world-ending threats and endless brawls of “Dragon Ball Super,” watching a “Dragon Ball” series with (as the opening theme song itself says) “thousands of jabs and silly gags” feels like a breath of fresh air. It is also a breath of nostalgic air, as that’s exactly what “Dragon Ball” originated as, before it grew beyond Toriyama’s wildest imagination. The show is filled with creatures with all sorts of funny designs and plenty of silly moments — after all, the premise of the show itself is that Goku and his friends now look like kids, which is already a ridiculous premise.

Together with the lighter tone, which prioritizes silly jokes about giant metal goldfish guarding the gate to the Demon Realm (its mouth being the entrance and the exit being, well, its posterior), “Daima” also has a different approach to action. Especially in the first few episodes, the anime takes a back to basics approach, abandoning superpowers and energy beams for good old-fashioned martial arts. It may sound obvious given how big an influence Jackie Chan was on early “Dragon Ball” or the fact that Toriyama even included a character called Jackie Chun in his original story, but it’s nevertheless a joy and surprise to see Goku just fighting with improvised weapons or even just his Nyoibo pole.

Episode 3 even features a whole bar fight sequence where Goku battles a bunch of demonic patrons while also trying to eat a hamburger, using plates to smash his enemies and bouncing around like a little monkey (he is named after the Monkey King Sun Wukong, after all). It’s not just a fantastic display of the exquisite animation by Toei, but also a very different kind of fight scene than we’ve seen in the franchise in decades.

“Dragon Ball” has always been great at reinventing itself as a franchise, with Akira Toriyama knowing how to keep his story and world fresh by completely disregarding certain elements then adding new ideas. It’s an approach that Toriyama’s successors have carried on, like how Eiichiro Oda keeps “One Piece” unique and inventive after nearly 30 years.

Indeed, the “Dragon Ball” property started out as a fantasy gag comedy before evolving into a martial arts action manga, which in turn became a superhero tale inspired by “Superman (all before “Dragon Ball Super” introduced multiverses and other sci-fi concepts). Now, “Dragon Ball Daima” has taken the franchise into new territory by embracing the idea of being a fantasy adventure with some isekai elements thrown in. (Goku goes to another world and has to face a demon king, after all.)

None of this feels out of place either, with the sight of orc-like demons simply being the natural next step for a property that started out with Goku encountering and fighting all sorts of dinosaurs before becoming a tale of gods and aliens. Instead, “Daima” strikes a healthy balance between fun adventuring in an unknown realm and world building that recontextualizes the entire franchise (revealing things like the true origin of the Namekians). Even 40 years after the original manga first debuted, “Dragon Ball” continues to find ways to be surprising and innovative.

Getting into a franchise 40 years after its debut is no easy task, but “Dragon Ball Daima” works as both a treat for longtime fans and a series that offers them something unexpected yet familiar, all the while serving as an entry point for newcomers.

Indeed, if all you know about the “Dragon Ball” franchise is that Goku does the Kamehame Wave and there are fights that last 18 episodes, “Dragon Ball Daima” shows that the property can be so much more, offering a contained adventure that’s fun whether you’re familiar with the entire history of the Saiyans or you barely recognize which spiky-haired character is Vegeta. At a time when many popular anime and manga of the past 10 years are coming to an end, it’s impressive to think that one of the best new shows is the latest installment in a brand that started back in 1984. Be that as it may, “Daima” is proving itself to be the best thing that’s happened to the franchise since the end of “Dragon Ball Z.”

Watch This If You Like: “Suicide Squad Isekai,” “Dragon Ball,” “One Piece.”

“Dragon Ball Daima” is now streaming on Netflix and Crunchyroll.