The new Dragon Ball DAIMA explores the mysterious Demon Realm and introduces new characters, some of whom end up being very strong, and fighting once again pushes Goku and Vegeta beyond their limits.
But while the two Saiyans were lucky enough to get a good role in the plot and a great boost in power, we can’t help but think of a few characters who were wasted. Let’s see which characters’ potentials Toei wasted this time around.
1. Piccolo was done dirty
Being one of the OG Dragon Ball characters, Piccolo was chosen to accompany Goku to the demon realm, along with Vegeta, Bulma, Shin, and Glorio. This, and the fact that Namekians were called Demons in Dragon Ball, caused fans to get hyped for his role.
Piccolo, however, was done dirty. Not only did he fail to get a solo fight, but he also failed at distracting Gomah in the final battle. This was disappointing, and perhaps a little nod to Piccolo’s Orange Form could have made fans a little happier, but we were ultimately left disappointed.
2. Panzy had potential but got sidelined
A character that truly had the potential to become memorable, if not for her being sidelined later in the story was Panzy, a rebel who fights for the people of her Demon World.
Panzy made quite an impression as a spirited, yet entertaining individual, and fans wanted to see how her psychic power would be used in the series. But they wouldn’t get to, because with the arrival of Vegeta, Bulma, and Piccolo, Panzy would get sidelined, and be reduced to a gag character of sorts.
3. Degesu seemed like a lackey
When Dragon Ball DAIMA revealed that the Supreme Kai had a sibling who, unlike him, might be inclined towards evil, fans loved the notion, and believed that they would see the two siblings face off against each other. Little did they know that Degesu would become a background character.
While he was portrayed to be a clever and conniving genius during the initial episodes, Degesu soon got reduced to Gomah’s lackey, always following him, and trying to pacify him.
4. Bulma is pure nostalgia bait
Dragon Ball, during its initial story, saw a very young Goku traveling with Bulma in search of the mystical Dragon Balls. Ever since that fateful encounter, Bulma has become one of Goku’s closest friends, helping him when needed and being the tech genius.
So when fans were told that she would once again join Goku and the others in their travel, they were excited and nostalgic. Perhaps Bulma could help by building a ship that can travel to the demon realm, or help with some fighting gear. Surely the makers of Dragon Ball DAIMA wouldn’t toss her aside, right?
Wrong. Fans were disappointed, and quite frankly irritated to see that Bulma had lost her niche in this series. No longer was she some genius who could understand complex technology. All she did now was motivate Vegeta to behave himself.
5. Nahare joins Degesu on the list
Shin, the Guardian on Universe 7 has been pretty much reduced to a background character since Dragon Ball Z ended. So when fans heard that he would be playing an important role in DAIMA and that his siblings would be the secondary antagonists, they were elated.
Having Shin’s siblings be the secondary antagonists was a way for the makers of Dragon Ball DAIMA to give him a pivotal role. He could have perhaps convinced them to join the good side or played a bigger role in foiling their plans. But all he does is speak to the Glind and provide exposition, things that anyone else could have done.
The Dragon Ball Series is notorious for introducing interesting new characters, only for them to become irrelevant the very next moment, and Dragon Ball DAIMA is no stranger to this.
Dragon Ball DAIMA is available to stream on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu.
Frequently asked questions
Which 5 Dragon Ball DAIMA characters does the article say were wasted?
The article names five: Piccolo, who gets no solo fight and fails to distract Gomah in the final battle; Panzy, the Demon Realm rebel whose psychic potential is dropped as she becomes a gag character once Vegeta, Bulma, and Piccolo arrive; Degesu, hyped as a clever schemer but reduced to Gomah’s lackey; Bulma, stripped of her tech-genius niche and used only to keep Vegeta in line; and Shin (in the section titled Nahare), who is given an important setup with his siblings as antagonists but ends up only delivering exposition to the Glind.
Why does the article say Piccolo was ‘done dirty’ in Dragon Ball DAIMA?
Fans were hyped because Piccolo, an OG Dragon Ball character and a Namekian (a race once called Demons in early Dragon Ball), was chosen to travel to the Demon Realm with Goku, Vegeta, Bulma, and Shin. The article argues that despite this setup he never gets a solo fight and even fails to distract the antagonist Gomah during the final battle, leaving his potential unused.
What is Dragon Ball DAIMA about, and how do Goku and Vegeta fit in?
Dragon Ball DAIMA is largely set in the mysterious Demon Realm, which the heroes travel to after the cast is turned into children. The series introduces new characters and builds toward a confrontation with the antagonist Gomah. The article’s point is that Goku and Vegeta get the strongest roles and notable power boosts, while several supporting characters are sidelined.
