Warning: Spoilers for Dragon Ball Daima, episode #5
Dragon Ball Daima episode 5, “Panzy”, was dedicated to introducing the series’ newest heroine, who was already successful in the last episode disguised as the Masked Majin. Panzy had more revelations up her sleeve, however, and these new facts about her have already changed things a lot for Goku and his group.
After Goku saved the Masked Majin in episode #4, following a failed attempt to fight Gomah’s henchmen, she followed them and unmasked herself, hoping to learn more about her savior. The group was in a bit of a hurry and had no desire to please her, but Panzy accompanied her anyway, asking questions the entire time. She was able to help lead them along a shortcut towards the Third Demon World’s Kadan Castle, where Glorio hoped their paths would finally part. However, it was then that it was revealed that Panzy is actually a princess and was welcomed into the castle.
Who is Panzy? Daima’s newest character brings big changes
The introduction of Panzy marks a turning point for Daima
The first thing fans learn about Panzy is undoubtedly her bravery, as she was willing to take on the Gomah Gendarmerie alone, all in the name of fighting oppression. It’s certainly an effective way to endear a character to the audience quickly, and it also emphasizes her brave nature, as she’s clearly acting in this role in secret. Although Panzy could have been in trouble if Goku wasn’t there to help, that doesn’t take away from the courage she demonstrated.
As Panzy travels with Goku and his group, she asks many questions, but also answers questions, unlike Glorio. Panzy proves that he has some ability with magic, something that could be very useful in the future. She also reveals that she has some talent for tinkering with machines, a skill that is lacking in Goku’s group at the moment, as they had to leave without Bulma. Panzy then reveals the most shocking information of all, that she is actually the daughter of the Third King of the Demon World, and makes sure they enter the castle with ease.
Panzy fits perfectly into the rogue princess character archetype, a subversion of the typical princess who is always in need of rescuing.. Not only does she appear to actively seek excitement and adventure, but she also shows that she truly cares about the plight of her people, disguising herself as the Masked Majin to fight against the injustices they face. Of course, she does all of this without her father’s knowledge or permission. She seems to have some slightly bratty tendencies and seems used to getting what she wants, as evidenced by the amount of baggage she brought with her.
What Panzy has to offer Goku’s group
Panzy could be a valuable resource for Goku
Panzy can be very useful to have around, and in more ways than one. His mechanical and technological knowledge will obviously come in handy, at least until Bulma arrives, and she proves with her bomb-making ability that this knowledge can be weaponized. Panzy’s role as princess could also be valuable, potentially getting Goku and his group through difficult situations. Her magical ability, and at least familiarity with it, could also be a great advantage, if magic was really as common in this world as she made it out to be.
On the other hand, Panzy’s courage and conviction could also get the group into trouble. Panzy may have difficulty containing herself if she sees people being mistreated, which seems to be very common in the Demon Realm, and this can easily blow the group’s cover. Goku is already bad enough in this regard, so the two could easily get into a lot of trouble together. Panzy also gives the impression that she probably won’t follow directions well, which can be especially a problem because she’s already butting heads with Glorio.
Episode 5 featured excellent elements beyond Panzy
The series’ animation and world-building continue to impress
Although Panzy was the main focus of the episode, there are many other noteworthy features that should be mentioned. The animation in this episode, as well as the previous ones, was absolutely excellent; Goku’s fight sequence with the Third Demon King of the World’s men was excellent and featured some fantastic fight choreography that really takes advantage of Goku’s size and current situation.. His use of Super Saiyan was a welcome surprise, assuring fans that his power is as great as it has ever been. The episode was also well-paced and built up Panzy a lot before revealing her role as princess.
The world-building happening in the Demon Realm was also on point, just like in previous episodes. It established a number of important facts, such as the average lifespan of a Demon Realm majin, the powers that majin wield, such as magic, and helped clarify and further emphasize the leadership structure that the Demon Realm it has. This also raises new questions: if all majin wield magic, what kind of magic is Glorio capable of using? Could this explain how he was able to fly without knowing about Ki?
The addition of Panzy to the gang will definitely change the group’s dynamics quite a bit, introducing an element of chaos, which will probably be a good thing overall. Most importantly, however, the main cast of Daima has now been assembled, and all the main characters that fans knew before the series started have been known. This means that all the pieces are finally in place to accelerate the plot. With 20 episodes planned for Daimathe series is now about a quarter of the way through, so it’s time to start taking the treatment of Gomah and the Tamagami seriously. Dragon Ball Daima It’s off to a very promising start, and with Panzy on board, it looks like things are only going to get better.
Dragon Ball DAIMA is the fifth series overall in the action-adventure anime franchise. It features most of the classic cast members as aged versions of themselves, including Goku, Vegeta, and Bulma. The series was announced at NYCC 2023, with creator Akira Toriyama returning to manage DAIMA.
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1
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Akira Toriyama