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Lionheart0 Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: I'm just a hunk-a, hunk-a burnin' love
#14451: Sep 28th 2015 at 5:31:01 AM

Power levels themselves aren't bullshit; they are accurate measures of a fighter's capabilities and the weaker foe never beats the stronger foe without extenuating circumstances or finding a way to boost their power level.

Kind of. Like I know this is an often referred to example, but the Power Level Gap between Piccolo and Nappa was much smaller than the gap between Goku and Vegeta, and yet Goku managed to hold his own for a while while Piccolo got curbstomped.

Power levels were a good way of showing how the odds were against the Protagonists, but overall Rule of Drama would often override logic.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#14452: Sep 28th 2015 at 5:34:15 AM

Those numbers came from the same source that claims that Mr. Popo and King Piccolo are stronger than Kami when Mr. Popo explicitly says that Kami is stronger, and that Cell Games Goku is exactly as strong as Buu Saga Goku. V-Jump is bullshit.

JonnasN from Porto, Portugal Since: Jul, 2012
#14453: Sep 28th 2015 at 5:57:06 AM

Yeah, my main problem with the power levels are the numbers and the scaling. Like [up][up] said, the gap of 500 between Nappa and Piccolo somehow seems greater than the gap of 12000 between Goku and Vegeta in the same saga. The only times where the numbers make any tangible sense are when Goku uses the Kaioken (so the reader knows the exact stakes involved when Goku doubles or triples his power: double allows him to almost keep up, triple allows him to briefly surpass and potentially injure Vegeta).

Meanwhile, the difference of 119.5 millions between 1st Form Freeeza and Final Form Freeza is meaningless, the difference could be 1 million (with the protagonists' boosts and levels adjusted accordingly) and the story would stay the same: impossibly tough opponent getting gradually stronger with transformations, can bust planets with ease at any time.

So, to me "power levels" are bullshit if by "levels" you mean "numbers".

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#14454: Sep 28th 2015 at 5:57:53 AM

And saying they're going against Show, Don't Tell because most of the times the writers do also show that the character in question is much stronger or weaker, or equal to whoever.

I'd also agreeing that showing something isn't always the best way demonstrating something. Somethings aren't put into "motion" well and better described. Fighting scenes aren't one of them but that's not really the point.

[up]There wasn't a gape of 12,000 between Goku and Vegeta, not talking Ozaru Vegeta it was 10,000. And then you have to remember he was using the Kaioken for most of the fight before Ozaru just to keep up with Vegeta and it's much easier to swallow.

I get the point about Frieza but we were only given in story power levels about his first and second form. And most people agree the power scaling with him was ridiculous anyway.

edited 28th Sep '15 6:01:03 AM by LSBK

Enlong Court Dragon from The Underground Facility Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
Court Dragon
#14455: Sep 28th 2015 at 6:29:14 AM

What sometimes annoys me is how the series itself largely stopped naming numbers after Freeza. And yet we somehow still got hard numbers up through Buu through alternate channels. So the math continues.


So, I've never actually seen the 13 movie. What's it like?

I have a message from another time...
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#14456: Sep 28th 2015 at 6:33:27 AM

[up] I thought it was pretty meh.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Lionheart0 Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: I'm just a hunk-a, hunk-a burnin' love
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#14458: Sep 28th 2015 at 7:57:12 AM

[up] My biggest frustration with it and some of the other Dragon Ball Z movies is that the whole plot of it is "Goku gets his ass whupped". They try so hard to make the villains intimidating that they become boring. Hell, I actually fell asleep watching the first Broly movie.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#14459: Sep 28th 2015 at 8:28:54 AM

<Moderator headband on>

General Power Levels discussion is not appropriate for a work thread, please. Stick to this work here only, thanks.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Lionheart0 Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: I'm just a hunk-a, hunk-a burnin' love
#14460: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:09:48 AM

When did we get sidetracked with that debate again anyway? Last I remembered, we were all agreeing how hilarious TFS' take on the Ginyu Force was.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#14462: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:17:21 AM

Man... Guldo sucked.

edited 28th Sep '15 10:17:34 AM by LSBK

Lionheart0 Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: I'm just a hunk-a, hunk-a burnin' love
#14463: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:50:18 AM

[up]He was the Raditz of the group.

Enlong Court Dragon from The Underground Facility Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
Court Dragon
#14464: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:52:47 AM

He's basically on the team to make Body Change ridiculously easy.

That said, he'd probably be the most effective team member if he carried a knife.

I have a message from another time...
wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Role Model
#14465: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:55:12 AM

Remember how bullets bounce off strong characters in this series? It's actually one of the first things we learned. Knives probably wouldn't fare much better.
Though... How the hell does Ginyu impale himself?

And to reiterate: Piccolo is four years older than Gohan.
The fuck.

edited 28th Sep '15 10:56:43 AM by wanderlustwarrior

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#14466: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:59:48 AM

[up] Blame whatever weird genetics were going on in Demon King Piccolo's spontaneous egg generation.

How do most Namekians produce, though? They're all asexual, so is it like King Piccolo spitting out an egg, or is it like mitosis?

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
EchoingSilence Since: Jun, 2013
#14467: Sep 28th 2015 at 11:00:51 AM

Bizzare Alien Reproduction. He probably gained some years thanks to Kami and Nail.

Enlong Court Dragon from The Underground Facility Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
Court Dragon
#14468: Sep 28th 2015 at 11:04:24 AM

Though... How the hell does Ginyu impale himself
Big KI-charged punch, such that his hand is glowing purple before he does it.

I believe the current name for that "technique" is "Holstein Shock"

I have a message from another time...
wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Role Model
#14469: Sep 28th 2015 at 11:05:34 AM

Oh alright then, I thought he broke off a horn and did it or something.

Also, additional Dairy Squad reference there.

edited 28th Sep '15 11:05:59 AM by wanderlustwarrior

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#14470: Sep 28th 2015 at 12:01:17 PM

The hell kind of a name is that?

Though I suppose it's not much better than all the other bizarre dairy names.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#14472: Sep 28th 2015 at 12:05:04 PM

I know.

I just think it's bizarre for a move themed around impaling yourself.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
Lionheart0 Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: I'm just a hunk-a, hunk-a burnin' love
#14473: Sep 28th 2015 at 12:05:31 PM

How do most Namekians produce, though? They're all asexual, so is it like King Piccolo spitting out an egg, or is it like mitosis?

Piccolo's birth is unique since he's also supposed to be a Reincarnation.

edited 28th Sep '15 12:06:13 PM by Lionheart0

wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Role Model
#14474: Sep 28th 2015 at 12:05:54 PM

Not as bizarre as something I just learned about under the famous Holsteins section of the page I just linked.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#14475: Sep 28th 2015 at 12:14:54 PM

Also, remember that all of King Piccolo's kids grew to full size immediately.


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