TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

Dragon Ball Z Abridged

Go To

purplefishman Misanthrope Supreme from Ganzir Since: Feb, 2011 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Misanthrope Supreme
#23601: Jan 4th 2017 at 2:03:03 PM

About the Pilaf gag, here's how I see it working here : Pilaf is the first archvillain Goku ever faced. He was there before the Red Ribbon Army, before Tao Pai Pai, before the Crane School, before King Piccolo... He's the first person Goku met that was blatantly evil. Even if he was extremely incompetent in this role, he impressed his young mind in this manner, and so he still considers him as a great enemy. The same way you never got over that teacher that was CLEARLY after you when you were in grade school.

Edit : Shit. I hate it when I become a page-topper.

edited 4th Jan '17 2:03:35 PM by purplefishman

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#23602: Jan 4th 2017 at 3:16:59 PM

[up]That would be pretty funny actually.

Pilaf was also the first person to nearly kill Goku. I mean, there was really no way out of that box he put them in. That would have been the end of all of them.

One Strip! One Strip!
Saiga Since: Feb, 2011 Relationship Status: Getting away with murder
#23603: Jan 5th 2017 at 1:19:00 AM

Here's how I see it: TFS Goku is really dumb and behaves in ways that belie common sense

Enlong Court Dragon from The Underground Facility Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
Court Dragon
#23604: Jan 5th 2017 at 5:21:04 AM

That depends on the topic and situation, but that's a fair possibility.

I have a message from another time...
EchoingSilence Since: Jun, 2013
#23605: Jan 5th 2017 at 5:44:30 AM

Bring fighting into the equation and suddenly his brain becomes far more powerful.

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#23606: Jan 5th 2017 at 8:46:44 AM

Goku uses 100% of his brain for fighting.

The reasons he hates Pilaf is because Pilaf rendered that 100% power useless back when he caught him, so Goku considers him one of the series worst villains.

One Strip! One Strip!
FergardStratoavis A Fluff Ringer from Bellveins (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: A gay little love melody
A Fluff Ringer
#23607: Jan 5th 2017 at 8:57:06 AM

Wasn't that the case in original Dragonball (Z), too? A genius at fighting, but about "average shonen hero"-intelligent when it comes to other things?

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.
#23608: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:22:54 AM

A bit smarter than 'average Shonen hero', Goku's just uneducated.

alekos23 Since: Mar, 2013
#23609: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:45:49 AM

Isn't this lack of intelligence mostly played for comedy and exposition?

Soble Since: Dec, 2013
#23610: Jan 5th 2017 at 12:41:19 PM

When pressed with Cell's impending, planet-destroying explosion, Goku opted to teleport Cell to King Kai's planet and kill all three of them, rather than teleport Cell there, and King Kai and himself back to Earth.

When pressed with Buu's explosion, Goku opted to save Mr. Satan and a dog rather than his own children. Vegeta specifically calls him on this and the reason Goku did so is never explained, as far as I remember.

edited 5th Jan '17 12:43:45 PM by Soble

I'M MR. MEESEEKS, LOOK AT ME!
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#23611: Jan 5th 2017 at 12:45:01 PM

Pretty sure the implication is that he didn't have enough time. The anime, as the anime, obviously padded it out so that it no longer makes sense but I'm pretty sure it flows better in the manga, as scenes like that usually do. Can anyone confirm or deny.

[up]Um, because they were right there and he couldn't just leave them to die? And Vegeta didn't try to get any of them so he really was in no position to play that card.

edited 5th Jan '17 12:46:38 PM by LSBK

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.
#23612: Jan 5th 2017 at 12:51:11 PM

In the manga, Goku arrives with Cell, apologizes to Kaio, and Kaio insults him as Cell explodes. It's like 2 seconds, and Goku needs time to focus on a destination before he can teleport.

WillKeaton from Alberta, Canada Since: Jun, 2010
#23613: Jan 5th 2017 at 1:02:51 PM

While on the topic of that particular Instant Transmission: Cell's ability to learn how the Instant Transmission works after being taken for a trip is because he's part Saiyan, right? He picked it up the same way Goku learned the Kamehamaha after watching Roshi do it once and Vegeta picked up ki sensing just by learning it could be done, right?

JonnasN from Porto, Portugal Since: Jul, 2012
#23614: Jan 5th 2017 at 1:15:52 PM

[up]You don't need to be a Saiyan to learn quickly. A lot of characters in Dragon Ball learn techniques quickly (including Krillin and Buu).

[up][up][up][up] In the Manga, Goku chooses to teleport Dende because of the Dragon Balls. Hercule just happened to be near Dende.

As for Cell, he kept harping on about he'd explode as soon as somebody touched him. It's pretty clear Goku had no time to teleport himself and Kai out.

Ghilz Perpetually Confused from Yeeted at Relativistic Velocities Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Perpetually Confused
#23615: Jan 5th 2017 at 1:19:26 PM

Wasn't one of Tien's major achievements when he was introduced learning a move after seeing it once coz he has three eyes so that somehow lets him learn things he sees better.

unnoun Since: Jan, 2012
#23616: Jan 5th 2017 at 1:28:22 PM

I mean, Pilaf's solar death trap would have been pretty smart if the Great Ape wasn't a thing.

Like, if Pilaf had enough Katchin, he might still be able to kill Goku.

If Goku couldn't teleport, I mean.

edited 5th Jan '17 1:29:47 PM by unnoun

Lionheart0 Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: I'm just a hunk-a, hunk-a burnin' love
#23617: Jan 5th 2017 at 2:59:03 PM

Goku uses 100% of his brain for fighting. The reasons he hates Pilaf is because Pilaf rendered that 100% power useless back when he caught him, so Goku considers him one of the series worst villains.

I just took it as Pilaf arguably being the most harmless villain in the franchise, so of course Goku would hate him the most.

WillKeaton from Alberta, Canada Since: Jun, 2010
#23618: Jan 5th 2017 at 3:03:58 PM

Wait, does Goku hate Pilaf? I thought he was the kind of villain that the protagonist can't remember. I mean, I know in Super that Pilaf is a little kid, but come on, he's about as tall as he was before and otherwise looks the same.

Ghilz Perpetually Confused from Yeeted at Relativistic Velocities Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Perpetually Confused
#23619: Jan 5th 2017 at 3:57:51 PM

They mean DBZA Goku, who calls Pilaf "That Monster" in the Broly Abridged movie.

Arha Since: Jan, 2010
#23620: Jan 5th 2017 at 4:00:58 PM

I think you're all overthinking it and that the DBZA writers didn't really put any thought into it beyond 'It'd be funny if he called the most harmless villain in the entire series a monster.'

Soble Since: Dec, 2013
#23621: Jan 5th 2017 at 4:07:55 PM

Pretty sure the implication is that he didn't have enough time. The anime, as the anime, obviously padded it out so that it no longer makes sense but I'm pretty sure it flows better in the manga, as scenes like that usually do. Can anyone confirm or deny.

As for Cell, he kept harping on about he'd explode as soon as somebody touched him. It's pretty clear Goku had no time to teleport himself and Kai out.

Well my first problem with that is that a manga is going panel to panel, and I'm obviously not looking at it, so I don't see how you can say "Goku only had 2 seconds."

But trusting that the panels are accurate, and that it did take two seconds the moment after Goku touched him for Cell to explode, and that Goku only did that after saying goodbye to everyone - didn't Goku outrun an explosion in the story arc prior, after getting smacked around and while plummeting towards Namek? Or was that an anime-only thing?

We even see Goku use Instant Transmission on Cell during their fight, and he looked way more pissed off at that point than he did during the finale.

Um, because they were right there and he couldn't just leave them to die? And Vegeta didn't try to get any of them so he really was in no position to play that card.

That does raise the question why Vegeta, the guy without the ability to teleport, didn't pick them up first.

In the Manga, Goku chooses to teleport Dende because of the Dragon Balls. Hercule just happened to be near Dende.

I guess that makes more sense.

edited 5th Jan '17 4:13:17 PM by Soble

I'M MR. MEESEEKS, LOOK AT ME!
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#23622: Jan 5th 2017 at 4:57:06 PM

Goku makes both selfish decisions and suboptimal decisions at multiple points throughout the series, but the narrative doesn't really make much of a point out of him being dumb. It tends more to be about Goku being societally inept. He has the cultural mannerisms of a violent alien raised by wolves.

He's not stupid, he just has a worldview that is extremely different from that of common folk.

TFS's Goku is legitimately dumb AND societally inept. But he's still a brilliant fighter.

edited 5th Jan '17 4:58:31 PM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#23623: Jan 5th 2017 at 5:01:24 PM

He also knows how to hold a grudge.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
TheMageofFire Since: May, 2012
#23624: Jan 5th 2017 at 5:14:19 PM

Speaking of grudges.

It's now day five of the hostage incident with Broly. Kaiser refuses to let that mother fucker go, Lani has gone in to try and plead for his release but hasn't been seen since. Kirran is now in full control of the gaming channel.

thok That's Dr. Title, thank you! (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Non-Canon
That's Dr. Title, thank you!
#23625: Jan 5th 2017 at 6:23:49 PM

I think there was a point where you could have made the argument that DBZ Abridged Goku has a level of hyperawareness that he is in an abridged series, and that his actions came of as reasonable given that level of understanding. (To give an example: asking for the muffin button in a spaceship seems stupid and illogical, but the muffin button actually worked and Goku is clearly better off for using it.)

That said, I think there's enough just straight up stupidity from Goku that such an explanation doesn't quite work.


Total posts: 40,340
Top