All Systems Goku 09

Frieza got FEET

This isn't even All Systems Goku's final form!!!!

Anyone else been pushing F5 for 10 minutes straight?

I bet they comment on Frieza eating a crab, since Dan hates crabs

Another week, another bout of questioning my allegiance with Vegeta. While Goku has been more incapacitated than active in this run of Kai, at least he hasn't been the overconfident mess that Vegeta has been. Dude literally almost killed himself, without guaranteeing that the Namekian would restore his powers. If not for Gohan and Krillin due would be dead. Then he goes "Super Saiyan" and is still rocked beyond belief. Frieza is literally taunting him with kidney shots.

It might be time to get off the Vegeta bandwagon!

Let's Go!-KU

Can't wait to get their thoughts on the ridiculous vocal themes that spring up out of nowhere in these next few episodes, like Frieza's Latin choir.

Glad the composer for Phantasmagoria is still getting work!

It's surely more accurate in Kai, but Piccolo's speech in regular DBZ when he fuses with Nail is still amazing.

The Frietza multiple forms was definitely influenced by RPG video games of the time, specifically Dragon Quest IV which of course Toriyama did character an monster designs for particularly the final boss fight with Necrosaro who goes through several forms as the battle progresses.

The bit is over. RIP The Bit, ASG 05 - ASG 08.

The next batch of episodes is rouuuuuuugh, except for the Bulma bit. Thankfully things will pick up after that.

I gave a Family Guy ostrich laugh when Geoff said “More like Dickolo”

Yeah there's a lot of the classic DBZ stalling, unfortunately. But then we get to THE defining moment of 90s edgy attitude craze.

@awkwardl0ser: <3 minutes later “Big Freeza” + a Friday reference

Height comparison of the Freeza arc cast. I think Freeza in his final form isn't that much taller than he is in his first form, but I'm not certain.

FINALLY they get to see Xenomorph Frieza

@gafgarion: this sounds like a fans dub.

I've been looking forward to this one. Must confess I watched one episode ahead because I just couldn't resist given what happens. Frieza really is the best villain in DBZ, none of the others have that same sense of entitled cruelty. He's such a fucking asshole!

They're skipping a week? Damn, it's like the actual bloody wait for the show way back when it aired.

Oh Man Yamcha IS TOTALLY Loser Surfer Boyfriend. You are so right Jeff

@jeff@danryckert : Freeza wants them to suffer that's why he doesn't blast them off the bat

Just to clarify some things about Piccolo:

Yes he did stretch his arms. It's an ability he rarely uses but it's pretty cool when he remembers he can.

Yes he is crazy tall (character height is a little inconsistent throughout the show, but Piccolo is the tallest "Z Fighter")

Not a perfect height chart but to give you an idea:

Also Chiaotzu is somehow a fully grown adult, so uh, there's that.

I somewhat checked out whilst watching these episodes, apart from the story parts.

These 5 episodes represent the DBZ that I perceived that I was happily avoiding many years ago - lots of people fighting, lights flashing everywhere, and occasional tough guy quips.

It just feels like filler (however, I can only imagine that it's but a snippet compared to the original DBZ anime's filler episodes).

I am way more into the story, the character interactions (when not fighting) and the talking parts - which I was not expecting to enjoy nor be so engaging.

Actually, you could replace references to my feelings on DBZ/anime above with my feelings on WWE/wrestling, and it would also work.

Still, it wasn't bad. I just feel this wasn't the right way to introduce the all-powerful Frieza. He seems weak compared to the hype.

Would it have been better if it was booked for his 'final' form to be 'unlocked' by Goku, and Goku alone?

But I guess they don't want to bury Piccolo, Vegeta, Gohan and Krillin.

'Booked'.

'Bury'.

And Jeff just mentioned 'Fuji Dust'.

So based on that really small cross-section, are DBZ fans also generally WWE fans?

I just found some DBZ/WWE literature which may provide some academic insight:

It was another Monday night and Goku was having fun with the WWE Universe at WWE Monday Night Raw. "How you doing tonight, WWE Universe?" Goku asked, standing in the middle of the ring as the crowd cheered.

...

"Oh, it will be just one against the two of you," Goku grinned. "Ready, John?"

John Cena nodded. "FUUUUUUSION HAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" In a brilliant flash of light, Goku and John Cena did the perfect fusion.

...

"I guess when we fuse together, we're TOO powerful," Goku said.

"Yeah, we're best just teaming up like normal," John Cena laughed. "Wanna get some milkshakes?"

"Sounds great, John." And Goku and John Cena left and got some milkshakes.

P.S. Love the music! I sing it all week (to the annoyance of my partner). I think I read that all the voice actors did versions which is why the singers are changing every 15-20 episodes.

I get so much joy out of hearing Jeff and Dan just completely buy into the DBZ cycle. It's just something I never think about much anymore being a fan for so long. But they love the training and the build up and the transformations and everything else I realize I take for granted. Just wild, wonderful stuff.

@ahifi: Well... let's put it this way: I'm not a wrestling fan. At all. Never watched a full show in my life. Jeff and especially Dan starting this project in addition to Gaiden the Ring has made me subscribe to New Japan World.

Now... can someone tell me where I should start?

some of the best batch of episodes also Jeff wasn't going crazy, Piccolo can stretch his arm all the way the fuck out

They should probably watch six episode's for the next batch. 46 ends in a really awkward place thanks to the pacing of Kai

It's going to be a long two weeks. But I hope it goes by fast because ASG is the best part of my Monday.

Hah! Yeah. Wrestle Kingdoms aren't a bad place to start, I guess? Due to NJPW not really having the whole anodyne 'PPV' format (which streamlines the 'catch-up' process), it's hard to say what is/isn't worth watching. I imagine there are lists on SquaredCircle and such.

Sakura Genesis just happened on Sunday, so I think watching Wrestle Kingdom 12, Strong Style Evolved and Sakura Genesis should get you up to speed on the current roster/stories without costing you too much time!

@awkwardl0ser: Geoff?

Man, the next set of episodes is gonna be a doozy for them.

boo 2 weeks. Should of done 10 episodes for next time...

Does the Ginyu Force coming to King Kai's planet make the Kai cut? That's a fun moment, I hope they keep it.

"Stop fucking up my back, fam!"

Number of times Jeff thought Krillin was dead (but is "only" just beat to shit): 3 and counting.

Either Krillin is Toriyama's whipping-boy, or Krillin is the most melodramatic, over-acting mofo in the entire DBZ cast (wich is saying a LOT).

Jeff using the vegeta voice is just classic lol

@miceman64: Agreed. If they don't do "double episode" of 10 next time they should at least watch the next 6.

@matthewgm: It does not.

Waiting that extra week will be so rough. The next batch is not bad, but the one after is probably the best the series ever gets. So excited to hear their reactions

Also, I did the exact same thing as Dan and misheard "We're in luck now" as "We're in love now". Still do. Also "Free your soul!" easily becomes "Freakazoid!" in my mind.

Jeff putting Vegeta's lines, thoughts, and motivations into Jeff's wording (but also still doing the Vegeta voice impression throughout) is the best part of this podcast.

If they would watch six episodes just ONE TIME, then go back to their usual five, then they’d consistently hit the very best chunks of episodes every time, along with the best cliffhangers. It’s a teensy bit maddening how close they are to being dead on the mark.

Seriously, Goku’s first Super Saiyan transformation, Trunks’ explanation / the setup for the Android saga, the reveal that the Androids aren’t even the real threat, Vegeta becoming an Ascended Super Saiyan and subsequently kicking Cell’s semiperfect-ass thoroughly in, et cetera, et cetera.

I know everyone bitches, moans, and whines about the way they watch the show, but seriously, a lot of the momentum is killed because, as it stands, the hypest shit always happens as the first episode of a session.

Question for the experts: what's up with the cuts of really poorly drawn art in here? There was some of it in the earlier episodes too, but here it's like I can't go five minutes without a terrible drawing of someone's face. Did the animators just lose those original drawings and had to do a quick patch job?

@redhotchilimist: You didn’t ask for the opinion of a not-at-all-expert, but I’ll spout my nonsense anyhow:

I’m guessing is that in order for Kai to even be able to exist, they needed scenes to flow faster (obviously), but didn’t always have the frames or shots necessary to do so, so they just drew new ones. Bad new ones.

@redhotchilimist: My understanding is that all redrawn scenes are either A: shots where they have to censor or recolor something (Vegeta's first appearance is a good example of the latter) or B: shots that would look awkward when cropped to the 16:9 aspect ratio Kai ran in on TV in Japan. My guess would be that shot is the latter, but it could be the former.

The obvious scenario for censorship is removing or recoloring blood, but you also have to remember that Dragon Ball Z was a pre-Pokemon seizure incident show, so there are instances where scenes with rapidly flashing lights from things like ki blasts are redrawn to tone down the flickering. I don't think there are any instances where the original frame was too damaged to use, but I could be wrong.

Freeza has one of the best theme songs.

Bad art happens a lot from shot to shot,

@so1337 said:

"Stop fucking up my back, fam!"

All that speculation at the end made it so much harder to wait for two whole weeks. The next set (hell, the next two sets) is so good.

@redhotchilimist: What I heard was that the scenes that could be digitally cleaned up/HD-ified had that done to them, which is the majority of the show, the stuff that has that beautiful, imperfect 80's animation look to it. The moments where the art gets super shitty is because the original footage was too far gone to be digitally enhanced, or was lost, or whatever and thus they had to be reproduced from the original cels, or traced over, or something. For some reason, it's very prevalent in this particular batch of episodes, but I don't remember it cropping up as much later on.