After four episodes, the board for Dragon Ball DAIMA is set. Goku, Glorio, and Shin are well into their journey through the Demon Realm, they’ve met the fourth and final member of their core group, Panzy, and King Gomah is now aware of the threat the Z-Warriors pose to him. In Episode 5, “Panzy,” the newest Dragon Ball anime will already be shaking things up.

Episode 5 of Dragon Ball DAIMA is keeping up the anime’s excitement with a powerful new villain. First seen in the teaser at the end of Episode 4, it’s unclear if this demon is a subject of Gomah’s, or the Third King of the Demon World who Glorio serves. Either way, knowing Goku, everyone’s favorite Saiyan will likely be fighting him.

Goku Just Declared War on King Gomah

Goku Defended a VIllage From the Gendarmerie in Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 4

The end of Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 4, “Chatty,” featured the biggest action sequence in the anime yet. After arriving in a new village, Goku learned about the Gendarmerie, the Supreme Ruler of the Demon Realm’s personal police force, and watched as they drained the lifeforce from demons who couldn’t afford to pay their newly raised taxes. Unlike the Goku presented in Dragon Ball Super, DAIMA’s Goku is a hero who fights to protect people, and doesn’t just seek thrills. As such, he quickly leaps into action to fight the cruel Gendarmerie, despite concerns from Glorio that this will give his presence away to King Gomah.

Goku’s battle against a squadron of Gendarmerie is on par with most fights in Dragon Ball Z in terms of direction and choreography. It’s fast-paced, wonderfully animated, and Goku makes superb use of the Power Pole as he takes down one member of the Gendarmerie after another. The teaser of Episode 5, “Panzy,” reveals that this won’t be his last battle with Gomah’s soldiers, and that they will not be pursuing the Dragon Team.

In the midst of Episode 4’s climax, Goku meets Panzy, AKA the Masked Majin. Wearing a mask to disguise her identity, Panzy attempts to stop the Gendarmerie from tormenting innocent demons herself. Unfortunately, her wasabi grenade fails to work, her taser isn’t very effective, and she doesn’t appear to have any skills as a fighter. Panzy winds up in need of saving, with Goku jumping in to prevent her from being killed. After the Z-Warriors flee the village, they’re tracked down by Panzy, who reveals herself to be a young girl before the episode ends.

Episode 5 of Dragon Ball DAIMA has a lot of juicy story material to pick up on. By assaulting the Gendarmerie, Goku has effectively declared war on Gomah, and given away the secrecy of his presence in the Third Demon World. Gomah will undoubtedly be taking direct action against Goku, Glorio, and Shin, and their battles are only going to get tougher. Fans will also get to learn more about Panzy, with Episode 4 only showing her to be a weak, but well-intentioned hero. Glorio has been a brilliant addition to Dragon Ball’s cast, shrouded in mystery and sharing great chemistry with Goku and Shin, and Panzy will likely be equally engaging. Panzy’s appearances in the opening and ending credits indicates especially entertaining dynamics between her, Goku, and Bulma.

A New Villain is Joining Dragon Ball DAIMA’s Rouges’ Gallery

The Third King of the Demon World May Be About to Debut

The final moments of the teaser for Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 5, “Panzy,” depicts a demon not yet introduced in the anime. He’s a large, imposing figure with a broad stomach, green skin, ornate clothing, and a mustache, and he’s shown carrying a mace. To add to his menace, he’s depicted in shadows, and surrounded by skulls.

DAIMA wouldn’t be a long series if Goku’s path to Gomah was an easy one. Ordinary demons from the Third Demon World and the Gendarmerie have already proven no match for Goku, necessitating the anime to introduce new, more dangerous threats to combat him. The new demon presented in the teaser could exist to fill the same role villains like Nappa, the Ginyu Force, the androids, and Dabura did in Dragon Ball Z, acting as a warm-up for the heroes before they face off with the main antagonists. Alternatively, Dragon Ball DAIMA could continue to take influence from the original Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball GT, and he may only be a one-off villain.

It’s also possible that this new demon isn’t a villain at all. Or, at least, he may not be an immediate enemy of Goku’s. For the past several episodes, Glorio has been leading Goku and Shin to the home of his boss, the Third King of the Demon World. The king and Goku may share a common enemy in Gomah, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be evil in his own right. Goku’s first meeting with him could lay the groundwork for future arcs of DAIMA, and reveal more information about the mysterious Glorio.

Gomah is More Dangerous Than Ever

Dragon Ball DAIMA’s Main Antagonists Have Been Informed About Goku

Gomah has largely remained in the background of Dragon Ball DAIMA since turning the Z-Warriors into children in Episode 1, “Conspiracy.” The teaser for Episode 5 reveals that the Supreme Ruler of the Demon Realm will be present in DAIMA’s next installment, and will likely put him back in focus. This isn’t too surprising, as Goku’s critical mistake in Episode 4, allowing any of the Gendarmerie he fought to live, has ensured that Gomah will be informed about him.

With loud and fun personalities, Gomah, Degesu, and Dr. Arinsu made a big splash in DAIMA’s premiere as they successfully weakened the Dragon Team, and subsequently kidnapped Dende. They’ve since been sitting comfortably at the top of the Demon Realm’s society, but now they’re about to be forced into action by the young Saiyan moving rapidly on his way to dethrone them. Not only will they now be showing off the true power of the First Demon World, but their characters, and their relationships with famous figures from Dragon Ball Z will be put in the spotlight.

Typically, Dragon Ball villains aren’t complicated figures, and fans don’t get to spend significant time with them outside of fight scenes. The biggest exceptions to this are Frieza, who has been brilliantly developed in Dragon Ball Super, and Zamasu, whose motivations are a tad more complex than simply being evil. It’s doubtful that Dragon Ball DAIMA’s largely comical villainous trio will be nuanced figures but, in comparison to antagonists like King Piccolo, Cell, and Super Buu, they have a lot of potential. DAIMA has adopted an episodic structure similar to the Pilaf Saga’s but, for as much as the anime takes from the original Dragon Ball, it’s still an action series like DBZ, not a comedy. This makes DAIMA the first time in the franchise that the main villains of an arc aren’t being rushed into direct conflict with the Z-Warriors.

Gomah, Degesu, and Dr. Arinsu Are Closely Tied to Dabura and the Supreme Kai

Oafish as he seems, Gomah is a powerful sorcerer. However, he’s already been confirmed by Glorio to be significantly weaker than Majin Buu. Combined with his drastically different appearance, this puts into question how he became Dabura’s right-hand in the first place. It could potentially be just a matter of class, a subject DAIMA has already made clear it will be exploring.

Degesu and Dr. Arinsu are villains who demand even more attention than Gomah, and Episode 5 will finally start to give it to them. As the younger brother and little sister of Shin, they have a personal connection to the Z-Warriors greater than any villains have had since Raditz. All three are Glinds from the Second Demon World, and all three have ascended to places of power. The mystery of what pushed Shin’s siblings to the side of evil, and of what drove the three apart in the first place, is one of DAIMA’s most tantalizing, and the next episode will hopefully offer some hints.

The last several episodes of Dragon Ball DAIMA have revealed fascinating new lore, and featured incredible fights. Episode 5 will no doubt continue this trend as it continues to up the stakes. DAIMA hasn’t had a boring or bad episode yet, and it continues to be a highlight of the Fall 2024 anime season.

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  Dragon Ball

  Dragon Ball tells the tale of a young warrior by the name of Son Goku, a young peculiar boy with a tail who embarks on a quest to become stronger and learns of the Dragon Balls, when, once all 7 are gathered, grant any wish of choice.

• Dragon Ball DAIMA

  Due to a conspiracy, Goku and friends are transformed into children. They intend to travel to a mysterious new world to undo this change