Dragon Ball DAIMA’s Demon Realm is What Namek Should Have Been in DBZ

Few alien worlds have a larger role in Dragon Ball than Namek. The homeworld of Piccolo, Kami, and Dende, and the primary setting of the anime’s most iconic fight, it’s been a consistent presence in the franchise since its introduction. However, for all the time that’s been spent there, and all the characters who come from the planet, Namek is painfully boring.

Across all Dragon Ball media, only the bare minimum has ever been done to ever make Namek feel like a real world, and not just an excuse to introduce new characters and Dragon Balls. In contrast, the Demon Realm in Dragon Ball DAIMA is already a richer and more interesting setting than Dragon Ball Z’s Namek. Fans have spent less than a single episode with Goku in this world, but it’s quickly showing what Namek should have been.

Namek is as Underdeveloped as it is Iconic

Dragon Ball Z Puts Little Effort into Making Namek Feel Like a Real World

The concept of Namek is first introduced during Dragon Ball Z’s Saiyan Saga. After arriving on Earth, Vegeta and Nappa reveal that Piccolo, who’d previously been thought to be a demon, is actually an alien from Namek. While Piccolo initially puts little weight behind this, Namek and its Dragon Balls become the key to his resurrection after he’s killed by Nappa. The need to revive him, as well as Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu, is what brings Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma to Namek, kicking off the Frieza Saga.

One of the most popular arcs in Dragon Ball, the Frieza Arc succeeds off the back of the tantalizing cat-and-mouse game played by Gohan and Krillin, Vegeta, and Frieza’s forces, excellent character work, a handful of superb fights, and the debut of the iconic Super Saiyan transformation. For all the areas where the arc succeeds, Namek is one of the most boring settings in the series. The entire planet has the same, boring design, every village is alike, the few named Nameks are two-dimensional characters, and any hints about the world’s culture and history are completely irrelevant. Even after being brought back to life on Namek, Piccolo barely cares.

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Dragon Ball DAIMA’s Demon World is the Best Part of the Anime

Dragon Ball DAIMA’s handling of the Demon World is a masterclass in worldbuilding.

Namek in Dragon Ball Z exists as a convenience for the story, not as a setting that’s meant to stand on its own. It’s a world with its own set of Dragon Balls for the Z-Warriors to seek out after Piccolo and Kami are killed, and otherwise pointless characters like Guru and Nail are present there so they can provide power-ups for Krillin, Gohan, and Vegeta. It’s also a neutral battleground for the Dragon Team and Frieza Force to do battle on, and a planet the story can afford to blow up for dramatic effect at its conclusion. On a mechanical level, Namek serves the story well, but that’s all it does. Namek isn’t an example of poor world building because the story does a bad job developing it; Namek is an example of poor world building because the story has no interest in developing it.

Fans Get Their FIrst Real Taste of Demon Realm in Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 3

Demon Realm is a Captivating and Fleshed-Out Setting

Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 3, “Daima,” is an outstanding introduction to Demon Realm. While Namek was only included in Dragon Ball Z to serve various functions for the story, DAIMA is all about Demon Realm. Demon Realm is the primary setting for the entire series and most of its heroes, along with all its villains and conflicts, are directly tied to it. Understanding how important first impressions are, DAIMA masterfully draws viewers into Demon Realm with a combination of classic tropes, teases for the future, and Dragon Ball charm.

The first two episodes of DAIMA set the stage for Episode 3’s success by introducing characters from and lore surrounding Demon Realm without really explaining anything. Episode 1 introduces Gomah, the new King of Demon Realm, and Degesu and Dr. Arinsu, members of Demon Realm’s aristocracy and Shin’s evil siblings, as the anime’s main villains. It also introduces Warp, the guardian of the newly introduced plethora of dimensions that compose Universe 7, Neva, Demon Realm’s resident Namek, the potentially fascinating new connection between Demon Realm and Namek, and the warriors Neva created to protect Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls, the Tamagami. Episode 2 then follows up on this by continuing to expand on the connection between Demon Realm and Namek, smartly bringing Piccolo into a prominent role in the story, and by teasing the idea that there are multiple Demon Realms and Demon Kings.

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Gomah was the next in line for the throne in Dragon Ball DAIMA following the death of the prior Demon King, Dabura. But are the two actually related?

Before Goku, Shin, and Glorio arrive in Demon Realm in Episode 3, fans already begin learning tantalizing details about it. Having previously told his new companions that he’s following orders from the Third King of Demon Realm, it’s confirmed that there are three Demon Realms, each with its own king, with the Supreme Ruler, currently Gomah, reigning over them all. The trio’s journey also showcases the unique method necessary to travel to Demon Realm, and their encounter with Warp reveals that only demons are allowed into Demon Realm.

After reaching the Third Demon Realm, Goku is shocked that it isn’t any kind of Hell dimension, but a vibrant world filled with distinct geography, cities, and dragons. Goku quickly learns that the air in the Third Demon World is filled with a thick gas created by volcanoes, making movement difficult, and that demons are often hostile, as he’s immediately attacked. The Dragon Team then reaches a shady, bustling town where demons are just going about living their lives. They encounter a greedy innkeeper, they get into a bar fight with a group of demon ruffians, and Goku devours half a dozen Demon Realm hamburgers, with Glorio issuing a warning that he doesn’t want to know where the meat comes from. By using a combination of fantasy and sci-fi tropes that aren’t typically seen in Dragon Ball, slowly introducing its fascinating and cohesive lore, and putting real care into making this world feel lived in, Demon Realm is already one of the best settings in Dragon Ball.

Demon Realm’s Culture Can Drive Dragon Ball DAIMA’s Story

The Brewing Conflict Between the Three Demon Realms Could Take DAIMA Into More Serious Territory

Dragon Ball isn’t known for mature storytelling. The stories are frequently serious, and a more nuanced concept or a tidbit of moral philosophy occasionally slips its way in but, at their core, every arc’s focus is on either action, comedy, or adventure. Nearly every storyline has noticeable themes, it would be difficult for them not to, but they’re rarely dwelled on, and they aren’t what most fans of the series are interested in.

Shin and Glorio’s interactions in Episode 3 of Dragon Ball DAIMA heavily suggest the series will be tackling issues related to class. As the mutually mistrustful duo attempt to feel each other out, fans are given a sense of the inequality that exists within Demon Realm. Demons from the First Demon Realm are the only ones permitted to travel between realms, and enjoy greater status and privileges than those of the Second Demon Realm who, in turn, are of higher status than the demons of the Third Demon Realm. Shin gains a new origin as he’s revealed to be a Glind from the Second Demon Realm, with this being something Glorio, a citizen of the Third Demon Realm, is eager to tease him about.

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Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 3 Power Ranking

Episode 3 of Dragon Ball DAIMA only follows a handful of characters, but they have no trouble carrying the anime on their own.

While DAIMA’s plot is currently just about the Dragon Team’s quest to defeat Gomah, the successor to Dabura as Demon Realm’s Supreme Ruler, the politics of Demon Realm are interesting enough to continue to carry the story on their own. The anime has already positioned itself to be able to explore this side of things, without diverging from its main narrative. Representatives of all three Demon Realms are present among the cast, the road to Gomah will require the Dragon Team to venture through all three Demon Realms, and the conflict between Shin and Glorio, that’s largely driven by the two’s preconceptions of each other, will be a constant presence in the anime. Detailed settings and explorations of real-world subjects are both things Dragon Ball never touches but, in doing so, Dragon Ball DAIMA could establish itself as one of the best pieces of Dragon Ball media ever.

At this point, it’s doubtful that Namek will ever receive the world building it should have decades ago. However, just as it’s brilliantly establishing Demon Realm, Dragon Ball DAIMA may also do more for Namek than DBZ ever did by establishing the connection between the two worlds. Regardless, with how lived in it feels, and the inevitable conflict between the three Demon Realms looming, Demon Realm is on track to be one of the best additions to the series’ lore in decades.

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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.

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  Dragon Ball Z Kai

  Goku is settled with his family and is living in peace. Unfortunately, his peaceful time is momentary as a visitor crashes into the planet claiming to be his brother.

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  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