Key findings

• Goku and Krillin’s training pays off at the exciting World Martial Arts Tournament.
• The diverse range of competitors gives the series a strong world-building factor.
• Yamcha shines as his character development continues to delight fans.

Dragon Ball has had a renaissance since the Tournament Saga began. It’s exciting to see the series push Goku and Krillin out of their comfort zone and open them up to a larger world full of dangerous threats and incredible challenges. Their training has been a fun experience all around, but “Elimination Round” is the payoff where everything finally comes together and Dragon Ball begins to really enjoy martial arts.

The World Martial Arts Tournament has truly begun and it’s time for Goku, Krillin and Yamcha to prove themselves against all the other warriors hoping to leave their mark at the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai. “Elimination Round” is a great episode in its own right and a step towards a modern series Dragon Ball – a crucial milestone for the franchise, providing non-stop fun from start to finish.

An intimidating selection process creates the basis for success

The preliminary rounds of the world tournament begin

It took some time, but Dragon Ball is finally ready to devote himself to martial arts as the series starts its first tournament – The results couldn’t be more exciting. The Elimination Round begins with 137 participants and ends with just eight participants when the credits roll. The top two fighters from each of the four groups will be the finalists in the World Tournament. Dragon Ball Episode 20 takes its time to properly establish the rules of the World Tournament, but does so in a concise manner so that the plot doesn’t stall or get lost in explanations.

It’s interesting to note that, unlike the actual tournament, the elimination rounds are meant to be lightning fast. There’s a one-minute time limit, and if time runs out and there’s no winner, the victor is determined by a point system based on skill rather than brute strength. It’s an interesting idea that, unfortunately, “Elimination Round” doesn’t spend much time on, instead sticking with traditional knockouts. It’s still exciting to get the first real glimpse into Goku and Krillin’s training. Goku was already incredibly strong before his training with Master Roshi, but it’s honestly hilarious how much stronger he is than your average martial artist.

Dragon Ball Episode 20 intentionally plays with audience expectations by pitting Goku in a David versus Goliath scenario in his first fight. Goku’s opponent, Fighter 69, is smaller than the young boy and previously lifts heavy weights to emphasize his strength. Most of the tournament’s participants genuinely believe the pairing is a joke and unfair to Goku, only to then see Goku defeat Fighter 69 by simply tapping his leg. Goku doesn’t use any real martial arts, but the mere pressure of his finger sends this heavyweight flying through the air. It’s the perfect way to slowly acclimate to the World Tournament and establish a baseline level of Goku’s strength so that when he fights, it actually means something.

Dragon BallThe pace of the Tournament Saga’s training episodes was mixed, so it’s a refreshing change to see how much action fits into “Elimination Round.” This is far away and the most action-packed Dragon Ball episode so far. Goku and Krillin each participate in three short, yet incredibly different fights. All of their opponents use a different fighting style and effectively show Dragon Ball‘s wide world. Krillin literally fights against a Bruce Lee doppelganger and a giant British bear, which is one of the Dragon Ball Things the series has been doing for some time.

The triumphs of Goku and Krillin are satisfying, but Yamcha really steals the show here. He takes part in four fights, which is the strongest material of the episode overall. Goku and Krillin are undeniably strong, but they only resort to basic fighting here. There’s no Kamehameha in sight. Yamcha, on the other hand, relies on special techniques, poetically showing off his Blinding Wolf Fang Fist attack against a wolf fighter, no less. The radical display of Yamcha’s new technique features some outstanding animations. Paired with strong choreography and visuals across the board, the fights in “Elimination Round” really shine. The episode successfully utilizes the limited space, finding many unique ways to express fear and surprise on the faces of the contestants.

The shenanigans of the supporting characters lead to a light episode

There is a lot of fun outside the arena

Dragon BallThe audience can enjoy every second of the chaos of the World Tournament, but Bulma, Oolong and Puar are not so lucky. Only participants are allowed into the elimination hall, which irritates Bulma and makes her desperate to spy on the proceedings in order to gauge Yamcha’s success. This is honestly a weak way to marginalize these supporting charactersbut it at least gives them something to do. Towards the end of the episode there is a cryptic appearance by Master Roshi, which is pretty harmless now but will soon pay off. It’s always nice Dragon Ball explores more complex storytelling to suggest events and build trust with the audience.

Bulma, Oolong, and Puar are clearly meant to act as the comedic elements of the episode, which helps balance out such an action-packed entry. It’s fun to return to these characters after such a long absence, but it’s disappointing that their antics are basically just fodder in an otherwise strong episode. Oolong’s childish outbursts get a little too prurient, and it would be interesting to consider what Launch would bring to the equation. Not only would she be an interesting ally for Bulma, but it would also be satisfying to see her tell Oolong off whenever he tries to stare at her and she experiences a transformative sneeze.

A beating from Launch would be a great way to keep Oolong at bay for a while. It still feels like there is untapped comedic potential and character development in the failure to bring Bulma and Launch together. These two characters deserve to be more than just lovelorn extensions of male characters, but Dragon Ball could explore interesting material by having Bulma and Launch become friends and then argue about Yamcha. Then again, Yamcha has more than enough on his plate right now without having to deal with a cliched love triangle as well.

Friends become rivals when competition gets tougher

A future showdown against Goku is both stressful and exciting

“Elimination Round” may get lost in its action, but there’s still a really sweet emotional core that reminds audiences that these are real people and not just superhuman martial artists. It’s touching how much support Goku and Krillin give to each other, both of whom are belittled by the rest of the tournament. They’ve come so far in such a short amount of time, and Goku helps boost Krillin’s confidence when he’s confronted by a bully from Orin Temple. It’s definitely convenient to have bullies from Orin Temple in the mix, but it’s a development that makes sense and fits right in with Toriyama’s writing style.

The support between Goku and Krillin is heartwarming now, but ultimately bittersweet, as only one can win the tournament – which is a nice dramatic touch. Goku and Krillin don’t actually fight in this episode, but the tension obviously hangs heavy over them, and Krillin is especially nervous about facing his new friend. On the other hand, Yamcha is incredibly excited to face Goku later in the finals. He can’t wait to get his revenge, take advantage of a bigger arena, and not let a time limit hold him back. Dragon Ball In episode 20, Yamcha’s Blinding Wolf Fang Fist is even treated as a worthy counterattack to Goku’s Kamehameha. Although the characters won’t be fighting, it’s interesting to take a look at what could have been (and how Dragon Ball is already giving the audience the wrong idea).

“Elimination Round” is a strong Dragon Ball Episode that ends on an exciting note that promises even greater things in the preliminary rounds of the World Tournament. The series is ready spend a little more time on individual games rather than playing through them all in a rush. Elimination Round is a lot of fun, but longer, proper battles are what make the Tournament Saga great. Aside from the rushed pace, “Elimination Round” is a busy episode and one of the Dragon Ball ‘s best.Dragon Ball Episode 20 celebrates action and reflects the story’s ability to evolve as a shōnen series.