REVIEW: Dragon Ball Super No.80
This is the Dragon Ball that most people stick around for : “Gas vs. Granolah II” is primarily a knockout drag down fight for the majority of the issue. Power-ups last for a panel and the majority of the pages is fists in faces and either Gas or Granolah dodging energy blasts.
As always, Toyotarou’s rendering of brutality is meant to draw reader’s into Toriyama’s deeper story of bigotry and prejudice. Matter of fact, the whole read could be set to Slayer’s “Pride & Prejudice” because both forms of art tell virtually the same tale. Gas’ extra power up was to be expected. And his transformation is hulking at best. Now the main question is to figure out exactly how Goku’s father defeated Gas forty years back. To see Gas be genuinely in fear of Goku, while the Saiyan is at arguably his weakest, and then to power down in response, when technically the advantage was his, is perplexing and not the worst way to sell interest in the next issue.
Dragon Ball Super #80 is a light read. The pages run fast and smooth and was built to entertain those who have a heavy schedule but are still looking for a piece of escapism, like any good manga should provide. There’s not much to say, just like the issue at hand : nothing but pure action and violence between super-powered aliens. Yes the story still rears it head, but for just long enough to remind you that it is still there, like the Namekian who only pops up here for just a panel.
This is junk food Dragon Ball : the type of issue to bait new readers and something the seasoned readers still will wait for and enjoy. Ultimately, these types of issues are forever a guilty pleasure for the intellectual crowd, but without them, this fighting manga would just be a sci-fi manga, and that isn’t what readers pick up a fighter for.
Score : 4/5
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