Goku's fights seemed to never end... but there was a very simple reason
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| Image Credit: Toei Animation |
From Holly and Benji's matches to Mila's dunks in Mila and Shiro, long-time anime fans are accustomed to practically endless sequences, and even scenes that lasted for the duration of several episodes. And Dragon Ball is certainly no exception: the clashes with the most fearsome opponents took a really long time to be completed, starting with the historic Goku Vs Freezer clash, which is part of a saga that continues for 30 episodes and over 4 hours of running time. But why were anime so verbose back then? There are several narrative reasons why the challenge between Goku and Freezer is so long.
First of all, it is the greatest threat that the protagonist had faced up to that point, an enemy that definitely made the previous ones pale in comparison, and that required the joint efforts of all the main protagonists. Let's also add that Freezer represents the peak of Goku's maturation as a fighter: not only does this fight reach the level of Super Saiyan for the first time, but he also learns that not all antagonists can find redemption. In fact, despite his efforts, Freezer does not take a step back, unlike Piccolo or Vegeta before him. And let's not forget that Goku is fighting against the one who destroyed his home planet and exterminated his family. In short, a dramatic crescendo that culminates in some of the best scenes and quotes of the entire saga.
Given the importance of the moment, both the anime and the manga wanted to give it the right amount of space, to make it memorable in the eyes of Dragon Ball fans. In fact, even in the original comic, the duration of the fight is no joke: 20 chapters in total! But what is really surprising is that, in the economy of the story, the climax of the duel between Goku and Freezer lasts just over five minutes. In fact, while they fight, the villain informs our hero that the planet Namek will explode in five minutes. However, even after this warning, the story continues for another ten episodes.
There is no doubt, in short, that the production of the anime wanted to insert fillers to extend the saga as much as possible. For example, the challenge between the Ginyu Force and Tenshinhan, Chiaozi, and Yamcha on the Planet of King Kaioh of the North is an invention of the anime and is not present in the original material. If this saga was made so interminable, in fact, there is also a practical reason: the adaptation of the animated series was dangerously close to the manga. The two products were made almost simultaneously: think that the chapter where Goku throws the Genkidama sphere was published in March 1991, while the episode aired in June.
It was therefore necessary to insert as many fillers as possible, to allow Toriyama and his assistants to carry on the story to be transposed. This is also the reason why the Freezer saga is followed by a block of episodes among the most hated by Dragon Ball fans, namely those in which Garlic Jr. appears. This character is exclusive to the anime, and it was necessary to add his narrative arc precisely to avoid the animated version getting too close to the chapters published weekly.
Source: CBR