Final Forum: A Dragon Ball Podcast

By Final Forum Podcast

Dragon Ball has a wealth of cultural context and inspiration that’s often overlooked because the fights are cool. Though not averse to fawning over animation and allowing for the Rule of Cool, Jelli a... more

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How many episodes does Final Forum: A Dragon Ball Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 144 episodes available.

Final Forum: A Dragon Ball Podcast episodes:

September 27, 2022Muscle Tower and 80s Pop Culture (S1E23)
Is the Red Ribbon Army a placeholder for the communist armies of Soviet Russia and Communist China? How did the dire state of the Japanese film industries in the 1970s impact Akira Toriyama?
Jelli and Bekinney continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon by breaking down episodes 35 and 36 of the show, "Cold Reception," and "Major Metallitron" and we dig further into the Red Ribbon Army as well as their current base of operations for this portion of the arc: Muscle Tower
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney are preparing for invasion
We recap the episodes and discuss our favorite moments
We talk about whether the Japanese would say the "h" in White
We introduce the General White character
Muscle Tower resides in a snowy landscape that Akira Toriyama said was like Siberia, does that mean the setting is Northern Russia?
The hosts discuss Suno/Snow and where the name came from, whether it was inspired by the anime or if the mangaka gave it to the anime
We talk about some of the James Bond influences, like You Only Live Twice
An anecdote is shared from Masako Nozawa about her reaction to the episodes
We talk about the inspirations behind Muscle Tower, being, surprise Kung Fu Films, namely Game of Death
We discuss the game Spartan X that was released for Famikon, which was ported to the United States as "Kung Fu" and is inspired by Game of Death, not Spartan X (aka Meals on Wheels) as might be expected
Surprise, a part of Dragon Ball is inspired by Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee
We talk about pagodas and their importance in traditional Chinese culture
Major Metallitron, who is totally not Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator, appears
We discuss Goku "killing" Metallitron and praying, as Nam prayed in the Tenkaichi Budokai
We talk about the psychological examination of General White via Muscle Tower as a metaphor and how Goku interacts with that
We talk about what might have inspired Toriyama to start bringing in so much Western Culture into his manga
The state of cinema in Japan in the 1970s and how it affected companies like Toho, and bankrupted the studio Daiei, including stressful situations on the set of Gamera films
We talk about how the desperate state of Japanese cinema in the 70s led to importation of American films
We remind our listeners about Toriyama's westernized style catching the eye of Kazuhiko Torishima
Is Dragon Ball (or Dragonball Z) responsible for creating a sort of homogenized Japanese culture that Americans understand?
Toriyama is at the forefront of bringing Western inspirations to his story, does the rest of the Japanese pop cultural spectrum follow suit? Just ask Godzillla, who brings in references to Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, James Bond, and more ten years after Toriyama had done so.
The pop culture news shift and how things have sped up over the decades, and an anecdote about Jurassic Park
Quick aside: is it a problem that Goku uses the Power Pole to skip only the first floor of Muscle Tower? (Answer: shut up)
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual
This is a breezy, quick episode, and we hope you enjoy!
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.
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40min
September 14, 2022Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero! (S1E22)
New movie! New animation style! New discussions!
Jelli and Bekinney take a break from Akira Toriyama's manga/anime once again to discuss a NEW MOVIE!
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney discuss Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero but FIRST
We have some news items to discuss
We talk about the collaboration between Swatch and Dragon Ball Z and discuss the watches for Goku, Vegeta, Master Roshi, Frieza, Cell, Gohan, and Majin Buu and which one is an unfortunate miss
The news items then turns to discussion of the new arcs of the Dragon Ball Super manga that have been completed since the anime went on hiatus in 2019 including the Moro arc and the Granolah arc
We have a hot rumor about the return of the Dragon Ball Super anime
Talk then turns to discussion of studio amalgamation and the Warner Brothers-Discovery merger and the fallout from their decisions around HBO Max, including the cancellation of the Bat Girl movie, the reaction from the creator of Tig n' Seek, and the company's staunch refusal to denounce Ezra Miller or delay the Flash movie
Bekinney discuss the show Megas XLR
We talk about the upcoming game Dragon Ball The Breakers
Then we get into the movie, we break down a plot synopsis, and we discuss our general feelings on Gamma 1, Gamma 2, Cell Max, Magenta, Doctor Hedo, Carmine, Beast Gohan, Orange Piccolo, and the decisive bout between Goku and Vegeta
This is a more loose and goosey episode than usual, as it's more reaction-based and less research-based, but if you're a fan, sit back and enjoy as we delve into some RECENT Dragon Ball items.
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.
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1h 9min
August 30, 2022The Red Ribbon Army Debuts (S1E21)
What happens when Toriyama begins earnestly incorporating Western references into his Eastern mythology-based manga? Do we have the wherewithal to do some psychological analysis?
Jelli and Bekinney continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon by breaking down episode 34 of the show, "Cruel Commander Red" and we dig into the Red Ribbon Army
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney are finally safe(?) on a Frieza Force planet
We recap Cruel Commander Red and discuss our favorite bits
Bekinney talks about how Toriyama once again inverts the narrative of Dragon Ball and Goku
We talk about some of the upcoming references that we will come across such as James Bond, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Terminator, Alien, and other favorites of the eccentric manga ka
Jelli discusses Goku's new two-fold goal and how he for the first time, has some agency of his own in the story in his pursuit of Grandpa Gohan's Four-Star Dragon Ball
We break down some of the psychology of Dragon Ball and how Goku is always a positive force who interacts with others who have one major character flaw, and how Goku's nature brings this character flaw to light
Goku shows us how confidence can overcome doubt, how strategy can overcome strength, how humility can overcome pride, and we're here to talk about that
Does Dragon Ball have a deeper message? We take a peak at that question
We discuss how the anime and manga start bleeding into one another a little bit, as this arc of the manga takes place as the anime finally begins airing
We discuss how the Red Ribbon Army was influenced by the red armies of China, and the USSR as well as the fascist Nazi Party, as well as its fictional sources of inspiration such as from the crime syndicate Shocker of the Kamen Rider series and Spectre of the Bond franchise
We talk about whether this Red Ribbon Army is a political statement and if Toriyama is propagating some US-Japan alliance propaganda, as well as some capitalism over communism ideals, or if this is just fun nonsense
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.
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47min
August 16, 2022On the Importance of Filler...plus Wedding Talk! (S1E20)
Which episodes of Dragon Ball had to be edited due to the September 11th World Trade Center attack?
Jelli and Bekinney continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon by jumping back into the show, and delving into how filler is important when creating an anime based on a manga. We discuss the episodes "The Roaming Lake", "Pilaf and the Mystery Force", "Wedding Plans?", "The Flying Fortress Vanished!", and "The Legend of a Dragon" and we dig into why filler exists, as well as some of Asian culture's wedding traditions.
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney are once more drifting through space
We break down the episodes and scrape where we can, looking for homages and cultural references
We come up pretty sparse, despite thinking there might be some significance to a roaming lake
We find some Star Wars and Death Star references, within an episode
We discuss some of the music and its importance
We talk about the FIFA World Cup from 1986, which was hosted by Mexico
The difference between Toriyama's approach to the real world vs the anime is made clear via a reference to Alexander the Great
We talk about marriage traditions in China and Japan
A discussion of September 11, 2001 and the attacks on the World Trade Center due to a bit of censorship
Notes on contradictions between things that appear in these filler episodes and the true canon of Dragon Ball
The meat of the episode: filler
Is filler necessary?
How much filler is necessary per chapter of manga?
How does filler work in Dragon Ball?
We get into the nitty-gritty of tracking how the anime caught up to the manga and also how filler was used judiciously to maintain pace...or not used judiciously until the animators got themselves into trouble, how far behind the anime was than the manga, and how much it caught up when things got dire for the animators and filler became an absolute necessity
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.
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1h 2min
August 02, 2022Dragon Ball Prototypes (S1E19)
What's the origin of Dragon Ball? Did Toriyama ever workshop this idea or did he just plow forward?
Jelli and Bekinney continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon by remaining off the show itself, and delving into some background information on Dragon Ball, specifically, by tackling the genesis of Dragon Ball, and its prototypes via some of Akira Toriyama's one-off manga he created leading up to Dragon Ball's inception
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney encounter a massive power reading in the deep recesses of space
We talk about WHY we're jumping back, to uncover some of Dragon Ball's genesis
We discuss the brainstorming between Toriyama and Kazuhiko Torishima (Toriyama's Editor)
The spark of idea from Toriyama's wife, Nachi Mikami, that clicks a tumbler into place and makes Torishima push Toriyama to create a kung-fu manga
We discuss the concept of yomikiri manga, which are essentially akin to comic one-shots such as Marvel's What If...? or DC's Elseworlds.
We talk about the manga Dragon Boy and its similarities to Dragon Ball
We mention the existence of Viz Media's Akira Toriyama's Manga Theater, a collection of his early works and yomikiri manga spanning his career
We also shed light on Tong Poo's Great Adventure about a young boy traveling through space and meeting a human girl
We unveil the similarities between Dragon Ball and his yomikiri Pola & Roid, from 1981
We talk about the 1982 story Pink: The Rain Jack
We discuss how Dr. Slump helped Toriyama develop his style and voice and build an audience over the decades
We discuss the similarities between Akira Toriyama and Peter Jackson, and how one can be somewhat popular from their previous work, before exploding into massive popularity from Lord of the Rings, and how the differ, as Jackson's early works such as Braindead/Dead Alive, Meet the Feebles, and Bad Taste belie his abilities in epic storytelling, as opposed to Toriyama's work very much being in his style
We discuss how Toriyama is pretty similar to Stan Lee (and Jack Kirby) in creating prototypes for various characters in comics headlined by other characters (ie, Punisher in Amazing Spider-Man or Wolverine in Incredible Hulk)
We discuss Stan Lee's awesome response to "Who would win in a fantasy fight?"
We talk about how Toriyama and Torishima's relationship is different from "Batman creator" Bob Kane and his collaborations with Bill Finger
We talk about Toriyama's building of a shared universe and how that's similar in some ways to Stephen King's crafting of his Dark Tower franchise
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.
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52min
July 19, 2022Curse of the Blood Rubies (S1E18)
It's a COMMENTARY TRACK!
Jelli and Bekinney continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon by ...jumping off the manga and onto a feature film commentary for the first time ever!
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney find themselves adrift in space
We sync up our audio commentary for the listeners
We discuss some of the production facts about the film Dragon Ball Curse of the Blood Rubies such as its 1986 release at the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival, the film's box office, and the production team working on the film
We talk about the other films released alongside the movie: Gegege no Kitaro Gekitotsu Ijigen Yokai no Dai Hanran (Kitaro of the Graveyard) and Kinnikuman – Seigi Choujin vs Senshi Choujin and talk about Shigeru Mizuki's yokai-based manga (Kitaro) as well as Yoshinori Nakai and Takashi Shimada's superhero wrestling property (Kinnikuman)
We delve into the background behind the Toei Manga Matsuri – Toei Cartoon Festival and its inception in 1969 and other such festivals around the country such as Toho's Champion Festival
We talk about director Daisuke Nishio and his work, spanning Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, GeGeGe no Kitaro, Kindaichi Case Files, One Piece, Pretty Cure and Halo Legends.
We shed some light on Toshiki Inoue – the screenplay writer, who also worked on Dr Slump, and live action films including Kamen Rider, Jetman, and work with Hideaki Anno (creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion)
We talk about composer Shinsuke Kikuchi, albeit briefly, who has worked on Gamera, Doraemon, Getter Robo, Jumborg Ace, and Sister Street Fighter as well as composer Peter Berring, who has a surprising family history
We discuss the Harmony Gold dub and its method of changing character names as well as the many dubs done by Funimation of the years and how that changed the roles for Ted Cole and Chris Sabat as the voice of Yamcha
We talk about punny character names
We discuss the similarities to the studio Ghibli film Castle in the Sky, one of Hayao Miyazaki's earliest film efforts
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual as we react to this wickedly fast-paced film
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.
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1h 5min
July 05, 202221st Tenkaichi Budokai Manga vs Anime Comparison (S1E17)
Jelli and Bekinney continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon by comparing the manga for the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai tournament to the anime episodes. We'll be recapping the storyline and expounding on the similarities and differences.
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney find themselves attempting to leave the planet where they've been stuck
Brief plot synopsis of the Dragon Ball manga for the next several chapters
Brief discussion of favorite moments from this arc
Explanation of Krillin and Launch and their name differences Kururin and Lunch
We expose a character who's in the "background" (he's actually in the foreground) of a panel drawn in by Toriyama who was actually a tour guide during a trip taken by the manga ka to Bali
We very briefly discuss the importance of the gi as given to Goku and Krillin by Roshi
We take a look at Toriyama's claim that all women he draws look the same
We talk about how a Capsule might work if a person were inside when it was transformed
Launch as a character in the manga vs the anime
A discussion about a common complaint with regards to the shugyo (training) undertaken by Goku and Krillin
Discussion of Krillin's innate pessimism and his character development
We talk about some of the potential differences between the Viz Big version of the manga and the other editions and translations
We resolve a major plot thread from the podcast's past! (it's a bit of trivia we forgot to answer in a previous episode)
We continue talking about Akira Toriyama's "all time favorite movie" the count on which is now up to at least 5
Our main discussion points, the genre known as wuxia, which has many of the calling cards of Dragon Ball, and a discussion of Yamcha and his usage in the manga including his relationship with Bulma vs the way he's portrayed in the anime
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual.
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.

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1h 3min
June 21, 2022Semifinals and Finals (S1E16)
Can you pull cultural references from seemingly mindless punch fights? Was Toriyama a secret thematic mastermind?
Jelli and Bekinney return to format and continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon by tackling episodes 24-28 of the anime. "Krillin's Frantic Attack," "Danger from Above," "The Grand Finals," "Number One Under the Moon?" and "The Final Blow". We'll be discussing the contrasts between the characters and their motivations, and unveiling the secrets behind the success of the Tournament arc.
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney find themselves stuck outside under strange circumstances
Brief plot synopsis of episodes 24-28 of the Dragon Ball anime
Brief discussion of favorite moments from the anime episodes
A talk about whether Dragon Ball has any hidden messages or meanings
We discuss the nuts-and-bolts of the battles and what the attacks mean
More discussion about the Japanese honorifics and how those subtleties clue the viewer in to the characters' relationships with one another
We talk about Goku and Roshi's Kamehameha battle
We discuss the appearance of the Ozaru in the battle and how it is named for the first time
The importance of the moon in Japanese culture and its use in making mochi as well as Master Carrot (Monster Carrot) and what happens to him
The references to the Jackie Chan film Drunken Master
Whether Toriyama had any plans coming into the tournament and how those plans may have changed based on popular opinions and perception at the time
We discuss wuxing, genji, go, and other cultural concepts from Chinese traditions that influence the understanding of the tournament
We talk about the learning curves along the ways from novice to intermediate to master and how one idolizes different levels of people along the way
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual.
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.
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1h 1min
June 07, 2022Tenkaichi Budokai Quarterfinals (S1E15)
What do Bastion Booger, Jackie Chan, Lingerie, Buddhist stereotypes, Toho's kaiju Gigan, and Fist of the North Star have in common? Something, something DRAGON BALL. Listen to find out more!
Jelli and Bekinney return to format and continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon by tackling episodes 20-23 of the anime. We're taking on "Elimination Round," "Smells Like Trouble," "Quarterfinals Begin," and "Monster Beast Giran", and then having a discussion about the characters we meet, specifically Bacterian, Jackie Chun, Nam, Ranfan, and Giran, their inspirations from cultural and literary history as well as where Toriyama may have been introduced to these concepts via film or television.
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney are on a new planet and face all new challenges
Brief plot synopsis of episodes 20-23 of the Dragon Ball anime
Brief discussion of favorite moments from the anime episodes
A talk about some of the Easter Eggs in the episodes
We talk about jokes that may not have translated well, characters who appear in the backgrounds, and the importance of the backgrounds and backdrops and settings we see
A possible explanation of where the two monks who face Krillin come from and their roots as a manzai comedy duo
Bacterian's inspirations from professional wrestling
Jackie Chun's inspirations and how his name might have been different if Toriyama had been introduced to Jackie Chan via different means
Ranfan's inspirations from Toriyama's time drawing lingerie ads
Nam's inspirations from Buddhism
Giran's inspirations from kaiju films
Our opinions on the quarterfinal matches and their level of interest
Whether the subversion of expectations in the brevity of Giran vs Goku works
The inspiration for the tournament itself from the popularity of baseball in Japan and Fist of the North Star
History of actual martial arts tournaments over the years, including similar winner-takes-all battles that took place in China hundreds of years ago and also a Chinese novel, Water Margin
How Toriyama was likely not inspired by these actual tournaments or literary history but rather movies like King Boxer and Master of the Flying Guillotine
The legacy of the Budokai Tenkaichi and how it impacted future manga moving forward
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual.
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.
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...more
1h 1min
May 24, 2022Launch and Training (S1E14)
How does one mix the concept of "austere training" with a girl whose name is a pun on a meal? What makes this girl a gag that's fun, but ultimately forgotten?
Jelli and Bekinney return to format and continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon by tackling episodes 15-19 of the anime. We're taking on "Look Out for Launch", "Find that Stone!", "Milk Delivery", "The Turtle Hermit Way" and at least part of "The Tournament Begins", and then having a discussion about the character of Launch (or Lunch, aka Ranchi) and her inspirations from cultural and literary history as well as where Toriyama may have been introduced to these concepts via film. Then we're dealing with Goku and Krillin's training, or Shugyo, and again, delving into where these concepts begin in literary and cultural history.
In this episode:
Jelli and Bekinney are adrift in space, with things looking more and more dire
Brief plot synopsis of episodes 15-19 of the Dragon Ball anime
Brief discussion of favorite moments from the anime episodes
A quick aside about a couple moments towards the end of episode 19, where Goku and Krillin are wearing suits, and the setting for the tournament
We explain where Launch's signature look came from
We break down the confusion over her name and discuss why she's known as both Launch and Lunch
We debate whether her good or bad side is the "normal" side, and draw a comparison between the bad side and a previous Toriyama character, Polly Buckets
We talk about hammerspace
We editorialize about Launch and her value to the story, whether we'd like to see her back and whether we're upset that she was more or less forgotten
We discuss the Shugyo, or austere training, of Goku and Krillin at the hands of Master Roshi
We talk about whether the training via unorthodox methods has any real-life parallels, and a bit about its connections to films a la The Karate Kid
We compare the idea of Shugyo to the Chinese concept of xiulian, or refinement through fire
We have a brief aside about calling it Shugyo vs simply training, and why we're for this episode at least, going with the former
We compare the idea of self-cultivation and self-salvation as espoused in Eastern culture with the more traditionally Western idea of salvation through external means, and more pointedly, Christianity
We discuss how there is no standard, set, single path in a shugyo method of training and cultivation. One can become a Buddha via multiple paths of self-cultivation
There's an in-depth discussion of how the concept of Shugyo and ever-increasing challenge is the key to Dragon Ball's ability to steadily increase the stakes and keep the franchise going essentially forever; there's always a higher level
We compare this concept of training and increasing stakes with the idea of getting into "the zone" or "a groove" when it comes to things in our day-to-day lives
and more, including some general pop culture, trivia, and editorializing, as usual.
Join us as we continue to uncover the cultural meanings, publication facts, inspirations and more behind the wildly popular Dragon Ball franchise.
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...more
53min

FAQs about Final Forum: A Dragon Ball Podcast:

How many episodes does Final Forum: A Dragon Ball Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 144 episodes available.