Watch Dragon Ball Super Episode 130 Subbed Review
Dragon Ball Super
by Sam Leach, 
Alright, this is it, folks. We are officially in the proper climax of Dragon Ball Super as Goku masters his Ultra Instinct and goes toe-to-toe with Jiren at his strongest. Right away, this episode is front-loaded with some of the most incredible fight animation I've ever seen. The drawings are loose and fluid, and there's accent on choreography ranging from the usual flurries to something a lot more interesting and creative. In that location have been plenty of highlights throughout this arc, and Toei delivers in making sure this finale is the all-time of the bunch. The content of the episode almost doesn't affair, because the execution is such a prove stopper.
As far equally pure fist-pumping satisfaction goes, I think Ultra Instinct'south original debut volition still end upward being more memorable for me, if merely because it was such a cracking surprise that completely changed how I engaged with the Tournament of Power. In that location is no shortage of ways to nitpick the quality of the story (and I will in a second), but what Dragon Ball Super has given me in the past few months is an incomparable community experience. I've had a blast freaking out with fellow fans over the big moments, and I tin't think of some other show that'due south been able to tap into feelings like that with the regularity and intensity of this series. I'll be sad when it finally has to end, because it became such a reliable source of entertainment week-to-week.
My first actual event with this episode comes with the premise itself. At present that Goku has fully powered upwardly, he and Jiren are close to equal in ability, which affects the dynamic they've had until this betoken. Information technology turns out that I find Jiren significantly more than entertaining when he'due south just a stoic brick wall compared to how emotional and angry he gets here. A major chemical element of this episode is drawing on Jiren'due south tragic backstory, which doesn't work whatever better now than it did a few episodes agone. Nosotros dissimilarity Goku's relationship with strength, where he uses his love of his friends every bit a source of power, against Jiren who gave up on interpersonal relationships in favor of growing stronger. Information technology's like to the comparison the bear witness tried to draw betwixt Vegeta and Toppo, and I still retrieve it'south an extremely weak grasp at an emotional through-line.
We likewise finally get our reply to the question, "What the heck is up with Frieza?!" Information technology turns out that they weren't just trying to fob us into thinking he was out of the fight, but rather getting usa to keep him in the back of our minds so that we're not expecting the follow-up twist that Android 17 is alive. So when Goku's Ultra Instinct starts to fail again, Universe vii has two dorsum-upwards fighters to keep Jiren at bay. I take mixed feelings about this twist, to say the to the lowest degree. At the very last moment of the episode, 17 only pops out of the rubble like it's no large bargain and is all "Don't worry, guys! I'thousand doing okay!" It happened so fast that I couldn't believe I was really seeing information technology. I gauge it's kind of cool to have the two most fringe recruits on the squad (ii sometime villains, no less) beingness the ace upwards Goku's sleeve, but the cop-out on the major character expiry certain isn't.
It wouldn't be Dragon Ball without a big I More than Thing to go on the fight from finally ending. Before Goku's power wears out, it seems that he has Jiren officially beat, only suffering from the recoil of Ultra Instinct one time he has to brand the terminal accident to knock his opponent out of the ring. In his final moments, Jiren appears willing to concede defeat, and this terminal second upset has him conflicted. Next calendar week'south episode will have the unenviable chore of roofing the final moments of the tournament, as well as whatever falling action the staff has planned for us. Seems like it's going to be pretty cramped.
This is a wild episode, warts and all. I don't think it'due south an exaggeration to say that this is among the best animation we might e'er encounter for the franchise, and as a big crowd-pleasing battle, I couldn't have asked for more. Information technology'southward crazy to look dorsum at how lukewarm I was on this evidence for not living up to what Toriyama'due south manga meant to me, but the Tournament of Ability arc actually became its own thing and engaged its massive audition in a way that I can merely respect. It's pulpy, arguably pretty shallow, simply a fantastic rollercoaster all the same. It'south been fun.
Rating: A-
Dragon Ball Super is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Sam Leach records about Ane Piece for The One Piece Podcast and you can find him on Twitter @LuckyChainsaw
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