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The reaction to the first episodeYaiba: Samurai Legendhas been extremely positive online. New fans are drawn to the gorgeous animation stylings of WIT studio, and many are making comparisons to theDragon Ballseries. The main character, Yaiba Kurogane, shares a striking resemblance to kid Goku, down to the dark spiky hair and martial arts outfit.
Coming fresh off the heels ofDragon Ball Daima, Yaiba: Samurai Legend offers another opportunity forDragon Ballfans to have something familiar to latch onto while looking for a weekly show replacement. In addition to the main character sharing character traits and aspects with Goku, the story ofYaiba: Samurai Legendhas a nostalgic feel that matches the era of the originalDragon Ballseries. This vibe was something thatDragon Ball Daimaleft fans with as well before its last episode aired in late February.
Yaiba and Goku
Very Similar Starts for Very Similar Characters
The original anime for the updatedYaiba: Samurai Legendwas released in the early 1990s, just after the era of the originalDragon Balland the start ofDragon Ball Z. This newest version manages to capture the early animation vibe of this era of anime while modernizing it with beautiful and fluid animation.
My name is Goku. G-O-K-U. What’s yours?" -Kid Goku in Season 1 of Dragon Ball
In the first episode we meet the titular character Yaiba, who has undergone a similar origin to Goku. He grew up in the jungle, far away from human civilization. Through an incident where he and his father accidentally get trapped in crates, he is transported to the civilized world and deals with culture shock. Like Goku, we get to see Yaiba meeting a girl for the first time, and he confounds people with his strength despite his tiny size. Yaiba also shares Goku’s lust for competition, with his only goal in the first episode to seek out the strongest fighters he can find.
In addition to their motivations, Yaiba and Goku also share similar personalities. Yaiba is overly excited by things, jumping around and ignoring social conventions around closeness. He also possesses a happy-go-lucky attitude while being a bit ignorant when other characters are trying to trick him. Like Goku, he seems to identify the best in everyone and is not worried about much besides his own single-minded goals.
Yaiba’s Unique Take on Classic Themes
How the Show Differentiates Itself From Dragon Ball
Despite these similarities at the outset,Yaiba: Samurai Legendhas already set itself to apart fromDragon Ballin several ways. Yaiba will soon discover that he is a chosen warrior meant to fight the evils of the world while taking on a strong rival. The main character will also be more connected to societythan the fighters in theDragon Ballseries, who often fight their villains in desolate wastelands or other planets. The art style, too, differs, resembling the likes ofDetective Conan. This is because Gosho Aoyama is the author of both series.
While Goku and friends scour the Earthfor dragon balls, Yaiba’s journey is more about finding out the implications of his destiny, his contrast from rival Onimaru, and defeating evil across the world as it reels its ugly head. The story in Yaiba will also feature meetings and clashes with famous historical figures, making it feel more connected with real-life Earth than the story ofDragon Ball.Although the story ofDragon Balltakes place on the planet Earth, the geography and cities are completely different.
Also, despite the similarities toDragon Ball,Aoyama has previously stated that the main protagonist was actually inspired by Teppei Useugi from the sword fighting seriesOre wa Teppei. It seems like awave of 90s nostalgia showsmay be on the horizon as audiences are aching for a remake or return of classic shows.
Are we back in the 90s with all these adaptation? what’s next? Yuyu Hakusho?” Reddit userKerorobot.
