‘Dragon Ball Super’ Episode 72 Review, 73 Preview: Assassination Fan Theory Confirmed As New Wave Of Fillers Roll In

Dragon Ball Super Episode 72 ultimately proved that fan theories should never be discounted, no matter how unlikely they might seem to be. Over the course of the episode, the truth behind the attempt on Goku’s life was fully unraveled, and it was revealed that the Saiyan was the one behind the entire incident all along. For this, DBS fans should give themselves a good pat on the back for accurately predicting what was a rather interesting twist on the anime’s mini-arc.

It was not like the signs were not there. In the previous Dragon Ball Super episode, numerous fans pointed out that Goku was already aware someone was after his life, and judging by his actions, he seemed like he was even expecting it. Apart from this, when Beerus was chastising Whis for Goku neglecting his training, the God of Destruction’s handler wore an expression which suggested that he was aware of the Saiyan’s upcoming life-threatening, albeit self-imposed, predicament.

In a lot of ways, the revelation that Son Goku ordered a hit (pun intended) on himself makes perfect sense. After all, the Saiyan needed a worthy opponent to fight against in order to properly prepare for the upcoming Universe Survival Tournament. Hit was the perfect opponent for Goku in this sense, especially since Hit was practically ordered to hold back in their previous fight due to the Universe 6 tournament’s no-killing rule. Thus, while Hit lost to Goku during their first battle in Dragon Ball Super, the fact remains that the legendary assassin was not utilizing his full fighting potential the whole time.

By ordering an assassination attempt on himself, Goku was able to fight against Hit without the latter holding anything back. Over the course of the episode, it was revealed that Goku had to ask for some help from Whis, who in turn asked his sister Vados to get in touch with the legendary assassin. Notably, this was called by numerous Dragon Ball Super fans, who figured that Goku would be the exact type of character who would do something as foolish as to order an attempt on his own life just to have a fight that he would enjoy. As it turned out, this is exactly what transpired.

Dragon Ball Super Episode 72 featured a pretty intense, no-holds-barred fight against the powerful Saiyan and the legendary assassin. However, one thing that numerous fans of the series pointed out was the relatively low quality of the episode’s animation. Over the course of DBS Episode 72, there were numerous frames that seemed out of place, and the lack of detail in some battle sequences was once more meme-worthy (Goku literally did not have his face drawn in a number of frames). However, the fact that Ep 72 was essentially filler to bridge the gap between the Future Trunks saga and the Universe Survival Arc this coming February is a pretty valid excuse for the notable decline in the episode’s animation.

One thing that seemed evident on the Dragon Ball Super Episode 73 preview is that the next week’s installment would be slice-of-life-themed. This was noted by the brief preview for Episode 73, “Gohan’s Disaster! Great Saiyaman’s Unbelievable Movie Adaptation?!” The summary of DBS Episode 73 is pretty brief, but it suggests that the next episode would most likely be filled with a lot of gags and laughs once more.

“An unexpected turn of events makes Gohan’s day! A movie is being made about the dream showdown, Great Saiyaman vs Mister Satan! An actor named Barry Kahn was supposed to play Great Saiyaman, but while filming a dangerous scene, Gohan offers himself as a potential substitute!! I’ll never abide evil!! It’s the champion of justice, Great Saiyaman!! Starring in a movie with Mister Satan?!”

DBS Episode 72, 73, and 74 might be filler, but Dragon Ball Super is still going full throttle towards its most intense arc yet, the epic Universe Survival Tournament. Only a few details about the upcoming arc have been released so far, but judging by its first teaser, the upcoming battles would have the highest stakes in the franchise so far. With the fate of the known universe quite literally in the balance, Goku, Vegeta, and his fellow fighters from Universe 7 are in for the battle of their lives.

If there’s anything that Dragon Ball Super has proven so far, it is that the anime’s producers are not afraid to invest a significant amount of its resources and funding in order to deliver a high-quality, epic arc. The final moments of the Future Trunks arc were proof of that. Before the next big arc begins, however, fans would be wise to enjoy the lighthearted moments that would be pervading in the next few weeks. After all, once the Universe Survival Arc begins, things are bound to get very real.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rm0O7zSNWU

[Featured Image by Toei Animation]