Final Forum: A Dragon Ball Podcast

Why are we connecting Dragon Ball to a show from 2022 about anarcho leftists fighting back against a corrupt conservative government? Probably no reason that's fitting with the current sociopolitical times.

Welcome to Final Forum's Dragon Ball-oween Spooktacular!

In this episode, Jelli and Bekinney break down the 2022 Japanese television series, Kamen Rider Black Sun. It's part of our October/Halloween Festivities where we're taking a break from breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon and delving into times our franchise's creators have "put on a costume" and worked on other shows and movies. In this case, it's a little bit different. We have a long list of reasons for looking at this show, but you'll have to listen to the episode to find them out.

 

In this episode:

Jelli and Bekinney say hello to Halloween...and a special guest!

A couple of content warnings: political discussion, detailing war crimes and crimes against humanity, and mentions of assassination

We discuss why we chose to look at Kamen Rider Black Sun

A reminder that Kamen Rider ties into the Ginyu Force via Super Sentai, as well as people like Toshiki Inoue, Shunsuke Kikuchi, Riku Sanjo, and characters like Android 16

A primer on Kamen Rider in general

Why Toei chose to aim for a more adult-oriented Kamen Rider show

A bit about some of the show's creators including showrunner Kazuya Shiraishi, Shinji Higuchi (Shin Godzilla, Attack on Titan, the Heisei Gamera trilogy), and Kiyotaka Taguchi (Neo Ultra Q, Ultraman X, Ultraman Blazar, Gemstone Godzilla shorts)

Unit 731, Japan's secret military scientific research station that experimented on people throughout World War II

The history of Marxism (socialism and communism) in Japan

The Freedom and People's Rights Movement

The Meiji Constitution

The Japan Socialist Party

Post-War socialism in Japan as American Occupation forces rebuilt the country literally and philosophically

The rise of the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party)

The Shimoyama Incident, and terror attacks on Japan's railway system that led to a mistrust of Japanese leftists

The rise of the Japan Red Army or JRA and its attack on Lod Airport near Tel Aviv

Shinzo Abe and his rise to power, politics, and beliefs that led to his assassination

Japan's history with regards to its treatment of minorities including people of color, foreigners, and the LGBTQIA+ Community

...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....or in this case, the Halo trans-media franchise....for our special Dragon Ball-o-Ween event! And of course, special thanks to our friend, Lux Edwards, for helping us with this episode!

Lux Edwards:
https://bsky.app/profile/soulmass218.bsky.social

 

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https://twitter.com/finalforumpod

The Z fighters come up against their worst threat ever....TEENAGERS.

Join Jelli and Bekinney as they continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon Dragon Ball Z by looking at episodes 131 through 135, "More Androids?!" "Follow Dr. Gero," "Nightmare Comes True," "Goku's Assassin," and "Deadly Beauty." As we continue into the Androids Saga, we discuss Androids 17 and 18.

In this episode:

Jelli and Bekinney are back outside space and time

Senzu don't work on viruses?

A couple notes on Android 17 solo as well as his personality and his interactions with Goku

A few notes on Android 18 as her own character including her being platinum blonde

Torishima's push to create these characters and his reaction and disappointment in their creation

The sleuthing skills of Von at Manga Barcelona in December 2025 and her discovery from Toriyama's long-time assistant Takashia Matsuyama as to the involvement of Toriyama's wife in the creation of Androids 17 and 18

Toriyama's thoughts on 17 and 18 as time went on

Possible inspiration points behind Androids 17 and 18, reminding listeners of Toriyama's use of punk and visual kei in the past

The emergence of a darker version of visual kei, known as Nagoya Kei with Silver Rose and Kuroyume

B'z, Japan's highest-selling musical artist of all-time

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.

https://www.facebook.com/FinalForumPodcast

https://bsky.app/profile/finalforumpod.bsky.social

discord.gg/KGGeyt2jWD

https://www.youtube.com/@finalforum8985

https://www.instagram.com/finalforumpod/

What could be more threatening than *checks notes* an elderly man and a porcelain doll?!?!? Wait....what?

Join Jelli and Bekinney as they continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon Dragon Ball Z by looking at episodes 126 through 130, "The Androids Appear," "A Handy Trick," "Double Trouble for Goku," "Upgrade to Super Saiyan," and "The Secret of Dr. Gero." We get into the Android Saga proper, and discuss Androids 19 and 20.

In this episode:

Jelli and Bekinney are ready to leave again

Vegeta's transformation to Super Saiyan and how it is the mirror of Goku's

Akira Toriyama's challenge from Kazuhiko Torishima to create different villains for this arc

Android 19

Traditional Turkish clothing and its significance in Ottoman history, including its roots as religiously important and into its post WWI meanings

Traditional Japanese dolls

Okiagiri-koboshi dolls or basically Weebles

Gosho dolls and their importance to Japanese culture

Karakuri dolls, early automata that are puppets without strings

Android 20

Gero Jeh-roh, Guh-roh...ruh-roh

Vomit

Gero's visual similarities to Albert Einstein, Christopher Lloyd as Emmet Brown in Back to the Future, Dr. Wily from the Mega Man franchise, Victor Frankentsein, and Dr. Rotwang from Metropolis

Gero's stunning and uncanny resemblance to the Greek general Theodoros Kolokotronis

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.

https://www.facebook.com/FinalForumPodcast

https://bsky.app/profile/finalforumpod.bsky.social

discord.gg/KGGeyt2jWD

https://www.youtube.com/@finalforum8985

https://www.instagram.com/finalforumpod/

The greatest filler episode in anime history PLUS: A very special surprise. WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?!?!?!

Join Jelli and Bekinney as they continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon Dragon Ball Z by looking at episodes 124 and 125:  "Z Warriors Prepare," and "Goku's Ordeal." As we take a look at perhaps the greatest filler episode in anime history.

In this episode:

Jelli and Bekinney are ready to leave again

The best episode of DBZ. Periodt.

Details about Japan's traffic and road history

Statistics about car ownership in Japan

The explosion of paved roadways in Japan from 1950 to 1965

The commensurate explosion in traffic accidents and fatalities over this time period

PSAs: what are they, and why were they a thing

Our super special surprise!

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.

https://www.facebook.com/FinalForumPodcast

https://bsky.app/profile/finalforumpod.bsky.social

discord.gg/KGGeyt2jWD

https://www.youtube.com/@finalforum8985

https://www.instagram.com/finalforumpod/

What happens when the most evil man alive is revealed to just have Daddy issues? No, this episode isn't about Donald Trump; we're talking about Frieza and the revelations that he's a nepo-baby.

Join Jelli and Bekinney as they continue breaking down Akira Toriyama's worldwide manga and anime phenomenon Dragon Ball Z by looking at episodes 118 through 123:  "Frieza' Counterattack," "The Mysterious Youth," "Another Super Saiyan?" "Welcome Back Goku," "Mystery Revealed, and "Goku's Special Technique." As we begin the Androids Saga. We discuss nepotism's history in Japan and get into cybernetic enhancements, such as they are in 2026.

In this episode:

Jelli and Bekinney are ...back?

A very good-looking batch of episodes

Bulma's underrated look

Gohan's tutor and the meaning behind his name

King Cold and what he represents

Nepotism's history in Japan, with the imperial lineage tracing its way back 2600 years, lines of patriarchal succession in the Edo Period, and the continued heritage of "political families" in Japan even in the post-war era

Toriyama's potential social commentary, but also his potential inspiration points such as Star Wars, the Six Million Dollar Man, and the kaiju film Gorgo

Mecha-Frieza's possible design inspirations from DC's Cyborg and Marvel's Deathlok

How this trope has influenced other storytellers moving forward, including, possibly, Star Wars

A brief history of mecha and cyborgs in kaiju cinema including Gigan, Mechagodzilla, and Zone Fighter

A discussion of cybernetic appendages and their use in the modern world

A reminder that current-day cyborg technology is not as cool as it seems in fiction

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.

https://www.facebook.com/FinalForumPodcast

https://bsky.app/profile/finalforumpod.bsky.social

discord.gg/KGGeyt2jWD

https://www.youtube.com/@finalforum8985

https://www.instagram.com/finalforumpod/