Warning: The following contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Daima, Episode 12, “True Strength”, now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Episode Highlights
- Tamagami Number Two emerges as the most formidable of the three Tamagami.
- Before enhancements, Tamagami Number One appeared to be the strongest.
- There are indications that Neva may be deliberately restraining the Tamagami’s combat abilities.
Introduction
In Dragon Ball Daima, the latest challenges faced by Goku and his companions come from the Tamagami, formidable sentinels guarding the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls. Now that the trio has showcased their abilities in battle, the objective is clear: to determine the most powerful of these foes. This is especially relevant, as the Dragon Ball saga has always emphasized intense combat.
Though the Tamagami represent a significant threat within this storyline, they may not hold the title of the strongest adversaries that Goku and the Z Fighters have encountered during their journey. That distinction could easily belong to the Kraken, a creature from the Second Demon World, which Goku remarked was currently beyond their capacity to defeat. Nonetheless, when compared to minor antagonists like bandits and Minotaurs, the Tamagami pose a considerable challenge, particularly since the Dragon Balls can only be accessed after overcoming these formidable foes.
Tamagami Number Two: Peak Performance
Boosted Power from Neva
Evaluating Tamagami Number One’s strength is challenging, primarily because his only showcased opponents—Majin Kuu and Duu—are similarly new characters without established capabilities. However, Tamagami Number Two’s ascent to power mid-battle against Vegeta suggests he could very well be the strongest of the three. During their fight, Neva recalled how Goku and Vegeta take pleasure in combat. Thus, he decided to amplify Tamagami Number Two’s abilities right in the heat of battle. This enhancement allowed Tamagami Number Two to easily dominate Super Saiyan 2 Vegeta, compelling him to resort to Super Saiyan 3 for the first time in the canon storyline.
“They said they liked to fight. I just helped them out a little.” – Neva after increasing Tamagami Number Two’s power
The enhanced Tamagami Number Two clearly outmatched Tamagami Number Three, as evidenced by Vegeta’s struggle to defeat him in his Super Saiyan 2 form. In stark contrast, when Goku faced Tamagami Number Three, he ended the battle swiftly with a single Kamehameha, showcasing a significant disparity in strength. Given that Goku and Vegeta typically operate on parity in power levels, the fact that Vegeta was forced to escalate to Super Saiyan 3 further implies Tamagami Number Two’s superiority.
However, is Tamagami Number Two the strongest character Vegeta has confronted? Likely not. Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta, albeit in a child’s form, defeated Tamagami Number Two with relative ease, implying that he is still weaker than an adult Super Saiyan 3 Goku—who has matched up well against formidable foes like Kid Buu. Therefore, as of now, Majin Buu remains the ultimate villain in the overarching franchise, excluding events in Dragon Ball Super, which follows after Daima.
Potential of Tamagami Number One
The All-Natural Tamagami
While conclusive evidence is lacking, it’s plausible that Tamagami Number One could have matched or exceeded Tamagami Number Two’s strength without Neva’s boosts. This speculation is supported by the notion that the potency of the Tamagami may increase the deeper one travels into the Demon Realm. Even before receiving enhancements, Tamagami Number Two’s capability appeared to surpass that of Number Three, particularly when considering that he maintained competitiveness against Super Saiyan 2 Vegeta.
Additionally, Tamagami Number One features a power state reminiscent of enhanced forms, which raises questions about whether Neva might have previously augmented him or if he was designed to be inherently superior. However, this remains largely speculative, hinging on future encounters between Tamagami Number One and the Z Fighters or Majin Duu.
Is Neva Restricting the Tamagami’s Power?
Neva’s ability to enhance the Tamagami was prominently displayed during the fight with Vegeta and Number Two, raising the question: why didn’t he initially empower them to this extent? While the reasoning is not explicitly outlined, several theories have emerged.
One possibility is that Neva’s capabilities were limited at the time of their creation. It’s conceivable that he developed the means to strengthen them later on. Dragon Ball Daima has not specified the timeframe of the Tamagami’s creation, only noting that it occurred “a long time ago”. Thus, it’s reasonable to infer that Neva may have refined his skills over time. Moreover, as the Tamagami had never been defeated, Neva might not have felt the need to increase their strength initially.
Alternatively, it could be suggested that Neva instructed the Tamagami to restrain themselves. This theory gains traction with Tamagami Number Three, who surrendered despite appearing capable of continuing the fight. His decision to refrain from repairing his broken hammer also supports this idea. Neva’s original intention for the Tamagami was to protect the Dragon Balls from evil, suggesting he might have told them to yield to opponents deemed honorable and worthy, similar to how Goku acted in that combat scenario.
Dragon Ball Daima can now be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix. The upcoming episode, Episode 13, is scheduled for release on January 10, 2025, at 10:00 AM PT.
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