The Kame Style is with you...
Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the episode.
It’s all about Master Roshi this week as the Tournament of Power continues onwards. I had reservations going into the episode as Master Roshi’s depiction in Dragon Ball Super has been fumbled a few times recently. By the end, those concerns had vanished as Master Roshi ended up being the centerpiece of a phenomenal episode that ended with a tear-inducing moment.
I was alarmed to see Episode 105 fall back on Master Roshi’s urges when around women. Thankfully, it took a sharp right turn and made it clear that Roshi is finally able to control these impulses, allowing him to properly confront and beat the female warrior from Universe 4. This evolution for Master Roshi has been a long time coming, and it’s great to see the Super team putting Roshi’s perverted antics behind him. There may have been a time where they were funny, but his perverted behavior doesn’t fit in with Dragon Ball Super’s direction.
Taking out one warrior wasn’t enough. Roshi quickly transitions between not one, but two more battles. Both of these show off exactly what makes Roshi so strong as a fighter: experience. His power level simply does not match the warriors he is facing, but he has studied everyone from a distance and is able to expertly dodge and maneuver around them with an ease even Goku couldn’t hope to achieve. His expertise is further showcased by his more focused attacks. Instead of pummeling foes with a flurry of blows like Goku or Vegeta, Master Roshi opts for a single, well-placed strike or Ki attack to secure victory. After several weeks of bombastic fights, it was great to have Roshi step up and showcase some true master level martial arts.
Master Roshi’s final attack may have won the battle, but it shockingly cost his life. Every moment from the build up to the heartbreaking screams of a distraught Krillin made it all the more meaningful. Goku’s reaction was also exactly what I would’ve expected, wasting his own energy to escape from battle and rush to Roshi’s side. From start to finish, the scene had me choked up in ways I haven’t felt with Dragon Ball since Vegeta’s sacrifice during his battle with Majin Buu.
I’m torn on Roshi’s revival, however. I was relieved to see him live, (Dragon Ball without Master Roshi just doesn’t seem right) but on the flip side this would have been the perfect send off for his character; he finally achieved some much needed growth and had a fantastic showcase of his fighting prowess. His death would have served for great emotional fuel for Goku, perhaps spurring him on to victory in a similar way that Krillin’s death once pushed him to unlock Super Saiyan. But this is Dragon Ball, and death is rarely permanent.
The Verdict
The Tournament of Power has made for many great episodes of Dragon Ball Super, but it’s Master Roshi who gets to claim that he’s at the center of one of the absolute best. The entirety of Episode 105 is about his growth as a character, as he is shown overcoming his often inappropriate desires for women while also showcasing his master level martial arts. As if that weren’t enough, his death caps off the end of the episode, making for one of the most heartbreaking moments in Dragon Ball history, even if he’s brought back only minutes later.
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