Dragon Ball DAIMA: The Secret Connection Between Senzu Beans & Manpuku Dumplings (2024)

The early episodes of Dragon Ball DAIMA have been fascinating to say the least. The anime has introduced many new concepts to the world of Dragon Ball while bringing back several long-forgotten elements not seen since the original Dragon Ball and the early days of Dragon Ball Z. The 7th episode, "Collar," is no exception as it introduces a fascinating new foodstuff that calls back to a forgotten property of one of Dragon Ball's most iconic items, the Senzu Bean.

Near the start of the episode, viewers are taken inside the plane Glorio, Goku, Shin, and Panzy are using to navigate the Third Demon Realm. Goku removes the lid from a green bowl, revealing a small pile of lumpy black balls that seem to be made of seed or grain. Panzy says that the black balls are Manpuku Dumplings, describing them as:

"Emergency rations for when you're in a rush."

Fans familiar with the original Dragon Ball will immediately spot the connection to Senzu Beans back when they were introduced in the Red Ribbon Army arc.

The Manpuku Dumplings Are Not The First Food in Dragon Ball To Solve Hunger

Senzu Beans Were Originally Introduced As A Way To Reduce Goku's Need To Eat

In Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 7, Panzy says that a single Manpuku dumpling is worth the same as eating two meals. Goku quickly finds that her statement is true as, moments after swallowing one of the dumplings, Goku's belly expands. Naturally, Goku isn't satisfied and eats a second dumpling, causing him to grow even more. While this happens, Panzy looks on in confusion, saying she can't believe that Goku is an adult.

However, this isn't the first Dragon Ball item that can sate hunger for a long time. The iconic Senzu Bean was first introduced in "A Drink of Water," the 89th chapter of the Dragon Ball manga, and "Sacred Water," the 62nd episode of the original Dragon Ball anime. During the episode, Goku is training with Korin atop his tower, hoping that the martial arts master will allow him to drink the Sacred Water that will give him the power he needs to defeat Mercenary Tao – the assassin who nearly killed Goku a few episodes previously. Goku says he's hungry during this training, and Korin mentions that he will make lunch.

When Goku wakes up a short while later, he sees that Korin has a freshly grilled fish and runs over to grab it. However, before Goku can get close, Korin stuffs the fish into his mouth and flicks something at Goku. When Goku opens his hand, he realizes that Korin flicked a small yellow bean at him. Goku says this is unfair, but Korin notes that "one is all you need." He then says:

"It's a Senzu Bean, magical. Just one will keep you full for at least ten days. But, er, you have to eat it first."

Goku doubts this claim but eats the bean anyway. A few seconds later, Goku's belly swells, and he lets out a burp, much like he did when eating the Manpuku Dumplings in Dragon Ball DAIMA. Interestingly, the next appearance of the Senzu Beans would confirm that the swelling wasn't a one-off joke. In Dragon Ball's 114th episode, "Conquest and Power," Yajirobe carried an injured Goku to the top of Korin Tower.

When Yajirobe reaches the top, he eats several handfuls of Senzu beans, only to suddenly and painfully swell up like a ball due to the excess nutrition the beans gave him. This episode also had Goku use a Senzu Bean to heal from an intense beating, and this would soon become the primary use of Senzu Beans within the Dragon Ball franchise, to the point that the bean's appetite-suppressing properties are rarely, if ever, mentioned when the beans appear.

A Filler Episode Introduced Another Meal Replacement But It's Only Found In Hell

That said, it should be noted that Senzu Beans are not the only food in the Dragon Ball universe that can keep a person fed for several days. Dragon Ball Z Episode 12 "Global Training" introduces the Yemma Tree, a unique tree that only grows in Hell. These trees produce a fruit called Ensenji. Not only does this fruit heal wounds and boost strength, but it also provides enough nourishment to last three months, making it a much better food source than the Senzu Bean. "Global Training," and the episodes surrounding it are anime filler. Despite their usefulness, the Ensenji make very few appearances after this episode.

Dragon Ball DAIMA continues to call back to the original Dragon Ball through both direct references and parallels. The Manpuku Dumplings are the perfect example of the latter, as they are clearly a nod to the original Senzu Beans. Not only do the Manpuku Dumplings and Senzu Beans act as a compressed food source that allows the user to quickly get several meals of nutrition, but they also cause anyone who eats them to swell up due to the sheer number of calories each one contains. In fact, the only notable differences between the Manpuku Dumplings and the Senzu Beans are the fact that the dumplings seem to be a prepared food (unlike the Senzu Beans, which are eaten raw).

The dumplings also don't provide as much nutrition as the beans as they only cover two meals, rather than a full ten days. Only time will tell if the Manpuku Dumplings play a crucial role in Dragon Ball DAIMA's plot. They could merely be a way to explain why Goku and his friends can travel for days without having to stop for food and supplies, or they could exist just for the visual gag of Goku overeating and swelling up. Either way, they are a fantastic call back to an often-forgotten element of one of Dragon Ball's most iconic items.

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  Dragon Ball DAIMA

  Due to a conspiracy, Goku and friends are transformed into children. They intend to travel to a mysterious new world to undo this change

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  Dragon Ball

  Dragon Ball tells the tale of a young warrior by the name of Son Goku, a young peculiar boy with a tail who embarks on a quest to become stronger and learns of the Dragon Balls, when, once all 7 are gathered, grant any wish of choice.