Dragon ball vol 2 by akira toriyama

It’s the end of the Strongest under the Heavens tournament, and it’s no surprise that Goku and Kuririn have made it through to the finals. Also in the finals are some colorful side characters, including Bacterium, who dispatches his opponents with his lack of bathing, and Jackie Chen, who faces off against Kuririn. Back again is Yamcha, who is also in the finals. Goku and Kuririn learn some valuable moral lessons during the tournament and have some great reflection time with Master Roshi afterwards. After the tournament, Goku decides it’s time to go after the dragon balls again because he wants the one his grandpa left him, not because he wants a wish. He sets off alone with Bulma’s radar to guide him, and he soon finds out that he is not the only one seeking the dragon balls. His quest sets him up against the Red Ribbon Army, an organized, well funded crime group that has a less sophisticated radar and no morals when it comes to achieving their goals.

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The tournament was fun and the ending was satisfying, including watching the kids get their moral lessons out of it. The Red Ribbon Army is very much the quintessential 80s band of bad guys: the balled fists of fury, the energy of exacerbation at being stumped by so lowly a protagonist, the exaggeration of how much they should be winning but confused by how they are thwarted at every step, all that good stuff. I almost wanted to end every Goku-winning-scenario with an "I'll get you next time, Gadget - er, Goku!" Some of the issues from the first volume are downplayed or absent all together by this volume as Goku sets off on his own adventure, and he's his naivety and the problems that came with it are not as prevalent. 

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

Reviews of previous volumes in this series: vol 1

Publisher: VIZ Media
Publication Date: September 3, 2013 
ISBN: 9781421555652 (Paperback)
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Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Action Adventure, Humor, ​VIZ Media