Steven Universe is a great case study for understanding media critique. You can enjoy the show for what it is/offers - art style, LGBT themes, music, family trauma, etc - but also understand there are some big fumbles in the story regarding their take on imperialism.
Regardless, making bad guys become good guys with the power of love and friendship is one of the most common tropes in kids shows ever. I don't know anything about Steven Universe and almost as little about DBZ. From what I do remember, wasn't Vegeta and Frieza's army intergalactic conquerors?
Vegeta literally committed genocide in a filler episode, and even after mellowing out there's the scene in the Buu saga where he blows up half a stadium and kills hundreds of people to prove a point.
Steven Universe is a great case study for understanding media critique. You can enjoy the show for what it is/offers - art style, LGBT themes, music, family trauma, etc - but also understand there are some big fumbles in the story regarding their take on imperialism.
Forgive your oppressors and they'll become your allies in liberation!
Stop imperialism with this one simple trick!
Easy fix that guerillas DON'T want you to know!
Doesn't that happen pretty much constantly in Dragon Ball Z? People seem chill with that.
Yeah but SU does it with the power of LOVE
Oh, so Care Bears.
DBZ doesn't pretend to deal with themes of liberation or imperialism. People fight.
Regardless, making bad guys become good guys with the power of love and friendship is one of the most common tropes in kids shows ever. I don't know anything about Steven Universe and almost as little about DBZ. From what I do remember, wasn't Vegeta and Frieza's army intergalactic conquerors?
Vegeta literally committed genocide in a filler episode, and even after mellowing out there's the scene in the Buu saga where he blows up half a stadium and kills hundreds of people to prove a point.
So yeah, genocidal maniac that gets forgiven when he becomes good guy
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