The premise, then, of this arc is to simulate the earliest adventures of Bulma and Son Goku while escalating the action as introduced with the first tournament way back when. It is merely a large battlefield for the Earthlings, Vegeta, Freeza's forces, and eventually Goku and Piccolo. Namek is a different planet from Earth, but it doesn't offer much in terms of sightseeing. Manga battles may move around, but we're not exactly meant to care about changes in location so much as developments in the fight itself. A fight can move around the world, go into space, but the changes in physical arena are not as important as the imaginary pseudo-arena linking the combatants. It relies more on "static setpieces." Fights. Let's have them do shit for a second! Let's build Vegeta's character beyond being a retread of King Piccolo (while Freeza becomes another King Piccolo.)! In adventure manga, the aim seems to be "movement" toward what I'd call "dynamic setpieces," big things happening in new settings to further build a sense of wonder. Krillin has always been a buddy to Goku, but he rarely gets to do anything. We need more to tide us over before the climax of the Cell Game. Let's give him a break before Freeza! We saw Gohan's potential in the Saiyan arc. and Vegeta and spared him to keep his fight-boner going. He put up great fights against Piccolo Jr. He killed King Piccolo so hard the demon lord gave birth. He took on the Red Ribbon Army almost singlehandedly. There is a concern in battle manga to focus on fighting at the cost of developing anything more interesting in the narrative. And Son Goku takes a break to give us more time to care about Krillin again, while also giving more time to develop interest in Son Gohan's character, and build on the threat of Vegeta (likewise setting up his eventual redemption - it's too weird to see Super, the Goku and Vegeta show, where no one else gets to shine, and look back and read Vegeta as a villain). A tournament, a beeline toward King Piccolo, another tournament, and standing still to await the Saiyans. Too little "narrative movement." Taopaipai, in killing Upa's father so long ago also took the series's adventure elements as collateral. He was dead and on his way back to life during the fights against Nappa, but that hardly counts. This is the first time we really get DB without Son Goku. To Namek! And Dragon Ball continues its upward ascent, essentially the manga's best arc (I personally prefer King Piccolo, but whatever).
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