Knowing who the roster is already is a mixed bag. The last episode actually turned it into a strength, by showing us Yamcha's eagerness and expectation to be invited. The fact that we know he won't made an otherwise played straight moment quite hilarious. Here, however, it isn't the case as we know from the get go that both are going to join.
The episode doesn't spend a terrible amount of time on the "convincing" portion, though the fact that the whole episode centers on this group could be seen as wheel spinning. Krillin is on board right off the bat, though 18 does take some convincing. While she does play the "I have a kid to tend to" card, it ultimately boils down to wanting money. When Goku offers her a large sum, she agrees. I'm guessing this is entirely a bluff on his part, but he could probably just give her her "cut" out of his own pocket if she does eventually call them on it.
It was nice to see her start to pick up on the fact that the pieces aren't adding up. Like Vegeta before her, she questions Goku's actions and rhetoric when it comes to the upcoming tournament. She doesn't put all the pieces together yet, but it's clear that she's paying attention and knows that something is amiss.
From there, the episode is largely sparring matches. First, Gohan faces off against Krillin because he wants to gauge Krillin's power. You can't fault Gohan for being skeptical about whether or not Krillin would be able to hold his own, but it also makes sense to know what his teammates can do given the way the tournament is structured.
Surprisingly enough, Krillin emerges victorious. This is largely due to a fast invocation of the solar flare technique. We also learn that Krillin can now amplify the effect 100 fold, in case the regular technique doesn't cut it. Gohan notes that even with his eyes blocked and closed, it's still having an effect on him.
Amusingly enough, we see 18, Goku, and Marron casually watching with sunglasses. Does the gag make a lot of sense? Eh, not really, but I still thought it was amusing and that seems to be the primary motivator for including it.
With Gohan blinded, Krillin is able to incapacitate Gohan in such a way that he essentially earns the win. Remember, they are trying to simulate the tournament format and that works to Krillin's advantage as he has more experience in that arena... pun somewhat intended. Much like with the imagined fight vs. Basil, it isn't so much raw power that wins Krillin the day, but quick thinking and effective tactics. It's a good way to believably keep him in the fight and, I have to admit, it is fun to watch.
Seeing what Krillin can do, Goku gets excited and offers to engage in a sparring match. It seems like a lot, but Krillin has no problem with it.
Again, Krillin is able to use tactics to his advantage, launching several destructo discs in rapid succession. Sure, they all miss, but he can control them, which keeps Goku on the defensive. Even when it seems like that doesn't work, we see Krillin thinking ahead and slicing the floor out from under Goku when he was distracted. Even the saiyan is impressed with how well Krillin is holding up.
It's at this point where Goku stops warming up and goes Blue. I'm a little torn on this. On the one hand, Krillin is able to hold his own in a beam o war via dueling kamehameha waves. It's nice, but at the same time, I'm not sure I buy it. You could argue that Goku would have won eventually, but you'd still think that the gap between the two is big enough where it shouldn't have been a struggle to begin with.
Ultimately, 18 is the one who jumps in and breaks up the skirmish. She notes that this is a battle royale and Goku can't think in terms of straight one on one fights all the time. She offers to join in and resume the sparring match, but Goku stands down and notes that he'll have to take that information to heart.
I'm not going to lie, it would have been nice to see the 2 on 1 fight. For one thing, seeing 18 fight period would have been a welcome sight, but having husband and wife fighting side by side and seeing what sort of coordinated attack patterns they have against the ascended saiyan would have been really cool to see. I guess that just gives us something else to look forward to in regards to the tournament.
This episode was all about giving Krillin a chance to shine and it did it quite well. We see him succeed at his job (which was nice after many sequences of him botching it) and we see him hold his own in what should be one sided matches in a somewhat believable fashion. It shows that even with super-powered aliens and gods, a well trained human can still bring something to the table and deserve a spot on a team in a tournament such as this.
I think the real highlight is seeing Krillin's connection with the others. His bonds with Gohan, Goku, and 18 are apparent and they all get chances to shine. It's another instance of the show thriving on heart over merely having fights for the sake of it.
It was nice to see Krillin offer to train with Gohan. The two do have assets that complement the other's weakness, so it makes sense and it shows what good terms they're on. And that fist bump with Goku...I mean, come on. I know that "bro-like" is often used as an insult nowadays, but this was a positive instance of that vibe. These two have been friends since childhood and you can feel that bond. The brief flashback to their first tournament as rivals was a nice touch and added to the overall..ambiance?
As to downsides, one could accuse this of padding out the run time. It isn't helped by the fact that the next episode appears to center on recruiting 17. I think that will work due to the fact that we haven't seen him in a while, but I doubt people are going to want to sit through a half dozen episodes where Goku and Gohan go through more or less the same routine with the other fighters who we already know are going to get involved.
Still, this one worked for what it was. It balanced out combat, humor, and heart effectively; making for a solid entry overall.
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