Akira Toriyama Dragon Ball is one of the biggest anime franchises; from captivating character development, intensifying battles between good and evil, to iconic transformations and techniques that aid heroes and villains in battle. Even now, Dragon Ball continues to redefine that status quo and create even more unforgettable moments in its latest franchise expansion, Dragon Ball DAIMA.
Dragon Ball is far from over, but its endless successes don’t mean the franchise is infallible. It can sometimes be a struggle to Dragon Ball to innovate instead of just playing the hits that worked for him before. Any long-running series is going to develop certain repetitive habits and tropes, some of which are more frustrating than others.
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Random transformations are used to defeat bad guys
Repeated Transformations Dominate Battles
Bold transformations have become one of the Dragon BallThe series’ staples and some of the most memorable moments revolve around powerful Super Saiyan transformations. These transformations are truly revolutionary, but what is important is how they are implemented in the story. There’s nothing wrong with a character deserving a transformation and working hard to get to that place. What audiences often object to is when a new transformation is used in place of proper strategy and intelligent writing. The allure of a new Super Saiyan transformation can sometimes be enough to make fans overlook lazy writing. It is also problematic when such a particular transformation becomes a superficial formula that is practically seen as the solution to any new threat.
Dragon Ball Z introduces Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2, and Super Saiyan 3 as empowered combat strategies essential for success. This trend continues in Dragon Ball Super with the implementation of Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan Blue, Orange Piccolo and Gohan Beast. These transformations mean a lot less when viewed randomly as the easiest way to defeat a villain. The original Dragon Ball even descends towards this device, albeit in a much more grounded manner, when Goku unleashes his potential with the Ultra Divine Water.
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Dragon Ball wishes reduce any feelings of loss and death
Kills seem lower thanks to Dragon Ball’s relaxed limitations
Death is inevitable in an action-packed series like Dragon Ball and there were some extremely moving moments that revolved around unexpected victims and selfless sacrifices. These losses can be effective ways to reinforce a character’s heroic nature and how far they are willing to go for the greater good. However, the restorative power of the Dragon Balls has made resurrection a common occurrence in Dragon Ball. A lot of Dragon Ball‘s most important and beloved heroes, like Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, and Krillin, have all been revived by the Dragon Balls. There were originally strict restrictions on this concept and characters could not be brought back to life more than once.
Dragon Ball has found ways around this rule that make death seem less and less important. It’s hard to get caught up in the emotional stakes of a character’s death when they’re virtually guaranteed to be back by the end of the story arc. This generous approach even trickled down to supporting players, like Merus, who could stay dead without any consequences. This idea also extended to mass casualties. The loss of civilians and even the destruction of Earth have been reversed by the Dragon Balls or other divine forces. This creates a certain level of apathy towards death and the sight of a villain wiping out cities or destroying a planet now seems hollow and not tragic.
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Goku is inevitably the one to defeat the central villain and save the day
The Rest of Dragon Ball’s Accomplished Cast Rarely Gets Their Due
Dragon Ball has introduced dozens of powerful heroes, all of whom have reached such incredible heights that they are capable of remarkable accomplishments. All of these heroes are important in their own way, but Dragon Ball has gradually become concerned with Saiyans – particularly Goku – when it comes to saving the day. Goku is the hero who defeats any major villain, which only increases his strength. Granted, there are exceptions to this formula, like when Gohan defeats Cell or when Gohan and Piccolo work together to defeat Cell Max. These cases are rare, and it has turned the fight into a dispiriting self-fulfilling prophecy.
Goku’s power is undeniable, but it’s narratively bland to always make him responsible for the heroes’ victories. This disrespects the rest of Dragon BallThe diverse cast of, many of whom possess unique powers that surpass even Goku in many ways. Goku likes a good challenge. However, he is also a team player and he should be more willing to put his friends on a pedestal so that Gohan, Piccolo, Vegeta, Gotenks and even Tien have more to do. This is a major reason Dragon Ball SuperThe Tournament of Power is a very popular story arc because it celebrates Dragon BallGoku’s supporting cast is busy with their own battles.
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The franchise is reluctant to go beyond the very end of Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball is afraid of moving forward its timeline
There were several Dragon Ball series that follows Dragon Ball Zthe conclusion. However, it is quite curious that both Dragon Ball Super and the current Dragon Ball DAIMA are still technically defined before Dragon Ball ZThe last episode of. Dragon Ball ZThe Peaceful World Saga advances time a full decade as the characters reunite at the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament. Dragon Ball GT takes place five years after these events, but Dragon Ball has otherwise avoided this location in the timeline, perhaps for fear of ruining the ending of the original series.
Dragon Ball Super is fixed in this ten-year time jump and the same goes for Dragon Ball DAIMA. The public is becoming increasingly frustrated and it is now assumed that everything new Dragon Ball the series will always be somehow defined before Dragon Ball ZThis is the good ending. There’s a real excitement surrounding Dragon Ball SuperIt’s a manga because it’s finally approaching this point in the timeline, and it might finally go beyond the 28th World Tournament. There’s so much to explore here, but it’s still unclear if it will ever happen. It is not impossible for the Dragon Ball Super The manga’s final story arc will lead to the 28th World Tournament and end where Dragon Ball Z done, rather than extending the timeline.
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The tradition of different species becomes inconsistent and continues to change
Unnecessary fallout frustrates longtime fans
A series that has been around for just as long Dragon Ball has a very dense tradition that has covered a lot of ground over its four decades of storytelling. It’s sometimes difficult to craft a narrative that stays consistent for that long and there’s nothing wrong with occasional counterattacks or universe changes that are for the greater good. After all, Goku is revealed to be a Saiyan in Dragon Ball Z was an unexpected revival that obviously changed the franchise for the better. However, Dragon Ball is also prone to playing fast and loose with some of its established traditions, where unnecessary changes are made out of carelessness rather than necessity.
It can be annoying when Dragon Ball unnecessarily ignores established tradition for an easy-to-see gag – like Goku and Vegeta’s beards when they leave the Hyperbolic Time Chamber – or a simplified story. The introduction of various revisions to the Saiyan tradition has gradually complicated the warrior race over time. With curiosity, Dragon Ball DAIMA also presented more untruths regarding the Namekians, Supreme Kai – who are actually a race known as the Glind – and even the construction of the multiverse. It’s harder to keep track of everything when established details keep changing.
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Vegeta prepares for success, but fails and receives support
Vegeta’s repeated failures do his strength no favors
Goku and Vegeta’s friendly rivalry, where they continually try to match and exceed each other’s goals, is incredibly entertaining. Goku and Vegeta are part Dragon Ballare ‘s strongest characters and there is no denying that they are at their best when united as a team. Vegeta was allowed to surpass Goku in several ways throughout Dragon Ball Superwhether it’s his use of Forced Spirit Fission or his intimidating Ultra Ego transformation. However, one annoying trend is that Vegeta is set up to succeed and makes a strong impression, only to be inevitably defeated as Goku rises to the occasion.
Vegeta fans are unhappy with the Saiyan’s many embarrassing and unnecessary defeats and the inequality of his victories compared to Goku’s combat statistics. Sometimes I even have the impression that Dragon Ball goes out of his way to steal Vegeta’s victories at the last moment. For example, he defeats Golden Frieza and is ready to wipe out the villain, only for Frieza to take advantage of his hubris and blow up the Earth. Once Whis goes back in time and reverses this damage, it’s Goku who eliminates him. Vegeta’s defeats against Moro and Gas are equally frustrating. It even seems that Dragon Ball DAIMA heads down a similar path as Vegeta fights Tamagami Number Two.
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Time jumps are used to revitalize the narrative
Repeated time jumps can obscure character development
Time jumps are a common structural device in anime and an effective way to create drama and move the narrative forward. Moving characters – and a universe – forward several years helps create change that might otherwise be difficult. Time jumps are not a trope specific to Dragon Ball. However, they have often been used as weapons as a shortcut to introduce new threats or push characters out of their comfort zone. Some of these time skips, such as those leading to tournaments that gloss over training, are justified. However, Dragon Ball Z fast forward seven years between the Cell and Buu sagas, then fast forward a decade after Kid Buu’s defeat.
These instances feel like lazy attempts to rejuvenate the franchise. It works, but that doesn’t mean that skipped content won’t be equally rewarding. It’s very useful to look at Gohan’s development after his father’s death and how his transformation into Super Saiyan 2 changed him. The same is true with Vegeta’s complicated feelings as he deals with Goku’s absence and the fact that he is now inferior to a young Saiyan. Dragon Ball Z attempts to speed up some of this character’s development when the Buu Saga begins, but it’s not the same.
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Dragon Ball Powers Can Be Upgraded and Modified to Help Fix Problems
The Dragon Balls become more powerful depending on the story
Another of Dragon BallThe frustrating compulsion of is to solve its problems with improved Dragon Ball powers or, sometimes, entirely new sets that are better equipped to solve those problems. There were reasonable powers and limitations in place with the Earth Dragon Balls that could overcome some problems, but not everything. These restrictions have pushed Dragon Ball to be more creative in how he solves his problems. However, greater ambivalence has invaded the narrative thanks to improvements in Dragon Ball that give heroes more wishes with fewer limitations.
There are now even Super Dragon Balls that can seemingly grant every wish imaginable, including the revival of several erased universes. Dragon Ball wishes are increasingly abused, such as when Granolah and Gas become the strongest characters in Universe 7 thanks to Dragon Ball wishes. Piccolo also uses the Dragon Balls to unlock his potential and experience powerful new transformations. At this point, it’s expected that any impossible problem will eventually be resolved through a new Dragon Ball glitch or the introduction of a new Dragon Ball set specifically tailored to the problem at hand. This is not a healthy way to solve problems and the original Dragon Ball restrictions, while limiting, were ultimately in effect. Dragon Ballthe best interests of.
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Frieza keeps coming back to cause more trouble and become stronger
Dragon Ball’s Fascination With Frieza Has Diminishing Returns
Frieza is one of Dragon Balland there is a real sense of relief and catharsis when he is finally defeated on the planet Namek. Unfortunately, Dragon BallFrieza’s obsession became more pronounced over time, and that led to diminishing returns for someone who was once a truly intimidating villain. Frieza has had more opportunities than any other deceased villain and his return now seems rather manipulative. Dragon Ball Super really builds on this idea with Frieza’s resurrection in the Golden Frieza Saga. This nostalgia bait might have worked if this was actually the last time Frieza was seen. However, Frieza later returns to fight for Universe 7 during the Tournament of Power and has since become the most powerful fighter in the universe after his Black Frieza transformation.
There is even a common belief that Black Frieza will be Dragon Ball SuperThis is the latest threat. Frieza’s returns no longer have the same impact as before, but they have also conditioned the audience to believe that he will always return. His death and his returns no longer have any value. There are many other dead villains that would be more beneficial to resurrect. How Dragon Ball Super Frieza’s tools could also be replaced with the villain’s non-canon brother, Cooler, to achieve more successful results. Frieza was pushed to his breaking point, and it made him a nuisance rather than a tyrant.
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Major fights are padded and stretched too far
A compulsion to prolong fights can dilute the tension
It’s easy to equate a long fight with an important fight and Dragon Ball gets into a bit of a corner once big battles happen over multiple episodes. Granted, some fights have such a long way to go and feature ongoing developments and complications that it would be impossible to fit them into a single episode. The problem here is when Dragon Ball unnecessarily prolongs a battle beyond its natural end point in order to make it seem more important. The most egregious example is Goku’s fight against Frieza, which lasts for dozens of episodes and arguably does more harm than good thanks to his flimsy attempts to keep the battle going.
Dragon Ball must understand when less is more and that cutting unnecessary padding and materials can strengthen a final fight. There’s nothing worse than when a fight starts off on a promising note, only to gradually turn generic and wear out the audience’s patience. The stakes can also mean a lot less when the audience knows a big fight is set to last for an extended period of time, so any early development is doomed to become pointless in favor of a longer, more repetitive encounter.
Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball tells the story of a young warrior named Son Goku, a peculiar young boy with a tail who embarks on a quest to become stronger and learns of the Dragon Balls, when once the 7 reunite , grants any wish of choice.
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- First film
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Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Ruby
- Latest movie
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Dragon Ball Super: Super Heroes
- First TV show
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Dragon Ball
- Latest TV Show
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Dragon Ball DAIMA
- First episode broadcast date
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April 26, 1989
- Cast
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Sean Schemmel, Laura Bailey, Brian Drummond, Christopher Sabat, Scott McNeil