

Dragon Ball’s resurrection leaves us almost a dark story until something happened that changed everything

The dark version that has never arrived
According to Toriyama himself, the first draft of the script that presented him was “Quite dark“In that initial version, the god of destruction was not the charismatic beerus and asleep with an Egyptian cat face, but a lizardwhose name was based on the Japanese word for “virus”. And not only that: his role would have been much more accident.
In that alternative story, Beerus was responsible for having corrupt the Saiyanstransforming them into the violent breed we know. Instead of being a threat to the universe for its power, its evil was moral: manipulated and destroyed from the inside. The original idea was that too Goku’s friends and family would be corruptedForcing the hero to face his in a much more dramatic context.
And if you ask yourself how Super Saiyan adapted he enjoys there … well, he had nothing to do with what we have seen. In that first draft, Goku has adopted a more “heroic” way in a classic sense: With layer, giant or 4 -style hair and a more exaggerated musculature. Come on, something closer to a superman than to the minimalist design we have finally seen.
What Toriyama’s mind changed
So what made Toriyama a turning point so radical to the project? According to himself, Everything has changed following the Tohoku earthquake in 2011A tragedy that deeply marked the Japanese society. With the country still that is recovering from the disaster, Toriyama felt him It was not time to tell a dark and tragic storyBut rather the opposite: something that celebrated life, friendship and hope.

Here’s how Beerus was born that we know today: Eccentric, powerful, but also adorable and even funny. The narrative became a light adventure with humor, action and captivating touches, much closer to the Dragon Ball Goku Niño Classic who for Z.
It was a choice with the heart … and also with the vision. Thanks to this change, Battle of the gods It became the first step of a global rebirth This has not stopped since then. And if we learned something from that decision, that’s the one Dragon Ball He always shone more when Embrace your most playful side.
What if we had the dark version?
Although the last story was a success, it is still interesting to imagine what would have been Battle of the gods If Toriyama hadn’t intervened. A more adult, dramatic and centered version focused on the fight against internal evilin the style of other works such as Evangelion or Berserk. Maybe that other film would have liked the most veterans fans … but he would also have closed the door to a new generation of followers.
In the end, what Toriyama got a little more difficult: An accessible, emotional and fun storywhich served as a literal letter to the universe that had created decades ago. In a delicate moment for Japan, he chose to sow hope instead of darkness. And this shows in every second of movies.
The legacy of Battle of the gods In the universe Db
From that premiere in 2013, Battle of the gods Not only he resulted in Goku and hisbut also Inspired a new phase for soulsmanga and movie. It was the seed of Dragon Ball Superof the return of Freeza, of the power tournament … and of the world phenomenon that remains alive today as in the nineties.

Although many fans dream more mature and violent stories, like those we have seen in some moments of DbzThe truth is that Battle of the gods redefined the tone of the franchise in the 21st century. And everything thanks to Toriyama decided that it was better laugh, share and have funRecreate in the tragedy.