While several series have continued the story after Dragon Ball Z, that show’s ending felt like a definitive conclusion and Toriyama’s last word on the franchise. Dragon Ball GT initially received a lot of criticism, but it eventually improved and found its own voice.
When Akira Toriyama announced his return to the Dragon Ball universe with Dragon Ball Super, a new sequel to Dragon Ball Z, fans were understandably thrilled. However, after ten years, Dragon Ball Super has become somewhat controversial, and many fans don’t consider it a strong addition to the series.
Dragon Ball Super Is Forced Into Stasis & Retcons Through Its Timeline Placement
While Dragon Ball Super is essentially a continuation of Dragon Ball Z, it struggles to fully act like one. Dragon Ball Z ended with a ten-year gap before its final story arc. Dragon Ball Super cleverly takes place immediately after the defeat of Kid Buu, but before the reunion at the 28th World Tournament. This means everything that happens in Dragon Ball Super—so far—could have occurred during that ten-year time skip in Dragon Ball Z. The series expands on ideas from Dragon Ball Z and delivers what fans would expect from a sequel, but it’s still limited because it can’t fully resolve the storylines left hanging at the end of Dragon Ball Z.
It feels wrong that Dragon Ball Super tries to fit all of its new elements into the timeline of what’s still supposed to be Dragon Ball Z. Characters like Beerus and Whis, who appear in Dragon Ball Super, are missing from the Peaceful World Saga, and transformations like Ultra Instinct, Gohan Beast, and Orange Piccolo don’t fit. It seems like the creators are avoiding Dragon Ball GT‘s storyline, perhaps fearing it would lead to the same level of criticism. Dragon Ball DAIMA continues this trend, telling another new story that doesn’t connect with the original Dragon Ball Z ending.
While Dragon Ball Super isn’t constrained by its storylines, it’s weakened by overlooking potentially great ideas from the end of Dragon Ball Z, such as the characters Uub and Pan. The series seems hesitant to move forward, which has stalled the story and created unnecessary repetition. Dragon Ball Z allowed its characters to grow and develop, making their actions in Dragon Ball Super sometimes feel pointless or like a step backward. Dragon Ball Z concluded by focusing on a new generation of heroes, a direction Dragon Ball Super hasn’t fully embraced.
Dragon Ball Super Coasts On Nostalgic Fan Service
A great thing about a long-lasting series like Dragon Ball is the chance to revisit old ideas and moments. It would be disappointing if a Dragon Ball Z continuation ignored its history, which is why Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, and Dragon Ball DAIMA all rely heavily on familiar references and things fans love. When done well, nostalgia can be very effective, but Dragon Ball Super doesn’t quite pull it off. The series too often rehashes old storylines and villains, either directly or with slight changes. This makes Dragon Ball Super feel empty because it frequently falls back on the past when it lacks new ideas.
Dragon Ball Super repeatedly brings back old villains like Frieza and the Red Ribbon Army, introducing new and improved Androids and even a revamped Cell. The series also features Future Trunks returning with another future threat. Many of the new power-ups feel like jokes or rehashes of older forms, and they happen a little too easily. It often feels like Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan Blue are introduced simply because that’s what fans expect from Dragon Ball, rather than serving a natural story purpose. Unlike the emotional impact of transformations in Dragon Ball Z, reaching Super Saiyan Blue in Super doesn’t feel particularly dramatic or rewarding.
While both Dragon Ball GT and, to a degree, DAIMA draw on previous Dragon Ball stories, GT fully commits to the changes it makes. Its storylines feel more conclusive and impactful, whether it’s Baby Vegeta’s attack on Goku, the massive escape from Hell, the return of Saiyan tails, or the origin of the Shadow Dragons. Notably, Dragon Ball GT’s popular new form, Super Saiyan 4, reappears in DAIMA. Interestingly, GT doesn’t foreshadow any of the transformations that would later appear in Dragon Ball Super.
Dragon Ball Super Becomes Too Focused On Goku & Vegeta
Goku is usually the strongest fighter in Dragon Ball, but the series was always meant to showcase a team of heroes. Goku’s success isn’t just his own doing – he’s relied on his strong friends every step of the way. Dragon Ball highlights the strength of working together and passing that power on to future generations. Goku wants to share what he’s learned and ensure the Earth can protect itself even after he’s gone, which is a key part of his character. However, Dragon Ball Super somewhat loses sight of this idea by constantly focusing on Goku and Vegeta. This makes other characters, like Gohan, Piccolo, Gotenks, and Buu, feel unimportant and underused.
The later seasons of Dragon Ball Super became overly focused on Goku and Vegeta, to the point where the story had to temporarily sideline them to give other characters a chance to shine and become more powerful. This focus also created a problem where even Future Trunks couldn’t effectively be the hero of his own arc. Compared to Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super significantly shifted the power dynamic. For example, the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie only features Goku and Vegeta fighting the powerful Broly, while in Dragon Ball Z, Broly battled Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Future Trunks, and Piccolo.
It’s clear that Dragon Ball GT heavily focuses on Goku—even the title is playfully said to mean “Goku Time.” While Goku is the one who ultimately wins battles, other characters like Uub, Piccolo, Vegeta, and Pan still contribute and have heroic moments. Interestingly, Dragon Ball GT was willing to move past Goku as the sole hero, a decision that feels unlikely in newer Dragon Ball series. Goku and Vegeta are now so central to the success of Dragon Ball Super that it’s hard to imagine a story without them.
While Goku and Vegeta have gained some power, it’s come at the cost of other characters’ development. Surprisingly, Dragon Ball Super hasn’t explored their growth as much as other series, largely because of where it falls in the overall timeline. Dragon Ball GT isn’t flawless, but it does allow its characters to reach new levels. Even Dragon Ball DAIMA has managed significant character development in just 20 episodes. Ultimately, Dragon Ball Super‘s restrictive timeline and reliance on nostalgia make it a more divisive sequel than many fans acknowledge.
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2025-11-11 17:40