Dragon Ball GT’s Flawed Brilliance: A Controversial Legacy
By August Tales
Dragon Ball GT has long been a subject of controversy. Akira Toriyama played a role in conceptualizing the show, but many fans were left disappointed by the series’ lighter tone and deviation from the Dragon Ball Z formula. Yet, despite its mixed reception, Dragon Ball GT eventually found a rhythm, and certain moments even matched the high-octane action of DBZ’s later episodes.
An Outlier in the Franchise
In the current Dragon Ball Super era, Dragon Ball GT is not considered canon. However, it still enjoys a passionate fan base. The sequel introduced fresh concepts and characters, with many fans revisiting the series over time. While this growing appreciation is notable, it doesn’t erase some of GT’s baffling decisions, many of which still leave a sour impression.
Goku’s Perpetual Childhood
The series famously begins with a wish that reverts Goku to a child. While the transformation aimed to rekindle the original Dragon Ball’s spirit, fans quickly grew frustrated with Goku’s pint-sized form. Despite his immense power as an adult, Goku spends the entire series as a child, even though it made little sense not to use the Dragon Balls to return him to his former state.
This confusion deepens with his Super Saiyan 4 transformation, where Goku temporarily regains his adult body. Even then, the inconsistency remains. It’s puzzling why Goku doesn’t take control of the situation and reverse the wish entirely, given the power at his disposal.
A Laughable Defeat in the World Martial Arts Tournament
In a nod to the past, Dragon Ball GT revisits the long-standing tradition of the World Martial Arts Tournament. However, Goku, relegated to the Junior Division due to his child form, faces an embarrassing defeat. The humorous battle sees a frightened child, Mugley, tickling Goku into submission.
While this scene is clearly meant for laughs, it sacrifices Goku’s honed instincts and battle experience. The fact that Goku—a seasoned warrior—fails to sense Mugley’s attack is one of the show’s many inconsistencies that prioritize gags over character integrity.
The Absence of Gotenks
One of GT’s more frustrating choices is sidelining powerful characters like Goten and Trunks. Fans, in particular, noticed the absence of Gotenks—the fused form of the two characters—during key moments, especially in the Shadow Dragon Saga. Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks, a powerhouse in DBZ, could have been a game-changer, yet the fusion never happens, leaving many fans puzzled.
The Overloaded Cell Absorbs Goku
GT reintroduces several iconic villains when Hell opens, causing chaos on Earth. The sight of Frieza and Cell teaming up excited fans, but the storyline took a strange turn when Super Perfect Cell absorbs Goku. Despite his previous inability to absorb opponents in this form, Cell succeeds, only for Goku to crawl out of his body.
This sequence not only contradicts what fans know about Cell’s absorption abilities but also serves as a glaring oversight in GT’s otherwise fan-service-driven story arc.
Vegeta’s Confusing Super Saiyan 4 Transformation
Super Saiyan transformations are milestones in Dragon Ball. However, GT stirs confusion when Vegeta skips Super Saiyan 3 entirely and ascends directly to Super Saiyan 4. This happens after Bulma activates a Blutz Wave Generator, helping Vegeta regrow his tail and transform.
Skipping a major transformation undermines the established hierarchy of Saiyan power-ups. Even a brief glimpse of Vegeta reaching Super Saiyan 3 would have maintained some continuity. The inconsistency becomes more pronounced in Dragon Ball Super, where Vegeta faces a similar issue by leaping to Super Saiyan Blue.
Uub’s Untapped Potential
Dragon Ball Z ends with Uub positioned for greatness under Goku’s guidance. However, GT underutilizes him. Uub becomes Majuub after fusing with Majin Buu, but the series mishandles his abilities. In one instance, Majuub is eaten by Baby Vegeta after being turned into chocolate, only to launch an attack from inside. While visually exciting, it raises questions about Majuub’s survival.
Dragon Ball lore suggests that absorption—like Buu’s—shouldn’t be survivable for a character inside a Great Ape. This scene is another example of GT’s tendency to favor spectacle over logic.
Nuova Shenron’s Strange Antidote
Dragon Ball GT’s Shadow Dragons introduced unique villains, but few were memorable. However, Nuova Shenron stood out as an empathetic fighter who showed mercy. After Goku is blinded by Eis Shenron, Nuova offers him an antidote. While this generosity sets up Nuova’s eventual death at the hands of Syn Shenron, the idea of a “blindness antidote” feels forced and unnecessary.
Multiple healing methods in Dragon Ball could have addressed this situation more believably. Moreover, Goku’s eventual recovery—seemingly on his own—renders the antidote irrelevant.
Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 Struggles
Goku remains in his child form for the bulk of GT, but the strain of maintaining Super Saiyan 3 power in this form presents problems. While Gotenks, a child himself, can handle the transformation, Goku can’t. The inconsistency undermines Goku’s experience and strength, especially compared to Gotenks’ less-experienced version.
Goku and Vegeta’s Families Drift Apart
Dragon Ball GT’s final episode delivers a heart-wrenching goodbye. But a glimpse into the future reveals that Goku and Vegeta’s descendants have grown distant. Pan’s casual conversation with Bulma Leigh—Vegeta’s descendant—shows that Goku Jr. and Vegeta Jr. are strangers.
This sudden disconnect between the families feels unearned. Despite Goku’s departure, there’s no logical reason for the families to fall out of touch, especially after years of fighting together.
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