Loyal Dragon Ball fans have watched the show since its very first episode, back in the days where Goku knew nothing about tournaments, the Kamehameha, or women. As the years have gone by, Goku is not only a completely different person than he was back in the original series, but Dragon Ball Super doesn't even resemble its predecessor at all. While Dragon Ball largely focused on Goku's quest to gather the Dragon Balls while stopping any evildoers who desired to use them for evil, Dragon Ball Super focuses more on the Saiyan interacting with powerful warriors from other universes as he navigates his newly-acquired god powers.
Both series have their own pros and cons, but there are a few things that Dragon Ball Super could incorporate into its plot from the original series, as well as a few things that should just stay in the past. If they didn't work back then, they definitely won't now.
10 Needs To Be Brought Back: Goku's Ninja Gi
When fans think of Goku, they most likely envision him in his signature orange and blue gi, since it's easy to forget that in his early days, he actually changed up his clothes a lot. At one point, he took Shu's clothes after his gi was destroyed in a fight with Pilaf Gang, and for many episodes (that were mostly filler) he traveled the world in this outfit.
Not only does he rock this alternate color scheme, but it would be nice to see his outfit change as much as Vegeta's has over the years.
9 Needs To Be Left Behind: Great Ape Transformations
Back when Goku still had his tail, he was just as much of a danger to his enemies as he was to his friends. One look at the moon and he'd lose all of his common sense, transforming into a Great Ape that would stop at nothing until the entire planet was destroyed. While this was interesting in Dragon Ball, the schtick got old in Dragon Ball Z, especially since characters figured out how to slice off a Great Ape's tail with ease.
Super Saiyan seems to be the way to go when it comes to Saiyan transformations, and it makes sense that Toriyama himself forgot about the Great Ape transformation as more Super Saiyans were introduced to the story.
8 Needs To Be Brought Back: The Red Ribbon Army
The Red Ribbon Army was a force to be reckoned with, becoming one of Goku's major forces of opposition during the days of his youth. If Super's writers could think of a clever, believable way to revive this organization from the muck and give them the strength to provide Goku with a challenge, fans would most certainly receive the group with open arms.
Many of their personnel, like Ninja Murasaki, General Blue, and Major Metallitron possessed their own unique skillsets that made them intriguing villains. This level of creativity would serve any series well.
7 Needs To Be Left Behind: Pilaf Gang
Although Pilaf Gang posed a threat to Goku in the first few episodes of Dragon Ball, it didn't take long for him to grow strong enough to foil their plans with ease. They were largely absent in Dragon Ball Z, and when they returned in Dragon Ball Super, they had been reduced to comic relief.
They definitely don't need to be brought back as true villains, since even someone as weak as Chiaotzu or Yamcha would be able to put a stop to them.
6 Needs To Be Brought Back: World Tournaments
From the Cell Games to the Tournament of Power, fans are well accustomed to seeing the Z-Fighters do battle in the constraints of an arena, but it was Earth's World Tournament series that started this tournament craze. The World Tournaments were always a place for Goku and his friends to test their skills, but as the series progressed, these tournaments became less central to the narrative.
Even when the Z-Fighters participated in the 25th World Tournament after years of a hiatus, Majin Buu's revival overshadowed the event. It would be a nice callback to the original series if the Z-Fighters could see a tournament all the way through, and it would be interesting to see them do battle in such a small arena while holding back much of their power to avoid obliterating the spectators around them.
Plus, fans would get some amazing matchups they've been waiting on for years, like a fight between Goku and Vegeta during the Finals, or even a rematch between Tien and Yamcha.
5 Needs To Be Left Behind: Penguin Village And Arale
While Dr. Slump isn't as popular as Dragon Ball, die-hard Toriyama fans know the series well, and were extremely excited not only for the Dragon Ball crossover episode in which Arale helped Goku deal with General Blue, but the Dragon Ball Super episode in which Arale went toe-to-toe with Goku and Vegeta.
It's hard to imagine that Arale is strong enough to trade blows with Super Saiyan Blue Goku, and the episode featuring her was purely for comedic relief. Unfortunately, many fans didn't enjoy the episode, and it boasts the lowest IMDb rating for a Dragon Ball Super episode ever, an indication that Arale and the other natives of Penguin Village should stay in their own universe for the time being.
4 Needs To Be Brought Back: The Power Pole
After using the Power Pole during the final episode of Dragon Ball, Goku didn't use this magical weapon at all during the canon events of Dragon Ball Z (though it did make an appearance in Dead Zone and The World's Strongest). While it wouldn't really be too effective in a world of energy attacks and transformations, it would be cool to see Goku or someone else use the Power Pole in combat just like the good old days.
Goku used the Power Pole in many creative ways to propel himself into the air, knock opponents off their feet, and fight against opponents who possessed an affinity for swords and firearms. It would be pretty awesome to see if he still knows a thing or two about how to wield a weapon after being without one for so long.
3 Needs To Be Left Behind: The Flying Nimbus
After Goku learned how to fly on his own, the Flying Nimbus lost its relevancy. Even other pure-hearted warriors, like Gohan, Goten, and Trunks, have no use for the Flying Nimbus, since they can fly around the world in minutes, much faster than the Nimbus could carry them even in their base forms.
While it was nice to see Dragon Ball Super pay homage to the original series by bringing the Nimbus back for an episode, this magical cloud doesn't really serve a purpose outside of the Forest of Terror.
2 Needs To Be Brought Back: A Focus On Martial Arts Styles
Back before the days where beam struggles became a regular part of fights, Dragon Ball focused on different styles of martial arts that characters flexed proudly. Whether they hailed from the Roshi's Turtle School or Shen's Crane School, each warrior possessed special techniques and moves that could only be learned through years of disciplined study.
Now, schools aren't emphasized, and the only thing that really matters is how much raw power a fighter can draw out. Emphasizing combat styles would not only give each fighter an aura of individuality that Dragon Ball Super sometimes drops the ball on, but it'll also make Dragon Ball Super a show that martial arts enthusiasts would enjoy watching.
1 Needs To Be Left Behind: Goku Losing His Clothes
In Dragon Ball, it became a running gag for Goku to lose his clothes and remain completely unbothered by it. Still, it wasn't super cute then, and it definitely wouldn't be cute now to see a naked, fully-grown Goku making no attempt to cover himself up.
This gag definitely got old fast, and hopefully, it doesn't make a return anytime soon if Dragon Ball Super hopes to maintain its PG rating.