It’s exceptionally rare for an anime series to connect with audiences on the level that’s been accomplished by Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball. The prolific shonen anime series features a constantly engaging battle between forces of good and evil. Dragon Ball has established a fantastic cast of powerful characters throughout its lengthy run and one of the franchise’s greatest assets is how it allows characters to mature and change.
One of the biggest instances of character development in Dragon Ball is the tender romance that forms between Vegeta and Bulma, which results in the birth of their child, Trunks. Trunks represents the next generation of heroes, and he’s someone who’s often paired together with Goku’s youngest son, Goten. Trunks and Goten make an impressive team, but there are also many ways in which the two are different.
10 He Can Train With His Future Self
Dragon Ball was already a complicated series before it introduced time travel to the equation. The advent of time travel comes with the arrival of Future Trunks, Vegeta and Bulma’s son, who comes from an apocalyptic future timeline.
Time travel in Dragon Ball isn’t a nebulous idea that results in temporal anomalies if certain displaced elements overlap. A real joy in Dragon Ball Super is when Trunks gets to meet the older future version of himself, and gets to bask in his wisdom. It’s a luxury that Goten doesn’t get to enjoy.
9 He Develops A Sword As A Natural Weapon
The characters in Dragon Ball possess remarkable powers that allow them to launch deadly energy attacks. Accordingly, weapons often pale in comparison to this inherent energy, but they still become the trademark of certain individuals.
Future Trunks is defined by his mighty sword, which is initially not a component of young Trunks. However, Trunks’ encounter with Tapion results in him acquiring an important blade. Trunks’ training with this weapon isn’t detailed, but it’s only natural that he works it into his repertoire. Alternatively, Goten doesn’t rely on any weapons in battle.
8 He Has The Capacity To Become Ultra Super Saiyan
One of the most celebrated aspects of the Dragon Ball series is the fantastic Super Saiyan transformations that occur during pivotal moments. However, some of these transformations are works in progress. The Cell Saga debuts the bulky Ultra Super Saiyan form through Future Trunks.
This form is deeply powerful, but it’s highly impractical in combat. Ultra Super Saiyan largely gets phased out, but it stands to reason that Trunks has the potential to access this form, just like his future self. However, no version of Goten is ever seen with Ultra Super Saiyan, so it’s likely outside of his skillset.
7 He Travels Across Outer Space
Dragon Ball GT is a mixed bag, but one of the more interesting decisions that it makes is to continue to age Dragon Ball’s characters. This allows Trunks to become older and essentially turn into his future counterpart.
The beginning of Dragon Ball GT is filled with galactic travel and the exploration of many foreign planets to locate the Black Star Dragon Balls. Trunks is a vital part of this mission and gets to experience the vastness of space. Goten is also supposed to come along for the ride, but ultimately gets left out.
6 He’s Learned Some Of Vegeta’s Trademark Attacks
One of Dragon Ball’s highlights is the generational aspect that develops between powerful fathers and sons. Vegeta is an incredibly proud warrior and it stands to reason that he wants to instill the same values in his son, Trunks.
Vegeta makes sure that Trunks receives adequate training, but he also teaches his boy some of his trademark energy techniques, like his Big Bang Attack and his Galick Gun. Sometimes, Trunks only utilizes these attacks in Dragon Ball video games, but it’s still significant. Goten, naturally, is privy to a whole different set of training values.
5 He Can Become Super Saiyan 3
Dragon Ball establishes both Trunks and Goten to be serious contenders for the next generation of heroes to protect the Earth. They become Super Saiyans far earlier than the rest of their family, and it seems like this potential will only continue to develop. Unfortunately, the development of Trunks and Goten slows down throughout Dragon Ball Super, where they’re largely relegated to the sidelines.
It may only be present in Dragon Ball Heroes, but the game offers a glimpse at Super Saiyan 3 Trunks. It’s a compelling design that fits the character, but there’s no counterpart that’s explored with Goten.
4 He Creates A Great Saiyaman Imitation
Dragon Ball is a series that’s often steeped in action and drama, but there’s still a natural sense of humor that occasionally breaks through. Gohan’s Great Saiyaman alter ego is a light element from later in the series, but it’s actually an idea that Trunks attempts to co-opt in a clunky capacity.
Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle contains a storyline where Trunks creates an imitation costume of the Great Saiyaman, which is dubbed the Little Great Saiyaman of Mystery. Trunks dons this disguise as a means to trick Fortuneteller Baba so that he learn about his future with Mai.
3 He’s Fused With More Individuals
Dragon Ball eventually encounters enemies of such insurmountable strength that the heroes need to literally combine their strength together into one fused individual in order to gain the advantage. Fusion opens up a ton of possibilities in the Dragon Ball universe and Trunks and Goten both take advantage of the procedure with their significantly stronger fused form, Gotenks.
Trunks and Goten both know how to fuse, but Goten’s roster of suitable partners is substantially smaller than Trunks’. Goten mostly fuses with Trunks, whereas Trunks explores more partners and becomes more versatile as a result.
2 He Knows A Complex And Invasive Form Of Intergalactic Dance
Dragon Ball GT eventually embraces the fast-paced action that Dragon Ball Z primarily deals with, but there’s a good portion of the sequel series that returns to the lighter comedy of the original Dragon Ball.
Goku, Trunks, and Pan’s mission to locate the Black Star Dragon Balls takes them to some bizarre destinations, most of which have unusual expectations towards them all. One of the stranger examples of this is the Para Para Boogie, a form of hypnotic dance that takes control of its victims. The Para Brothers expose Trunks to this, and the dangerous rhythm becomes entrenched in him.
1 He Has A Younger Sister To Protect
When it comes to Vegeta and Bulma’s children, Trunks routinely gets the most attention, but it’s important to remember that they also have a second child, their daughter, Bulla. Bulla is conceived in Dragon Ball Super and becomes a full-fledged teenager in Dragon Ball GT.
Bulla is not drawn to combat like the men in her family, which means that Trunks is responsible for her safety. Admittedly, Goten has a younger cousin, Pan, that he can look after, but the two characters often spend time together, even when they’re both older in Dragon Ball GT.