Akira Toriyama’s totemic Dragon Ball franchise has been going strong for more than 35 years and it’s arguably never been more popular. The overwhelming success of Dragon Ball Z was initially followed up with an anime-only sequel series, Dragon Ball GT, which continues to have a contentious reputation among fans.
The release of Dragon Ball Super has effectively scrubbed Dragon Ball GT from the canon, but that doesn’t mean that everything in the anime was a bad idea. Dragon Ball GT explores some compelling ideas, some of which would actively improve Dragon Ball Super.
10 The Value Of Properly Turning The Clock Forward In Time
A common tactic that the Dragon Ball franchise utilizes to help differentiate between its separate series is a substantial time jump. Dragon Ball Z begins five years after the conclusion of the original series and in turn, Dragon Ball GT picks up five years after Dragon Ball Z’s conclusion.
Oddly, Dragon Ball Super is set entirely within the ten-year time-skip that takes place following Kid Buu’s defeat in Dragon Ball Z. Super doesn’t lean into the time-skip approach and there’s minimal growth that’s experienced by many of the supporting characters as a result.
9 How Interesting It Is To Explore The Abuse Of Dragon Balls
Every Dragon Ball series is indebted to the titular treasures that can grant nearly any wish imaginable. Dragon Ball GT is the only series that turns these valuables into a liability. First, the Black Star Dragon Balls put the Earth on borrowed time, but the Shadow Dragon arc is based on all the selfish wishes that have previously been made.
Dragon Ball Super has gone on to introduce the Super Dragon Balls, but they’ve never explored the dark side of these relics. This would actually be more compelling in Dragon Ball Super after it’s been revealed that Bulma repeatedly wishes for cosmetic upgrades from Shenron.
8 Uub Becoming An Actual Character
Dragon Ball Z concludes on a surprising note when Goku opts to train Uub, Kid Buu’s reincarnation, to become Earth’s next great hero. Dragon Ball GT picks up from this idea and Uub turns into a valuable supporting player throughout the series. He even goes on to absorb Good Buu and becomes his best self in his improved Majuub state.
Dragon Ball Super has briefly teased Uub’s existence in its manga, but he hasn’t even officially met Goku yet. Dragon Ball Super is stuck adhering to Dragon Ball Z’s timeline, but it doesn’t change the fact that this approach has essentially forced them to waste Uub.
7 It Finds A Way To Limit Goku’s Power
Dragon Ball GT begins with an attempt to rekindle the playful, juvenile energy of the original series when a Dragon Ball wish goes awry and results in Goku being turned into a child. Alternatively, Dragon Ball Super only makes Goku more powerful, but a temporary turn in the opposite direction would be welcome.
Admittedly, Goku’s child body becomes less of a hurdle the longer Dragon Ball GT goes on and he inexplicably temporarily regains his adult form whenever he transforms into a Super Saiyan 4. Nevertheless, it’s at least an attempt to restrain Goku’s powers to elevate other characters.
6 Its Use Of Pan As A Main Character
Dragon Ball GT’s time skip is felt most by the franchise’s youngest characters and it allows Pan to emerge as a fully-formed individual. Pan and Trunks become Goku’s support staff during the earliest episodes of the series. It's quite heartwarming to watch Goku fight alongside his granddaughter.
Admittedly, Dragon Ball GT often turns Pan into a damsel in distress and doesn’t reward her with any substantial transformations, but she still plays an important role in the series. Pan has recently stepped into the spotlight in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, which proved to be successful. As such, the series should consider making Pan a permanent presence.
5 It Brings Tuffles Back Into The Picture
Many fans appreciate how Dragon Ball GT looks to the franchise’s past and figures out which neglected characters and ideas could stand to make a bold return. Dragon Ball Z casually gets into the combative history between the Saiyans and the Tuffles, the latter of which were wiped out by the violent warrior race.
There’s a lot of value in the Saiyans needing to atone for the past sins of their people, which is what Dragon Ball GT engages in through its vengeful villain, Baby. Dragon Ball Super has recently attempted something similar with Granolah and his Cerealian people, but it's not quite the same.
4 Machine Mutants Are A Compelling New Race To Explore
Dragon Ball is full of dozens of unique alien species, many of which have their own special abilities that prove to be helpful in battle. Dragon Ball GT sees Goku and friends visiting several planets, including the Machine Mutant homeworld, M-2.
The versatile Machine Mutants represent many of the earliest threats in Dragon Ball GT before Baby rises to power. These deadly creations never feel like they’re fully explored to their potential, so there’s a lot that Dragon Ball Super can do with them. It's possible that some corner of the multiverse is still a home to Machine Mutants.
3 It Makes The Great Ape Transformation Relevant Again
Dragon Ball frequently gets distilled down to its flashy Super Saiyan transformations. Dragon Ball Super has introduced Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan Blue, and beyond, but Dragon Ball GT creates an unusual dark horse transformation with Super Saiyan 4.
Super Saiyan 4 receives a lot of attention and has become a popular addition to the video games, but a precursor to this power is the Golden Great Ape form. Dragon Ball largely abandons the Saiyans’ signature Great Ape form and their tails in favor of Super Saiyan heights. The franchise has reached a point where audiences are ready for a Great Ape return.
2 The Return Of Dr. Gero Leads To Some Deadly Developments
Dragon Ball GT brings many faces back into the picture, some of which feel more gratuitous than others. It’s actually a justified development when the recently deceased Dr. Myuu forms an alliance with the fallen foe, Dr. Gero, in hell. The pair plots a deadly scheme that results in a chaotic jailbreak from hell and the creation of Super 17.
Dragon Ball Super could benefit from focusing on the instable barriers between the living and the dead, and the emergence of Super 17. However, Dr. Gero’s return would be enough and lead to some diabolical developments.
1 GT Returns To The Grand Adventures Of The Original Series
Many Dragon Ball fans have expressed how they prefer action to adventure, but Dragon Ball Super has fallen into a somewhat repetitive pattern with its endless battles. A change of pace could do the series a lot of good. Dragon Ball GT begins with a galactic journey to retrieve the Black Star Dragon Balls.
It’s a fun idea that harkens back to the original series. The universe’s scope in Dragon Ball Super has only gotten bigger and there’s a lot of potential in a Dragon Ball hunt that spans the entire multiverse and gets everyone involved.