Dragon Ball GT is a sequel series that still faces its share of scrutiny, but there’s actually a lot that Dragon Ball Super could learn from GT.
Dragon Ball continues to live on through Dragon Ball Super, which still turns out new manga and feature film content. However, Dragon Ball GT used to be the proper Dragon Ball Z sequel series before Dragon Ball Super’s creation. Dragon Ball GT makes some polarizing decisions, including Goku’s transformation into a child, that’s led to it being subject to scrutiny for decades.
Certain Dragon Ball GT critiques are more than valid and it’s not a perfect series. That being said, Dragon Ball GT also gets a lot of things right about the franchise, many of which are details that have been neglected in Dragon Ball Super.
10. Use Of The Dragon Balls
The titular Dragon Balls have been a crucial component of the franchise right from Goku’s very first adventure. Dragon Ball Super introduces superior Dragon Ball sets like Planet Cereal’s Dragon Balls and the Super Dragon Balls.
However, Dragon Ball GT finds more inventive takes with its Black Star Dragon Balls that are spread across the galaxy and must be collected within a year otherwise the Earth will explode. The Shadow Dragons also explicitly reference past Dragon Ball wishes in a way that forces the heroes to reckon with their past selfishness.
9. Sense Of Adventure
The GT in Dragon Ball GT stands for “Grand Tour,” which is in reference to the galactic trip that Goku, Pan, and Trunks embark on during the show’s introductory arc. This is an intentional nod to the original Dragon Ball’s emphasis on adventure over action, at least during its start.
Curiously, these playful adventure installments were criticized upon Dragon Ball GT’s initial release and even entirely skipped during the show’s English dub release. Dragon Ball Super gets so focused on action and tournament combat that a little adventure goes a long way and GT’s structure would now be welcomed.
8. Return To Saiyan Basics
Dragon Ball has a curious relationship with its Saiyans, who go on to become the series’ most popular and powerful characters. Even now there are still new Super Saiyan transformations to discover, but Dragon Ball Super’s approach to these new forms sometimes feels too mechanical. Dragon Ball GT makes its new Saiyan transformations harken back to the species’ roots.
Super Saiyan 4 comes across as a hybrid between a Super Saiyan and a Great Ape, which gets further expanded upon with the new Golden Great Ape form. Dragon Ball Super has recently relitigated Saiyan history and so GT’s transformations would be even more fitting now.
7. Presentation Of A Diverse Universe
Dragon Ball Super incorporates a whole multiverse of unique fighters and yet it’s Dragon Ball GT that feels like it shows off a more diverse universe of endless possibilities. Dragon Ball GT’s Black Star Dragon Ball search takes Goku, Trunks, and Pan to a multitude of foreign planets that truly feel alien in nature.
Dragon Ball GT has a lot of fun with these new worlds, whether it’s the bee planet or the Planet of the Dinosaurs. Dragon Ball GT’s Machine Mutants and their home planet, M-2, also gain valuable depth through GT’s broader examination of its universe.
6. Turns To The Past For New Villains
Dragon Ball has such rich history and lore to pull from that’s not always properly utilized. Dragon Ball Super has brought back its share of familiar faces, such as Future Trunks, Frieza, and Cell, but it doesn’t always feel natural. Dragon Ball GT adopts a smart structure where each of its major villains pulls from the characters’ past.
Baby’s invasion calls attention to the old Tuffle and Saiyan conflict, Super 17 builds upon Dr. Gero’s evil Androids and hatred for the heroes, and the Shadow Dragons are direct responses to past Dragon Ball wishes. This is the right way to bring back Dragon Ball’s history so that it can effectively inform the future.
5. Ending & Goku’s Final Sacrifice
Endings aren’t easy and a lackluster finish can obscure the rest of the series’ successes and leave a bad impression with audiences. Dragon Ball Super’s ending is rather abrupt, at least in the anime, where the Tournament of Power’s conclusion doubles as the series’ finish. Dragon Ball GT opts for a much more dramatic finish where Goku ostensibly merges with Shenron as both he and the Dragon Balls leave the world behind.
It’s a conclusion that indicates that perhaps Earth has outgrown the Dragon Balls and must find a way to solve their problems without them. It’s an angle that Dragon Ball Super’s manga should consider once it reaches its endgame.
4. Dynamic Between Goku & Vegeta
Goku and Vegeta’s friendly rivalry is one of Dragon Ball’s strongest dynamics. The franchise has repeatedly tried to find organic ways to pit these two against each other and recreate the heights of their original battle. Dragon Ball Super has its contrived Copy-Vegeta mini-arc and Zamasu’s Goku Black shenanigans.
However, Dragon Ball GT’s Baby Vegeta possession actually sticks and feels comparable to his Majin manipulation. It’s the last time that a battle between these two has felt real, and the series concludes in a touching manner where Goku trusts Vegeta to look after the Earth in his stead.
3. Musical Score & Soundtrack
Music is a fundamental element when it comes to the curation of a show’s energy. All of the Dragon Ball series have celebrated musical scores, but in the case of Dragon Ball GT, it’s the anime’s secret weapon. Akihito Tokunaga crafts a remarkable sound for the series that’s more so reminiscent of the original Dragon Ball than Dragon Ball Z, but still pays service to both of these chapters from the franchise’s past.
Norihito Sumitomo’s soundtrack for Dragon Ball Super is exceptional in its own right, but it does just feel like an extension of Dragon Ball Z’s soundtrack in many respects. Dragon Ball GT’s playful, unpredictable sound is what Dragon Ball is all about.
2. Lighthearted Sense Of Humor
Most Dragon Ball fans view it as an action series first and it’s easy to forget that the original Dragon Ball starts more as a gag comedy series. Dragon Ball GT does have plenty of action and bold battles.
However, it’s also the funniest of the series and it begins with Goku getting turned into a child to heighten the humor even further. This silly comedy is an important part of Dragon Ball’s DNA that’s far from forgotten in Dragon Ball Super, but could still be much more prominent in its storytelling.
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Tight Pacing
Each Dragon Ball series is full of gripping story arcs, but effective pacing can make or break these ideas. Dragon Ball Super definitely struggles in this department since its first two story arcs are extended movie adaptations and the concluding Tournament of Power takes up nearly a third of the 131-episode series.
Alternatively, Dragon Ball GT is the shortest series in the franchise at 64 episodes, which is less than half the length of Super, but it feels like it covers considerably more content. Dragon Ball GT features more concise storytelling in each of its major arcs, which is ultimately what’s best for the series.
Source: CBR.com
