Why a next generation series should be a PRIORITY

[emperior]

Very good thread. I agree with you on every single point. It would be cool to see the next generation getting some love in a new show. Toriyama could progress Goku's story by making him a mentor, and as the ending of the manga implied Goku wants to train Uub to also improve himself. Maybe the next step for Goku and Vegeta to improve will be mentoring someone else, to see their own flaws through the eyes of a master and also to create themselves a new sparring partners. Out of fear of being surpassed by their own students they could find further motivation to get stronger themselves. Maybe this way they could finally reach Whis level.
As you pointed out, Goku and Vegeta don't have to go anywhere, but if the next generation could get the Gohan's treatment that would definitely be nice.

By the way, your idea of showing the new fans what Dragon Ball is about through Goku training Uub sounds just way too good. I would love it so much to see something like that, I feel like it would be good for both the new and the old fans.

[perucho1990]

I think a main issue fans who want this aren't taking into account is that Goku is DB. DB has been around for nearly 35 years and its been soley about Goku. You cannot take something like that and completely change the face of it as that's what everyone knows it to be.

Batman and other superheroes have been around for 80 years and everyone young and old still love them so why would people out of nowhere drop Goku ? if kids can get into characters as old as batman and superman they can't get into Goku who's been arounf for less than half that time ?

You can of course do a TV special or limited series with different characters (next gen, past stories, etc.) but when it comes to MAIN DB, that's and always will be Goku.

DB is also written in a way that allows new fans to jump right in and once they like what they see they'll probably jump back and watch what they missed so it's not like DB can't bring in new fans. DB's current popularity is higher than it was when its manga was in publication so that should tell you something about Goku's power to bring in viewers.

I don't think that dragon ball will continue as a series... but if ir happens... having the next generation should be inevitable at some point.

Why should it when Goku is making them millions of $$$ ?

Say what you will, but there is no DB without Goku. He'll never be a sidecharacter.

Goku being dead, comatose, or otherwise out the action for most of Z says otherwise.

He was still the focus of everything.

Well it worked for the Teen Titans and even Young Justice.

What I would really like for the new DB series if its follows the same path as Young Justice, focusing on the young generation AND also keep the old cast relevant.

[Basaku]

Batman and other superheroes have been around for 80 years and everyone young and old still love them so why would people out of nowhere drop Goku ? if kids can get into characters as old as batman and superman they can't get into Goku who's been arounf for less than half that time ?

Both Batman and Superman had a few sidekicks at most. Dragon Ball, ever since Z, was pretty much an ensemble cast story, even if with a clear lead. Big difference. And actually, Batman who did have a few occasional sidekicks, had a succesful 'next gen' story in Batman Beyond. So yeah.

[precita]

Gohan, Trunks and Goten are already established characters and have been for 20+ years.

Pan and Uub would be handled much better this time around than in GT. And as said, they can even make Bra and Marron fighters this time around if they want to.

[Xeogran]

Gohan, Trunks and Goten are already established characters and have been for 20+ years.

Pan and Uub would be handled much better this time around than in GT. And as said, they can even make Bra and Marron fighters this time around if they want to.

Sure, if you call throwing a Super Saiyan hair on all of them a better handling.

Pan in GT showed more natural, human-like character than Kale & Caulifla did through their run.

And I actually prefer to have relatable characters to "I'm cool because I'm a Saiyan!" ones.

[Big Black Sayian]

Hmm on the one hand none of the next gen characters are interesting. On the other hand this idea could work with completely new characters.

[mecha3000]

Absolutely. In fact, I'm sick of the same tired arguments of, "I don't care about these characters" since as you said, nobody cared about Gohan at first either. Then there's people acting like we just want to take Goku away, which is ridiculous since mentor Goku could be a really cool way to use him and isn't just a way of doing away with him. He'll still be around, but focus can go to the new guys just like focus went to Gohan in Z

Yeah, people seem to think I'm saying "NO MORE GOKU, NO MORE FUCKING GOKU!!! I SWEAR IF WE SEE GOKU AGAIN, I WILL ABANDON MY FAMILY!!!" - which is not at all what I'm saying and it makes it apparent some people didn't read my points. No one's trying to take Goku away from you. It's the contrary: Goku should be more important than ever!!! All I'm saying is, let's give the newer characters the spotlight similar to Gohan. Think about it, guys: Like many of you have said, Goku's goal is to get stronger and that has always been his goal throughout the series. The significance of Z's ending, however, is that It suggests a spiritual change to the series and growth in Goku's character: For once, he's willingly dedicating himself to someone else getting stronger and not him. Sure, there was Gohan but that was mostly to save Earth and that's his son. But dedicating himself to a random kid getting stronger and not himself (even if he intends to challenge him one day)? IT'S BRILLIANT!!! However, I know there's that one person who will say: Sometimes, we don't need to know the outcome - and I agree with that person. Still, if we do get a new series - In my opinon, past EoZ is the ONLY option.

And be honest with yourself, guys. Before Battle of Gods came out, most of you guys wouldn't even have conceived of a series like Super being set in the ten year time period because all I ever remember hearing was "REMAKE GT BETTER!!! WE NEED A NEW SERIES SET AFTER Z BETTER THAN GT!!!" because back then, fans looked to the future and not the past like they do now. Well, that's exactly what I'm suggesting. Let's move on to new stories where we don't know the outcome. How about we welcome the new Gohan or Vegeta or Trunks in new characters like Uub, Pan, Bra, Goten, and Trunks?

(And please try to think past how Goten and Trunks were during Z or Pan and Uub during GT. Characters can change. Gohan, Vegeta, Piccolo and even to an extent - Goku have proven that)

[supersaiyanZero]

Batman and other superheroes have been around for 80 years and everyone young and old still love them so why would people out of nowhere drop Goku ? if kids can get into characters as old as batman and superman they can't get into Goku who's been arounf for less than half that time ?

Both Batman and Superman had a few sidekicks at most. Dragon Ball, ever since Z, was pretty much an ensemble cast story, even if with a clear lead. Big difference. And actually, Batman who did have a few occasional sidekicks, had a succesful 'next gen' story in Batman Beyond. So yeah.

Batman Beyond existed alongside of the current Batman and was considered a spin-off. So your argument is flawed.

[sintzu]

Batman who did have a few occasional sidekicks, had a succesful 'next gen' story in Batman Beyond. So yeah.

Batman beyond isn't the main product of the franchise though. I've said that a limited series can work but not having them take over the entire franchise.

[Master Xar]

Disagree. If it isn’t broke don’t fix it, having Goku around as a mentor kills tension, and getting rid of him would be pulling a Boruto and pissing many fans off, new generation stories often suck hard, you have to be VERY careful in how you write it. A mentor role sucks anyway, it works with Allmight and Roshi because they were pre-established as old and retired, we also don’t know what they have learned unlike with Goku and the gang, we know how their powers work thus there’s no surprises with their abilities and lessons thus it becomes redundant, boring, and time wasting.

Why go back the basics if we already know them. That’s very bad pacing and storytelling, and if we skip it it’ll feel rushed, it’s a lose lose situation.

Uub, Pan, Goten, and Trunks are boring goody-goody heroes so far, they are indistinguishable in terms of morality, they aren’t dedicated or have the same drive as Goku, why should I care what happens to them? They barely have any drive to get stronger or fight. Main reasons to hate a new generation story is if the new generation doesn’t have that drive to get better no one cares about what they will do to reach that goal, because either Goku or Vegeta probably were more determined and interesting, look at Boruto, has no interest of being Hokage or has a drive with his ability soooo.... why should I care? Kind of ironic how half of the people who believe this arc is bad is that the characters “don’t care” and no tension (I disagree) but “if the characters don’t care, why should I? Comes around HARD...


Goku and the crew getting older is a minor problem at best, this is a fictional world, we have Dragonballs, we have potential for powerful abilities, Dragonball could easily pull a JJBA and have an in-universe reset/alteration to setback their ages or alter their powers (albeit not as far as GT went making him a kid) so that their stories continue, age is malleable in a fictional world, especially Dragonball, don’t give me that excuse.

Goku and Co. is already too established to have them sidelined or especially be voided entirely, there is no point to it, no millennials are asking for an appeal to them, in fact if most companies go for that and try to appeal to the “youngsters” it’s often disrespectful and stereotypical remember the Emoji Movie and how it generalized millennials as brainless phone zombies? Then the older generation feels like they are being voided out and that they are pandering (which lets be honest at that point they are pandering), marketing is more complex than you think.


Appealing to the new generation is one of the DUMBEST marketing decisions you could possibly make for a show in the first place. Would I like the new generation to do more than they did in GT? Yes. Replace Goku and Co. as the main characters? Fuck. No.

[Totamo]

Here is the biggest problem being a mentor: it would go against his entire character.

Goku did not train Uub to replace him, he trained Uub to fight him!!

[Totamo]

Gohan, Trunks and Goten are already established characters and have been for 20+ years.

Pan and Uub would be handled much better this time around than in GT. And as said, they can even make Bra and Marron fighters this time around if they want to.

Sure, if you call throwing a Super Saiyan hair on all of them a better handling.

Pan in GT showed more natural, human-like character than Kale & Caulifla did through their run.

And I actually prefer to have relatable characters to "I'm cool because I'm a Saiyan!" ones.

Hence why she is often considered to be the worst part about that series and there are a lot of things people don't like about that series.

[Xeogran]

Gohan, Trunks and Goten are already established characters and have been for 20+ years.

Pan and Uub would be handled much better this time around than in GT. And as said, they can even make Bra and Marron fighters this time around if they want to.

Sure, if you call throwing a Super Saiyan hair on all of them a better handling.

Pan in GT showed more natural, human-like character than Kale & Caulifla did through their run.

And I actually prefer to have relatable characters to "I'm cool because I'm a Saiyan!" ones.

Hence why she is often considered to be the worst part about that series and there are a lot of things people don't like about that series.

It only shows the stupidity of the "fandom" then, when all they want is all flash and not substance.

Doesn't help that these people fail to give proper reasoning 9 out of 10 times, besides "let's hate because it makes me look cool!"

[Michsi]

Gohan, Trunks and Goten are already established characters and have been for 20+ years.

Pan and Uub would be handled much better this time around than in GT. And as said, they can even make Bra and Marron fighters this time around if they want to.

Sure, if you call throwing a Super Saiyan hair on all of them a better handling.

Pan in GT showed more natural, human-like character than Kale & Caulifla did through their run.

And I actually prefer to have relatable characters to "I'm cool because I'm a Saiyan!" ones.

Hence why she is often considered to be the worst part about that series and there are a lot of things people don't like about that series.

If Pan ever gets to have a more prominent role, I hope they'll go a different route with her personality and distance themselves from what GT did. The head writers of GT admitted that they tried to recreate Bulma for the sake of OG DB parallels and I think that was pretty unfair to Pan as a character.

Human-like isn't synonymous with likeable.

[Lionel]

Feel inclined to agree with the sentiment of Goku's name being interchangeable with Dragon Ball at this point. People have become too ingrained in the idea of the happy-go-lucky fighter junkie bearing the mantle of DB's conflict and narrative. Now it seems like Vegeta has been so embroiled with the name as well that the developers can't even play to their own conventions by having him sequester off into obscurity like those who came before him. I would like to know the exact degree in which these characters have to be involved for the show to maintain its quality. Would something along the lines of the Cell arc where the original protagonist was out of commission for the majority of the time be acceptable? Does it have to be like the RRA arc where Goku was centre stage for over 90% of things? Can some concessions be made with the other cast members being allowed to play an intrinsic role against the main adversary à la the Saiyan arc Vegeta fight?

It's funny -- over the years people like to outline how Dragon Ball has evolved from the antiquation of past arcs with its character ensemble and the grandeur of the ambiance, yet they still feel the need to go through the trouble of drudging up past relics for content promotion and viewer enticement. You've even got the centuries old turtle hermit curbing his physical inhibitions and miraculously pulling off one of the biggest return to glories seen in this series. Why would they feel the need to drag out the old has-been milksops if the centre of everything, Goku, was already front & centre? Play to that strength which you feel can stand so wonderfully on its own. Don't drudge up faces who haven't seen the grit of a fair-sided meaningful battle since the early days of Z.

To answer the original question, I don't think a "next generation" show would work. There isn't enough intrigue behind the Saiyan kids or Uub to have it stand as the premiere front of the Dragon Ball franchise. Maybe they could reincorporate some of the elements they tried experimenting with during the Buu arc, but I doubt we'll ever see Pan and Uub beating the main antagonist of an arc.

[Xeogran]

Sure, if you call throwing a Super Saiyan hair on all of them a better handling.

Pan in GT showed more natural, human-like character than Kale & Caulifla did through their run.

And I actually prefer to have relatable characters to "I'm cool because I'm a Saiyan!" ones.

Hence why she is often considered to be the worst part about that series and there are a lot of things people don't like about that series.

If Pan ever gets to have a more prominent role, I hope they'll go a different route with her personality and distance themselves from what GT did. The head writers of GT admitted that they tried to recreate Bulma for the sake of OG DB parallels and I think that was pretty unfair to Pan as a character.

Human-like isn't synonymous with likeable.

Well I did like her. Also, she wasn't like Bulma at all, it's not like one person was in charge of the whole series.

Also oh boy, a 9 year old kid needs to act all mature and have no childish traits. Surely that works in favor of a character.

[Michsi]

Hence why she is often considered to be the worst part about that series and there are a lot of things people don't like about that series.

If Pan ever gets to have a more prominent role, I hope they'll go a different route with her personality and distance themselves from what GT did. The head writers of GT admitted that they tried to recreate Bulma for the sake of OG DB parallels and I think that was pretty unfair to Pan as a character.

Human-like isn't synonymous with likeable.

Well I did like her. Also, she wasn't like Bulma at all, it's not like one person was in charge of the whole series.

That was the overall intention, and while she may not have ended up a carbon copy of Bulma, she clearly exhibited Bulma-esque traits. The fact that another character that had nothing to do with Pan's development was the foundation of her role in GT alone is pretty bad if you ask me.

[Khandom101]

Goku = Dragon Ball, replace that and you get shit. The next generation would ultimately fail if it came into being.

[sintzu]

Feel inclined to agree with the sentiment of Goku's name being interchangeable with Dragon Ball at this point.

Now it seems like Vegeta has been so embroiled with the name as well that the developers can't even play to their own conventions by having him sequester off into obscurity like those who came before him.

He's the main character for all 5 shows, the 2 manga & nearly all the movies. It would be different if DB was like Yu-Gi-Oh or Digimon where every show had a new cast but it doesn't.

Vegeta to DB is like Pepperoni to Pizza, sure Pizza can be good without it but it'd be like a 6/10 instead of the 9/10 we know it for which would apply to DB. If Goku is the heart of DB then Vegeta is its spine.

[Basaku]

Batman and other superheroes have been around for 80 years and everyone young and old still love them so why would people out of nowhere drop Goku ? if kids can get into characters as old as batman and superman they can't get into Goku who's been arounf for less than half that time ?

Both Batman and Superman had a few sidekicks at most. Dragon Ball, ever since Z, was pretty much an ensemble cast story, even if with a clear lead. Big difference. And actually, Batman who did have a few occasional sidekicks, had a succesful 'next gen' story in Batman Beyond. So yeah.

Batman Beyond existed alongside of the current Batman and was considered a spin-off. So your argument is flawed.

No it didn't. There was no Batman at the cinemas during that time nor another animated series. Beyond was the main product of the franchise.

Batman who did have a few occasional sidekicks, had a succesful 'next gen' story in Batman Beyond. So yeah.

Batman beyond isn't the main product of the franchise though. I've said that a limited series can work but not having them take over the entire franchise.

It was the 'main product' for many years. And succeeded despite the entire brand being harmed heavily by the disastrous Batman & Robin