Biggest retcon in DragonBall?

[ABED]

Super Saiyan 3 is probably the biggest retcon.

I wouldn't say Super Saiyan 3 is a retcon, per se. Just a major asspull. It isn't Genki-Dama-sword-level of asspull, but it's up there. But what is retconned in regards to SSJ3 specifically is how powerful it is.

How is SSJ3 a retcon or an asspull? I haven't heard this one before.

You haven't? Goku fights Vegeta at his max, but then he pulls out SS3 in order to fight Buu on an even level.

[Asura]

I wouldn't say Super Saiyan 3 is a retcon, per se. Just a major asspull. It isn't Genki-Dama-sword-level of asspull, but it's up there. But what is retconned in regards to SSJ3 specifically is how powerful it is.

How is SSJ3 a retcon or an asspull? I haven't heard this one before.

You haven't? Goku fights Vegeta at his max, but then he pulls out SS3 in order to fight Buu on an even level.

I don't really see how that's a retcon. Couldn't it be that Goku was just lying to Vegeta about fighting at max? Goku's Saiyan blood would definitely want him to get the best fight possible, and fighting on an even playing field with him and lying about being at max seems like something he'd do.

The fact that SSJ3 appeared not so long after leads me to believe that SSJ3 was already planned at that time, so I don't feel like it was made up on the spot to retcon what was previously said.

[OhHiRenan]

How is SSJ3 a retcon or an asspull? I haven't heard this one before.

You haven't? Goku fights Vegeta at his max, but then he pulls out SS3 in order to fight Buu on an even level.

I don't really see how that's a retcon. Couldn't it be that Goku was just lying to Vegeta about fighting at max? Goku's Saiyan blood would definitely want him to get the best fight possible, and fighting on an even playing field with him and lying about being at max seems like something he'd do.

The fact that SSJ3 appeared not so long after leads me to believe that SSJ3 was already planned at that time, so I don't feel like it was made up on the spot to retcon what was previously said.

It is a retcon because there's really nothing in the fight with Goku and Vegeta to imply that Goku is lying, but SSJ3 shows up so shortly after and is weaved in quite naturally that I'd say it's a relatively well done retcon. Still a retcon, but not on a story breaking scale.

[Dbzfan94]

Bardock being the original Super Saiyan

[LuckyCat]

Bardock being the original Super Saiyan

I agree, it's hard to take this one seriously. Bardock is the not only the first Super Saiyan, he's also the first time traveling Super Saiyan?

[ABED]

I don't really see how that's a retcon. Couldn't it be that Goku was just lying to Vegeta about fighting at max? Goku's Saiyan blood would definitely want him to get the best fight possible, and fighting on an even playing field with him and lying about being at max seems like something he'd do.

The fact that SSJ3 appeared not so long after leads me to believe that SSJ3 was already planned at that time, so I don't feel like it was made up on the spot to retcon what was previously said.

He's not getting the best fight possible. By lying (not something Goku does) he isn't getting the best fight. He'd be holding back. Goku likes to push himself to his limits. You say it wasn't so long after, but it was MANY weeks later and Toriyama doesn't seem to think that far ahead.

[TheOverlyMadHatter]

I'd say the entirety of DBS is a retcon. Pan is born, Bra is born, so Bulma's statement that they haven't seen Goku in over 5 years is contradicted. Of course she could be exaggerating, but then those "10 Years of Peace" were packed with remanants of Freeza's forces attacking the Earth, an angry God of Destruction, Freeza coming back to life, a multiuniversal tournament, a rogue self-appointed Kaioshin killing all the other Gods, and an Omniversal tournament with all of existence at stake. Unless we get a "do-over" ending where the events of the series get erased, this is about the biggest retcon to hit the franchise.

I wouldn't consider Goku (or Piccolo) being an alien a retcon. I'm pretty sure by the end of the King Piccolo arc, Toriyama was leaning towards the idea of Goku and Piccolo being aliens.

[Nejishiki]

Goku: "Hey, long time no see!"
Bluma: "We'd never see you if we didn't drop in on you!"
Bluma: "...You always were like that."
Goku: "That's not true. I visited you five years ago."
Bluma: "Oh, yes!! Only five years ago!! In between 'training' trips!!"

Goku's memory is off yet Bluma provides wiggle room through mentioning various trips. You could reinterpret her words as any visit that doesn't involve martial arts business. I won't blame you for believing in "10 years of peace" as the misconception tricked me, too. However, the script reads, "...And 10 years later...", without specifying "peace".

[Ozotto]

The Dragon Balls originally being one big multicolored orb that was divided into seven smaller ones and scattered to prevent bad people from raiding and stealing it.

[coola]

Dragon Balls suddenly have power to resurrect those who died more than year ago in Resurrection F/Super "F" Saga, in Namek Saga Kami clearly said, it is not possible.

[Lord Beerus]

Dragon Balls suddenly have power to resurrect those who died more than year ago in Resurrection F/Super "F" Saga, in Namek Saga Kami clearly said, it is not possible.

The one year rule was only applies to bring back more than one dead person with the same wish (i.e. mass resurrections). Not bringing back people to life individually.

[LuckyCat]

The one-year limitation itself was always pretty odd. I'm guessing Toriyama threw that line into the Namek saga so all the Saiyans Freeza killed wouldn't suddenly be brought back, but it looks like that rule boxed him in creatively.

[ABED]

but it looks like that rule boxed him in creatively.

I wouldn't put it that way. Creating that limit simply meant that he couldn't give his characters a happy ending so easily.

[LuckyCat]

but it looks like that rule boxed him in creatively.

I wouldn't put it that way. Creating that limit simply meant that he couldn't give his characters a happy ending so easily.

That sounds good, but in the instance the rule was created, having people being resurrected later than a year prior wouldn't have been helpful. That's why I think it's odd, it's a limiter that isn't limiting anything except future storylines.

[ABED]

but it looks like that rule boxed him in creatively.

I wouldn't put it that way. Creating that limit simply meant that he couldn't give his characters a happy ending so easily.

That sounds good, but in the instance the rule was created, having people being resurrected later than a year prior wouldn't have been helpful. That's why I think it's odd, it's a limiter that isn't limiting anything except future storylines.

If the only way to get future storylines is an easy magical out with no limits, you aren't a good storyteller.

[Akyon]

If this counts; Tights.

We've known Bulma since she was 16 in the series. We've met her parents, and so it's downright bizarre that Tights is revealed as Bulma's sister, not only to the audience but also her closest friends. Jaco to a lesser extent, but he's not a blood relative living on Earth so it's somewhat less weird.

If not, I second Bardock's being the Legendary SSJ.

[Cipher]

The biggest?

Probably that after returning from Namek, the gang lands on a completely different Earth in which animal people have disappeared and no one remembers that fantastical martial arts were a fact of everyday life. It's a retcon that alters the very fabric of the series' universe.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

The biggest?

Probably that after returning from Namek, the gang lands on a completely different Earth in which animal people have disappeared and no one remembers that fantastical martial arts were a fact of everyday life. It's a retcon that alters the very fabric of the series' universe.

There was quite a surge in poaching during the two-ish months when everyone was on Namek. Why do you think #17 became a park ranger? I'm quite offended that you could equate a serious issue like poaching with a harmless retcon. For shame...

[Cipher]

There was quite a surge in poaching during the two-ish months when everyone was on Namek. Why do you think #17 became a park ranger? I'm quite offended that you could equate a serious issue like poaching with a harmless retcon. For shame...

They must have killed all the animal people and everyone who knew about Piccolo and Goku.

[Doctor.]

There was quite a surge in poaching during the two-ish months when everyone was on Namek. Why do you think #17 became a park ranger? I'm quite offended that you could equate a serious issue like poaching with a harmless retcon. For shame...

They must have killed all the animal people and everyone who knew about Piccolo and Goku.

But how could have they done such a thing when the king is a dog!