Why was Ultimate Gohan so popular?

[ABED]

Having just watched the anime version, they did him give a bit more time. His beat down on Super Buu was extended as was his fight with Buutenks but the major difference there is that when they actually started fighting, they were evenly matched at first.

In the manga, I don't think he ever even landed an attack on Buutenks.

Which is why I prefer the Manga of the Buu arc so much more. Less time wasting, if Gohan vs Buu wasn't gonna amount to anything then why waste my time with it? Make it short and simple, same for most of the other fights too.

But making it longer doesn't neccessarily equate to filler and wasting time. Sometimes you need those extra moments for the fight to amount to anything.

[sintzu]

If Gohan vs Buu wasn't gonna amount to anything then why waste my time with it? Make it short and simple, same for most of the other fights too.

Goku's fight with Cell didn't amount to anything major either so does that mean it should've been shorter ? The only reason the Buu arc's fights were short was because Toriyama at that point had been drawing weekly manga for 13 years without a break (5 on Dr.Slump and 8 on DB) so at that point he was most likely burned out and just wanted to get it done with. Thankfully the story itself didn't suffer so the anime's staff were able to really knock it out of the park by improving the fights and adding in some character moments.

IMO the Anime's Buu arc is a great example of how an anime can improve its manga source material.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

If Gohan vs Buu wasn't gonna amount to anything then why waste my time with it? Make it short and simple, same for most of the other fights too.

Goku's fight with Cell didn't amount to anything major either so does that mean it should've been shorter ? The only reason the Buu arc's fights were short was because Toriyama at that point had been drawing weekly manga for 13 years without a break (5 on Dr.Slump and 8 on DB) so at that point he was most likely burned out and just wanted to get it done with. Thankfully the story itself didn't suffer so the anime's staff were able to really knock it out of the park by improving the fights and adding in some character moments.

IMO the Anime's Buu arc is a great example of how an anime can improve its manga source material.

That is different, as Goku's fight with Cell had purpose for Gohan and others to study how Cell fights. Majority of the fights in the Buu arc where just plot points for something else, Goku vs Vegeta was to revive Buu or Vegetto vs Buu for Vegetto to the rescue the others (which in and of itself is a stupid plan but that is a debate for another time), so why extend them? Both the fights got tediously boring to watch in the anime for me, in the Manga it is short, snappy and to the point in fact the anime makes the flaws of the arc much more apparent the Vegetto thing is so quick you don't question his plan, in the anime it goes on for soooooo long that when you finally get his plan...it makes it seem stupidly idiotic especially for someone of Vegetto's calibre.

But making it longer doesn't neccessarily equate to filler and wasting time. Sometimes you need those extra moments for the fight to amount to anything.

Goku vs Vegeta was only happening to revive Buu, I don't want to sit there for 3 or 4 episodes of just Vegeta and Goku punching each other, everytime Toei cut back to the fight I was getting pissed off just take me back to the more interesting stuff. Extending the fight literally doesn't add anything especially when we later get the reveal that "oh Goku had SS3". It is wasting my time, all I needed to know was Vegeta and Goku were having a fight that was causing Buu to get revived, I don't need to be constantly cut back to it.

[sintzu]

Goku vs Vegeta was only happening to revive Buu, I don't want to sit there for 3 or 4 episodes of just Vegeta and Goku punching each other, all I needed to know was Vegeta and Goku were having a fight that was causing Buu to get revived, I don't need to be constantly cut back to it.

That fight was being built up to since their first one, if that doesn't need screen time then what does ?

[ABED]

Goku vs Vegeta was only happening to revive Buu, I don't want to sit there for 3 or 4 episodes of just Vegeta and Goku punching each other, everytime Toei cut back to the fight I was getting pissed off just take me back to the more interesting stuff. Extending the fight literally doesn't add anything especially when we later get the reveal that "oh Goku had SS3". It is wasting my time, all I needed to know was Vegeta and Goku were having a fight that was causing Buu to get revived, I don't need to be constantly cut back to it.

As if there aren't organic reasons for them to fight. Vegeta has a huge amount of pent up hostility towards Goku and them finally having it out felt true to character. Perhaps you didn't find it to be the interesting stuff, but I did. The story of their fight was well told. I found that fight way more interesting than Buu's revival. To that point, he's just the next big bad whereas Goku and Vegeta are two characters I have an emotional investment in. In the manga, it's not short, sweet, to the point. It lacks meat on the bone.

The SSJ3 reveal bothers me because it's a crappy retcon.

[dbgtFO]

He was badass, strong, had his father's gi as an awesome tribute to him and he didn't turn Super Saiyan to draw out his power.
No wonder he got so popular. Too bad he got shafted faster than he came