What Inconsistencies &/or Retcons You Wished Were Never Made In Dragon Ball Super?

[TobyS]

In hindsight that retcon was unnecessary. Even if the fusion lasted forever, it would end if the earring broke. This is shown when Goku's kamehameha breaks Kefla's earrings, causing her to unfuse. So maybe Fused Zamasu, who was already on Vegito's level and actually damaged him several times, could've found a way to break the potara and thus end the fusion. Especially since Vegito is very cocky and careless, I'm sure Zamasu could've gotten a cheap shot at his earrings. And done, Zamasu manages to overcome Vegito without the need for any retcon.

I always thought the earring breaking was just artistic flare, or happens simultaneous to the fussee being hit so hard they come apart anyway (with the hit being the issue and the earrings being a symptom)

Regardless this doesn't happen in the manga which means it wasn't in the shared outline which means it's not canon Toriyama ideas.

She defuses upon being knocked out by Gohan, the same way garments are repaired, people are just reset to factory conditions when they leave the ring anyway.

[Jack Bz]

Just remembered another strange retcon: that Shin and every kaioshin knows teleportation. I feel like Toriyama forgot that this was actually the technique of Kibito back in Z.

I always assumed he got it from being merged with Kibito for so long. Specifically using it while fused and thus remembering how to do it.

It doesn't say it but like he can't do it, merges with the guy who can, does it. and then unfuses and continues to do it... seems pretty straightforward chain of events.

I know toriyama forgets stuff but it's uncharitable to assume every little thing is a mistake just because he doesn't patronise the audience by spelling every little thing out.

I don't think that's the case though, because every kaioshin can do it in super, it's their trademark ability. It doesn't read like he learnt it from Kibito, it seems way more like a minor retcon.

[TobyS]

Just remembered another strange retcon: that Shin and every kaioshin knows teleportation. I feel like Toriyama forgot that this was actually the technique of Kibito back in Z.

I always assumed he got it from being merged with Kibito for so long. Specifically using it while fused and thus remembering how to do it.

It doesn't say it but like he can't do it, merges with the guy who can, does it. and then unfuses and continues to do it... seems pretty straightforward chain of events.

I know toriyama forgets stuff but it's uncharitable to assume every little thing is a mistake just because he doesn't patronise the audience by spelling every little thing out.

I don't think that's the case though, because every kaioshin can do it in super, it's their trademark ability. It doesn't read like he learnt it from Kibito, it seems way more like a minor retcon.

Then I'd take it as Shin never learned it originally being the only survivor and all, but he was supposed to.

Why that leaves Kibito in the weird situation of being able to do it/learn it, but not being able to teach it is weird, but then Goku never taught anyone IT either. Perhaps Shin was lazy/never expected to be without Kibito.

Alternatively Old Kaioshin taught it to him after the split.

Nothings said but there's two plausible explanations without having to be negative and assuming retcon or mistake.

I feel like if he had it he'd have used it to escape Fat Buu with Gohan, he's scared as Buu but fights him in very much "fuck it this is my last stand" kinda way.

[LoganForkHands73]

The senzu bean thing is dumb as hell, there's nothing really to indicate that food need scales with power, otherwise Goku would be starving based on the proportional difference between him and a regular guy already.

And needing more than one bean or more than one namek to heal is also stupid wank that felt like a kid came up with it.
Like the dragons cant affect people stronger than them but Porunga is able to heal Buu saga Goku easily who's already stronger than him. Kibitoshin can heal Vegeta and Mr Buu... it's silly.

Dende can heal ultimate Gohan EZ.

It really is a dumb and equally unnecessary piece of backstory. Like a lot of things in DBM, they did it for cheap shock value to make Vegetto seem more tragic for whatever reason. I mean, Toriyama would probably make a gag out of Bulma and Chi-Chi having to feed a Saiyan with double the appetite and nothing more, but to exaggerate that into a horrific insatiable hunger is a typical edgy fanfic move -- I always find concepts like that very disturbing. Funnily enough, it's the exact same premise as a dumb Silver Age Jimmy Olsen comic story in which Superman had to constantly eat or he'd starve to death.

The idea that a dragon can resurrect a whole planet's population but can't unfuse one guy is also pretty contrived.

It doesn't say it but like he can't do it, merges with the guy who can, does it. and then unfuses and continues to do it... seems pretty straightforward chain of events.

I know toriyama forgets stuff but it's uncharitable to assume every little thing is a mistake just because he doesn't patronise the audience by spelling every little thing out.

Yeah. In the manga, Vegeta also learned Vegetto's Spirit Sword technique to hook onto the arena's ledge in the Tournament of Power. It begs the question of how he couldn't also learn Instant Transmission without the Yardrats' help, but I suppose it's too complex a technique to learn in the short time he's been fused.

And I agree with that too. Some things simply aren't worth explaining or elaborating on if they aren't hugely relevant -- in an interview, someone asked where Taopaipai is now, Toriyama just said that he got killed in some incident offscreen and never got revived. No further explanation needed. As I said above in another convo, I don't think it's necessary to explain that the Kaioshin in the Tournament of Power are actually Dai Kaioshin because it doesn't change a thing about the plot. Maybe since the Buu incident, Zeno decided to cull the numbers to one Kaioshin per universe? Either way, it's easy to infer that even if there are other regional Kaioshin in other universes, the guys we saw in the Tournament were clearly the only important ones worth bringing.

[TheSaiyanGod]

In the manga? Fused Zamasu not being an official Supreme Kai, because apparently neither Goku Black nor Future Zamasu were official Supreme Kais... even though Future Zamasu freely used the Time Ring, a divine artifact that can only be used by the Supreme Kais (so much so that Gowasu had to promote Zamasu temporarily to go to Babari 1000 years in the future).

We can assume that it was a mere formality that Gowasu wanted to give Zamasu his Potara to allow him to use the Time Ring, and not exactly an obligation. He was never officially promised for the Kaioshin post, so it makes sense that his merger with Black is limited.

The fact that Zamasu has not lost his healing power also means that officially he remained an apprentice to Kaioshin (since as Shin says, those who become Kaioshin lose that power)

Now, I had this conversation already and the people involved kind of managed to convice me that he knows it. But it's still mildly forced to me. I mean, ever since Gohan was born, Taiyo-ken was just used twice and in both occasions, Gohan couldn't actually have learned it but oh well, I think it is what it is. Probably one of those cases where we have to handwave the situation and ignore stuff here and there in order for it to work.

In the Cell saga, Krillin says Taiyoken was not a difficult technique to learn. Both Gohan (who could potentially have taught Trunks) and Trunks himself have already witnessed the use of this technique, so I don't see it as a big deal.

[theherodjl]

It really is a dumb and equally unnecessary piece of backstory. Like a lot of things in DBM, they did it for cheap shock value to make Vegetto seem more tragic for whatever reason. I mean, Toriyama would probably make a gag out of Bulma and Chi-Chi having to feed a Saiyan with double the appetite and nothing more, but to exaggerate that into a horrific insatiable hunger is a typical edgy fanfic move -- I always find concepts like that very disturbing. Funnily enough, it's the exact same premise as a dumb Silver Age Jimmy Olsen comic story in which Superman had to constantly eat or he'd starve to death.

The idea that a dragon can resurrect a whole planet's population but can't unfuse one guy is also pretty contrived.

Not to go into too much a side-rant about DBM and even though I prefer the concept of Vegetto staying fused without a time limit, DBM's attempt at examining Vegetto is awful. Besides having more than the sum of Goku & Vegeta's powers, DBM Vegetto also inherited more than the sum of the worst parts of both fusee's personalities. He's just an unlikeable, selfish, abusive, and immature douchebag with very few redeeming qualities. While Vegetto may not be a perfect person in official DB, the fanfic version is just a cynical degradation of the character.
Salagir's attempts at adding psychology to DB is really hit-and-miss for me.

[Grimlock]

Both Gohan (who could potentially have taught Trunks) and Trunks himself have already witnessed the use of this technique, so I don't see it as a big deal.

Gohan only witnessed it once, though. And he was flying away from Dodoria carrying Dende in his arms. The moment definitely wasn't appropriate for anyone to learn anything, regardless if it's easy or difficult to learn.

And yeah, Trunks says Gohan was the one who taught him. He probably should have said he learned it when Cell used it, would make more sense.

[BWri]

When it comes to inconsistencies I'd say a large chunk of the anime (like 80% of it) and decent portion of the manga (like 40%).

As far as retcons go, nothing legitimately bothers me more than Dragon Ball Minus. It's one of the worst pieces of content to ever come out of the franchise, if not, THE wrost.

Super's done a lot that bothers me, Trunk's blue hair for instance, but Minus literally subtracted from the franchise instead of adding to it. Even Gine's addition doesn't really do much. It subtracted from Bardock, subtracted from Goku, and subtracted from Saiyans.

[Skar]

Super's done a lot that bothers me, Trunk's blue hair for instance, but Minus literally subtracted from the franchise instead of adding to it. Even Gine's addition doesn't really do much. It subtracted from Bardock, subtracted from Goku, and subtracted from Saiyans.

A fitting name . Minus is my least favorite retcon and probably the most unnecessary. Toriyama liked Bardock enough to incorporate him into a few manga panels but decided to make his own version of the character and introduce Goku's mother decades later. You can tell it's something he didn't care about back then since he could've easily had a special chapter like he did with Future Trunks but only showed Bardock in those two panels during the Freeza saga.

It might be a coincidence but Minus were released less than a year after Man of Steel. I wouldn't be surprised if Toriyama watched MoS and thought "I remember I based Goku's backstory on Superman. Perhaps it's time to cover it in more detail" then completely forgot Goku was sent to Earth to conquer it rather than to escape his home planet's destruction. I'm sure Toriyama overlooked this but did Bardock and Gine only tell Raditz where Goku was sent but not the reason why? He was upset that his brother didn't complete his mission like every other Saiyan baby but it turns out he never had a mission at all.

[Matches Malone]

Toriyama liked Bardock enough to incorporate him into a few manga panels but decided to make his own version of the character and introduce Goku's mother decades later.

You can tell it's something he didn't care about back then since he could've easily had a special chapter like he did with Future Trunks.

Did Bardock and Gine only tell Raditz where Goku was sent but not the reason why?

I never understood why Toriyama didn't just adapt the special, but as a bonus made it longer due to Gine's inclusion. Keep the story as is, but show what she was doing during those events. That would've added something instead of taking basically everything away.

Based on how short the Trunks special is, and how it even includes a message about it getting turned into a TV special, I wonder if the idea of the special came first, and was given to Toriyama to write a short version of it for promotional purposes.

I doubt Toriyama even thought about that plot point.

[Grimlock]

This one comes from an out-universe source. According to the image below, Dragon Ball Super starts six months after Majin Buu saga. I don't think I even need to say it brings tons of inconsistencies, do I?



More details here.

[Magnificent Ponta]

This one comes from an out-universe source. According to the image below, Dragon Ball Super starts six months after Majin Buu saga. I don't think I even need to say it brings tons of inconsistencies, do I?

This would fit for the Earthbound scenes of Chapter #1 (and the earliest episodes in the anime), when Satan bribes Goku to keep quiet about Buu - it'd place it immediately after a wish is made on the Dragon to erase people's memories of Buu, but before Yo! Son Goku and Friends Return!, which refers to Satan's hush money.

However, it would require quite a telescoping (and an unstated one, at that, though I suppose it's not impossible) of the timeframes of all the other sequences in order to avoid the inconsistencies you mention.

[precita]

I still have no idea what the Super Dragonballs are to this day and where they came from. How are there giant dragonballs the size of planets? Why have we never heard of these before? How were they created? It boggles the mind.

Another thing is, "Earth's Hell." Yes I know hell in the manga never existed in the same manner as the anime, but it's weird to think Earth as a planet has its own Hell that's completely different than if you die on any other planet? Really doesn't make much sense.

[GodVegetto91]

This one comes from an out-universe source. According to the image below, Dragon Ball Super starts six months after Majin Buu saga. I don't think I even need to say it brings tons of inconsistencies, do I?



More details here.

I thought it was common knowledge that it took place 4 years after Majin Buu was defeated?

[Matches Malone]

I thought it was common knowledge that it took place 4 years after Majin Buu was defeated?

The movie does, but the anime hasn't been clear about it.

[UpFromTheSkies]

It's not really a retcon, but I wish they would have kept future Trunks' original design, and considering how much time passed, Goten and Trunks should look older, they should be around the same size as Gohan when he fought Cell.

[Thani]

The only other retcon I can think of, is Beerus' constant moving goalpost.

Just choose where a God of Destruction is supposed to sit as far as power range goes, pick a place for Beerus to stand in, and stick with it.

But Toriyama has to make the villain be strongest. Every. Damn. Time. Urgh.

[Matches Malone]

The only other retcon I can think of, is Beerus' constant moving goalpost.

Just choose where a God of Destruction is supposed to sit as far as power range goes, pick a place for Beerus to stand in, and stick with it.

But Toriyama has to make the villain be strongest. Every. Damn. Time. Urgh.

The problem with Beerus is that Toriyama envisioned him as the strongest fighter Goku would come across, but he didn't take into account the story moving forward post BOG. If the new villains were to be weaker, then there'd be no point in introducing new transformations, but if they're to be stronger, than the only solution is to constantly make Beerus stronger than he was in BOG, to the point where it just doesn't make sense anymore.

[SupremeKai25]

Because power-creep has always been a heavy element of Dragon Ball. I mentioned earlier how it's bad world-building that Fused Zamasu the supreme god has already been surpassed literally in the following arc by a heavily-suppressed Jiren, but then DBZ also had stupid power creep which ruined world-building. Frieza was the most terrifying villain in the universe once, but then literally in the following arc he would have gotten fodderized by two technologically-modified teenagers. Then we have Perfect Cell, allegedly the most perfect being who can ever exist, who would probably lose to Dabura, a mere underling from the following arc. I suppose DBS is simply following the spirit of its predecessor

[ZombieVito]

Because power-creep has always been a heavy element of Dragon Ball. I mentioned earlier how it's bad world-building that Fused Zamasu the supreme god has already been surpassed literally in the following arc by a heavily-suppressed Jiren, but then DBZ also had stupid power creep which ruined world-building. Frieza was the most terrifying villain in the universe once, but then literally in the following arc he would have gotten fodderized by two technologically-modified teenagers. Then we have Perfect Cell, allegedly the most perfect being who can ever exist, who would probably lose to Dabura, a mere underling from the following arc. I suppose DBS is simply following the spirit of its predecessor

Ask yourself this.

Has Jiren truly surpassed Zamasu if he can't kill him? Jiren would beat Fused Zamasu around easily of course but would be completely hopeless in return against Infinite Zamasu. Jiren can't win that fight and would die at the end.