Shueisha's 'Dragon Ball' Room, New Department Focused on Dragon Ball

[ekrolo2]

I'd like to use Star Wars as a good example of how you can invent a whole slew of new protagonists and make them all interesting heroes of their own stories, I'd argue most if not all of them are vastly superior to Luke who's a boring tool to resolve the story of his far more interesting dad. He simply doesn't compare to guys like Revan, the Exile, Bane, Plaguies, Namir, Zayne, Cade,...

I don't agree at all. I immediately invested in Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, Vader, etc. in a way I haven't with any subsequent set of characters. Luke isn't simply a tool to resolve Vader's story. He has an interesting journey all his own. I have ZERO idea who any of those other characters you named are.

Besides Vader, I don't care about anyone from the OT era at all
One of the reasons I hesitated reading the excellent Thrawn trilogy was because they were the main leads.

[Doctor.]

I can't speak for Naruto as I've never seen it, but that's insanely stupid to change the main character from the titular character. And if the series gave us someone exactly like Goku, why not just keep Goku? The one thing I'm fixated on is the idea that it's terrible to switch leads. I've never seen it either pan out or be as good. Terry McGinnis is okay, but the best parts of Batman Beyond is still far and away Bruce Wayne. He is and will always be the one true Batman.

I wouldn't say it's stupid. It's working out fine, the movie did great in sales and now they're going to do a new series. People also think it's much better than the last couple of arcs of the manga (not that it's exactly hard to do). If it comes to a time where Goku is no longer selling, they're gonna switch him out, that's all my point was.

[ABED]

I'd like to use Star Wars as a good example of how you can invent a whole slew of new protagonists and make them all interesting heroes of their own stories, I'd argue most if not all of them are vastly superior to Luke who's a boring tool to resolve the story of his far more interesting dad. He simply doesn't compare to guys like Revan, the Exile, Bane, Plaguies, Namir, Zayne, Cade,...

I don't agree at all. I immediately invested in Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, Vader, etc. in a way I haven't with any subsequent set of characters. Luke isn't simply a tool to resolve Vader's story. He has an interesting journey all his own. I have ZERO idea who any of those other characters you named are.

Besides Vader, I don't care about anyone from the OT era at all
One of the reasons I hesitated reading the excellent Thrawn trilogy was because they were the main leads.

Well clearly millions of people over 40 years did, and not one of those characters you mentioned hold a candle to how cool Han is, NOT ONE, I can guaren-damn-tee it.

If it comes to a time where Goku is no longer selling, they're gonna switch him out, that's all my point was.

The New 52 did well at first.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

I already gave an example of a series that is switching up its main character after 15 years when the entire series is named after the previous protagonist, Naruto.

A failure of a concept, I should add. Creatively, if not financially.

[ekrolo2]

[quote="ABED"]Well clearly millions of people over 40 years did, and not one of those characters you mentioned hold a candle to how cool Han is, NOT ONE, I can guaren-damn-tee it.
I'd like for you to read their stories before coming to that conclusion. People from over 40 years can say that if they want, I don't agree with it as Star Wars has evolved into bigger and better things from the mediocre movies (and yes, ALL of them fall in that category). The best Star Wars movie does NOT compare to the best video games, comics or novels as far as I'm concerned.

[Doctor.]

I already gave an example of a series that is switching up its main character after 15 years when the entire series is named after the previous protagonist, Naruto.

A failure of a concept, I should add. Creatively, if not financially.

It's a failure because it's bad, but it's not a failure financially, it's doing fine. Also, I much prefer Boruto to the last couple of arcs of the Naruto manga, and so do a lot of people. This is the best Naruto has been since the Pain arc, even if it's still shit.

[ABED]

Well clearly millions of people over 40 years did, and not one of those characters you mentioned hold a candle to how cool Han is, NOT ONE, I can guaren-damn-tee it.
I'd like for you to read their stories before coming to that conclusion. People from over 40 years can say that if they want, I don't agree with it as Star Wars has evolved into bigger and better things from the mediocre movies (and yes, ALL of them fall in that category). The best Star Wars movie does NOT compare to the best video games, comics or novels as far as I'm concerned.

I've read Heir to the Empire, that's it. I like video games, but it's hard to compare those sorts of stories to other mediums, since much of the enjoyment comes from the gameplay itself. I've played a number of the games, such as Shadows of the Empire and it was fun but doesn't hold a candle to the original trilogy. I don't care about the main character.

[ChronoTwigger]

Main characters couldn't change?
Oh well, someone tell this to Tomino and Gundam staff, Go Nagai and Hirohiko Araki. To great master Tezuka. Oh, and the guys of Gurrenn Lagann too.
As long as the result is good and explanations are plausible, you can do whatever.
It's something that instead happen quite often, and people enjoy to see the same tropes in a new context.

[Luso Saiyan]

The best Star Wars movie does NOT compare to the best video games, comics or novels as far as I'm concerned.

As far as I'm concerned, apples are not comparable to oranges (specially licensed, fan made ones).

[ABED]

Main characters couldn't change?
Oh well, someone tell this to Tomino and Gundam staff, Go Nagai and Hirohiko Araki. To great master Tezuka. Oh, and the guys of Gurrenn Lagann too.
As long as the result is good and explanations are plausible, you can do whatever.
It's something that instead happen quite often, and people enjoy to see the same tropes in a new context.

Isn't Gundam a brand new set of characters every series? THat's not what I'm talking about. I'm saying after at the very least 3 or 4 seasons of the same main character, switching is problematic. If the structure of the show is new characters every season, that's inherently different.

[ekrolo2]

The best Star Wars movie does NOT compare to the best video games, comics or novels as far as I'm concerned.

As far as I'm concerned, apples are not comparable to oranges (specially licensed, fan made ones).

Funny, because that "fan made" stuff is where Star Wars actually shines in the storytelling department, having actual characters instead of the boring, one-dimensional archetypes of the movies. The fact the movies, especially the new ones, don't even try to break away from any of this only cements my stance on this matter.

[ABED]

Han, Luke, Leia, Vader, and even Lando aren't one dimensional. If you don't enjoy the movies, why watch them?

Fan made stuff on average is not better than the official stuff.

Anyway, while it seems like having a whole department focused on Dragon Ball is a good thing, I don't know if it will end up being a good thing overall. Stories tend to work best when they have a singular vision, and know to leave on a high note.

[sintzu]

They did with Gohan and it didn't work, and I've yet to see a show that changes or loses the main character(s) and was the better for it.

In Shippuden Sasuke went on his own adventure, formed his own team & fought his own villains and Naruto had nothing it do with it and it was one of the best parts of the story so it can be done.

Naruto is now focusing on Naruto's son Boruto after, what, 15 years of running? And the series is literally called Naruto.

Kishimoto does a lot of things Toriyama, Oda and others wouldn't even think about that would make their stories a lot better than they are.

First off, Boruto is doing horrible from a narrative standpoint.

No one who wasn't familiar with Naruto beforehand is reading it, there's nothing interesting about the new story at all.

Secondly, Boruto is just a Naruto clone to begin with, not much more needs to be said about that.

It hasn't even started yet and based on what the author said, we're in for a big story.

Why would they ? if someone isn't interested in the franchise then why would they read the 3rd part that's heavily connected to 700 chapters of content ?

Boruto doesn't want to be Hokage and looks for an easy way out of things which is nothing like Naruto.

[ABED]

They did with Gohan and it didn't work, and I've yet to see a show that changes or loses the main character(s) and was the better for it.

In Shippuden Sasuke went on his own adventure, formed his own team & fought his own villains and Naruto had nothing it do with it and it was one of the best parts of the story so it can be done.

I'm talking the overall series. Sure, new characters can be interesting, but I've honestly never seen a show that was better for having switched leads. I don't watch much anime, but I do watch a lot of (US) TV.

[JulieYBM]

Rather than asking talent to put forth their ideas it seems like we have marketing producers coming together to come up with product ideas that they can then have drone artists turn into fully realized product. That sucks. The focus should be on the artist with ideas, not the artist doing whatever they're told.

[sintzu]

I'm talking the overall series.

I don't want him completely removed from the story but I'd like for him to step aside for other characters like what Kishimoto did in Naruto.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

First off, Boruto is doing horrible from a narrative standpoint.

No one who wasn't familiar with Naruto beforehand is reading it, there's nothing interesting about the new story at all.

Secondly, Boruto is just a Naruto clone to begin with, not much more needs to be said about that.

It hasn't even started yet and based on what the author said, we're in for a big story.

There's a movie, and a monthly manga as well.

[sintzu]

There's a movie, and a monthly manga as well.

The movie was amazing and the manga is just adapting that so currently we just have one story so it's unfair to call it a failure when it hasn't even gotten off the ground.

If the 1st are or 2 are a complete mess then we'll be able to say for sure but as of now there's no reason to say that.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

The movie was amazing and the manga is just adapting that so currently we just have one story so it's unfair to call it a failure when it hasn't even gotten off the ground.

I don't think the movie was all that good. It had a few neat new characters, but the rest was rehash, rehash, rehash.

[Doctor.]

The movie was amazing and the manga is just adapting that so currently we just have one story so it's unfair to call it a failure when it hasn't even gotten off the ground.

I don't think the movie was all that good. It had a few neat new characters, but the rest was rehash, rehash, rehash.

I think it was terrible but I much prefer it to anything we've gotten post Pain.