I feel like the slow pacing for DBZ in the anime and filler works to its advantage

[DBZAOTA482]

You could easily cut out 16, 17, and 18.

You would have to drastically alter Cell's character in order to make cutting them out work.

[JulieYBM]

You could easily cut out 16, 17, and 18.

You would have to drastically alter Cell's character in order to make cutting them out work.

Not really? He's a monster-esque artificial human created by Doctor Gero, he sucks people and he grows stronger from sucking people. Voila, he either transforms or he doesn't.

[ABED]

I suppose you don't "need" them in the strictest sense, but they're interesting enough to keep around in the narrative. They're certainly more interesting than 19 and 20.

[JulieYBM]

I wouldn't ditch the punk trio myself, I'd just write them into the story with more of an aim, I suppose? I feel like they aimlessly float through the story too much.

Honestly, I'd probably just start the arc after the three year time skip with #17 and #18 killing Gero after he has run from Piccolo and the others. Have that as a hell of a cold opening and then cut back to the highlights of the battle with Gohan remembering that morning. Of course, this means Gohan has to be present when #17 and friends are awoken. Just have Blooma take Gokuu home instead. This way the arc can make Gohan a more focal character and actually build up to it ending with him saving the Earth.

[MasenkoHA]

What the hell would Sharpner and Erasa add to the group? Those are two of the most random characters to add to the team

Especially when their entire personalities are defined as “guy whose kinda a dick to Gohan” and “girl who kinda has a thing for Gohan”

[MyVisionity]

Maybe Erasa gets an internship with Capsule Corp and Bulma takes her under her wing. Sharpner could have become one of Satan's assistants and his trusted right-hand. Plus we know Sharpner had an interest in fighting due to his involvement with the boxing club, so that's a thing.

The point is they have relationships with Gohan and Videl, and so that's an entry point into their world. The characters can be developed more over time. It's that potential that's important.

[ABED]

I can not stress this enough, it's not that kind of show. It's a show about martial artists and even Bulma was less prominent as the series went. Erasa and Sharpner were side characters meant to fill out Gohan's new world for a little and that's it.

When the big bad has the ability to destroy the entire universe, what value do they bring?

[MyVisionity]

When the big bad has the ability to destroy the entire universe, what value do they bring?

What value does Bulma bring? Or Mister Satan? Oolong? Gyumao? Let the Senshi worry about fighting the big bads, while the others stick to what they do best. They might be supporting roles, but those still have their place and contribute to the story.

[ABED]

When the big bad has the ability to destroy the entire universe, what value do they bring?

What value does Bulma bring? Or Mister Satan? Oolong? Gyumao? Let the Senshi worry about fighting the big bads, while the others stick to what they do best. They might be supporting roles, but those still have their place and contribute to the story.

She's a tech wiz. They got to Namek because of her. Gyu mao doesn't add much so not a solid argument as he's not in the story much. mr. satan was popular and was able to use his celebrity to save the world.

Yes they have a place and it is fine as is. They bring nothing to the table. Now that I answered my own question, how about you answer it this time? God I hate it when people's "answer" to a question is just to ask it back. You said you wanted them to join the team so what role do they serve?

[Psajdak]

Gyumao does have a role - he's Goku's father-in-law who is background character who from time to time has some short screentime, and that is fine, he is like NPC is RPGs, overall he doesn't impact the plot, but his presence helps the world feel more alive, so to speak.

Btw, about 17, and 18...
I think most fans, especially outside of Japan really don't quite understand what exactly was THEIR THING in DBZ.

17, and 18 were >> normal humans << in abnormal situation enemies, but who don't give a shit, basically; ever since the appearance of Piccolo, or maybe even before, antagonists were becoming weirder, and stranger, all the way up to the alien ruler of the universe, and normal humans (I mean those who aren't familiar with ki, and Goku's group, etc...) in readers' / viewers' were made to seem like they would go crazy if they found out that there are people with incredible powers on planetary level, and so on...

17, and 18, while initially made to replace 19, and 20/Gero, were written to sort of subvert those expectations - instead of making a big deal out of all things going on, they simply behaved, well normally, taking things in stride, kinda giving an impression that whatever is happening around Goku, no matter how weird or crazy, there are still normal, unrelated people who will simply won't overreact, like, whatever, it's life, nothing is impossible, weird things happen, move on.
Which is also rather realistic, because even IRL, even if, dunno, aliens appeared, most of us probably wouldn't be THAT much surprised by their existence, or something like that.

In DBS that "normalness" is also reflected in the fact that both of them wear pretty plain clothes, and the way 17 wasn't surprised when he saw SSB, or how he approaches battles in quite a no-nonsense way.

[MasenkoHA]

What value does Bulma bring? Or Mister Satan? Oolong? Gyumao? Let the Senshi worry about fighting the big bads, while the others stick to what they do best. They might be supporting roles, but those still have their place and contribute to the story.

Bulma was the techie which became important in the Android arc. Mister Satan is comic relief and his friendship with Boo played a key role in that arc. He’s also Gohan’s father-in-law Oolong is a remnant of when the series was a Journey to the West parody. There’s a reason he does nothing. Gyumao is Goku’s father-in-law so he has a reason to exist, he also was a holdover from when the series was based on Journey to the West


Sharpener and Erasa are just Gohan’s schoolmates. They have no reason to exist beyond that.

[precita]

The thing is Toriyama usually takes characters meant for comic relief or non-fighters and makes them great, as seen with Bulma, Yajirobe and Mr. Satan and their contributions to the story at various points

Anyone introduced who isn't a fighter or isn't particularly strong can still be useful for the story. Krillin was always severely outmatched in the Saiyan/Freeza/Cell sagas yet Toriyama managed to keep him relevant all the way until the Boo arc started.

[ABED]

The thing is Toriyama usually takes characters meant for comic relief or non-fighters and makes them great, as seen with Bulma, Yajirobe and Mr. Satan and their contributions to the story at various points

Anyone introduced who isn't a fighter or isn't particularly strong can still be useful for the story. Krillin was always severely outmatched in the Saiyan/Freeza/Cell sagas yet Toriyama managed to keep him relevant all the way until the Boo arc started.

what do they add to the story? How do they organically fit other than as students at Gotham’s high school?

[MyVisionity]

The problem is we don't get a chance to see what would have become of Sharpner and Erasa, because Toriyama switched gears. Had the story continued following Gohan's exploits then we could have seen their potential be realized.

As friends of Gohan and Videl, Sharpner and Erasa potentially become part of a new supporting cast. Besides general high school adventures, they can be involved in some of the higher stakes stories as well. Being civilians, they can serve as the Dragon Team's ears to the ground. They can assist with any detective work that becomes necessary during times of crisis. Or help out at Capsule Corp/assist Mr. Satan etc.

Or maybe Sharpner/Erasa go from ordinary to extraordinary. An accident leads to life-saving measures that involve bionics or exoskeletons or something. One of their parents turns out to be an alien. The possibilities are endless.

[ABED]

The problem is we don't get a chance to see what would have become of Sharpner and Erasa, because Toriyama switched gears. Had the story continued following Gohan's exploits then we could have seen their potential be realized.

As friends of Gohan and Videl, Sharpner and Erasa potentially become part of a new supporting cast. Besides general high school adventures, they can be involved in some of the higher stakes stories as well. Being civilians, they can serve as the Dragon Team's ears to the ground. They can assist with any detective work that becomes necessary during times of crisis. Or help out at Capsule Corp/assist Mr. Satan etc.

Or maybe Sharpner/Erasa go from ordinary to extraordinary. An accident leads to life-saving measures that involve bionics or exoskeletons or something. One of their parents turns out to be an alien. The possibilities are endless.

what you’re talking about is a spin-off

[LoganForkHands73]

I didn't really find Sharpner or Erasa very interesting when they were getting screentime. They're just shallow jock and bimbo stereotypes. Sure, they could've played a larger role but I'm not losing any sleep that they didn't, personally.

[DBZAOTA482]

Sharpener and Erasa becoming recurring characters could've given Videl some depth given they were her friends before she met Gohan. Videl now is a mere shell of her former self.

[JulieYBM]

I didn't really find Sharpner or Erasa very interesting when they were getting screentime. They're just shallow jock and bimbo stereotypes. Sure, they could've played a larger role but I'm not losing any sleep that they didn't, personally.

Did somebody say bimbo?! And jock?!

*Sweats nervously in bisexual*

Anyway, it's not like a story couldn't just be made up for those characters. There's no reason why we couldn't learn that Erasa's dad was a space mafia don who was hiding her on Earth to keep her from being used against him by his rivals and she waz actually really strong. Furthermore, Sharpner could be a bodyguard for Erasa or maybe a super genius inventer of weapons?

[ABED]

Videl is a shell of her former self? The only time she was a big deal was when the stakes were ground level

[LoganForkHands73]

I didn't really find Sharpner or Erasa very interesting when they were getting screentime. They're just shallow jock and bimbo stereotypes. Sure, they could've played a larger role but I'm not losing any sleep that they didn't, personally.

Did somebody say bimbo?! And jock?!

*Sweats nervously in bisexual*

Anyway, it's not like a story couldn't just be made up for those characters. There's no reason why we couldn't learn that Erasa's dad was a space mafia don who was hiding her on Earth to keep her from being used against him by his rivals and she waz actually really strong. Furthermore, Sharpner could be a bodyguard for Erasa or maybe a super genius inventer of weapons?

Dag-gone it, you've got me into it now.

That would certainly, in the words of a Portugal.The Man song, be out-of-left-field, lol. They could be like classic British extradimensional detectives Sapphire and Steel, investigating supernatural phenomena and having trippy, incomprehensible adventures with nonexistent special effects. Maybe they were really behind Majin Buu... *puts tinfoil hat on*.