Fore-shadowing

[Deus ex Machina]

When I watched through the entire Boo arc of the Z series, I had the impression that in these last chapters that Toriyama was just basically pulling ideas out of his...you get the idea. However, after re-watching things a bit from the begining, I'm starting to believe Toriyama had everything (Or atleast some) planned from the start. Here's what I mean:

Goten Vs. Trunks:
One of the more interesting battles of the Tenkaichi tournament, but didn't this battle seem to set up the showdown between their own fathers in the Babidi Saga? Even the conclusion, where Trunks defeats Goten by breaking their agreement, very similiar to how Vegeta tricks Goku.

Mighty Mask:
To enter the adult division, Goten and Trunks had to pretend to be one person, and fight together. To me, this seems like a huge fore-shadowing of the Fusion technique that they would be learning real soon.

Well, that's all I can think of right now, but I remember their was a few more. But since I'm on the topic anyways, I think right from the begining of the Cell arc that Toriyama had planned on making Gohan the one to defeat him, since he was going for a different twist on the Piccolo Daimao story.

[Dayspring]

I think you're looking for stuff that isn't there. Nice try though. The stoners are gonna love the mighty mask one.

[Xyex]

It's possible. Though, as for Gohan beating Cell, I don't think Toriyama-sama had that planned until either during or right after the RoSaT training.

[Neon Z]

Well, that's all I can think of right now, but I remember their was a few more. But since I'm on the topic anyways, I think right from the begining of the Cell arc that Toriyama had planned on making Gohan the one to defeat him, since he was going for a different twist on the Piccolo Daimao story.

The part about Buu Saga is possible. I've heard that Toryama only began to make non planned parts during the Gohan Vs Super Buu fight. Toryama wanted Gohan to be the hero, killing Buu, but his editors didn't like that, so, Toryama changed things around to make Goku the hero.

But Cell Saga... no. That was just a mess thrown together. In the begining, Cell wasn't even planned. The main villains were supposed to be #20 and #19... BUT his editors didn't like them, so he made #16, #17 and #18. BUT.... his editors also didn't like those... so, he made Cell. BUT... his editors didn't like Cell's design, so, he made the absorb androids to become perfect plot device, which would change Cell's appearance.

The part about Buu Saga isn't confirmed, but I've actually read Toryama mentioning the changes of Cell Saga in an interview.

[omae no kaasan]

Mighty Mask:
To enter the adult division, Goten and Trunks had to pretend to be one person, and fight together. To me, this seems like a huge fore-shadowing of the Fusion technique that they would be learning real soon.

I wonder if Toriyama knew what was going to happen from week to week. Sometimes it's obvious he didn't.

[Xyex]

When I watched through the entire Boo arc of the Z series, I had the impression that in these last chapters that Toriyama was just basically pulling ideas out of his...you get the idea. However, after re-watching things a bit from the begining, I'm starting to believe Toriyama had everything (Or atleast some) planned from the start. Here's what I mean:

Goten Vs. Trunks:
One of the more interesting battles of the Tenkaichi tournament, but didn't this battle seem to set up the showdown between their own fathers in the Babidi Saga? Even the conclusion, where Trunks defeats Goten by breaking their agreement, very similiar to how Vegeta tricks Goku.

There's also a sequence I just saw again in an AMV. Obviously in the Anime here. During the Goten / Trunks fight the two smack each other across the face at the same time, during the Goku / M. Vegeta fight the two of them do the same thing. (Which lead to a cool effect with the overlay in the video.) So, that's one other thing that just stands out to me.

Mighty Mask:
To enter the adult division, Goten and Trunks had to pretend to be one person, and fight together. To me, this seems like a huge fore-shadowing of the Fusion technique that they would be learning real soon.

This could have been foreshadowing. Or it could have made him think of Fusion in the first place. It's possible, when coming up with what he wanted to do next, the Mighty Mask thing came to mind somehow, maybe someone mentioned it was funny to see Goten and Trunks pretending to be one person. That could have made him think 'Hmm, HEY! I'll MAKE them into one person!'

[Dayspring]

Actually someone else told him about the Fusion concept when he couldn't think up how to dramatically increase a person's strength anymore.

[Sun_Wukong]

I'm still convinced that Toriyama was just randomly throwing things into the Buu saga. Think of it, Goku never mentioned SSJ3, even in thought, untill he fought Fat Buu. Throughout the entire Android/Cell Saga, Goku and Vejiita were convinced there was a way to surpass SSJ. It was obviously forshadowing Gohan's SSJ2 tranformation. Little things like that have convinced me Toriyama had truly given up by the Buu saga, and why it was so terrible.

[Dayspring]

It makes sense. "The Level beyond/that transcends SSJ", "The Second Level Beyond/That Transcends SSJ". Then out of nowhere there's "2"?

Note that SSJ2 wasn't named that until Goku's SSJ3 bitty. Even Vegeta called SSJ2 "The Level Beyond/yadda" in the Boo saga when he saw Goku do it.

Plus Toriyama said he goes day by day so as to not get stuck in a rut leading up to something he wants to write/draw about. (That always happens to me. )

[Caracal]

Mighty Mask did make me think of Gotenks when I saw him in the re-runs, but I never thought of it as possible fore-shadowing.

And personaly I wish Akira kept his plan to make Gohan the hero of the Buu saga rather than Goku.