How could Goten have been written better?

[Zebra]

The implication is clearly that he trains very little, if at all. He no longer has any real passion for fighting.

[Koitsukai]

The EoZ bears no other interpretation than Goten wanting nothing to do with training anymore. “My dad is forcing me to do this, it's his idea” is supplementary to the fact that Goten is seen gasping for air like he just gave birth. He spends half the scene on the ground because of how out of shape he is.

It’s a kids' show and its wrapping up, there are no ulterior subtexts, it's a simple scene not intented to be overanalyzed like it's some deep situation for the character. It’s straightforward: a guy is forced to train, a guy is out of breath after training, and the guy is said to be slacking off. So what does that point to: the guy actually loving to fight, or the guy simply not caring about it anymore?

GT picks up after this and has him completely out of that life. Wonder why...

[Zephyr]

Also, when Trunks shows up he says "Goten, I hear you've been training." That makes it sound like Goten training isn't the norm.

[super michael]

It is looking like Goten did stop training in EOZ, he doesn't have interest in training.

[dragonballhero]

You know, I've been wondering... with how Goten seems a tad more 'jazzed' about fighting during this period of DBS that we find ourselves in, is it possible that maybe Goten gets involved in the fight with Black Frieza (alongside the rest of the Dragon Team) and the whole experience becomes so intense for him that it shakes him up enough to the point of mostly killing any future interest he would have otherwise felt for the hobby?

I mean, he seems pretty keen on playing superhero as Saiyaman X-2 and (most presciently) was FAR more willing to spar with Trunks and the other Saiyans on Beerus' planet.

Next thing we know? By the end of the 10-year timeskip, he's making any and all attempts to get out of training with his dad and niece to the point where they sometimes have to go out of their way to drag him along.

All in all, I'd like to think that this ties into what I mentioned awhile back about Goten coming to feel like there's more to life than just being a 'battle-junkie'. You know, if what I just talked about truly ended up coming to pass, that is.

[super michael]

DBS Super Hero to EOZ that is a 1 year time skip, it is hard to believe Goten and Trunks are into super hero and then all of a sudden become slackers.

[Koitsukai]

Right, one might dislike the road paved for the boys but at least it was consistent with their adult versions (GT included), but then comes along SH and throws all of that out the window.

[dragonballhero]

Right, one might dislike the road paved for the boys but at least it was consistent with their adult versions (GT included), but then comes along SH and throws all of that out the window.

Not going to lie, that's sort of what I was alluding to in one of my earlier posts.

All in all? I'd LOVE to see Goten and Trunks do more, but... it feels almost too little, too late to have them be THIS into battle given what we see the boys (ESPECIALLY Goten) portrayed as by the end of the decade-long timeskip after Buu.

Heck, if I'm being honest? There's a part of me that legit wonders if the boys are even really going to be involved in the Black Frieza stuff or if they'll just leave that to the heavy-hitters (as per usual).

It's part of why I felt like DB could maybe lean a bit more into Goten's social life, post-Buu. It doesn't need to be a HUGE focus of his character, but it'd be neat to see Goten outside of Trunks' life and his own family. Even GT had Pan imply that, while Goten can pick up dates easily, it's having the relationship be LONG-TERM that's the problem.

[JulieYBM]

I think the big issue is that Goten and Trunks are framed as not being able to be part of the plot with cool character arcs because they aren't obsessed with fighting and training like their dads.

[super michael]

The humans are not into training like Goku and Vegeta, yet they are always welcomed to join any battle and events. Even Majin Buu who was unreliable was always welcomed to join any battle and event and he doesn't train at all.

The humans after the Namek Saga only does weak training, they don't train with partner stronger or equal to themselves and they don't use effective places like the ROSAT and gravity chamber an example.