rereboy wrote:Zephyr wrote:
In fact, I've recently warmed up to Tanooki Kuribo's idea that GT was all just a bad dream. Makes sense to me, as it certainly provides a logical explanation for the Super 17 saga.
And it would explain why Goku was the only one who got to do anything. It would be
his dream after all. I like that idea very much.
Well...Pokemon did have that whole Ash was in a coma theory. So Goku could have dreamed GT.
Although Mr. Toriyama called it a side story, it's not the first time an anime has continued the story set in the manga (or vice versa with prequel manga to an anime series). I think that while officially authors, creators, etc. have say on what is and is not canon, the fandom has as much say if they want to accept something as canon. American fans tend to do this (i.e. Star Trek and Star Wars). Again, Gene Roddenberry officially went on the record to say Star Trek: TAS was not canon. But some elements that were introduced in that show were introduced to later works by the people involved outside of the creator. In addition, the fandom accepts certain aspects of the novels, animated series, or what have you as "canon", despite assertions to the contrary.
While canon may not be the appropriate term for DBGT in relation to the manga, one could look at it as a "second continuity" or "apocrypha", where the DBGT anime can be accepted as a continuation of the manga. Conflicting or contradicting plot points can then be disregarded to fit in with the original work. This way the fandom can also include the specials and movies as part of the manga canon. Although, since the anime in itself incorporates the manga as well as the addition of "filler", I (personally) think it is just easier to look at the anime as the manga adapted to another medium with the filler acting as part of the secondary continuity.
The fan can now incorporate what he/she considers canon into one medium, without having to read the entire DB manga series, then having to work the movies, specials, or DBGT around the manga itself. I think that is why many use the DBGT is anime canon instead of manga canon reasoning, when debating the issue. Although there may be some fans who do choose to do the latter (which I have no problem with). Since GT is only offered in anime form only, one may actually choose to read the manga prior to moving on to GT. While not the best example, I see it like a fan of the GTO anime who may not be big on manga, going back and reading the GTO: The Early Years manga since that is the only format available.
Another comparison (while again maybe not the best example), is Robotech. Robotech is acutally three separate shows in Japan. However, most American fans know it as one long running continuing anime series. Macross in reality can only have canon to Macross II, Plus, or what have you, since Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeda are total unconnected works. But the general American audience (through people outside of the creator), see it as Macross, The Masters, and New Generation. Going one step further, even Robotech has issues with canon. As some of you may know, there were plans to continue the Macross arc with The Sentinels anime. But due to finacial reasons, only three episodes were made. Jack McKinney however made a series of novels based on the Sentinels story.
For a time the novels were accepted offically as canon, only later to be relegated to secondary continuity status. However, there are those in the fandom who still consider these novels as canon because they contniue the story set forth in the anime version. Also in order to understand some of the back story in the Shadow Chronicles Movie, it helps to be familair with the story in the novels. Now while there are official guidlines on what is canon, as a fan I still feel the whole experience can only be reached by accepting the novels along with the anime as canon.
Some fans can enjoy just the manga and disregard GT. There may be those who read the manga and follow it with GT. Others can enjoy the anime series as a whole (with or without GT) and never read the manga. Many drop in the specials and movies into the mix as needed when watching the series. Mr. Toriyama can enjoy DBGT as a side story. All in all as a fan, even though that is how he views it as a creator, doesn't dictate how I choose to enjoy or accept the material. To me, it would be the equivalent of disregarding the Watchmen movie because Alan Moore hated it. Sometimes the offical word can be overthrown in the mindset of the fan.
