If DB was serious

[Piccolo Daimao]

I was wondering what DB would be like if it was realistic. I don't literally mean "realistic" in the strictest sense: if that was so, then the series wouldn't even exist, because you woudn't get guys flying around firing ki blasts at giant cockroaches. I mean, if it was able to break out beyond the boundaries of a Shounen manga and be able to handle things more adult. Here are some things I think may've happened.

-Gokuu and Chi-Chi's relationship and Gohan would've never happened.

-Kame-sennin may've had a backstory in that years of being alive for so long and being known worldwide as the "Muten Roushi" would've left him unable to hold down a normal life, leaving him highly frustrated. Therefore, he tries to forget about it by sexually harrassing young women, feeding his hypersexuality that had developed from a repressed lifestyle that mainly consisted of training, training and more training. After a while, Kame-sennin would've been eventually arrested and sent to rehabilitation after multiple sexual abuse/harrassment and rape charges on young women.

-Bulma, due to her naivety and hypersexuality, would've been lured into prostitution. Her neglectful parents, too absorbed in their work, never bothered to notice where she'd gone.

-Kuririn and #18's relationship and Marron would've never happened. Kuririn would commit suicide.

-Gokuu's multiple stupid decisions would actually bite him in the ass, rather than them miraculously working out in the end and him never learning from them (unlike Vegeta, whose stupid decisions 99% of the time always did bite him in the ass and he eventually learned from them by the end of the Boo arc)

-Vegeta, due to his obsessive drive for defeating Gokuu, would ultimately surpass and kill him

-Tenshinhan and Chaozu would admit to their long-term homosexual relationship

-Lunch would've been admitted to a mental health hospital for her personality disorder, where she would eventually learn to control it and be released back into society as an upstanding citizen. But then she'd sadly be shot dead by a vengeful victim of hers, whose life had gone down the drain ever since she robbed him.

-Everyone would realize how much of a fraud Mr. Satan was and then he would become the most despised person on Earth. At his lowest ebb, Satan would suffer alcoholism, a gambling addiction (subsequently running up a lot of debt) and sleep with loads of prostitutes (one of them being Bulma) in order to forget his past glory. Videl would be taken into Social Services.

What are your thoughts?

[sangofe]

If DB was realistic it'd have been damn short as most had would've been dead pretty fast.

[Michsi]

I'm no sure if what you are describing is more realistic or serious? More like grim dark? That doesn't necessarily make it more realistic.

First of all Goku might not be portrayed as happy go lucky and goofy since that was a source for humor. If you do away with that, he is actually dangerous and uncontrollable. He never grows up to be that forgiving and caring. A lot of things would change from then on out.

If DB was realistic it'd have been damn short as most had would've been dead pretty fast.

For starters, grandpa Gohan would probably not adopt a baby that was violent and turned into a monster at the full moon.

[Eire]

I'd suggest "more focusing on character development and background".

-Bulma, due to her naivety and hypersexuality, would've been lured into prostitution. Her neglectful parents, too absorbed in their work, never bothered to notice where she'd gone.

Why should she be paid?
I'd rather see her being the sponsor. Harem or constantly changing younger, exotic lovers or club card of host club with good reputation. Married to similar heir of business tycoon, quickly had children . Because of the mutual adultery couple would quickly went to edge of the divorce, but meddling of the parents would keep them from legal actions that would ruin good name of the companies. After many years of managing business together friendship born from bearing hardship together. Apart from bedtime stories they become closer and closer. Still being unfaithful they trusted each other and confided their problems with new romantic interests to each other. For the world they were ideal couple for the cover of the celebrity magazine.

In galaxy far, far away Frieza felt sick. Nobody knew the cause of constant dizziness and gastric problems. When he died he looked like his own shadow. During the funeral beautiful Saiyan maiden by accident touched King Cold's leg with his umbrella. Using the same method twice was risky, but it worked.

When Paragus reached OB-Gyn he ran into King himself. What a coincidence, his consort had just given a birth to lovely and strong girl that of course was quickly declared princess. Wouldn't it be great to tie bonds between two families with instant alliance? And grow the children together in palace? What a marvellous news!

Back in palace King Vegeta sat heavily on the bed. What a continence that some of the woman choose to leave even strong babies their babies in hospital. He could just hope that it works. Otherwise- good 'ol ricin.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

If we take your observations as potential plot points, it'd be a tragedy, and a completely different, almost unrecognizable series!

That's pretty much it.

Unless you turn the whole thing into a giant epic soap about character redemption (Which could also be less than perfect, of course), taking all the dubious plot points to their logical extreme simply derails it.

[TRL]

You have a pretty dark mind daimao. If you say this is realistic, you seem to think that nothing good can happen in life.

The bulma part had me laughing at loud though. I don't see what's wrong with bulma. As a teenager she didn't act that much different as some regular teenagers do.

[Piccolo Daimao]

You have a pretty dark mind daimao. If you say this is realistic, you seem to think that nothing good can happen in life.

The bulma part had me laughing at loud though. I don't see what's wrong with bulma. As a teenager she didn't act that much different as some regular teenagers do.

This entire thread was intended as a morbidly humorous joke. And Bulma is the most exaggered stereotype of a teenage girl ever.

[TRL]

Then you sure got me.

Heh I don't know about Bulma, all I can say is I've met some pretty promiscuous one's too. Well especially the young college girls at that. So technically not highschoolers anymore but still they could compare to Bulma pretty well, except for the boob flashing.

[Master Blaster]

-Chi-Chi would've eventually divorced Gokuu and refused him access to Gohan.

I think Goku and Chi-Chi would've never married. Seriously, was Goku the only boy she ever met in her life? She probably spent quite some effort finding someone she know nothing about and guilting him into keeping a promise he made when he was a kid.

[Fox666]

Well, that's the problem with arranged marriage...

[Michsi]

But this wasn't really an arranged marriage, because there wasn't someone else that made the decision for them. Yeah, they would probably not have even gotten married because I can't imagine an 18 year old girl looking for a guy she met 6 years ago because of a promise when she was 12. The whole patting on the crotch thing should seem a little weirder for her older self and set off a few warning bells

[Eire]

"The childhood marriage promise" trope is popular in manga and anime and nearly always ends making at least one character seeming retarded.
If I had to marry all boys I've promised to marry when I was a child I'd have to move... which country allows having more than 10 husbands?

[UnbiasedDBZfan]

It would be rated Seinen instead. I'll explain in my next post

[Beji]

I find 2 posts above sorta *Eire* and one above why wouldnt you explain in the post together in one? Why make a seperate post to explain it?

More towards the topic. If DB was serious super evil things would actually be evil and Buu entering the hyperbolic time chamber would result in Trunks and Goten dying extremely quickly. I found that part so strange to me and I didn't like that he go yelled at and stood there even if he was waiting for a challenge.... If it was serious these "evil" characters would probably do much more damage which is why I appreciated freeza so much.

[UnbiasedDBZfan]

Seinen isn't necessarily about violence and sexual innuendo. It's more about serious issues like business/finance, global warming and political and ethical shit. The boring stuff basically. The stuff 20-40 year old Japanese guys reads because they're boring like that. In other words DB would be boring if it was about shit like that.

[Michsi]

Seinen isn't necessarily about violence and sexual innuendo. It's more about serious issues like business/finance, global warming and political and ethical shit. The boring stuff basically.

Berserk, Vinland Saga and xxxholic are just a few examples of seinen manga and they couldn't be further from that kind of definition of the genre. I'm pretty sure even Death Note is closer to being a seinen, despite having been published in Shonen Jump.

[Gozar]

-Kuririn and #18's relationship and subsequent daughter would've never happened. Kuririn would commit suicide.

I...just...wow.

[Eire]

IMHO all demographic divisions now are just a matter of magazine that published manga or label given by TV producer. Shouen tends to appeal to girls as well, shoujo lost girlishly attitude typical for earlier works, both sexes are enthusiast about stories published in "seinen papers". Berserk and Vinland Saga actually proved that there's a way to mix great action with developed characters and thoughtful background. So, yes, DB emphasizing characters and fights as well would be possible.

Back to the topic I would make Dragon Balls usage more restricted. That would turn up the atmosphere and force characters to think instead of having instant healer on board. Also the last arc of DB GT would make a great story, if they would have focus on the overuse of magical powers.

[Michsi]

Concerning the dragon balls, and I'm surprised I didn't mention this sooner since it was even mildly touched upon in the story, magical artifacts that can grant almost any wish is often used in stories as tools for bringing out the worst in people, selfishness, greed, vanity.... it would probably focus a lot more on how the prospect of having your greatest wish granted would distort the characters principals, destroy friendships, cause betrayals etc.
Even setting those aside, even the fact that they use them to bring people back to life so often can be viewed as a misuse of their power, that they no longer concern themselves so much with the consequences of their actions and bad decision making because they know they have the dragon balls to make things better. Until they somehow lose these privileges and one day are forced to face the aftermath - that might have been interesting to watch.

[kemuri07]

What are your thoughts?

grimdark=/more serious (which is what I'm assuming you're getting at)

The whole "space-aliens flying around and shooting laser beams at each other" aspect of DB kinda undercuts any attempt at seriousness.

Also, all those things you listed would make for a terrible anime.

HAVING SAID THAT:

Concerning the dragon balls, and I'm surprised I didn't mention this sooner since it was even mildly touched upon in the story, magical artifacts that can grant almost any wish is often used in stories as tools for bringing out the worst in people, selfishness, greed, vanity.... it would probably focus a lot more on how the prospect of having your greatest wish granted would distort the characters principals, destroy friendships, cause betrayals etc.

This sounds like a great idea. Turning Dragon Ball into an atmospheric, psychological drama would be pretty interesting.