What's with all the focus on Vegeta?

[WittyUsername]

It's pretty obvious that ever since the Buu saga, Vegeta has been the second most prominent character in the franchise after Goku. The recent movies, as well as Super have probably been the most blatant examples of this. In some ways, he's even starting to overshadow Goku.

I know that Vegeta is an extremely popular character, but I don't quite understand why he's been getting so much of the spotlight recently over someone like Gohan.

[precita]

Because TOEI can't get over Goku or Vegeta.

As for the Buu arc I think there was a pretty even 5 way split between Goku, Gohan, Vegeta and Goten/Trunks. I wouldn't say it focused any more on Vegeta than the others.

[WittyUsername]

Well, Goku and Vegeta were the only ones left to take on Kid Buu. I guess there was also Mr. Satan, but I don't think anyone would really consider him to be as prominent of a character as Goku and Vegeta.

[Chuquita]

A reason other than his popularity?

I'd have to say Vegeta's innate ability to move the plot along. Some (but not all because it would require a new thread) examples in Z:
-it's Vegeta's (partial; as he's only an accessory to Nappa's murders) fault a bunch of characters got killed in the saiyan arc
-it's Vegeta's accidental fault that Freeza learned of the dragon balls
-it's Vegeta who fathered Trunks who went back in time to save Gokû from heart disease (though I guess if not Trunks maybe Gohan would've been sent back instead had he not died in that timeline; or maybe Bulma herself would've gone back?)
-it's Vegeta's shared fault for not stopping Gero ahead of time
-it's Vegeta's fault for allowing Cell to absorb 18 and become perfect
-it's Vegeta's fault for giving in to Babidi and then killing all those people in the stands at the tournament and then shared fault with helping unseal Buu
-it's Vegeta's fault for crushing the potara earring after they de-fused where they could've just re-fused once they escaped and killed Buu there

Vegeta makes bad life choices (or on occasion, good life choices--at least Trunks is; Vegeta indirectly saved Gokû by having a one-night-stand with Bulma) that end up moving the plot forward or creating suspense; it's just unlike Gokû's bad life choices, Vegeta's also cursed with having to pay for his bad decisions. Gokû's bad decisions usually end up working out for him.


In Super though, Vegeta's got weirdly better luck than he does in Z, imo. The biggest plot-related choice he's made is his convincing Whis to train him led to Gokû chasing after Vegeta and showering him with attention/interest. Gokû's platonic(?)-crush on Vegeta is still one of the most fascinating and cute side-plots going on in Super imo. I've never seen Gokû treat anyone the way he treats Vegeta in Super.

His second biggest in Super would probably be him getting (hah I almost typed Tarble) Cabba to give him an invite to visit Planet Sadla so he can tourist around and compare notes; but that remains to be seen. For all I know we may not even get to visit Sadla at all.


Though now that I think about it; Vegeta's also got shared fault for the F arc for not working with Gokû (and Gokû for not working with Vegeta) to immediately destroy Freeza and instead waiting around and playing along until things went upside-down on them.


EDIT: I was looking for the 'Vegeta as a plot device character' quote. Here it is:

With Vegeta, well, I don’t like him all that much, but he was extremely helpful to have around.

Source: http://www.kanzenshuu.com/translations/ ... interview/

[Vijay]

I totally agree with 5 Precita's 5 way split when it comes to Boo Arc with every character be it Gohan, Gotenks or even Mr.Satan receiving the spotlight

Veggie as Toriyama puts, is helpful character. Why ditch a helpful character in favor of useless character like say Super's Gohan, who is Yamucha-tier in terms of relevance.

I admit Veggie's a great character. His sacrifice against Fat Boo was peak of his character. Needless to say, his popularity soared!

Coincidentally, up until Goku & his ressurection to battle Majin Boo, the whole Arc was "uninteresting". His team-up with arch-rival & chemistry they share made DBZ fun again

I'm sure these are da reasons why I feel Veggie gets all da focus

[sintzu]

I don't quite understand why he's been getting so much of the spotlight recently over someone like Gohan.

Toriyama likes writing him more then he does Gohan which might've been the case during the manga's run as well considering how much more screen time he got over him.

He's more popular.

His interactions with Goku are a lot more interesting.

He likes to train and fight so he's easier to write.

He was being built up to this point ever since he was introduced.

[Ddd]

Well, because he's popular. I personally stopped watching super already, there's literally nothing interesting about the tournament premise, and worst of all they wasted the very little potential that this tournament had(picolo and boo). vegeta fighting the rest of the team is retarded. His character arc is over, and his current motivation shows how much he has regressed as a character. The only good characterisation that vegeta has had in the new material was in bog, and even then they somehow managed to ruin that in super, but hey maybe God listened to all of his crying fanboys after fnf.

[MozillaVulpix]

Popularity, I'd say. People like the anti-hero rival archetypes. Just look at how popular characters like Sasuke Uchiha became. That, and Vegeta is very easy to write for. His character motivations are "to get stronger, to surpass Kakarot, and to begrudgingly care about his family". He can be involved in any future story without much explanation given. If Goku is going somewhere, Vegeta will want to go, too.

A character like Gohan is a lot harder to write for, because you have to keep thinking of ways of getting past the "Gohan doesn't actually want to fight" dilemma.

[Lord Beerus]

Like others have stated, Vegeta is a very popular character. Hell, the only character more popular than Vegeta in this franchise is Goku. Plus, he's arguably the most compelling character among the current cast due to how he interacts with other characters, especially Goku and Bulma.

[Hellspawn28]

I remember a few people didn't like how he didn't get the chance to kill Freeza in ROF and now he is getting a bigger role in the Champa saga. So people don't want to get a bigger focus .

[TheMikado]

In my opinion it was done to prevent there from being a huge gap in power between Goku and Vegeta. That's all.

[Hellspawn28]

Vegeta didn't have a major role until much later in GT and both Goku & Vegeta didn't show up until the last minute in ROF. Up until now, it was never a Goku & Vegeta show. At least other characters in 2008 Jump Special and ROF had their own time to shine.

[WittyUsername]

Vegeta didn't have a major role until much later in GT and both Goku & Vegeta didn't show up until the last minute in ROF. Up until now, it was never a Goku & Vegeta show. At least other characters in 2008 Jump Special and ROF had their own time to shine.

Goku and Vegeta were both shown training with Whis throughout the film, and they were the only ones who even stood a chance against Freeza. They definitely seemed to be the most prominent characters in that movie, and in BoG.

[Jaetinh]

I'm very happy with the focus on Vegeta. Goku alone for the all sagas in DBS would boring, their bromance in DBS is great and entertaining.

[Kuririn Fan]

It's natural progression after the battle with Pure Boo.

[sintzu]

It's natural progression after the battle with Pure Boo.

You're actually OK with Vegeta taking all the spotlight for himself and causing thousands of Piccolo fans to commit suicide within a week ? I'm happy to read that you've finally seen the light.

[Soppa Saia People]

Because he's popular (for reasons I can't fathom). It's a shame to because he hasn't been interesting since Namek. His quote on quote rivalry with Goku is boring to.

[Lord Beerus]

Because he's popular (for reasons I can't fathom). It's a shame to because he hasn't been interesting since Namek. His quote on quote rivalry with Goku is boring to.

I'd say Vegeta only really started to become an interesting character after Namek. But hey, opinions...

[ABED]

I've always found Vegeta interesting except when he's "I'm the strongest, I'm the strongest" in spite of overwhelming evidence. It wears thin.

[Vijay]

I've always found Vegeta interesting except when he's "I'm the strongest, I'm the strongest" in spite of overwhelming evidence. It wears thin.

Mutual thoughts
Veggie's character presented in Namek/Frieza Arc was "fresh" as he was mostly an inferior underdog with slightest direct confrontation with vastly overpowered foes would mark his end.

And thats when Toriyama taps into the potential of Veggie's character by fleshing out his mind-games, solo survivor, most "active" role player in Namek Arc & even being a Team Leader when facing off against Ginyu Force, that came at tail-end of his "fresh" character

Its aspects like these which enables me to appreciate Vegeta more. Some other examples would be how Light (DN) uses his superior intellect & Death Note's "otherworldly" powers to fend off FBI, CIA, L, Japanese Police. Hell, President of America himself has to give-in to Light/Kira's mind games

Like-wise, the whole York New Arc in HXH2011. Vastly overpowered Spiders vs weakling Hunters. Such brilliant mind-games!

Or even how just a handful of Alchemists, foreigners & humans could put up a fight against...literally a he who swallowed God!

The tons of buildup & diversions these characters face to prevent certain doom from vastly overpowered "beings" was ultimately rewarding experience

I wish Veggie's character in Super undergoes the same "fresh" treatment as in Namek/Frieza Arc