It Super targeted at a younger audience?

[ChronoTwigger]

As for title.
I think this explain why things are mostly "no brainer",Goku can't part originals to a costume, there's less drama, and somehow all the designs are less aggressive and plain (my opinion, feel free to entirely disagree).

That's doesn't mean the show is not enjoyable at all.
Any hint about?
Any proof I'm wrong?
Or maybe younger kids are a best target nowadays, being able to purchase more videogames and cards than 1990?

[RedRibbonSoldier#42]

The target Demographic is the exact same as it always was and always shall be.

[Chuquita]

I think the last couple episodes only feel different because they have a pokemon writer on them instead of the usual four writers Super normally employs.

These new episodes feel more plot oriented than character oriented and so not as interesting to me.

[Muffin Man]

I think they are. The show is starting to feel closer to something like Pokemon. I hope I'm wrong and the show is just showing growing pains, but right now I'm seeing increased use of repetitive gags inserted directly into scenes that should be full of tension, along with increasingly toned down violence (even in scenes that are supposed to be really dark, like future Bulma's death, we don't actually get to see her die, unlike in DBZ where we saw people get their necks crushed or their insides drained so they become a puddle of flesh). Over time I can see them going more and more in this direction as they have greater success with younger demographics.

[Hellspawn28]

I remember people felt like the series has been targeted to a younger audience since GT. GT had Goku become a kid again and the show didn't have much violence compare to DBZ. Not to mention the Black Star Dragon Ball arc did felt light hearted and campy compare to most of DBZ. Even GT had some pretty childish looking characters like Lord Ludd, Sugoro, most of the Shadow Dragons and even some of the aliens from the Black Star Dragon Ball hunt. I still remember when people felt like Goku would act rather stupid and childish in GT despite being a 50+ year in a kid's body (Now people say GT Goku is more mature and Goku in Super is now stupid and childish now lol).

So I don't think they made Super more kidish. We still have some serious battle moments with Freeza and Hit. Even the Goku Black episodes are starting to feel a bit more DBZish since we had Bluma being killed off and the human race becoming more closer to death in Future Trunks timeline. Maybe Goku Black may end up defeating Goku and Vegeta if things get more serious.

[sintzu]

YES, there's less drama, gags are forced into every serious scene, the characters are extremely dumped down, especially Goku and you've got 2 characters on the heroes side who are so strong that whatever little threat there is become irrelevant.

Now we've got an arc that's trying to be serious and have unfunny gags at the same time which is making the tone very uneven, even for Super.

One minute Bulma's getting killed off and Black is killing everyone, the next Pilaf is doing some stupid gag.

I've said this multiple times and I'll say it again, I know dragon ball is aimed at kids and the original had funny and light hearted moments but unlike Super they were implemented well while Super is forcing them into everything to lighten up a tone that isn't that dark to begin with which is making Super feel like it's aimed at an even younger demographic.

[Zephyr]

One minute Bulma's getting killed off

Sure sounds like they're aiming for a demographic younger than "young boys".

[sintzu]

One minute Bulma's getting killed off

Sure sounds like they're aiming for a demographic younger than "young boys".

The next moment has Pilaf doing some stupid gag which is creating a very uneven tone.

You can't switch from one extreme tone to another extreme.

The scenes we've gotten with Black and his character are very similar to what we got in the original DB but the problem is they don't want to keep the focus on that and instead are jumping between 2 completely different tones which doesn't work in anything, not just DB.

[Zephyr]

The next moment has Pilaf doing some stupid gag which is creating a very uneven tone.

That doesn't mean that the target demographic is a younger age group.

You can't switch from one extreme tone to another extreme.

They can, and they did.

The scenes we've gotten with Black and his character are very similar to what we got in the original DB but the problem is they don't want to keep the focus on that and instead are jumping between 2 completely different tones which doesn't work in anything, not just DB.

Again, none of that entails that there's a different age group in mind.

Imagine a series of R-Rated films. They're typically filled with action and drama. The latest entry adds some humor into it as well. Now ask yourself, does it follow that the rating should be lowered, just because the tone is inconsistent? No, of course not. There's humor to be had for people in this age group. Just because something isn't as "dark" doesn't mean that it's more "childish". I'm sure you could imagine a lighthearted story that contains sexually explicit scenes. Just because there's no drama or any sense of dread doesn't mean that it's aimed at a younger demographic than "adult".

Now let's take it back to DB. Just because they're adding humor and it's incredibly jarring, it does not follow that there's a different age group being targeted. What would follow is that the people in charge don't know how to seamlessly integrate comedy, action, and drama very well anymore. Alternatively, kids in Japan today might have worse sense of humor than they did 30 years ago. Alternatively still, maybe the people in charge don't know what kids today find funny.

It's possible that they're trying to target a younger age group. But when there are so many other explanations (which are equally, if not more plausible) available, it's dumb to stick to just one and proclaim it to be the truth, when there's nothing supporting such a claim.

[Lord Beerus]

No. Dragon Ball's main target audience has always been young boys and that will never change.

[Avok]

It surely feels like it.

Shonen manga is aimed at kids from 8 to high school boys up to 17-18, but Super seems to focus solely on the younger ones. The weird jokes, the lack of blood, the overall light-hearted feeling... I'd say that it's a Toei thing, because they did the same with Toriko.

But what infuriates me the most is what they've done to Goku's character. I mean, he always was rather innocent and clueless, but they took this to another level. He's pretty much a retard now.

Shonen Jump battle manga (and I'd say that the ones from the other two big shonen magazines) have always had these sort of feeling were the main character is innocent or rather dumb and include comedic elements with the side characters, but when the time comes, all of them throw those things aside and the action or the tension grow more and more... That's like the basic formula.

Super is more close to something like Yatterman than something that runs in Shonen Jump.

[garfield15]

Well first let's start with what audience did you think Dragon Ball as a franchise was targeted at to begin with.

[Hellspawn28]

Toriyama did said that he always wrote the series with younger children in mind. Super does air on Sunday mornings also. I guess One Piece can get away with more violence since it starts at 9:30 and I guess a half hour can make a difference with content.

[sintzu]

I'd say that it's a Toei thing, because they did the same with Toriko.

Did they do that to One Piece as well ?

I guess One Piece can get away with more violence since it starts at 9:30 and I guess a half hour can make a difference with content.

I don't think it's that, One Piece is made to sell the manga and due to it being so big they follow it better.

[Lord Beerus]

Super is more close to something like Yatterman than something that runs in Shonen Jump.

Does Yatterman feature characters being brutally murdered onscreen, characters suffering from PTSD and mass genocide?

[HybridSaiyan]

All the "deaths" in Super thus far haven't really set the standards yet. The Future Bulma Death footage was..weird, like she just slowly faded into the wind lol. Make her die like how Goku blasted Frieza! or how Gohan's Kamehameha destroyed Cell! Then it'll give that sense of "oh shit"

This show is intended for kids, I'd say around the ages of 8-12 lol.

[sintzu]

The Future Bulma Death footage was..weird, like she just slowly faded into the wind lol.

Maybe she faded into another timeline, he could've sent her somewhere with his ring.

[GodKaio-Ken]

As for title.
I think this explain why things are mostly "no brainer",Goku can't part originals to a costume, there's less drama, and somehow all the designs are less aggressive and plain (my opinion, feel free to entirely disagree).

That's doesn't mean the show is not enjoyable at all.
Any hint about?
Any proof I'm wrong?
Or maybe younger kids are a best target nowadays, being able to purchase more videogames and cards than 1990?

Demographic is exactly the same. Even Toriyama has stated that DB started as being targeted towards very young boys. The difference you see is that back in the day this demographic was allowed a bit more adult/crude humor as well as violence compared to these days.

At the same time I believe it's still written in a way that enjoyable for adults. I mean if its just for tiny kids how stupid are we that we cant figure out the plot? I can see what is about to happen in 90% of cartoons/anime these days fairly easily

[Avok]

Super is more close to something like Yatterman than something that runs in Shonen Jump.

Does Yatterman feature characters being brutally murdered onscreen, characters suffering from PTSD and mass genocide?

Yes.

[Muffin Man]

Super is more close to something like Yatterman than something that runs in Shonen Jump.

Does Yatterman feature characters being brutally murdered onscreen, characters suffering from PTSD and mass genocide?

I think the issue is that AT is writing his story outlines with the same mindset and tone as always, but Toei is putting their own spin on it that gives it a feel closer to something like Yatterman. So you have these dark overarching themes but they aren't treated with much gravity by the scriptwriters.