How would Toriyama have rewritten each individual arc?

[LoganForkHands73]

Inspired by the surprising amount of discussion surrounding Resurrection 'F', I was thinking about Muten Roshi's expanded role as a member of the Dragon Team in that film and all subsequent Super storylines. Roshi's return was warmly welcomed by some, but many fans still justifiably question his inclusion as an active combatant when A) he explicitly retired from fighting after the Piccolo arc, and B) he's generally nowhere near the power level of the other Earth defenders. His return to the front lines in the movie goes completely unexplained.



It's almost like Toriyama regretted making Roshi (known to have been one of his favourite characters) retire so early in the story and wanted to pretend that it never happened for the revival.

All this had me thinking... If Toriyama had to go back and rewrite arcs from the original manga, what do you think he would have changed?

Now, the Toriyama of the 2020s was a different person with different artistic sensibilities, so if he had to go back and redo the entire concept of Dragon Ball from scratch, I'm sure it would've turned out unrecognisable. No, what I'm asking is how he would have rewritten the specific arcs, keeping the general outlines of each one in tact.

So, just to give a basic example, the Saiyan arc. I reckon Toriyama would've had Roshi join the fight against the Saiyans and Saibaimen. But I imagine, as it's one of the most acclaimed arc in the manga, I doubt he would change anything too drastically. Anyway, I'm a sleepyboy and I can't think of anything else right now. Go nuts with any arc.

[JulieYBM]

He would have the Muten Roushi torturing Blooma on Planet Namek the entire time.

[GokuHater]

I am pretty sure in reality he would never do such a thing and would never be interested in it.

Especially as the manga aged very gracefully and is held in very high regard.

BUT if we imagine he would write it from MODERN Toryiama persoective, I am sure there would be some changes eg.

* Goku would be a lot more egoistic and straightforward, much less of a hero guy
* The Z portion of the story would be much lighter on tone, maybe a mix of Buu saga with Super sagas?
* I guess the Android saga wouldn't have such much twists as we have know, vause a lot of them are the works of editors. I think we still would gry some twists and the character of Cell but it would be handled different
* Bardock would probably be more of a character and maybe appear in a flashback or 2
* Some stuff with Raditz would be overwritten as now Goku was sent to Earth not to wipe everyone out as a mean of survival
* I have a hunch each saga wpuld be more episodic, like Super is, not tie into the next flawlessly like we have nie

As for Roshi I don't think anything would change.
Toryiama had a habit of writing new characters, trelling their story or journey in 1-2 arcs and then let them radę away and move on to another character.
Even Vegeta was meant to go at one point.

[Koitsukai]

Roshi on Namek is a given. I agree with Julie, he'd be doing what he did on New Planet Vegeta in the Broly movie.

Roshi vs the saiyans would be possible if Akira wanted more background on Goku killing Grampa Gohan.

Goku wearing a cape and having a double identity way before Gohan. With an S on his chest, standing for SON.

[super michael]

It is hard to say how different it would be, but keep in mind the manga of DBS doesn't have Master Roshi and Yurin or Master Roshi and Puar transformed. So maybe Toriyama wouldn't approve of those episode appearing.

I don't know if Goku, Chi Chi, Buu, Goten and Trunks would be written differently.

[Kaywayk]

I think if the arcs were re-written today the themes in the Saiyan/Freeza Arc of hard work vs natural talent and Goku slowly accepting his Saiyan heritage wouldn't have been so prominent, as Toriyama seemed like he had come to dislike that sort of story-telling in his last years. Also I think Vegeta would be portrayed as smarter overall. He's been pushed as tactical minded in modern DB media so moments like him letting Cell transform either wouldn't exist or would be re-written to make his reasons more understandable. And we also wouldn't get things like him throwing sand in Zarbon's face or running away from 2nd form Freeza as it doesn't fit his prideful personality from the later arcs.

This one is a little more of a crackpot theory, but he also went back to tournaments a lot during Super. Maybe the Cell Games would have been more of an actual contest between the fighters and Cell and his Cell Jrs.?

[MasenkoHA]

Less Kenshiro Goku more Jackie Chan in wacky martial arts comedy Goku.


Kame Sennin would probably have a bigger role possibly at the Saiyan conflict (and surviving) likely taking Yadjirobe’s role as the one who takes off Vegeta’s tail.and definitely going to Namek with the others

[BernardoCairo]

This is an interesting exercise, because I believe that if today’s Toriyama had written the manga back in the 90s, the story as a whole would be completely different. Or perhaps not that different, considering he would still have had the same editors guiding and suggesting changes.
However, if we focus on individual arcs, I don’t think Muten Roshi’s story would change much. His retirement and the symbolic passing of the torch to the new generation are crucial elements in OG Dragon Ball’s final arcs. It’s hard to imagine how that theme could be preserved without substantially altering the overall narrative.
One thing I do believe is that Toriyama would likely place greater emphasis on the Saiyajins and their legacy. Modern Toriyama has shown far more fascination with Saiyajin lore than classic Toriyama ever did. In that case, there would probably be less of the “Goku is an Earthling at heart who fights like an Earthling” approach, and more of the “Goku must uncover his Saiyajin heritage and his connection to Bardock” storyline.