If you ask any person about the integral aspects of their childhood, then it goes without saying that Dragon Ball Z will come to the mind of most — if not all — of these people. After all, the adventures of Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the gang have become absolutely iconic, for more reasons that one. From satisfying the power fantasy that pretty much every child has, to constructing an epic story on a scale unlike anything that had ever been seen before — the show pretty much had a little bit of everything. Such is the popularity of the series that a sequel was released almost 19 years after Dragon Ball Z had ended, in the form of Dragon Ball Super.
While the reception of the series was less than stellar during its early goings (mostly since it was retelling a story that had already been told — not to mention the poor animation quality), the series has regained the original spirit of the series to a large extent, and has been accepted by the majority of fans to be a worthy addition to the Dragon Ball timeline. However, even the most devout fans of the series might've failed to figure out some of the most offbeat elements in the series, that warrant a closer look. Keeping this in mind, here are thirty of the craziest things that you didn't know about Dragon Ball Super.
30 Toriyama Hated The Initial Script Of "Battle Of Gods"
One might say that without Battle Of Gods, Dragon Ball Super would never have existed. After all, the first arc of the new series covers the event of the movies in more detail, and sets the tone for the rest of the series in general. However, the manner in which Dragon Ball Super started off would've been wildly different.
After all, Toriyama rewrote the original script of "Battle of Gods."
This was because the initial script of the movie made it extremely dramatic, and the Super Saiyan God form that was revealed later on was meant to be quite muscular, as opposed to the lean stature that we ended up with. Toriyama was completely opposed to the idea of the movie being exceedingly dark, and made it more light-hearted to fit into the tonality of Dragon Ball.
Although it must be said that...
29 Toriyama Is Not The One With The Fresh Ideas Anymore
The whole reason why the Dragon Ball franchise exists is due to the brilliant mind of Akira Toriyama. It takes a highly creative mind to conjure the world of Dragon Ball, and it must be said that Toriyama was able to achieve this lofty goal and then some. However, there's one detail that most fans choose to conveniently ignore when it comes to this creative genius.
By the end of Dragon Ball Z's run, Toriyama was completely fatigued.
He didn't want to write any more stories revolving around Dragon Ball, and just wanted to wrap it up as soon as possible. However, when Toei came knocking with the idea to craft a sequel to Dragon Ball Z, Toriyama was interested. However, there was one condition — he wouldn't be the lead writer of this series. This lofty role would be passed down to someone else.
Who, you ask?
28 A Long-Time Fan Is The Head Writer Of Dragon Ball Super
As we've already mentioned before, Toriyama was adamant about not getting into the same grind that he had become tired of when he chose to greenlight a new series in the Dragon Ball universe. So, to make sure that he didn't suffer from an unbearable workload, Toriyama decided to put his protege at the head of Dragon Ball Super, named Toyotaro.
This was a dream come true for Toyotaro.
After all, the man was already a massive Dragon Ball fan, to the point where he'd written and drawn an unofficial continuation of the series, known as Dragon Ball AF (a name that a lot of devout Dragon Ball fans would be familiar with). To be able to direct the events of a series he loved and adored is obviously something that anyone would kill for, especially a long-time fan like Toyotaro.
But, unfortunately for Toyotaro...
27 Toei's Marketing Tactics Are Pretty Shady, To Say The Least
Any corporation at the helm of multiple money-making franchises would obviously try to find the best ways to satiate their never-ending greed, no matter how unethical it might be. Toei is no exception when it comes to this, and the manner in which they've marketed Dragon Ball Super is nothing short of deplorable.
They willingly decided to hide Toyotaro's influence on Dragon Ball Super.
This was done so that people who were coming back to the series won't be deterred by the fact that Toriyama wasn't at the helm of the series anymore. By doing so, they were basically able to make sure that the viewership of the series was maximized to its fullest extent, at the cost of Toyotaro's recognition — something that most people crave for.
Shame, Toei. Shame.
26 The Inspiration For "Resurrection F" Is Totally Unbelievable
The second movie that served as the official continuation of the series after Dragon Ball Z had ended (well, at least before Dragon Ball Super came on the air) was Resurrection F. Bringing back one of the most iconic villains in the form of Frieza, the movie brought with it its fair share of transformations and powerups that harkened back to the good old days of Dragon Ball.
However, the inspiration behind this movie is quite weird.
Hardcore anime fans would definitely know the band "Maximum The Hormone." It's a band that formed the theme songs for various popular anime series like Death Note, Akagi, and Air Master. One of their songs, named "F," was centered around Frieza. This song served as an inspiration for Toriyama to bring back this titular villain back into the fray.
25 The Manga Is Following On The Heels Of The Anime This Time Around
Anybody who is well-versed when it comes to the structure of how anime and manga are rolled out in Japan knows that the manga is generally the official release, which is followed by its anime adaptation. It's an unspoken truth that pretty much everyone knows... but there still are certain exceptions to this golden rule.
Dragon Ball Super is one such exception.
You see, when it comes to the latest entry in the Dragon Ball universe, the truth is that the manga is actually playing second fiddle to the anime series. There are various crucial scenes added to the anime that the manga skips out on — although there is a lot of filler as well. However, the fact still remains that the anime is the foremost authority when it comes to Dragon Ball Super.
24 The Supporting Cast Has Gained A Tremendous Amount Of Power As Well
The Dragon Ball universe is chock-full of a ton of people who are extremely powerful, in their own right. While they might be comparatively weak to the main characters of the series, it must be said that they can still hold their own in a tough spot. However, with the dramatic powerups that the Saiyans are experiencing right now, these people cant slouch either — and thankfully, they haven't.
Tien, Yamcha, Krillin, Master Roshi, and various other combat-oriented characters certainly haven't forsaken their training. Their power levels have increased dramatically as a result, and now it must be said that these people are competent enough to stand their own ground — even though they will still remain nothing more than side characters.
Unfortunately, most of these people aren't able to showcase their power, since...
23 Most Of The Characters Are Largely Being Ignored
You know you have a problem when characters who used to be a major part of your series are getting less screen time than three irrelevant villains who are nothing more than a relic of the past. And yet, this is exactly the current case of Dragon Ball Super — aside from the main characters (which is just another way to say Saiyans), the majority of the cast gets little to no screen time.
The fact that the Pilaf Gang makes their return and end up getting more screen time (albeit for little more than comedic effect) than the side characters of Dragon Ball Super speaks volumes when it comes to how much importance Toriyama and Toyotaro actually give to these characters.
But this isn't even the worst part — a beloved Saiyan is also given the cold shoulder at times.
22 Most Of Gohan's Exploits As The Great Saiyaman Are Nothing More Than Filler
The general consensus among the majority of Dragon Ball's fans is that Gohan used to be a great character (especially by the end of the Cell Saga, when he'd peaked), but his influence waned over time. In fact, his exploits as The Great Saiyaman are what served as the nail in the coffin when it came to his character. So, it's quite surprising that this so-called "superhero" made another appearance in Dragon Ball Super... or is it?
After all, most of Gohan's appearances as The Great Saiyaman are filler.
Although we've already mentioned that the anime is the foremost authority when it comes to Dragon Ball Super, one can't argue with the fact that the scenes where Gohan dons the costume of The Great Saiyaman are pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Humor might be an integral part of Dragon Ball, but it still doesn't mean that we should be forced to bear through these scenes that end up belittling Gohan's character.
21 Goku Has The Lowest Count When It Comes To The Number Of Lives He's Ended
It's specified time and time again that the Saiyans are ruthless conquerors who will strike down anybody who dared to stand in their way. However, this description couldn't be further from the truth when it came to Goku's actual personality. After all, anyone who's seen the series can vouch for the fact that Goku is one of the most mild-mannered personalities around.
He's put an end to the lowest number of lives in the series.
In Dragon Ball Z, the only lives that Goku ended were those of Yakon and Kid Buu. Meanwhile, in Dragon Ball Super, the only two casualties at his hands are Frieza and Copy Vegeta. The fact that one of the mightiest warriors of all time only put an end to the lives of just four people is proof of the fact that Goku is one of the most merciful people in the series.
20 The Saiyan Pun Game Is Still Going Strong
Anyone who is even vaguely familiar with what Toriyama is capable of knows for a fact that the names he comes up with for aliens are centered around a particular theme. Frieza's race is a great example of this, with names like Cooler, King Cold, and Frost being just a few of the many names that his brilliant mind has come up with.
The Saiyans have been dealt the worst hand in this regard.
Most of the Saiyan names that Toriyama has come up with are based on vegetables. Goku's Saiyan name is Kakarot (carrot), while Vegeta and his brother Tarble come together to form "vegetable." Raditz (radish), Nappa (apple), and Broly (broccoli) are also examples of such names. Then there's the new Saiyans that have been introduced in Dragon Ball Super's Universe 6 — namely Cabba (cabbage), Caulifla (cauliflower), and Kale.
19 Saiyans Can Transform Into A Super Saiyan Because Of S-Cells
Since we're already on the topic of Saiyans, how can we ignore their iconic transformations?
Before Dragon Ball Super came into existence, the general consensus was that most Saiyans were able to tap into the power of the Super Saiyan by experience an intense emotion along the lines of anger, hate, sadness, or anything else of the sort.
But apparently, the reasons for this transformation are something completely different.
According to Caulifla, she was able to transform into a Super Saiyan by directing her energy towards a tingling sensation in her lower back. This was due to the existence of S-Cells — a particular genetic trait shared only by a select few Saiyans. Only time will tell whether this explanation is well-thought out, or something that Toriyama made up on the fly.
18 The Characters Themselves Make Fun Of Their Own Ridiculous Powerups
The Dragon Ball series is known for featuring ridiculous powerups that always manage to break some power threshold at a highly convenient point in time. While this might seem quite awesome, after a while these powerups become absolutely ridiculous. The Super Saiyan Blue transformation is perhaps the best example to portray this nonsensical nature of these transformations — after all, the actual name of this transformation is the Super Saiyan God Ascended Super Saiyan, which is obviously quite a mouthful.
There's a tongue-in-cheek mention of this ludicrousness in the manga.
While training, Goku and Vegeta enter into an argument that's purposedly long-drawn since they have to constantly utter the term "Super Saiyan God Ascended Super Saiyan" over and over again to refer to their transformation. It's only after Whis suggests the name Super Saiyan Blue that it becomes the official name of their transformation.
17 Combining The Normal Super Saiyan Form With The Kaioken Technique Will Result In The User's Demise
Viewers who managed to witness Goku combine the Kaioken power with their Super Saiyan Blue transformation were in for a treat. The combination of these two powers turned Goku into a spectacular warrior with unprecedented power. However, one might ask the question — just why didn't use his Kaioken power with his original Super Saiyan power?
Because this combination would've proven to be fatal for the user.
After all, the Kaioken power leads to a lot of strain upon the user's body, the Super Saiyan powerup is basically a release of a user's energy in a somewhat uncontrolled fashion. Combining these two powers would take a major toll on the user's body, and lead to their demise. Thankfully, since Super Saiyan Blue involves a sense of control, Goku could combine his Kaioken power with it and not risk his life in the process.
16 It's Just Weird That Monaka's Name Literally Translates To "Large Nipples"
We witnessed the combination of the Kaioken power and Super Saiyan Blue for the first time in the tournament between Universe 6 and 7. However, there was another first-time visual treat that we were privy too, although it was for a whole another reason. In case you were wondering, the person we're talking about is none other than Monaka — a name that literally means "large nipples."
At a glance, one can understand why Monaka has such a "tasteful" name, for lack of a better word. However, one must wonder exactly what his parents were thinking when they chose to give their child such a derogatory name in the first place. Then there's also the question of whether Monaka's race is full of people with large nipples. If that's the case, then why was poor Monaka singled out to get such an embarrassing name, in the first place?
15 Zeno Is Ridiculously Powerful
The Universe Survival saga also brought with it another new character, who probably has the most deceiving appearance in the entirety of Dragon Ball. Yes, this person is none other than Xeno, who is arguably the most powerful character that Toriyama has even created. If you've been following Dragon Ball Super, then you know why this is the case.
After all, he can destroy entire universes with a single move.
His Erase move is — without a shadow of a doubt — the most powerful move ever devised in the universe of Dragon Ball. Perhaps the most disturbing thing about this move is that it's in the hands of a person who chooses to destroy entire universes for no other reason other than the fact that he simply can. It's just plain wrong that so much power is in the hands of such an irresponsible entity.
14 Belmod And Marcarita's Character Designs Are Suspiciously Familiar, Right?
The Universe Survival saga brought with it a number of new characters spanning different universes. Of course, as is the case with every universe, various unique pairings of Angels and Gods of Destruction came to the forefront as well. However, in the case of Universe 11, the pairing of Belmod and Marcarita is particularly interesting.
Their designs share an uncanny resemblance with the Joker and Harley Quinn.
This is obviously not a coincidence — the iconic DC couple obviously played a major role in influencing their design. In fact, there were talks of making Belmod and Marcarita a couple, but this idea was ultimately scrapped since Toriyama wasn't sold on the idea of forming a romance between an Angel and a God Of Destruction.
13 Goku Has Never Kissed Anyone — Including His Wife!
Dragon Ball Super obviously has its fair share of light-hearted moments (after all, at the end of the day it is a Dragon Ball series), but there are times when the series takes things a bit too far, simply for the sake of comedy. Perhaps the most egregious case of this has to be a throwaway sentence uttered by Goku, which has serious implications.
According to Goku, he's never even kissed Chi-Chi.
This is something that simply must be addressed. How did Goku even father two kids if he couldn't even sum up the courage to kiss his own wife? This also brings up the rather scandalous notion that Chi-Chi initiated in another relationship out of wedlock — that too with a Saiyan.
And at this point, there is only one candidate that comes to mind. We'll just leave it at that.
12 There Are Two English Dubs For Dragon Ball Super
The popularity of the Dragon Ball series in the west is nothing to scoff at. We've already mentioned before that the series is incredibly popular all over the world, which meant that it was only a matter of time before it would be released in English. In fact, most people were confused as to why the Japanese and English release didn't happen side-by-side.
However, when the choice was made to dub the series, what ended up happening was that there were two English dubs of the series that were released. The Funimation dub with the voice actors that we know and love is obviously there, but aside from that, there was also another dub that was done by Bang Zoom! Entertainment for Toonami Asia. However, this dub is probably being canceled since the channel is ending its broadcast.
And since we're on the topic of voice acting...
11 Frost's Voice Actor Is The Brother Of Christopher Ayres, Who Voices Frieza
Yep, ain't that something?
The voice of Frieza is undoubtedly one of the most chilling things that most people heard during their childhood. His cold, calculating, and downright unnerving voice made him one of the most fearsome antagonists of all time. Christopher Ayres completely nailed the character, in more ways than one.
In fact, his brother actually ended up playing the role of Frost.
It's quite poetic that Greg Ayres was assigned the task of voice acting Frost, which is quite fitting for obvious reasons. It obviously would be quite fitting to witness Frost and Frieza duke it out with their voices.
However, this wish might not come to fruition, since...