Dragon Ball: Then vs Now

Dragon Ball: Then vs. Now

Jack O’Regan

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at “Dragon Ball’s” evolution. No, not that one. We’re focusing on the anime here, counting down the top 10 ways the canon story has developed since the original series.

#10: Experimenting With Animation

“Dragon Ball Z” favors a grittier tone and more angular character designs than “Dragon Ball”, but both series are consistent in their own animation styles. “Dragon Ball Super”, on the other hand, is actively experimenting with each new release. “Dragon Ball Super: Broly” was a completely new look for the franchise, with CGI segments breaking up a fresh art style. Likewise, “Super Hero” changed the game by using only 3D animation. The anime stuck with the crisp and colorful new tone debuted in “Battle of Gods”, but the movies continue to make full use of modern graphics. Daima on the other hand has gone with a unique mix of old and new, and could potentially be the franchise's standard going forward.

#9: There Is Always a Higher Deity

Fans who came onboard the franchise with “Super” won’t even know his name, but there was a time when Kami was all-powerful in the world of “Dragon Ball”. King Kai emerged early in the sequel, and Kami’s role as guardian of Earth paled in comparison. Supreme Kai later appeared to put both their ranks to shame, but even he is dwarfed by the Grand Priest and angels of “Super”.They then introduced Zeno, the ruler of everything, and it was hard to imagine there being a higher rank than the literal Omni-King – but Daima introduced Rymus, the creator of the multiverse outside of the demon realm. The universe continues to expand, and “Dragon Ball” continues to surprise.

#8: Death No Longer Matters

Krillin’s death in the original series was a genuinely shocking moment. Not only was it the first time we lost a major character, but there was no guarantee of bringing him back. Finding the Dragon Balls was no easy task back then, and even if they were found – Shenron drove a hard bargain. In the current story, the Dragon Balls are always on hand, and Shenron has had plenty of upgrades. Even by the end of “Z”, the destruction of entire planets was a minor inconvenience. Emotional sacrifices like Vegeta’s and Piccolo’s lost their weight when the characters quickly returned, and to finish where we started – Krillin’s death became a running joke.

#7: The Dragon Balls Play a Different Role

The original series is named “Dragon Ball” for a reason. The wish-granting orbs were central to the story, as our heroes risked it all just to get their hands on them – or stop their enemies getting there first. Both sides had to be careful what they asked for though. Shenron granted just one wish back then, with a year's wait before he could be summoned again. Nowadays, no such limits exist, and Bulma keeps them close at all times. The Dragon Balls are an afterthought, rather than something to move the plot forward. This is evident in recent uses, which include Bulma’s wish to counter aging, and the balls themselves being reduced to a game show prize. Daima however has tried to increase their importance with the Demon Realm Dragon Balls, where our heroes have to defeat the powerful Tamagami in order to obtain them.

#6: Goku Is Not the Same Hero

It’s only natural that Goku has changed over the years, but how much of that change is down to character development, rather than writing inconsistencies, is up for debate. Goku spent his childhood surrounding himself with friends and loved ones. He gave everything else up to spend five years raising Gohan. This Goku carries all the way through to Namek – where Krillin’s death sends him over the edge. At some point, Goku’s love of fighting outweighed his sense of duty. He not only abandons his friends and planet, he considers anything other than training a waste of time, and puts his own family’s lives on the line to challenge himself. Even Vegeta is considered a better father these days.

#5: The Stakes Keep Growing

“Dragon Ball” never ventured off Earth, and King Piccolo’s plan for world domination was its biggest threat. That all changed when the Saiyans emerged at the start of “Z”, and Vegeta was shown to blow up planets with ease. Frieza and Kid Buu continued the trend, reducing entire worlds to dust all across the universe. Where did “Dragon Ball Super” have left to go – but the multiverse? The latest anime saga saw eight universes battle to avoid total erasure; a far cry from the literal down to Earth tone of “Dragon Ball”, but it will be interesting to see how much room the stakes have left to grow.

#4: Super Saiyan Is Less Special

Goku’s Super Saiyan transformation is so iconic because we’d never seen anything like it in “Dragon Ball” – or anime for that matter. Gohan’s Super Saiyan 2 is a direct continuation, a perfection of the Ascended form demonstrated by Trunks and Goku. Then things got out of hand. Super Saiyan 3 gets a spectacular debut, but doesn’t have the same build up or emotional weight. In “Super”, we’ve seen Saiyan hair turn red, blue, pink and grey – and the original golden-haired form drops further down the pecking order with each color. Super Saiyan, once an unachievable goal, has become the bare minimum for anyone who wants to keep up.

#3: The Tone Has Shifted One Way … Then Back Again

In any long-running anime series, it’s normal for the stakes to grow, and the animation to undergo changes. “Dragon Ball” goes a step further however, and shifts between entire genres. The original series is first and foremost an adventure comedy, with a few great action sequences to break it up. “Z” runs with that action, with a harsher animation style to reflect the high stakes and buff physiques. “Dragon Ball Super” wants the best of both worlds, with flashy and high-energy action to complement its colorful animation, but a much lighter tone than its predecessor. It’s hard to imagine “Z” Goku having such a good time at a tournament to decide the fate of the multiverse. Daima definitely returned to its more adventurous roots, but it still maintains some excellent fight sequences that are reminiscent of later series.

#2: “Dragon Ball” Characters Have Faded Into Obscurity

At its heart, “Dragon Ball” was a very human story. Before we knew his origins, Goku himself was seen as nothing more than an overpowered kid. Goku was trained, supported and seriously challenged by his human companions. Master Roshi was the power benchmark, Tien Shinhan and Yamcha actually beat him in fights, and Bulma was there every step of the way. That all changed when the Saiyans arrived with their scouters, and power levels became the name of the game. The humans were quickly left behind and the series may have lost some relatability, but we got to witness the rise of Vegeta, Gohan and others in return.

#1: Power Scaling Is off the Charts

Fights in “Dragon Ball” were usually decided on skill over strength. “Dragon Ball Z” put numbers to power levels, which was supposed to help keep track of the strongest characters, but only really succeeded in creating a worldwide meme. In “Dragon Ball Super”, we see the dangers of applying logic to power levels. The likes of Krillin, Master Roshi and Android 17 take impossible wins with little in the way of training or transformations since the “Z” days.. Tien loses out to once-weaker characters despite doing nothing but train, Frieza bypasses the entire “Z” power scale in just four months, and Trunks jumps from Super Saiyan 2 to God-level in a single rage boost. So much for keeping track.

Which of these changes were for the best - and which have you powering up in rage? Let us know in the comments.