The Dragon Ball anime went on for 444 episodes when counting both the original and Dragon Ball Z. Throughout the series, the story kept the same core characters, with Goku always being at the center of the action. Beloved friends and allies like Krilin, Vegeta, and Bulma also stuck around, along with Goku’s son, Gohan.
The show remained consistent throughout its entire run, but some storylines slipped through the cracks. Whether because of time constraints or because the story took a different direction, these storylines didn’t receive a proper ending. Instead, they disappeared into the abyss, and fans never saw or heard from them again.
The Great Saiyaman
The Majin Buu arc started with the promise of an entire season focusing on and showcasing Gohan’s vast powers. Now a teenager, Gohan wants to concentrate on his studies, and the first few episodes indeed present classic high school situations, like his inability to talk to girls.
During this time, Gohan develops an alter ego to fight crime, giving Dragon Ball its version of a superhero. The Great Saiyaman sure was ridiculous, but there was some charm to Gohan’s silly costume and overly sanctimonious behavior. Alas, the story doesn’t last long, and by the time the World Martial Arts Tournament arrives, the Saiyaman all but disappears.
King Cold
King Cold is Frieza’s father, so fans expected him to be a prominent enemy of Goku and company. However, he ended up being more a false promise than an actual threat. It’s not long before Future Trunks promptly and unceremoniously dispatches the would-be King.
Cold’s unfulfilled promise was intentional. As the father of the franchise’s greatest enemy at that point, fans would expect him to be an all-powerful being. Trunks’ victory instantly cements him as one of the Z Fighter’s most capable warriors, and Cold’s death allows Gero to create Cell. Still, and even though Cold did serve a purpose on the show, his arc can’t help but feel underwhelming.
Majin Buu’s New Life
The kind-hearted version of Majin Buu gets his happy ending at the end of the Buu saga. He goes into blissful domesticity with Mr. Satana and their dog, even becoming a dear friend of the other Z Warriors. The last episodes of Z even show him shopping with Bulma and helping stop crimes around the city.
The controversial GT does little to develop Buu’s new role. Indeed, the pink blob only appears alongside Mr. Satan, save for a brief time near the end. Super does little to change this and arguably worsens things by turning Buu into a full-on buffoon.
Master Roshi’s Leadership
During Goku’s childhood, Master Roshi is the series’ resident wise old man. He trains Goku and Krillin, displaying ample knowledge of the martial arts. As the show progresses, Roshi’s role diminishes until he becomes an afterthought.
It makes sense, considering his advanced age prevented him from having any active participation in battle. However, by the time Majin Buu comes along, Roshi is just there and serves no purpose to the plot. At times, he doesn’t even speak, proving the writers no longer found any use for the venerable master.
The Mysterious Heart Virus
Future Trunks returns to the past to stop the apocalypse that destroyed his world. The androids are dangerous enough, but they rise to power because Goku isn’t there to stop them. The Saiyan dies due to a heart virus that also kills numerous others, or at least that’s what the purple-haired young man says.
Goku indeed contracts the virus, but he successfully recuperates thanks to Trunks’ future medicine. After this, the virus never comes up again, and there are no signs of it ravaging the world like Trunks said it would.
Tien Shinhan And Chiaotzu
After their incendiary debut in one of the original saga’s most unforgettable arcs, Tien and Chiaotzu become two of Goku’s closest friends and companions. Throughout the Saiyan saga, the duo proves their worth numerous times, like when Chiaotzu sacrifices himself in a vain attempt to kill Nappa.
By the time Cell comes long, Tien and Chiaotzu are no longer main characters. They participate in the Cell Games, and Tien has one last moment under the spotlight before disappearing again. It’s a shame these two didn’t stick around because they were welcome and valuable additions to the Z Fighters.
Yamcha’s Contributions To The Z Fighters
Yamcha was one of the anime’s principal characters in the original anime. Like many of Goku’s friends, Yamcha is originally at odds with the young Saiyan before reforming and becoming one of his closest and dearest companions. Yamcha also shares an infamous relationship with Bulma that unfortunately ends after he cheats on her.
As the episodes went by, the show seemingly forgot about Yamcha’s importance, and the young man becomes less prominent as time goes by. Bulma marries Vegeta, and the Z Fighters of yore get replaced by the newer generations. It’s a shame because Yamcha was quite beloved during the anime’s early days.
Tales Of Tails
Saiyans are born with tails which allows them to become the rampaging Great Ape. Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta all experience the Great Ape transformation throughout the show, and the anthropomorphic monkey plays a prominent role during Dragon Ball and the early days of Z.
However, the Great Ape never appears again after the Frieza saga. Trunks and Goten never once appear with their tails, with fans assuming Bulma and Chi-Chi cut them as soon as the children were born. The show established the Great Ape as a crucial trademark of the Saiyan race, so it’s odd the giant monkeys disappear midway through the show.
Gohan’s Fighting Abilities
Gohan always was a bit of a contradiction. He seems destined for fighting greatness but dislikes violence and confrontation. His journey is one of Dragon Ball Z‘s most compelling aspects, and his doubts, insecurities, and relationships with various characters turn him into an immensely relatable figure.
During the last battle against Cell, Gohan delivers the killing blow, seemingly establishing himself as the franchise’s new lead. The early days of the Majin Buu arc confirm this, but it’s not long before Gohan dies and Goku is back in the driver’s seat. Gohan does achieve his now-iconic Ultimate form, but even that’s not enough to keep him alive. After Buu, he abandons fighting altogether and becomes a scholar, and while Super tried to get him back to fighting shape, the character is no longer the promising young man he once was.
Launch
Perhaps the most egregious case of an abandoned plotline is Launch. The young woman was sweet in her purple-haired persona but turned into a dangerous criminal when she became blonde. She plays a prominent supporting role during Dragon Ball but disappears soon after Tien’s death in Z.
In a 2013 interview, Dragon Ball‘s creator, Akira Toriyama, flat-out stated he forgot about Launch. By the time he remembered about her, the Super Saiyan transformation was already a thing in the anime, so re-introducing Launch’s hair-changing gimmick was out of the question.
