For as big a cast of characters as it has, Dragon Ball has always been Goku's story. From his and Bulma's initial quest to find the seven Dragon Balls, to defeating all kinds of enemies like the Red Ribbon Army, King Piccolo, Frieza, and saving the universe from Buu, Goku has been at the center of most of Dragon Ball's most important events.
But that doesn't mean he's the only interesting character the series has to offer. Plenty of Dragon Ball's supporting cast could be good protagonists in their own right. The series already has a ton of spin-offs, so why not give some of these great characters a chance to shine in their own series?
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Master Roshi
Though he played a pivotal role in the early series by mentoring characters like Goku, Krillin, and even Yamcha, Master Roshi is no longer as relevant as he once was. Despite a cool moment in the Tournament of Power that gave fans one last look at what he could do, Roshi is more of a spectator when things get serious.
But Roshi has lived a long life, and even though he doesn't have much to do now, there were times when he was more active. A series focusing on a younger Roshi, from him serving as Grandpa Gohan and the Ox-King's mentor, to his time as a student of Master Mutaito, and his role in the conflict against King Piccolo, would be a great throwback for fans wanting something closer to the original series.
The Nameless Namekian
Speaking of King Piccolo, a spin-off focusing on the being that he and Kami split from wouldn't be too bad an idea. The Nameless Namekian's backstory isn't a complete mystery, but there's still a lot of his life that isn't covered.
A story focusing on his time before arriving on Earth and leading up to becoming its guardian would be interesting. Seeing just what kind of a person he was, and what caused him to become so conflicted that he'd have to have the evil part of him split into a whole separate being sounds like it'd be a fun series to watch.
The Universe 6 Saiyans
The Universe 6 Saiyans were met with mixed reception by fans. Manyu felt like they just didn't measure up to Universe 7's Saiyans as characters. While that's fair, there are some interesting things about them that would make for a good spin-off.
Aside from following around characters we already know like Cabba, Caulifla, and Kale, we could also get to see more of Universe 6's Saiyan society. Not having lost their home world due to conflict, these Saiyans are much less aggressive and more societally advanced than the Saiyans we know. It could be an interesting switch from what we're used to, and maybe a good way to let these new Saiyans grow on fans.
Bardock
The father of Goku, Bardock has to be one of the most popular minor characters in the series. We've already seen Bardock be a featured character in the Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku TV special, the Episode of Bardock what-if scenario, Minus, and the most recent Granolah the Survivor Saga.
Bardock's character has changed throughout the years, going from a traditionally aggressive Saiyan in earlier appearances to a more grounded, empathetic outlier later on. Regardless of which characterization you prefer, there's a lot of potential for a Bardock spin-off given his exploits as part of the Frieza Force. Seeing Bardock and his team go on missions opens things up for fans to learn more about him, the Saiyans, and the universe under Frieza as well. It would also be a good way of showcasing the change his character has retroactively gone through more organically, showcasing his evolution from a typical fight-obsessed grunt to the more level-headed character he's shown to be in Minus and Super.
Future Trunks
Future Trunks had one of, if not the most memorable, encounters a character has ever had in the series. Easily handling Frieza and King Cold alongside some Frieza Force grunts made him a fan favorite right off the bat. Even though he doesn't have much of a role in the story anymore, fans still can't get enough of him.
Future Trunks is present in spin-offs, but a series dedicated to his adventures in the future, set around his clashes with the Androids, Goku Black, and whatever other challenges he's faced, would make plenty of Dragon Ball fans happy. The time-traveling and multiverse angle has been used with him before in Super Dragon Ball Heroes, so maybe something that has more to do with the mainline series would be best.
Gohan
Gohan remains a popular character despite some fans' frustrations with him. Though not everyone likes it, Gohan has always been less keen on fighting compared to other Saiyans like his father and Vegeta. Though he has the potential to be among the most powerful in the series (and it finally looks like he's heading in that direction), Gohan is more interested in academics than he is in fighting, unless he absolutely needs to.
Still, a Gohan spin-off would make some fans ecstatic. Something more slice-of-life-ish like the early Buu Saga stuff would be a fun spin-off idea. The series could explore what Gohan got up to in the years following the Cell Games, just before his father's revival. That probably won't ever happen, but as long as he remains a big part of the mainline series, fans won't have any complaints.
Vegeta
Vegeta probably has the best character arc in Dragon Ball, next to Piccolo. We've seen him go from Earth-threatening supervillain to reluctant ally and anti-hero, to a full-on good guy who regrets his past transgressions and wishes to better himself.
Like Bardock, focusing on Vegeta's time under Frieza, leading up to his introduction in Dragon Ball, would make for a great series. Not only would you have a lot to work with, given how long Vegeta was part of the Frieza Force for, but the series could also give us a look at young Vegeta and how the destruction of his planet and the loss of his people affected him. We've already gotten glimpses of this in Dragon Ball, but a full series exploring the character is something that plenty of fans would be happy to see.
Dragon Ball
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 1986 - 1989
- Network
- Fuji TV
Cast
-
Masako NozawaSon Goku (voice) -
Mayumi TanakaKrillin (voice)
