Out of all the entries in theDragon Ballfranchise,Dragon Ball GTis often referred to as the worst one. It’s not without reason, asGTis the only entry in the saga to not have a manga by series creator Akira Toriyama. When a studio decides to create their own adaptation of a series, the results are often mixed at best, andGTis a prime example. The story started confused, trying to recreate the fun that the originalDragon Ballseries excelled in, but the result had issues.
Eventually, however,Dragon Ball GTfound its own identityas a gritty, darkDragon Ballseries filled with brutal fights, devastating deaths, and solid villains. WhileDragon Ball GTis not without its shortcomings, there are a few key things that the series does right. It’s been nearly three decades since the series first premiered in Japan, and since then, fans have had the opportunity to look back onGTfondly and point out the things the show did better than they first thought.
7Darkest Dragon Ball Series Yet
GT Was Much Grittier Than the Rest of the Franchise
Dragon BallandDragon Ball Zboth had their own unique themes.Dragon Ballwas a fun-filled adventure saga detailing Goku’s exploits as a child with a tail as he explored the world and looked to fight the strongest people around, trying to gather the titular Dragon Balls in the process.Dragon Ball Zputs the light-hearted fun of the original second and instead focuses more on action to great success. It’s been nearly three decades sinceDragon Ball Zended, and it is still regarded as one of thebest anime series of all time.
Dragon Ball GTinitially sought to recreateDragon Ball’sfun-filled adventures by transforming Goku back into a kid and giving him Trunks and Pan as his companions. It didn’t work, and the series quickly shifted into something much darker than any other entry into the franchise. Its darkness worked well, however, givingGTits own theme and the uniqueness it needed to stand out within the franchise. While the characters inDragon Ballare no strangers to death or planet-threatening events, things felt different inGT.
Dragon Ball GT’s Evil Androids Have Powers Much Cooler Than 17 & 18’s
While Android 17 and 18 are incredibly powerful as shown in DBZ, Dragon Ball GT introduces a team of evil robots who make 17 and 18 look pathetic.
Villains were more cunning and malicious, deaths came from out of nowhere and were much more brutal, and the world as a whole felt a lot bleaker when the Shadow Dragons emerged. It was a great change to the series thatGTexcelled in.
6Goku Explores Hell
Goku Takes a Deep Dive Into the Home of Many Villains
The afterlife has always been a crucial part ofDragon Ball.Goku is dead for almost as much screen time as he’s alive inDragon Ball Zthanks to Raditz and Cell. When he isn’t alive, he’s still training with King Kai on his planet in the Other World. It’s as close to Heaven asDragon Ballhas, but it’s not the only place in the afterlife. Hell is also a very real place in the world ofDragon Ball.While Goku and his friends are too pure of heart to go to Hell (besides Vegeta, maybe), the villains of the series are the perfect candidates for eternal punishment.
Fans wanting a similarexploration ofDragon Ball’sDemon Realm should giveDaimaa chance.
Dragon Ball GTshowsGoku exploring Hell for the first timein the series. While fans have always heard about the other location in the Other World, it was never shown explicitly like it was inGT.Dragon Ball GTrevived a lot of the villains fromDragon Ball Z,opening a portal between the two realms that Goku heads into it. While he’s in Hell, he gets to see Frieza, Cell, and the world at large, furtheringDragon Ball GTas the darkest entry into theDragon Ballfranchise.
5Fresh Take on the Dragon Balls
The Dragon Balls Aren’t Entirely Good
Though evil has used them a handful of times, the Dragon Ballshavetypically been a tool for good.They can be used for any one wish, allowing the Z Fighters to transcend death itself on multiple different occasions. While the Dragon Balls can do just about anything after being gathered together, the characters in the series are unable to wish for evil things while using them, making them even more morally good.
Dragon Ball GTthrows this idea on its head by introducing the idea ofnegative energy being emitted from the Dragon Balls. The Dragon Balls inGTwere never meant to be used as frequently as the Z Fighters used them. They were only supposed to be used every few hundred years, allowing for the magical items to disburse their built-up negative energy over time.
Because they are used so frequently, the Dragon Balls have built uptoo much negative energyto be contained. This leads to the creation of the Shadow Dragons, some of the best, most menacing villains in the franchise. The idea that the Dragon Balls aren’t entirely good adds a very interesting element to the series that the first two entries in the franchise overlooked. It furtheredGTas the darkest entry inDragon Ball,giving it more of its own identity successfully.
4The New Villains Are Mostly Cool
Super 17, Baby, and the Shadow Dragons
TheDragon Ballfranchise is known for some of thebest villains in anime. From Mercenary Tao in the originalDragon Ball,to Frieza inDragon Ball Z,Dragon Ballhas no shortage of evil yet memorable villains that stand out in the art form. Luckily, the villains inDragon Ball GTaresome of its strongest points.There are only a few arcs inGT,and almost all of them have great villains that dominate the screen every time they are on it.
There are four main sagas inDragon Ball GT,andthree of them have incredible villains.Baby, Super 17, and the Shadow Dragons are all incredible villains in their own right. Much like the beginning ofGTcopying the originalDragon Ballin its theme, most of the villains inDragon Ball GTare just recreations of villains inDragon Ball Z.Baby steals Vegeta’s body like Babidi did when he influenced Vegeta to become Majin Vegeta and Super 17 is just a recreation of the Android Saga villains as well.
Dragon Ball GT’s Creepiest Villain is the Exact Opposite of Majin Buu
Baby is perhaps the creepiest villain in Dragon Ball GT, not only that, but he has proven to be the exact opposite of Majin Buu because of one power.
Thankfully, even though they’re recreations of previous villains,Dragon Ball GTstill does it right.Each of the villains has a unique design, plenty of lethality, and enough evil within them to make them great villains in the series. Super 17 kills Krillin brutally in his arc, and Baby dominates the Z Fighters in his. Finally, Omega Shenron forced Goku and Vegeta to fuse together, creating the strongest character in all ofDragon Ball GTin Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta.
3It’s Only 64 Episodes
The Quickest Watch in the Dragon Ball Franchise
Dragon Ballis a series known for its long run, andthat certainly isn’t a bad thing.The originalDragon Ballhas 153 episodes,Dragon Ball Zhas a whopping 291 episodes, and even the still-runningDragon Ball Superhas 131 episodes.Dragon Ball GTbreaks the mold with only 64 episodes, less than half ofDBandDBSand a fifth ofDragon Ball Z.
The fact thatDragon Ball GTonly has fewer than 70 episodes is a good thing.It tells a complete story quickly, allowing a viewer to enjoy theirDragon Balland eventually move onto another serieswithout wasting any time. It hasfour, succinct sagaswithin it too, each having roughly 16 episodes. Each saga introduces a villain, lets the Z Fighters earn some cool power-ups, and sees the villain dispatched swiftly.
2Old Villains Come Back
The Return of Many Fan Favorites
The villains inDragon Ballare easily some of the best in anime, especially inDragon Ball Z. Dragon Ball Zis almostdefined by its villains, and some of them are so popular, they saw a return inDragon Ball Superas well. Characters like Frieza, Cell, Nappa, and Android 17 arevicious, maniacal, and an absolute threatevery time they’re on-screen. Frieza himself appeared inDragon Ball Z,reappeared after he was supposed to die, and became a pivotal fighter for Universe 7 in the Tournament of Power inDragon Ball Super.
Dragon Ball Daima Lays The Groundwork To Make Dragon Ball GT Canon
The introduction of the idea of black wishes and white wishes could lay the groundwork for the existence of the Black Star Dragon Balls
WhileDragon Ball GTis known for reusing old elements from other entries in theDragon Balluniverse, bringing back old villains was a great move. Nobody complained about seeing Cell and Nappa again, and it felt great to see Nappa die once more to Vegeta.Frieza and Cell teaming up on Gokuin Hell is another high point inGT,as they never even got a chance to meet each other while they were alive.
1Super Saiyan 4
The Coolest Form in Dragon Ball GT
Dragon Ballisn’t just known for its tremendous villains, it’s also known for having incredible transformations. The first time Goku went Super Saiyan in his fight against Frieza on Namek will forever define anime as an art form, and when he mastered Ultra Instinct inDragon Ball Super,he literally overloaded Crunchyroll’s servers. Super Saiyan 4 was the peak form inDragon Ball GT,and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a condensed version of the Great Ape powers Saiyans have, making them grow fur on their arms and grow their hair out as well.
Not only did both Goku and Vegeta achieve this unreal form, but they also fused while using it.Super Saiyan 4 Gogetais one of the strongest characters in the franchise and easily the strongest character inGT.His red hair, iconic vest, and combination of moves using both Goku’s and Vegeta’s trademark abilities makeSuper Saiyan 4 the best part ofDragon Ball GT.
Dragon Ball GT
Cast
Dragon Ball GT is the third series in Akira Toriyama’s most famous anime franchise. However, it is the first one not to adapt a manga storyline. Set after the events of the Buu Saga, Dragon Ball GT sees Goku and the Z-Warriors battle powerful villains such as Baby, Super 17, and the Shadow Dragons. 18 years after the 64-episode show was met with a lukewarm reception, Dragon Ball Super replaced it in the anime’s official continuity.
