Dragon Ball is home to some of the strongest characters in fiction, and more than one comes from the Son family. Goku, anime’s most iconic hero, is the series’ most important fighter, and holds bragging rights as being the one who has taken down most main villains. Gohan, the oldest child of the family, has a victory over a major villain under his belt as well.
With the recently released Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero focusing its story on Gohan, the series’ most popular hybrid Saiyan has returned to his former glory as one of the series’ most powerful fighters. There is another fighter in the Son family, though, but he hasn’t quite gotten the same shine.
Goten, the youngest child of the family, was introduced and played a large role in the Majin Buu Saga. Not only was the fate of the world rested on his and Trunks’ shoulders early on in the arc, but he made up one half of the series’ first ever fusion. Unfortunately, following the defeat of Buu, he largely faded from the spotlight, and according to Akira Toriyama, there was a reson for that.
Akira Toriyama Revealed That Not All Saiyans Have Tails
Without a Tail, the Saiyans’ Powers Are Significantly Lessened
Saiyans’ tails haven’t played much of a role in Dragon Ball over the past few decades, but they’re still central to some of the series’ most powerful transformations, and according to Toriyama, Goten never had one. In a 2003 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump, the legendary artist answered questions from fans in the United States.
One fan asked Toriyama why Goten and Trunks didn’t have tails, to which he responded, “It seems that tails are a recessive genetic trait.” Considering Toriyama’s sense of humor, which often found its way into his responses in interviews, it’s likely his answer was a bit tongue in cheek, but there’s something of substance to be taken from it.
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Dragon Ball Already Revealed the Reason Gohan Is Stronger Than Goku and Honestly? He May Be Stronger Than Broly Too
Akira Toriyama once provided the perfect explanation for why Gohan has greater potential than Goku, and it may even cause him to outpace Broly.
A Saiyan’s tail is a major source of power, especially in younger characters, as seen in Gohan’s use of the Great Ape early on in the series. For a character like Broly, his primal rage is explained as a harnessing of the Great Ape’s power, despite him no longer having his tail. Gohan’s Beast transformation uses rage in a similar way.
With Dragon Ball Daima reintroducing Super Saiyan 4 into series canon, there’s now another transformation for which a tail is necessary in some way. Characters like Goten and Trunks, who supposedly never had a tail to begin with, those forms of power are impossible to reach.
Goten Deserves Some Room to Shine
The Youngest Son of Goku Deserves a Bigger Role In Dragon Ball
Goten likely isn’t the favorite character of many Dragon Ball fans, but as a character that once played a major role in an arc of Akira Toriyama’s original manga, he deserves to be a bit more involved in the franchise. Following the Buu Saga, both he and Trunks faded far into the background, with neither having much to do at all during 2015’s Dragon Ball Super.
While the manga’s version of events made them central figures in its Super Hero arc, they weren’t given a difficult task or awarded some new powerful transformation. Nearly four decades on from their debut, the best either can do is fuse with one another into Gotenks. Goten was the series’ youngest Super Saiyan, and was hinted at having incredible potential, only for the series to do little with him past his initial appearance.
Some of that might have to do with Akira Toriyama’s decision not to give him a tail, inadvertently restricting him from reaching Dragon Ball‘s highest levels of strength, but it’s more likely that he’s simply been ignored in favor of more popular characters. Nevertheless, he’s a member of the strongest family on Earth, and he deserves a little more room to shine.
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- First Episode Air Date
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April 26, 1989
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
