Dragon Ball: Missed Opportunities That Could Have Made the Original Series Better

The Unfinished Crossover with Dr. Slump

The inclusion of the Norimaki family from Akira Toriyama's Dr. Slump series in Dragon Ball's General Blue saga is probably one of the most complicated tie-in crossovers to ever randomly happen. Goku wouldn't have been able to continue looking for the Dragon Balls if Turbo didn't effortlessly fix Bulma's Dragon Ball with his telekinetic powers. More importantly, Goku would have most assuredly been killed if Arale hadn't been beaten up Blue. Although completely ridiculous and even unwarranted, the Norimaki family's overall importance to the plot demanded that Toriyama came back to them at least once in the manga. Failing to give this story a satisfying conclusion just made their involvement odder and out of place than they already were. Luckily, Dragon Ball Super later indirectly honored Dr. Slump.

Turbo and Arale attacking General Blue in Dragon Ball

The silly spin-off incorporating Toriyama's other work needed to be more developed. The Dr. Slump 'crossover' was an intriguing concept that could have added depth and complexity to the Dragon Ball universe. However, the lack of a satisfying conclusion left this crossover feeling unresolved and out of place in the overall narrative of Dragon Ball.

A Missed Epic Adventure in West City

Most of Goku's travels during the overarching Red Ribbon Army saga felt like random wanderings. The most obvious of them occurs in chapter 68 when Goku is searching for where Bulma lives. He first wins money in a street fight and then almost gets mugged. Both of these incidents feel much too similar. Although the mugging was likely Toriyama's way of showing how crime-ridden city life can be, a much more complex scenario could have actually involved the police officer he meets in the manga arresting him for obtaining illegal money from the street fight.

Goku fighting in street fight in West City in a Trip to the City episode in Dragon Ball

Goku's search for Bulma's house in West City could have been transformed into a thrilling and adventurous quest, adding depth to the narrative and showcasing the vibrant world of Dragon Ball. The missed opportunity to delve into the complexities of city life and the challenges Goku faced could have elevated the original series to new heights of storytelling and excitement.

Unrealized Story Arcs and Character Development

In the very next chapter, Goku finally arrives at Capsule Corp just as the Red Ribbon Army begins discussing how Goku must have some sophisticated tech with him to track the Dragon Balls. This juxtaposition created the opportunity for the Red Ribbon Army to head for Capsule Corp and take Dr. Brief and his wife as hostages who aren't physically capable people. Instead, General Blue captures some of the most capable characters at the time on Roshi's island: a powerful martial artist and a woman who becomes a psychopath who's proficient in gunplay whenever she sneezes.

General Blue captures Roshi and Krillin in Dragon Ball

The original Dragon Ball series had a villain problem. Complete jokes like Pilaf unfortunately persist, while the rest who were actually dastardly died too early – General Blue and Staff Officer Black – or defected to the good guys – Piccolo and Tien. Then, there are those like Mercenary Tao and Master Shen who have just been straight up disrespected despite their horrific deeds. Mercenary Tao murdered a child's father in front of him and Master Shen attempted to kill his former disciples once they went out on their own. And yet, their deaths were relegated to a guide called Dragon Ball Forever. It might have been published by Shueisha, but even the specifics of their deaths couldn't have been more disrespectfully ambiguous. Moreover, Mercenary Tao became a cyborg. He could have been a product of the Red Ribbon Army, but, alas, he's just a regular cyborg.

Master Shen and Mercenary Tao get disrespected in Dragon Ball