AnimeTelevision

10 Dragon Ball Storylines That Were Never Explained And Left Us With Burning Questions

Dragon Ball is such an iconic and legendary show. With the passage of time, one finds itself lingering to the show more than one admits. But a show as long as this one tends to contain some hazy storylines and abandon some of its own plots and sub-plots, which left the fans to wonder why? Written over the course of ten years, it’s honestly a miracle the series makes as much narrative sense as it does. As well written as Dragon Ball Series is, it’s frustrating to not have answers to everything. But it is something we all need to accept that there are some things unfinished and we have to fill up the cracks on our own.

 1. The curious case of Future Trunks’ Timeline

Dragon Ball Storylines Never Explained

It’s been so long since we found out Future Trunks lives in a completely different timeline. But it’s still confusing. What’s different in Trunk’s timeline? How/why was the timeline created in the first place? Why did Gohan achieve Super Saiyan much later? Erased entirely at the end of the Goku Black arc, Trunks’ timeline was seen out of existence. While it’s already sad that Trunks lost his home, it’s made even sadder when we realize Trunks’ future is the original timeline. Zeno is erasing an alternate timeline and also erasing the current timeline, but we’re never getting another story with Trunks’ true home. Personally, I felt that it would have been interesting to find out what happened next to Trunk and would have added a new angle to the plot. But this narrative was soon abandoned by the writers and we never got to explore it.

 2. Tenshinhan and the Mafuba

Tenshinhan spends so much time training with the Mafuba during the Piccolo Daimao arc, only to reveal that he had broken the electric kettle that he was practicing with. And at the final showdown, Goku immediately takes the spotlight. There’s not much Tenshinhan does with the Mafuba now or later in the show. It’s frustrating that the makers would dedicate so much time to this plot only to have Tenshinhan fail before he can even try. Though that was perhaps makers’ way of ensuring ten stayed alive, but as a fan, it was unsettling that the character of Tenshinhan was never really discovered to its full capacity.

 3. Upa’s character

Dragon Ball Storylines Never Explained
Dragon Ball Storylines Never Explained

Upa first appeared as a 5-year-old in Dragon Ball. Unfortunately, while he does appear two more times before the series’ end, Upa never amounts to anything and his character development remains a mystery. If Toriyama wanted he could have made him strong enough to at least hang with Goku in the early days like Yamcha and Chiaotzu. but we have to accept that he’s just Goku’s forgotten friend now. There’s never any indication that he’s begun to live like Goku and it’s even implied visually that he never left Bora’s side, staying in the Sacred Land of Karin, unlike Goku who traveled the world.

 4. Tsuru Sennin’s revenge

Crane School is foiled to the Turtle School during the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai and actively help Tenshinhan’s character arc during the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. As Tenshinhan defeats Tao Pai Pai, Tsuru Sennin vows to get his revenge. But he never does that and he’s never mentioned again for the rest of the franchise. He’s a present character at the end of the Cell arc, but it’s clear there’s no story left to tell, except the story that wasn’t told to us.

 5. Goku’s mind-reading technique

Goku used his mind-reading technique the least, which was rather surprising, given it would have been beneficial on so many occasions. When he arrived late to the battle on Namek, he used it on Krillin to get a recap of the events that had taken place. It took him a few moments to figure out the event. In Namek Saga, Goku broke out a mind-reading technique, which allowed him to catch up on all the things that happened. This surely was a cool technique, but it was never used again. I think Toriyama just used it for plot convenience and then forgot about it, but we haven’t. Why would Goku never use his Telepathic ability again? Also, we were never shown how Goku acquired this power and how did he realize his newfound ability. I wonder if they’ll reintroduce this old plot point of Goku’s.

 6. Launch’s disappearance

Dragon Ball Storylines Never Explained
Dragon Ball Storylines Never Explained

Launch was introduced earlier in Dragon Ball as a companion of Goku, Roshi, and Krillin. Actually, she was kidnapped by Goku and Krillin, but became a part of the show and their lives with her dual personality, which was fun and entertaining. But the question arises that why she suddenly disappeared in the Dragon Ball Z series, given she was such a big part of Roshi’s life. Though she made her cameos later here and there, from the main lead to an occasional character, the transformation doesn’t add up.

 7. How Did Whis Get Assigned To Universe 7?

Dragon Ball Characters stronger Than Gods of Destruction

Unlike the Gods of Destruction, Whis and other Angels aren’t tied down to a specific universe. When Zeno and Future Zeno erased the universes during the Tournament of Power, the Angels were the only beings from their respective universes that were permitted to remain, demonstrating that they’re not connected to the universe like other life forms. Given that there are so many universes, why was he assigned to Universe 7 in particular? Did he choose to live in Universe 7 for reasons that are unknown? Did the Grand Priest dictate this assignment to him? Guess we will never know!

 8. Can They Have Children With Other Species Besides Humans?

Goku and Vegeta played a direct role in starting the new generation of their race by reproducing families with Earthling women. Though Tarble, Vegeta’s younger brother complicated this notion of what Saiyans were attracted to after introducing his wife, Gure, a petite alien that doesn’t resemble an Earthling at all. The two weren’t stated to have any children, but it was never revealed if this was by their choice or due to the limits of biology. This left many fans wondering if Saiyans can only have children with Earthlings, or can they even reproduce with other extraterrestrial races if they ever wanted to? But this plot was also abandoned and the fans have to have their own theories.

 9. How Did Goku Discover Super Saiyan 3?

When Goku first confronted Majin Buu, he debuted as Super Saiyan 3, a transformation that caught fans off guard, who were originally led to believe that Super Saiyan 2 was the height of a Saiyan’s power. While fans were able to see the dire situations that prompted the Super Saiyan 1 and Super Saiyan 2 transformations, it was implied that Goku tapped into Super Saiyan 3’s power long before he stepped to Buu, meaning that during his time, something must’ve happened that pushed him so hard that he shattered his limits again. But what exactly happened? Looks like no one has an answer to it, along with Toriyama himself. This question surely was left at an unsolved cliff hanger.

 10. Gohan taking on the Mantle

Goku is obviously the main hero of the Dragon Ball series. But in Dragon Ball Z, the show also focused on Gohan, rising up and becoming a powerful being. But the plot suddenly changes as Gohan is not shown following up on the direction of becoming a hero anymore. While he is still amongst the strongest characters, he doesn’t push himself like before and instead is shown as a strategist leader of the group only. As the whole Gohan storyline was shifted into becoming one of the main leads, only for him to lose that prevalence later? This doesn’t make any sense and is an ongoing unresolved plot point to the fans.

Back to top button