TheDragon Ball Supermanga took a lighter turn prior to the events of theSuper Herofilm. Starting from Chapter #88, the manga briefly shifted focus to Trunks and Goten’s secret crime-fighting identities as Saiyaman X-1 and X-2, respectively. Set in West City, the story provided a lighthearted break from the intense battles of the previous arc.
The manga follows the duo balancing their lives and superhero duties while facing the growing threat of Dr. Hedo and his android creations. However, despite Goten being a central character, he was pushed into the background, while Trunks received most of the spotlight. Any meaningful development was noticeably missing, and the artist behind the arc admits it was a missed opportunity.
Goten Was Heavily Overshadowed in the Manga
Goten Received Little to No Development
While the prelude arc gave bothTrunks and Goten superhero alter egos, it quickly became clear who the real star was. Trunks took center stage in nearly every scene, from leading the action to navigating school life, while Goten was relegated to the sidelines. For the vast majority of the three chapters, Goten didn’t have a significant role.
Even during moments of action,Goten’s contributions felt minimal in comparison to Trunks.While he showed off impressive strength and speed, nearly all his actions supported Trunks. In contrast, Trunks had an emotional subplot involving his crush on Mai and a direct confrontation and rivalry with Baytah.
This imbalance was noticed by both fans and Toyotaro himself. TheDragon Ball Superartistrecently acknowledged at a press conferencethat he hadn’t depicted Goten well during the prelude toSuper Hero. He also shared that he would like to do more with him in the future.
Goten Will Have a Better Portrayal in the Future
Toyotaro Expressed Wanting To Do More With Goten’s Character
Toyotaro’s recent comment suggests a clear intention toimprove Goten’s role moving forward, and it’s possible that he may seek inspiration from others. Akira Toriyama himself was impressed by artist Tadayoshi Nakatsuru’s ability to create dynamic scenes using camera angles and poses that even Toriyama hadn’t originally envisioned.
Nakatsuru’s work stood out not just for character design but for enhancing the story through visual composition. It’s a reminder that how a character is visually presented can shape their presence in the story. With more expressive layouts and imaginative designs,Toyotaro could give Goten a stronger and more impactful role in futureDragon Ballarcs.
Toyotaro’s acknowledgment of past missteps hints at a brighter future for Goten, where he isn’t confined to the role of a sidekick.
Goten has just as much potential as Trunks in the series. As Goku’s second son and one-half of the iconic fusion with Trunks, his power and identity deserve deeper and more meaningful exploration. If Toyotaro follows through on hisplan to portray Goten better, fans could finally see him shine on his own.
Toyotaro’s acknowledgment of past missteps hints at a brighter future for Goten, where he isn’t confined to the role of a sidekick. With visual inspiration from artists like Nakatsuru, upcoming chapters could give Goten some of the spotlight and long-overdue development inDragon Ball.
