From the Buu Saga to the Garlic Jr. Saga, Dragon Ball Z has its share of poorly-written arcs. It makes sense for the most part. Some are inconclusive in terms of plot, while others lack depth and complexity altogether. Then, some arcs are downright cringeworthy in every manner.
Such is the case with this saga, in particular, which started on a wrong foot. Over the years, it gained a fanbase despite the underlying criticisms and is celebrated thoroughly by fans. There’s the good, the bad and the ugly, but we’re barely getting started with this one.
To be fair, the saga is a true rollercoaster with its highs and lows. It has its ups, downs, and the in-betweens. This also included some major tweaks to the series. Here, it meant replacing Gohan with Goku in the anime for a solid reason.
Dragon Ball Z’s replacement of Gohan with Goku
Dragon Ball Z is known for its peak action scenes, stakes, character development, and much more. It changed the course of shonen completely through the characterization. This pieces in well with the villains as well, who were a lethal threat in the series compared to its contemporaries.
Cell, Buu, and Frieza are some of the strongest villains in the Z series. It isn’t merely for namesake, considering Frieza almost killed Krillin. Cell, on the other hand, killed Trunks and many more. As for Buu, we all know how he managed to destroy the Earth, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The well-written characters indeed make a story engaging, compelling, and gripping. It serves as a hook for both readers and viewers, who look for a certain consistency within the plot. But, in most the cases, some arcs tend to be either a hit or a miss.
Such was the case with Garlic Jr. Saga, which felt inconsistent for several reasons. It had no continuity with the main event and was mainly filler. But what fans hated the most was the absence of both Vegeta and Goku in the story. But there is an arc that could easily overpower this one, and here’s how.
Although it is deemed one of the worst Sagas in DBZ, the Great Saiyaman Saga eventually replaced Goku with Gohan for many reasons. This was done mainly because of how unpopular the latter was, and it is understandable. For fans, the arc remains a rollercoaster of emotions.
Great Saiyaman Saga is a true rollercoaster of emotions
To be fair, the Great Saiyaman Saga isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so to say. The saga is often hated for its cringy references, especially Gohan’s poses. It is understandable why some fans dislike it, especially with how he defeated Cell. In this case, he is reduced to a caricature or, rather, a clown.
His antics are foolish, goofy, and unsavory to some. But to others, it is a refreshing change from the action-laden plots and cliche superhero portrayals. The not-so-subtle romance between him and Videl is the cherry on the cake. It is nostalgic and nonsensical, yet it feels good in certain aspects.
Barring the old-school romance and cringe, it is also well-liked mainly because of the humor. But again, humor, like everything else, is pretty subjective, and while some enjoyed it, others didn’t. Overall, though, it was quite the shift from what one would expect out of a Dragon Ball series.
The pop culture references, be it Kamen Rider or the Freddie Mercury coach, are something one cannot miss out on. It might be inconsistent and inconclusive, but Saiyaman isn’t one of the worst arcs, as some deem it.
Dragon Ball Z is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
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