Starting with the original manga series in 1984, the Dragon Ball franchise has been going strong for over 40 years, becoming a global phenomenon and never showing signs of slowing down. From hit anime series and video games to trading card games and tons of merch, the fandom has never been starved of new content, even after creator Akira Toriyama's death in March 2024. Most of these releases are met with glowing reviews and plenty of fanfare, but one strange anime series was quickly dubbed the “black sheep” of the franchise. While opinions on Dragon Ball GT has evolved over the decades since its release, it has never really rocked its negative reputation.
Best Dragon Ball GT representation in Dragon Ball games
These are some of the best Dragon Ball GT representations and references in Dragon Ball games.
Begins airing on Japanese television on February 7, 1996, Dragon Ball GT is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, but it's unlikely to see much in the way of a proper celebration. The series is still criticized for its dull plot and silly character design three decades later, and most have chosen to simply leave it in the past. However, there are some gems for those willing to give the 64-episode series another look, and some longtime fans are finally admitting that some bits of GT wasn't too bad after all.
Dragon Ball GT remains the most controversial series in the long-running franchise
Given the popularity of Toriyama's manga series, it was no surprise that both Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z anime adaptations enjoyed unprecedented success. With so much money coming in, publishers Shueisha and Toei Animation were reluctant to let it end, leading to the creation of Dragon Ball GT. Under great pressure, Toriyama agreed to its production, but the series is not an adaptation of his manga series. Instead, it's one more anime-exclusive sequel Dragon Ball Zsomething that immediately rubbed fans the wrong way.
The series begins with Goku accidentally being transformed back into a child by Ultimate Shenron, who is summoned by his former enemy, Emperor Pilaf. He is then forced to travel the universe to track down the Black Star Dragon Balls alongside Trunks and his grandson Pan, as failing to do so within a year will result in the destruction of Earth. While the first two arcs of Dragon Ball GT is agreed to be the best the lame series has to offer, viewers agree that the show falls off with the subsequent Super Android 17 Saga and Shadow Dragons Saga arcs. Many were also frustrated with the series' focus on Goku, which didn't give any other character a chance to shine.
Fans of Dragon Ball were no doubt excited for more content when the series started in 1996, but it was immediately clear that Dragon Ball GT wasn't what most people who supported Toriyama's work were interested in watching. The original author was largely uninvolved in the GTs development, and fans were quick to point out the missing spark found in the previous anime adaptations. Jokes don't land, many plot points seem forced, and both Pan and her robot companion Giru have been dubbed some of the most annoying characters in Dragon Ball franchise. It was a losing battle from the start, and today's fans have long wondered what it would have taken to do GT a welcome entry into the series. (Getting Toriyama more involved seems like the easiest answer.)
This concept from Dragon Ball GT is just too good to continue to ignore
Dragon Ball GT may be hated by many, but it actually introduced great concepts that the series can still benefit from.
This is not to say that Dragon Ball GT was a total flop when it was released. It inspired a stage show in Japan in 1997, along with several art books, a 2013 manga adaptation, and several video games, including Dragon Ball GT: Final Bout for PlayStation and the 2005 Game Boy Advance title Dragon Ball GT: Transformationwhich was released exclusively in North America. Curiously, GT was much more popular overseas than in Japan, although it's hard to find much love for it online.
Despite setbacks, Dragon Ball GT has plenty of redeeming qualities
Over the past three decades, there have been many discussions about what Dragon Ball GT did right. Even those who haven't dipped their toes into the series have probably seen the Super Saiyan 4 transformation, which was introduced in GT's 34th episode and remains one of the most beloved forms in the entire franchise. An advanced version of the Super Saiyan and Golden Great Ape forms, it is devastatingly powerful, with an updated incarnation of it recently appearing in the latest anime series, Dragon Ball Daima. This has been well received, as it was many fans' favorite part of GTwith the transformation receiving a few upgrades to keep it fresh and interesting for modern audiences.
One of Dragon Ball GTs powerful main villains were also applauded by viewers. In the distant past, the Tuffle race, once the natural inhabitants of Planet Plant, were wiped out by the Saiyans under the rule of King Vegeta. IN GTBaby, the sole survivor of this decimated race, returns to exact revenge on the Saiyans, with unique techniques and abundant power. He even has Vegeta, sparking yet another battle between the Saiyan prince and his rival. This was a highlight for many, as Baby was anything but one-dimensional. His ability to lay eggs within the humans he possesses, allowing him to turn his former hosts into loyal minions, also added some extra terror to his arc.
Vegeta fans were also pleased with how Dragon Ball GT handled his character's growth. Throughout Dragon Ball Zthe Saiyan prince begins to show more affection for his family and for planet Earth, and the peak of his transformation comes during his sacrifice in the Buu Saga. IN GThe has truly evolved into a family man, putting aside his eternal rivalry with Goku and obsession with becoming stronger and instead choosing to focus on his wife and children.
30 years later, many fans have warmed up to Dragon Ball GT – at least a little
While Dragon Ball GT had some good ideas, fans agree that these were ineffective due to weak writing and poor execution. The Baby Saga in particular introduced many interesting ideas, from the possibilities of Super Saiyan 4 to the merging of Majin Buu and Uub. Black Star Dragon Balls also raised an interesting question for fans of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z: what if the Dragon Balls had been corrupted by overuse earlier in the canon series?
Fit the 9 games into the grid.
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Although still divisive 30 years after its debut, Dragon Ball GT has nevertheless managed to influence the franchise as a whole. Currently, GTthe legacy lives on Dragon Ball Daimawith Super Saiyan 4 making a comeback in the series' 18th episode. While the designs are broadly similar, the trigger for the transformation has been changed to make sense within the show's narrative. Dragon Ball GT has also seen plenty of representation in Dragon Ball video games, including the most recent ones Dragon Ball Sparking Zero. It remains to be seen whether some other aspects of GT will appear in future Dragon Ball content.
The Dragon Ball franchise as a whole turns 40 in 2026, and fittingly, some exciting news was recently announced. A new anime, Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrolwill continue where Dragon Ball Super ended, and a new video game, Dragon Ball: Age 1000is on its way. Although little is known about the latter, it has been confirmed that Toriyama was involved in its creation. More information will be revealed in April during the Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour in Los Angeles.
- Release date
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1997 – 1997-00-00
- Network
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Fuji TV
- Showrunner
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Akira Toriyama
- Directors
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Minoru Okazaki, Mitsuo Hashimoto, Yoshihiro Ueda, Takahiro Imamura, Hidehiko Kadota, Osamu Kasai, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Shigeyasu Yamauchi
- Author
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Akira Toriyama
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Masako Nozawa
Oob (voice)
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Yuko Minaguchi
Uncredited
