Dragon Ball is one of the longest-running anime franchises of all time, so it’s not really a surprise that there are more than a few retcons. Retcons in and of themselves aren’t necessarily bad, but in Dragon Ball, they almost always are.
Dragon Ball has some of the weirdest, most frustrating retcons of all time. Some aren’t that big in scale, while others change how the series can be perceived entirely. Out of every retcon in Dragon Ball, however, there’s only one that actually makes the franchise better: Broly.
Broly might be the second-best villain in Dragon Ball Z, second only to Frieza himself. He’s a hulking menace, a force of nature, and, since Dragon Ball Super’s amazing retcon, one of Universe 7’s strongest warriors who might not be a villain anymore.
Dragon Ball Is a Titan of Shōnen
Goku smiling in front of a blurred collage of the cast of Dragon Ball Super.Custom Image by Zach Zamora
Dragon Ball isn’t just a major shōnen franchise, it’s arguably the most influential anime franchise of all time. It brought anime to America, showcasing the Japanese art form to an entirely new demographic flawlessly.
It all started in 1986 with the first Dragon Ball anime, showcasing a boy with a tail named Goku as he explored the world, learned how to fight, and made incredible friends along the way. Dragon Ball Z came next, taking the already solid franchise to greater heights.
After Dragon Ball Z, the timeline gets pretty confusing. Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, and Dragon Ball DAIMA all technically come after Dragon Ball Z. While nobody truly considers the unfortunate disaster known as Dragon Ball GT to be canon, there’s some contention surrounding the other two additions to the franchise.
Unfortunately, Dragon Ball Has a Ton of Confusing Retcons
Custom Image by Ana Nieves
Dragon Ball has more than a few retroactive continuity changes that make understanding the series’ timeline and what to consider canon fairly difficult. From the very first episodes of Dragon Ball Z, series creator Akira Toriyama showed that he’s willing to change things to keep the story fresh.
Goku was never an alien in Dragon Ball, and for that matter, nor was Piccolo. Dragon Ball Z introduced the fact that they were a Saiyan and a Namekian respectively, changing the course of the franchise forever. That is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to continuity changes in Dragon Ball.
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One of the biggest, most egregious changes to the Dragon Ball franchise has to do with Dragon Ball DAIMA and Dragon Ball Super. Dragon Ball DAIMA is an amazing series that introduced one of the best transformations in Dragon Ball, Super Saiyan 4, back to the series after it debuted in Dragon Ball GT.
If Dragon Ball DAIMA occurs before Dragon Ball Super (which was confirmed by Akio Iyoku, an executive producer on the show), and Goku is capable of using Super Saiyan 4 in Dragon Ball DAIMA, why doesn’t he use the form to fight Beerus?
Also, if the Supreme Kai and Kibito were unfused in Dragon Ball DAIMA, why were they fused in the beginning of Dragon Ball Super? They’re just two examples of the odd retcons in the Dragon Ball series that act as speed bumps towards anyone’s understanding of the canon. Luckily, not all the retcons are bad.
The Broly Change Is the Only Retcon in Dragon Ball That Improved the Series
Broly powering up in Dragon Ball Super Broly movie
Broly is an unreasonably amazing character in Dragon Ball Z. He barely has any lines, doesn’t have any real motivation, and somehow, he became one of the greatest villains in all of Dragon Ball. He embodied pure rage and destruction better than anyone, and he was such a good villain that one movie wasn’t enough for him.
Broly was the star of three movies in total in Dragon Ball Z, cementing the Legendary Super Saiyan as an icon of a villain. While Frieza is still the best villain in the franchise, even he has nothing on Broly in a few key areas.
There isn’t another character in Dragon Ball as bloodthirsty as Broly. He’s like Goku in that he exists to battle, but unlike Kakarot, Broly does it out of pure rage. He’s a behemoth of a character, standing taller than anyone else with muscles that seem to burst from his body. Fortunately, his trilogy of movies isn’t the last that was seen of him.
Good Broly Is the Most Exciting Addition to Dragon Ball In Years
Broly is back in the Dragon Ball franchise, and he’s better than ever. While the Dragon Ball movies aren’t usually canon, Dragon Ball Super: Broly is, meaning the Legendary Super Saiyan will finally be on-screen for more than a few films.
The original Broly could never have been a hero. Unlike Vegeta or Piccolo, who were once villains before they became morally good, Broly didn’t have a morally good bone in his body. He was a monster through and through, but the new version of Broly is much more redeemable.
Broly is back as a misguided young Saiyan who is able to make friends, see the error of his ways, and make decisions for himself. It’s the best retcon in all the Dragon Ball canon by far, and it’s the only one that actually makes the series much better.
Could there be more retcons in the future that improve Dragon Ball, or is the Broly retcon a rare example of a retcon that works? There’s no way to know for sure, but we do know that Dragon Ball Super has been significantly better ever since the Legendary Super Saiyan has made his way back to the franchise.
Created by
Akira Toriyama
Latest TV Show
Super Dragon Ball Heroes
First Episode Air Date
April 26, 1989