Loving this analytic series on DBZ. I’m a big fan of the show. I totally forgot how crucial the earlier episodes were in guiding Goku into becoming Earth’s savior rather than its destroyer. Also says a lot about the power of role models and influence on future generations, especially since Goku was barely one generation removed from the destructive, often expected, tendencies of the Saiyan culture.
He doesn’t get much screen time, but Goku’s real father, Bardock, plays a role somehow in the more beyond-the-grave, bigger-than-life ways that guide Goku during key moments. Sure, he’s not present, but he made the fundamental decision to send Goku off-world before Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta (at least in the retconned Broly movie), and then faced Frieza head on like a true leader would (King Vegeta is never shown putting up a legit fight against Frieza). So whether it was through vague references or spiritual connection, Goku does revere Bardock in some ways, albeit very minimally. So I appreciate the focus on the physical presence in your essay.
Weirdly I regard Goku as more Bardock's mentor because it was adult Goku who veered Bardock onto the right path. But I guess that's one way of looking at it, Bardock's decisions did have an impact and it is likely that some of Goku's powers are derived from him (the telepathy and such, though Kami helped to train Goku in those).
I'm glad you liked this more analytical take on DBZ, I also love the show and am glad you liked this analysis of role-models.
Is Bardock your favourite? Mine might just be Yamcha or Ox-King for some weird reason.
I always liked Yamcha and felt like he got sidelined in later sagas. But yeah, Bardock is pretty cool. Gohan and Krillin go on to become great dad’s in their own right, but that’s a whole different discussion lol
I really like Krillin’s arc in that regard, and also love Yamcha and wish they hadn’t sidelined him, always liked my brother’s fanfic idea to introduce a female Saiyan for him to bond with and this way he ends up in a similar if different position from Chi-Chi & Bulma.
As to Gohan as a father, I felt it happened pretty fast, but that his arc should have turned and kept him as a fighter with the personality and look of Mirai Gohan.
That is interesting! That would have been a cool way to write Yamcha in more for sure.
Gohan is hit or miss for me. I like that he had his moment and then still found solace and passion in something else afterward, and that he can return to the fighting to aid when absolutely necessary. However, the cool factor was diminished with the Great Saiyaman superhero stuff. I totally agree that the Mirai Gohan was awesome. Man, I need to rewatch that movie now.
I hate the GT Saiyaman stuff that was painful, it’s why my cut off point is the Bojack Movie, I stop watching at that point.
Typically, I watch DB, then the DBZ series up until the end of the Frieza movie, then Cooler, then Mirai Trunks movie, then the Android Saga, then the Broly movie, then Cell Games and then Bojack Unbound.
Yamcha is the desert bandit and the girls love the bad boys. Once you point it out the big brother thing is clear. With Yamcha falling away as a character is Gohan growing up.
Sad that he got cast away, him and Gohan deserved better.
Yeah as the Desert Bandit he was pretty cool, I liked him better though as another of the Turtle students. I always liked his Wolf-School and may do an analysis of it, using one of the DBZ fights as a case in point of its grandeur and magnificence.
Loving this analytic series on DBZ. I’m a big fan of the show. I totally forgot how crucial the earlier episodes were in guiding Goku into becoming Earth’s savior rather than its destroyer. Also says a lot about the power of role models and influence on future generations, especially since Goku was barely one generation removed from the destructive, often expected, tendencies of the Saiyan culture.
He doesn’t get much screen time, but Goku’s real father, Bardock, plays a role somehow in the more beyond-the-grave, bigger-than-life ways that guide Goku during key moments. Sure, he’s not present, but he made the fundamental decision to send Goku off-world before Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta (at least in the retconned Broly movie), and then faced Frieza head on like a true leader would (King Vegeta is never shown putting up a legit fight against Frieza). So whether it was through vague references or spiritual connection, Goku does revere Bardock in some ways, albeit very minimally. So I appreciate the focus on the physical presence in your essay.
Great read! Thank you 🙏
Weirdly I regard Goku as more Bardock's mentor because it was adult Goku who veered Bardock onto the right path. But I guess that's one way of looking at it, Bardock's decisions did have an impact and it is likely that some of Goku's powers are derived from him (the telepathy and such, though Kami helped to train Goku in those).
I'm glad you liked this more analytical take on DBZ, I also love the show and am glad you liked this analysis of role-models.
Is Bardock your favourite? Mine might just be Yamcha or Ox-King for some weird reason.
I always liked Yamcha and felt like he got sidelined in later sagas. But yeah, Bardock is pretty cool. Gohan and Krillin go on to become great dad’s in their own right, but that’s a whole different discussion lol
I really like Krillin’s arc in that regard, and also love Yamcha and wish they hadn’t sidelined him, always liked my brother’s fanfic idea to introduce a female Saiyan for him to bond with and this way he ends up in a similar if different position from Chi-Chi & Bulma.
As to Gohan as a father, I felt it happened pretty fast, but that his arc should have turned and kept him as a fighter with the personality and look of Mirai Gohan.
That is interesting! That would have been a cool way to write Yamcha in more for sure.
Gohan is hit or miss for me. I like that he had his moment and then still found solace and passion in something else afterward, and that he can return to the fighting to aid when absolutely necessary. However, the cool factor was diminished with the Great Saiyaman superhero stuff. I totally agree that the Mirai Gohan was awesome. Man, I need to rewatch that movie now.
I hate the GT Saiyaman stuff that was painful, it’s why my cut off point is the Bojack Movie, I stop watching at that point.
Typically, I watch DB, then the DBZ series up until the end of the Frieza movie, then Cooler, then Mirai Trunks movie, then the Android Saga, then the Broly movie, then Cell Games and then Bojack Unbound.
Yamcha is the desert bandit and the girls love the bad boys. Once you point it out the big brother thing is clear. With Yamcha falling away as a character is Gohan growing up.
Sad that he got cast away, him and Gohan deserved better.
Yeah as the Desert Bandit he was pretty cool, I liked him better though as another of the Turtle students. I always liked his Wolf-School and may do an analysis of it, using one of the DBZ fights as a case in point of its grandeur and magnificence.