Toei Needs a Wake up Call After Underutilizing Dragon Ball DAIMA’s Strongest Character for No Reason

SUMMARY

• Vegeta is being left out of the core of the narrative in Dragon Ball DAIMA.
• The anime has to start properly utilisig hin seeing as he has massive attraction towards the fans.
• Even after SSJ 3 of Vegeta wsa revealed, teh series seems to want to sideine him.

Dragon Ball DAIMA promised a return to the roots and flipped the narrative with a striking twist. The main character, Goku, steps away from the primary conflict and plot to explore and have fun, and Vegeta takes the lead against the main antagonist. This unexpected shift might be due to the clash between the built story of the Dragon Ball franchise and Toriyama’s idea to return to simpler times.

Mini Vegeta in DAIMA | Credit: Toei Animation

Vegeta has long been one of the most beloved characters in Dragon Ball, perhaps with a following rivaling or exceeding that of the main character, Goku. The franchise has clearly developed a pattern of undermining and underutilizing him.

In Dragon Ball DAIMA, this trend has gone from frustrating to outright insulting. Despite being one of the most complex and powerful characters, Vegeta is constantly humiliated, sidelined, and reduced to comic relief. This is a stark contrast to the carefree and seemingly dumb Goku.

Vegeta’s character has been turned into a sidekick

Vegeta started as a ruthless villain in Dragon Ball Z, a proud Saiyan prince, he gradually evolved into a somewhat cold but relatable anti-hero. Compared to the always-positive Goku, seeing Vegeta struggle and his character develop over the years, his struggles with power and his desire to protect his family made him a fan-favorite.

Vegeta achieves his Super Saiyan 3 form in DAIMA | Credit: Toei Animation

However, instead of building on this complexity, the Dragon Ball franchise has increasingly leaned on him for cheap things like laughs. In DAIMA, it’s worse as he’s been reduced to a grumpy rival of Goku, with no exploration of his growth after the Majin Vegeta saga, a portrayal that is a far cry from his dynamic arc in Dragon Ball Z or Super.

The Demon Realm nightclub scene was a glaring example of this, but after that scene, skipping to the part where fans expectations of a long time were fulfilled by having Vegeta achieve the SSJ3 form, there was a massive bump in the ratings of Dragon Ball DAIMA, this further goes to show how much love the fans have for the seemingly grumpy Saiyan Prince.

The franchise won’t let Vegeta shine

Vegeta’s moments and appearances have been played for comedy, whether it’s his reaction to being turned into a child, his conversation with his wife Bulma, or his attempts to reclaim his pride.

Vegeta and Bulma | Credit: Toei Animation

Vegeta’s portrayal often feels excessive and unfair. it is time for Toei Animation to start using Vegeta properly and uplift the serious instead of just appealing to kids by mocking an adult as a Saiyan warrior with not just the SSJ3 form unlocked but also an Ultra Ego transformation, which makes him the strongest offense-oriented Saiyan in canon Dragon Ball lore.

Vegeta doesn’t want much in his life; after getting recognition from the likes of Beerus and being told that he could become a god, Vegeta is content to live a peaceful life with his family. Watching him struggle for respect and acknowledgment after all he has done is disheartening, especially when he’s at the brunt of all the jokes.

You can stream Dragon Ball DAIMA on Netflix and Crunchyroll.

Written by Chandra Shekhar

Articles Published: 124

Chandra Shekhar, also known as Dan, is a voracious reader with an insatiable hunger for fantasy and fiction. Having devoured countless books, explored manga worlds, and delved deep into anime realms, Dan lives and breathes stories. As a creative mind who rambles on about books and anime all day long, Dan fits right in at FandomWire.