From the outside looking in, it can be somewhat difficult to know what is or isn’t canon throughout Dragon Ball‘s many anime adventures. The franchise’s theatrical films and TV specials were long ago deemed non-canon, except for two: Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks and Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku. The former was officially made canon when recreated in Dragon Ball Super‘s Goku Back arc, while the latter was enjoyed by Toriyama so much that he inserted it into his original manga, and he wasn’t the only one.
Dragon Ball animator Chikashi Kubota recently took part in an interview conducted by vondbz on X, translated by Venixys, in which he revealed that Bardock – The Father of Goku is also his favorite anime original story. The artist directed and contributed key frames to Dragon Ball Super: Broly, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, and Dragon Ball Daima, and is partly responsible for the clean and detailed look of modern Dragon Ball. When asked about what off-screen events in the series he would like to animate, Kubota immediately mentioned Bardock.
One Dragon Ball Animator Would Like to Revisit Bardock
The Story of Goku’s Father Remains Incredibly Popular Today
In response to the question, Kubota said, “Considering that Toriyama-sensei has unfortunately passed away and that Dragon Ball will continue, perhaps there will be thoughts of animating episodes that have never been given much focus before.” He then added, “Personally, the story I love the most is Bardock – The Father of Goku… At the time, it was really exciting, and moved me a lot… If, in the future, another story were to be created to fill those gaps, I’d really love to work on it.“
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Super Saiyan Bardock Might Be Epic, But Dragon Ball Would Make a Huge Mistake in Making Him Canon
“Episode of Bardock” brought a crazy dream to reality by allowing Goku’s father to go Super Saiyan, but the stunt causes some problems for Goku.
Bardock was created specifically for the TV special released in 1990, which told the story of the Saiyans’ final days on Planet Vegeta, before Frieza arrived to exterminate them. Becoming popular with fans, Bardock remains a favorite character for many within the Dragon Ball community, despite his relatively small amount of screen time. Though another Bardock-centric entry into the franchise would certainly be a hit with viewers, it may be unlikely.
Akira Toriyama Already Revisited Bardock
The Saiyan’s Story Was Retold in Manga and Film
Akira Toriyama admitted in a 1995 interview that Bardock – The Father of Goku was his favorite anime original story, and that he enjoyed how dramatic it was. He enjoyed it to the point that he introduced Bardock into his manga series a short time after the special’s release, and, unfortunately for Kubota, he rewrote his story in 2014. In a special one-shot chapter titled Dragon Ball Minus, Toriyama rewrote the events of Bardock’s final days and the destruction of Planet Vegeta in their entirety, and that version was then retold again in Dragon Ball Super: Broly.
If Kubota wants to revisit Bardock, it would likely need to be in an entirely original Dragon Ball story, which could still make for a highly enjoyable viewing experience, but not one that has anything to do with Toriyama’s version of events. Bardock did return to the pages of Dragon Ball Super‘s Granolah arc, and if that series ever returns to adapt the manga, fans will have the chance to see the Saiyan on-screen once more.
Source: Interview by vondbz (translation by Venixys), Dragon Ball Daizenshuu 6 (translation by Kanzenshuu)
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- First Film
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Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies
- First Episode Air Date
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April 26, 1989
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