Dragon Ball Super's new arc is what Dragon Ball Z The Legend of Buu should be

Dragon Ball Super's new arc brings a new tone and setting to the story that Dragon Ball Z's Majin Buu Saga promised but failed to deliver.

Warning: SPOILERS for chapter #88 of Dragon Ball Super

Dragon Ball Super's new arc brings to the story everything Dragon Ball Z's Majin Buu saga promised but failed to deliver. The superhero arc started out as a slice-of-life story, focusing on young heroes Goten and Trunks, with a very different tone than the rest of the series, which was more concerned with comedy than the high-stakes fights Dragon Ball fans are used to.

The Majin Buu Saga is the final installment of Dragon Ball Z, taking place seven years after Cell's defeat. After Goku's death in the Cell Games, the focus shifts to his son Gohan, who attends high school while trying to do some good under the covert identity of the heroic Saiyan. Even after a new major threat in the form of Majin Boo, this part of the story still focuses on Gohan and the two youngest Saiyans, Goten and Trunks. The tone is much lighter than in the past, with frequent comedic gags and lighthearted moments. However, in the end, Goku and Vegeta are the protagonists again, and the story returns to the classic tropes, ending with a mortal fight with Kidd Buu.

Chapter 88 of Dragon Ball Super sees the start of a new arc strikingly similar to the earlier parts of the Majin Buu saga. Another significant time jump occurs, with Goten and Trunks now teenagers in high school. They also donned the mantle of superheroes, creating the great Saiyans X-1 and X-2. There are many episodes in life where the two boys go to school and there is even a tinge of romance with Trunks trying to express his love for Mai. The villains also don't seem as threatening as Dragon Ball's usual foes, easily eliminated by Trunks. There's also a definite comedic emphasis, especially with Trunks' whole spooky routine.

Dragon Ball Super Is Finally Changing The Tone Of The Story Like The Majin Buu Saga Promised To

When the Majin Buu saga started in Dragon Ball Z, it was clear that the manga wanted to take a different direction than it had in the past. Gohan is obviously the new main character, with Trunks and Goten filling supporting roles and providing constant laughs through their children's shenanigans. Even with Majin Buu, the return of Mr. Satan keeps the tone of the story light and funny. Goten and Trunks fought Buu in the House of Souls, and that fight was full of laughs and jokes. However, the series ends with a more familiar scene of Goku and Vegeta fighting to the death with Buu. Dragon Ball Super also decided not to change the formula for the series' success, focusing once again on Goku and Vegeta, pitting them against increasingly powerful foes in a battle for the fate of the universe.

However, this new Dragon Ball Super arc feels like a real breath of fresh air. The main characters have been changed, and the manga proves it can be more than the usual cycle of combat and training. Of course, there are also fans who aren't happy with this new direction, preferring the classic, familiar tone of Dragon Ball. While it's hard to judge from just one chapter, Dragon Ball Super's new arc is finally giving fans the fresh look promised by the Majin Buu saga decades ago.

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