5 Dragon Ball characters interesting enough to get their own series (& 5 a spinoff would be wasted on)

Dragon Ball characters are some of the most popular and iconic in the entire history of the anime medium, so it is only normal that a lot of fans would love to see more of them have a starring role. A running criticism regarding the franchise has been that the supporting cast doesn't get a lot to do in the series, with Goku and Vegeta oftentimes hogging most of the spotlight.

Moreover, some Dragon Ball characters are perfect for a spinoff series because of the lore around them and only need a bit of attention. On the other hand, there are others who, while good and even quite popular, wouldn't work with a spinoff for a number of reasons, as shown in this list, which is not set in any particular order.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

5 Dragon Ball characters who deserve their own series

1) Vegeta

Vegeta, one of the most popular Dragon Ball characters (Image via Toei Animation)

It sounds contradictory to claim that Goku and Vegeta rob most of the spotlight from the vast majority of Dragon Ball characters and then claim the Saiyan Prince should get his own spinoff. However, there is an argument to be made that the coprotagonist could benefit from having his own series, while also fitting in with what has been established in the Super continuity thus far.

It was established during the Universe 6 Tournament arc that Vegeta wanted to visit said universe's Planet Sadala, which was also the Saiyan's original home. The Saiyan Prince already had a mentor-student relationship with Cabba, and could go there in a small spinoff, where he could connect with his race from another universe.

It is a premise that was already established in the series, and a lot of fans feel that Vegeta deserves to defeat a main villain— an opportunity he could have in his own series. It would also be another great moment to highlight the character's development throughout the years.

2) Piccolo

Piccolo, one of the most beloved Dragon Ball characters (Image via Toei Animation)

It is true that Piccolo recently got his moment to shine in the 2022 Super Hero movie, not only because he got his Orange transformation but also due to him basically being the protagonist in that storyline. The Namekian is one of the most beloved Dragon Ball characters and got a moment to shine in that film.

Therefore, some may argue that he doesn't deserve his own spinoff, but the Daima anime has recently added more lore regarding the Namekians.

The idea of Piccolo perhaps discovering something regarding Namekian myths, coupled with the possibility of a villain of that race to deal with, would be quite interesting to see. This spinoff could also give him the chance to have Pan as his sidekick, especially now that Super Hero confirmed they have a good relationship.

3) Ten Shin Han

Ten Shin Han, one of the most underrated Dragon Ball characters (Image via Toei Animation)

Wasted Dragon Ball characters come in a lot of shapes and forms, but a lot of people agree that Ten Shin Han needs a lot more time in the spotlight.

His cool and stoic demeanor, coupled with his bravery to fight characters stronger than him, and his wide array of abilities make him such a great martial artist to see in action. This is why his not having any major role to play in the series for so long has been frustrating to the fandom.

When compared to other characters on this list, Ten Shin Han's spinoff can have a much smaller scale, and focus on his time with his new dojo. From perhaps having a new student, taking his students to the Tenkaichi Budokai, to dealing with demons from his time as an assassin in training, many directions could be taken with his character— and most of them would work considering how underutilized he is.

4) Hit

Hit, perhaps one of the best new Dragon Ball characters (Image via Toei Animation)

When it comes to new Dragon Ball characters since the franchise's revival with Battle of Gods, Hit might be one of the biggest successes thus far. That is because the character's demeanor, coupled with his respect for Goku and time-skip ability, makes him someone quite interesting, and a spinoff would be an opportunity to try something different in the series.

When considering that Hit is Universe 6's greatest assassin, it would be quite easy to set up a job for him where he has to eliminate a strong opponent. It is also worth pointing out that an episode of the Dragon Ball Super anime had Goku setting him up to take his life, which at least suggests the idea that Hit would be willing to do jobs in other universes— which opens up a lot of possibilities.

Moreover, there are a lot of people who were left disappointed with the character's performance in the Tournament of Power and how he was neglected in favor of Jiren, so this spinoff would suit him quite well.

5) Goten

Goten, one of the most underutilized Dragon Ball characters (Image via Toei Animation)

Dragon Ball characters have a long history of being wasted or pushed to the side as the story progresses, and perhaps there is no better example of someone being as neglected as Goku's youngest son, Goten.

While initially introduced as a way to maintain a young boy in the cast after his father's death against Cell and Gohan growing older, Goten has been massively wasted by the franchise ever since.

There was a recent announcement that the Super manga is returning with a Goten and Trunks one-shot, but the former continues to only appear as a partner for the latter. Despite being the protagonist's son, he has been massively neglected and undermined, losing a lot of his individuality in the process, despite having so much potential as a character and as a fighter.

A spinoff would be the perfect chance for Toyotaro to explore Goten's personality, having him develop his own arc, and even giving him challenges of his own that he can deal with. If anything, it would be a great opportunity for fans of the character to enjoy something different.

5 Dragon Ball characters on whom a spinoff would be wasted

1) Future Trunks

One of the most popular Dragon Ball characters (Image via Toei Animation)

Future Trunks ranks high as far as Dragon Ball characters go, and he is also quite beloved because of his tragic future and all the obstacles he had to overcome to save humanity. However, while a spinoff featuring him as the protagonist would probably be a massive commercial success, there isn't any path to develop his story further.

There is an argument to be made that the Goku Black arc already pushed Future Trunks' time in the series beyond what was recommended, and the conclusion— both in the manga and the anime— has been widely criticized by the fandom.

The concept of Trunks and Mai living in another timeline with their respective versions of that reality is something that is both odd and unsatisfying because they lost everything.

It would be a waste of Future Trunks' character and it can be further argued that he is no longer viable after the disappointing conclusion that his journey had in the franchise.

2) Gohan

One of the most divisive anime characters (Image via Toei Animation)

Gohan is one of the most popular and beloved Dragon Ball characters of all time, boasting some of the most iconic moments in the series. His Super Saiyan 2 transformation against Cell is the stuff of legends and fans have been craving for more stories where he has more of a leading role, with the 2022 Super Hero film feeling like a step in the right direction.

However, Gohan has mostly stood out as a supporting character, which was evidenced by author Akira Toriyama's clarification in 2022 that the Super Hero movie was written for Piccolo as the leading man, and Goku's son was added to provide more commercial allure to the project.

That, coupled with the fact that the mangaka's attempts to make him the protagonist in the Buu saga failed as well, might prove that Gohan is not the main character material.

At the end of the Super Hero arc in the manga, Gohan is seen testing his new Beast form against his father's Ultra Instinct, so it seems that he will have a more important role moving forward in the franchise.

3) Broly

One of the Dragon Ball characters with the most potential (Image via Toei Animation)

After he was made canon through his titular film in 2018, it makes sense that fans would want to see more of Broly. This interpretation of the character has been beloved by the fandom, and they want to see more of him in action, especially after holding his own against the likes of Vegeta and Goku.

However, he is probably one of the less suited Dragon Ball characters for a spinoff because of his quiet personality, and also due to him having already a film dedicated to himself. A lot of fans would love to see him interact more with the main cast, get involved in other arcs, and so on— and a spinoff would defy the purpose to a degree.

4) Frieza

One of the most overused Dragon Ball characters (Image via Toei Animation)

There are few Dragon Ball characters as iconic as Frieza, but it is also true that his return to the Super era has been extremely divisive.

While his performance in the Tournament of Power arc, especially in the anime version, and his return as Black Frieza at the end of the Granolah arc were good, his rapid growth in terms of strength has been controversial, and not a lot of people are happy with him not killing Goku and Vegeta when given the chance.

However, the main reason why Frieza is one of those Dragon Ball characters a spinoff would be wasted on is because Toyotaro needs to rebuild his role as a villain, especially with his new transformation.

A lot of people have felt that this version of the character lacks the imposing and deadly nature of his original iteration in Namek, so it would be a good idea for him to remain in the background until his moment as a villain arrives.

5) Beerus

One of those Dragon Ball characters who need to be handled carefully (Image via Toei Animation)

Beerus is a character that a lot of fans would love to see more of, whether it is fighting or having more of a mentor role as he did for Vegeta during the events of the Granolah arc in the Super manga. The God of Destruction of Universe 7 is one of the strongest Dragon Ball characters at the moment as well, which makes the idea of him getting a spinoff a bit more dangerous.

Beerus wouldn't be the best choice for a spinoff series when considering that there aren't a lot of characters who would be a threat to him, and he is better suited for a supporting role or as an obstacle to overcome.

There isn't much for his character to do in the series, and most people are mostly looking forward to the moment when Goku can fight him at his best, or the possibility of Vegeta replacing him as the God of Destruction.

Final thoughts

Other Dragon Ball characters could also be great choices for spinoff series, and others would be a waste to give them one, but these are some of the most prominent. That is because some of them definitely need more attention, such as Ten Shin Han and Goten, while others are simply not suited for a spinoff, as evidenced by the likes of Gohan, Frieza, or Beerus.

Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay