The impact that Dragon Ball has had on the world is overwhelming. What started as a fun action-adventure series about an alien boy running around the world in search of magical items that can grant any wish turned into a globe-spanning phenomenon that has made kids of all ages yell at the top of their lungs to go Super Saiyan like their favorite heroes. While the adventure aspect was toned down in favor of more action by the time Dragon Ball Z rolled around, the series never truly forgot its roots.

However, the central items of the story, the Dragon Balls themselves, are no longer the main focus. While Goku and Bulma searched everywhere for them when the franchise was still in its infancy, the items are now more of a plot convenience and an afterthought to the series. Due to the scale of the series having increased so much, many believe that the Dragon Balls should be forgotten about, so let's see why this is the case.

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They Are Now Merely A Plot Convenience

When the concept of these wish-granting orbs was first introduced into the series, there was a great sense of wonder and adventure to them. Due to them spreading out to every corner of the world after the making of a wish, the act of finding all 7 of the Dragon Balls was something of legend and fans wanted to see how Goku and Bulma would undertake such a great task.

Now, however, finding the Dragon Balls and making a wish from them is the easiest thing to do, due to the series' overuse of the Dragon Radar. While highly convenient, this device has taken out every aspect of adventure and intrigue that is tied to these items, something which has indirectly had a massive influence on the lack of stakes in the series, as death is no longer a problem for the heroes or the villains to deal with.

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In any story, especially a Shonen, death is a terrifying reality that most characters have to face. This adds a lot of consequences for the world and makes even the small moments between characters count, as death could be around any corner. For Dragon Ball, however, death is just something that can be entirely negated with the usage of the titular magic orbs as their most famous use is bringing back people from the dead. This was still a little manageable with only the Earth Dragon Balls due to their stipulations.

However, the introduction of the other kinds of Dragon Balls from other planets removed the rules as they could do what the Earth Dragon Balls couldn't, all coming to a head with the Super Dragon Balls, which can do anything that the wisher wants. If the Dragon Balls were to be removed from the story altogether, deaths and lack of consequences would mean something again, as there would be a lot of finality to them.

On top of this, some versions of the Balls come with aspects that many fans do not like. One such example is the aforementioned Super Dragon Balls which can essentially do anything. Another example is the Cerealian versions, which can make anyone the most powerful mortal in their universe in exchange for a substantial cut of their lifespan, and can be used again and again. This was an addition that rubbed many fans the wrong way due to its plot convenience that made both Granolah and Gas so powerful.

They Have Become Somewhat Of An Afterthought

Ever since the start of Dragon Ball Z, Akira Toriyama diverted a little in terms of the story he was telling compared to before. What turned from an adventure story focusing on the Dragon Balls quickly became what most people know Dragon Ball to be these days; an action Shonen series that focuses on fights, getting stronger, and fighting powerful new opponents.

This new storytelling, coupled with the arc structure of the series, made the Dragon Balls themselves seem more like an afterthought as the focus of the series shifted from them to being way more action-heavy. The search for the Balls or the struggle to keep them out of the hands of evil forces has only really been a central part of Dragon Ball Z for only one arc, which was the Namek/Frieza arc.

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Since then, the Balls have largely been out of the picture, only really being used to bring someone back to life at the end of an arc. Sure, Frieza came to Earth to collect them for his wish in the Broly movie, but that was more of a side plot that pushed the actual story of the film forward.

What's The Future Of The Dragon Balls?

Of course, there is no way to know what the future is for these hallowed items. However, there are several directions that the writers can go with them, one of which is somehow making them relevant to the story again. By using them more as just a plot convenience that only serves to bring people back from the dead, the Dragon Balls can be made much more central to the story with an arc that revolves around them, showing them being used in different ways.

While this would keep them relevant, the writers could just completely get rid of them too, removing all safety nets and having the series take off from there. However, the Shadow Dragons arc from Dragon Ball GT could be redone within Super, but properly this time. Though the concept of that arc was incredible, it fell short in its execution, so fans could finally get a proper look at how misuse and over-reliance on these items could spell doom for the universe!

Dragon Ball can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Funimation.

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