Dragon Ball franchise legacy explored through Toriyama's vision and GT

The legacy of the Dragon Ball franchise continues to be examined through its various iterations and the creative intentions of its late creator, Akira Toriyama. In a 2016 interview regarding Dragon Ball Super, Toriyama revealed that characters Beerus and Whis were intended to serve as an insurmountable wall for Goku and Vegeta. He noted that, at that time, he had no plans for the Saiyan warriors to surpass them, a decision made to provide necessary narrative depth and expansion for the series following the Battle of Gods arc.

Separately, the franchise's history includes Dragon Ball GT, an anime series released in 1996 that was not directly written by Toriyama. Despite debates regarding its place in the official canon, the series remains memorable for its unique elements, such as the Super Saiyan 4 transformation and the adventure involving the Black Star Dragon Balls. The series follows a young Goku, Pan, and Trunks on a journey through space, offering a distinct direction from the main manga storyline.