One of the best things aboutDragon Ball Z: Kakarotis that its story spans across the entirety of theDragon Ball Zstory. Unfortunately, even this game glosses over a few of the stories seen in the anime.
When it comes to developing anime titles, CyberConnect2 is often viewed as the king because its attention to detail leads to an almost absurd amount of fan service that anime fans have come greatly appreciate.Dragon Ball Z: Kakarotis no exception to this rule, covering the story ofDragon Ball Zbetter than any game that has come before it. Still,Dragon Ball Z: Kakarotflew past (or in some cases, dropped entirely) some storylines that manyDragon Ballfans would’ve loved see adapted into the games. They may not all be canon to the manga, but here are some of theDragon Ball Zhighlights that STILL haven’t beenadded intoDragon Ball Z: Kakarot.
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Snake Way
For a game filled with so many side quests and characters that aren’t necessarily relevant toDragon Ball Zspecifically, it’s a bit of a shock that Snake Way wasn’tadapted forDragon Ball Z: Kakarot. As interesting as Gohan’s training was, Goku’s journey along Snake Way had the potential to be a lot more fun. From the meeting of Princess Snake to Goku falling down and landing in Hell, Snake Way could’ve been a fun trip before the start of the intense Saiyan saga.
Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku
While this is technically a TV special and not part ofDragon Ball Z’s canon,Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Gokuwas treated as the canon story for Goku’s only known Saiyan parent for a long time. The special shaped Bardock’s character and instantly cemented him as a fan favorite character in the franchise. He’s appeared in nearly everyDragon Ball Zgame to date as a result, but surprisingly,Dragon Ball Z: Kakarotdecided to leave him out.
As a prequel to the entire series,Dragon Ball Z: Kakarotcould’ve opened with Bardock’s story. Players could’ve taken control of Bardock and his Saiyan crew, learning the game’s controls as they follow the special’s series of battles before ending with an hopeless fight against Frieza and his army. On top of that, it could’ve beenthe firstDragon Ball Zgameever to let players explore planet Vegeta before the Saiyan home world meets its end.
Garlic Jr. Saga
The Garlic Jr. Saga is one of the larger pieces of filler inDragon Ball Z, but it’s one that probably gets overlooked the most.FollowingDragon Ball Z:Dead Zone(a movie that also gets overlooked), the Garlic Jr. arc takes place between the Frieza and Trunks Sagas. As with most filler in anime, it received mixed reactions from fans which is probably why Toei and Bandai Namco avoid reviving the story in any way.
The one benefit thatwould’ve come from CyberConnect2including the Garlic Jr. Saga would’ve been the change of its main character. Goku and Vegeta are both absent for this arc, meaning that players would get another chance to save the earth as Gohan before his eventual battle with Cell.
The Broly Films
The majority of the allDragon Ball Zmovies are standalone films that barely line themselves up with the anime’s continuity, let alone each other. The Broly movies, however, proved to be something special. Duringthe initial run ofDragon Ball Z, Broly’s popularity was so massive, the character was placed wherever it seemed possible. After his defeat in the first movie, he showed up again on Earth where it was up to Goku’s sons to put him down again.
The first and second Broly movies would make for perfect side stories. Though they’re both quite short, two epic boss battles that span across the generations of Goku’s family would’ve been really great to see inDragon Ball Z: Kakarot. The series may have moved on with itsnew version of Broly inDragon Ball Super, but there are still plenty of fans who love the original legendary Super Saiyan and want more of him.
The Other World Saga and Fusion Reborn
Similar to Snake Way, Goku’s adventures in the Other World after dying at the end of the Cell Saga could’ve made for an interesting adventure inDragon Ball Z: Kakarot. These filler episodes introduced a bunch of new characters, including fan favorite Pikkon, and featured its own tournament for players to fight through.
The Other World’s story would be a build up to the climax before the Majin Buu saga kicks off. theDragon Ball Z: Fusion Rebornfilm could’ve served asDragon Ball Z: Kakarot’s boss rush mode, letting players run theDragon Ballgauntlet with their improved strength. On top of that, it would give players the chance to usethe original version of Gogetain a boss battle against Janemba, something fans would’ve surely loved.
Seeing as the DLC released so far forDragon Ball Z: Kakarothas focused exclusively onDragon Ball Super or Z-Superadjacent story content, it’s looking more and more unlikely that any of these stories will get to make their debut. The success ofDragon Ball Z: Kakarotdoes give hope for a potential sequel with even more fan service crammed into it, but until then, games likeDragon Ball FighterZandDragon Ball Xenoverse 2will do what they can to fill the void.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarotis available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
