Dragon Ball Super 2 is Officially Replacing Goku as the Main Character

Even ignoring the series' hiatus, Goku hasn't been the main character in the Dragon Ball Super manga in a very long time, which means Dragon Ball Super 2 will officially replace him as the protagonist. Beginning with Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88, the manga adapts Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, which places Goku and Vegeta firmly in the background. Piccolo is the main character for most of the film, with Gohan taking over for the final fight, but the manga adds in new prologue chapters that focus on Goten and Trunks.

Not just that, the Dragon Ball Super manga contains an epilogue to the movie, which treats Gohan as the protagonist from Chapters 101 to 103. Dragon Ball Super Chapter 104, on the other hand, was a chronological prequel that put Goten and Trunks right back in the spotlight. The last time Goku and Vegeta were the main characters was in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 87, which released in 2022. Dragon Ball Super 2 is going to take the series into a bold new direction, one that doesn't need Goku front and center all the time.

Dragon Bal Super 2's Sagas Will Progressively Phase Goku & Vegeta Out

Goku and Vegeta are going to have great character arcs and get tons of development in Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol, but they'll be sharing the spotlight with Merus, a Galactic Patrol Agent who ultimately serves as the heart of the Moro Saga. The Granolah the Survivor Saga doubles down on this by making Granolah the story's real protagonist. Goku and Vegeta still have arcs, but at the end of the day, Granolah is the real star.

This it to say nothing of the fact that Goku not being the main character of a given arc is not new to Dragon Ball Super. Future Trunks is the protagonist of the Goku Black Saga, while Broly is the main character in Dragon Ball Super: Broly. Dragon Ball Super 2 won't be covering DBS: Broly's events (that'll be up to the Dragon Ball Super remake), but the anime will realistically need to create its own version of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, since the manga made some notable changes to the film: including focusing on two new main characters.

Piccolo, Gohan, Goten, & Trunks Will Become the Main Characters in the Super Hero Saga Remake

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero made Piccolo and Gohan the story's main characters instead of Goku and Vegeta, which the manga honored. Goku and Vegeta only appear in a few chapters (though they ultimately get more focus than their movie counterparts thanks to the manga's prologue and epilogue mini-arcs). Toyotarou adds in lead-up chapters to his version of Super Hero told from Trunks and Goten's perspective, setting up their roles in the real arc while also giving Hedo some great character development.

Interestingly, the Dragon Ball Super manga has continued to treat Goten and Trunks like real protagonists. They were the main characters in the most recent chapter, Dragon Ball Super 104, and got to participate in the battle royale in Chapter 103, which even Piccolo wasn't a part of. It's notable that after the manga reintegrates Goku and Vegeta into the main story, they still aren't the focal point characters: that distinction belongs to Gohan, who is still Dragon Ball's current main character heading into Chapter 105.

Dragon Ball is Finally Passing the Torch Onto the Next Generation

Intentional or not, Dragon Ball Super focusing on Piccolo, Gohan, Goten, and Trunks over Goku and Vegeta ties into one of the series' core themes: passing the torch onto the next generation. The next generation always surpassing the last has been a pillar of Dragon Ball's storytelling since Master Roshi disguised himself as Jackie Chun to make sure Goku and Krillin wouldn't just sweep the World Tournament.

Later in Dragon Ball Z, Gohan and Uub end up representing the theme in the Cell Games and Peaceful World Saga, respectively, when they become Goku's successor. It's easy to forget, but Piccolo is a lot younger than Goku. Piccolo is only four years older than Gohan. He's much closer to Gohan's generation than Goku's, placing him firmly in the next generation of characters slowly overtaking the story in Dragon Ball Super. The Black Frieza Saga will almost certainly give Goku and Vegeta more screen time and focus than they had in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, but they won't necessarily be the series' main characters anymore.