Dragon Ballfans love Vegeta, and series creator Akira Toriyama was well aware of that fact. Indeed, while Vegeta was not a favorite character of Toriyama himself, he understood the appeal the character had greatly–so much so he wanted to make a movie about Vegeta in particular.
Despite Vegeta’s popularity, he’s often relegated to playing second fiddle to Goku, who often gets the glory of being the one to finally defeat powerful foes, or one-up Vegeta with a new transformation. While Vegeta has learned to live with this over the years, many fans want to see Vegeta given the chance to win a major fight without Goku’s help.
Toriyama Once Teased a Vegeta-Focused Movie
Fans Still Haven’t Gotten a Vegeta Movie to This Day
In an interview with Naho Ooishi that ran in Saikyo Jump in March 2014 andwas translated by Kanzenshuu, Akira Toriyama ended the interview with a tease for what he then claimed would be his “next” film. Toriyama said:
As for Vegeta, in the event that there’s talk of another animated film, then next time, I’d like him to play the main role. (Of course, this is nothing more than intentions, and I haven’t decided anything at all.)
2014 would’ve been afterBattle of Godsin 2013, butbefore the release ofResurrection Fin 2015 (though it was surely in progress).While Vegeta does have more of a role inResurrection FthanBattle of Gods, he’s not really the focal point of the film, so that surely isn’t what Toriyama was hinting at.
Of course, afterResurrection F, the TV anime ofDragon Ballcame back in the form ofDragon Ball Super, which began by adapting those two movies before continuing on to original content. There wasn’t anotherDragon Ballmovie untilDragon Ball Super: Brolyin 2018, and thenSuper Heroin 2022, and neither of those focused on Vegeta, either.
What Might Toriyama’s Vegeta-Focused Movie Have Looked Like?
Vegeta Would’ve Been a Very Different Protagonist Than Goku
Fans of Vegeta have good reason to lament the loss of a film focused on him, but what could they expect from it, if it had been made? As Toriyama made clear in the quote, this wasn’t set in stone, and was more of an off-the-cuff thought, so it’s unlikely he had any kind of treatment for the story completed.
Any attempt to explain the story of a Vegeta movie would be purely speculative.However, a movie focusing on Vegeta would need to find a way tokeep Goku from stealing the show, which might require imprisoning or killing Goku right off the bat to remove him from the picture.
It hurts a fan’s heart to know that a Vegeta movie was so close to being reality, and that goes double now that Toriyama has passed on.
Still, such a film could’ve been very interesting, watching Vegeta have to handle the defense of what he cares about alone and develop more as a heroic figure from his villainous past. It definitely hurts a fan’s heart to know that a Vegeta movie was so close to being reality, and that goes double now that Toriyama has passed on.
Hopefully, ifDragon Ball Superever resumes its story, Vegeta will get a chance to have a story arc to himself, and finally satisfy that desire once and for all.
