Dragon Ball GT remains the most experimental entry in the Dragon Ball franchise. This pushed the series into bold and unexpected territory, from galactic adventures to the unforgettable arrival of Super Saiyan 4. However, for all its creativity, the series made a narrative error that I still can’t forgive. GT I dared to reinvent Dragon Ballbut he stumbled at the finish line at a crucial point.
Among the many new characters with major roles in Dragon Ball GT was Goku’s granddaughter Pan. First seen in Dragon Ball Zof the Peaceful World saga, it has become a centerpiece of GTtraveling the cosmos with Goku and Trunks. She wasn’t just a sidekick, she was part of the core trio and was essential to GTThe overall story of.
As Goku’s granddaughter, Pan shares his Saiyan lineage. Look Dragon Ball GT for the first time, I really expected her to experience the rite of passage that every young Saiyan hero ultimately faces: the ascension to Super Saiyan. Again GT never gave her the moment she more than deserved. It felt like an injustice to the character, and it still bothers me decades later.
Pan not becoming Super Saiyan is Dragon Ball GT’s biggest flaw
Gohan’s daughter deserved the same Saiyan rite of passage as every other hero
Despite all its divisions, Dragon Ball GT has forged its own identity. She dared to experiment, moving from the saving intensity of the world to the Dragon Ball Z to a more adventurous tone before eventually returning to darker, high-stakes storytelling. It delivered visually spectacular concepts like Super Saiyan 4 and introduced new villains that truly expanded the Dragon Ball universe.
Yet, through all these experiments, Dragon Ball GT missed its most important long-term opportunity: properly preparing the next generation. Pan should have been that next generation. As Goku’s granddaughter and a quarter-Saiyan with unlimited energy, she was able to become the true emotional and narrative anchor of the series.
Dragon Ball GT On several occasions, she put her in danger, tested her belief, and pushed her into situations that forced her to grow up quickly. Unfortunately, his trip to GT was not rewarded with the transformation that defines Saiyan evolution. His arc plateaued exactly when it should have soared.
The failure was not simply down to raw power. In the Dragon Ball universe, becoming a Super Saiyan is symbolic. This marks the arrival of a character as a true warrior, someone ready to stand alongside the series’ greatest defenders. GT made Pan a pivotal figure, but denied him the reward that would have cemented his legacy.
At a time when Dragon Ball GT aimed to refresh and reshape the franchise, giving Pan center stage and a transformation would have been the ultimate declaration that the series was moving forward. Instead, GT preserved the status quo. Goku remained the focal point, Trunks helped, and Pan was never allowed to fully engage with the legacy she inherited.
This is a narrative oversight that becomes more and more obvious over time. GT wanted to be bold, but when it came to his most important new character, he went bold. For a show like Dragon Ball GT focused on surpassing limits, this choice still remains its biggest flaw.
Pan becoming Super Saiyan at the end of GT would have been cathartic
Introducing a female Super Saiyan would have given Dragon Ball GT a perfect finale payoff
If Dragon Ball GT I wanted to end with a statement, Pan going Super Saiyan would have been the perfect time to do so. The finale was already emotionally charged, with Goku going on a journey that seemed to transcend mortality. Amid these final goodbyes, the reveal of Pan’s first transformation into a Super Saiyan would have tied the story together in a powerful and cathartic way.
It wasn’t just about show. It would have been historic: the franchise’s first female Super Saiyan, arriving at the conclusion of a series that revolved around her growth. GT the emphasis was often on themes of legacy, generational change, and the idea that new heroes would rise when old ones fade away. What better embodiment of this idea than Pan literally triggering the next chapter of Saiyan evolution?
GT closed without giving its new central hero the moment he deserved, leaving a narrative void that still feels unfinished decades later.
Throughout Dragon Ball GTPan showed himself to be courageous, capable and emotionally resilient. She has faced cosmic threats, navigated dangerous planets, and always served as the trio’s emotional compass. A transformation would have been the natural culmination of his experiences. The tension, frustration, courage, and loss she endured throughout the series culminated in something meaningful, something GT never allowed this to happen.
END GT with Pan’s transformation would have given fans closure, not only for his arc but for the series as a whole. That would have honored everything Dragon Ball GT did well while correcting its most frustrating misstep. Instead, GT closed without giving its new central hero the moment he deserved, leaving a narrative void that still feels unfinished decades later.
The first female Super Saiyan was introduced 20 years after Dragon Ball GT
Dragon Ball Super Finally Introduced a Female Saiyan, But It Came Far Too Late
It is only when Dragon Ball Super20 years later GT ended, that the franchise finally introduced its first female Super Saiyan: Caulifla. She debuted in 2017 in the episode “Gohan and Piccolo Master and Pupil Clash in Max Training!” “, arriving as an instantly charismatic and energetic warrior from Universe 6.
In a few episodes, she achieves her first transformation into a Super Saiyan, quickly followed by even higher forms. Caulifla is undeniably an important addition to the franchise, but her arrival highlights a problem that has persisted for decades. His transformation felt like a patch, a long-overdue correction rather than a natural evolution of Dragon BallIt’s storytelling.
Instead of generating significant profits through long-term character development, Dragon Ball Super introduced a new character who quickly unlocked shapes without much emotion. It worked in context, but it lacked the impact that Pan’s transformation would have had.
The late introduction of a female Super Saiyan also reflects a larger problem: Dragon BallThe long history of underutilization of its female heroines. Characters like Videl, Chi-Chi, and Bulma have iconic roles but rarely get the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the series’ power progression. Android 18 remains the most obvious exception, but even it gets sidelined in many major arcs.
Pan’s failed transformation stands out because Dragon Ball GT centered her trip, then refused to let her ride. Caulifla’s rapid rise only accentuates the contrast. She achieves in a few episodes what Pan should have achieved after a whole series of growth. The emotional weight just doesn’t compare.
By the time Caulifla arrived, the time for a truly groundbreaking female Super Saiyan origin story had long passed. Dragon Ball GT had the perfect setup, the perfect character, and the perfect narrative track, but chose not to take flight. Even today, it is impossible not to feel the pain of this missed opportunity.
- Release date
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1997 – 00/00/1997
- Network
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Fuji TV
- Showrunner
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Akira Toriyama
- Directors
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Minoru Okazaki, Mitsuo Hashimoto, Yoshihiro Ueda, Takahiro Imamura, Hidehiko Kadota, Osamu Kasai, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Shigeyasu Yamauchi
- Writers
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Akira Toriyama
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Masako Nozawa
Oob (voice)
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Yuko Minaguchi
Uncredited
