'Dragon Ball GT' Producer Reacts to the Show's Reception Abroad

Dragon Ball GT had a very divisive response among fans in Japan and worldwide. But how did the [...]

By Nick Valdez

Dragon Ball GT had a very divisive response among fans in Japan and worldwide. But how did the series producer handle this divisive response?

In a recently translated interview for a 2005 Dragon Box release in Japan, Dragon Ball GT producer Kozo Morishita admits that while the series had naysayers, he believed they would be more accepting of the series once it was over.

Morishita elaborated with "There were many fans who valued it for the way that it took the 'anything goes' plot progression of the original manga and went even further with it. At the same time, there were those who said it took the 'anything goes' attitude too far. There were fans who wondered 'why are you ruining the original?' and also those who thought that the 'ruined' parts were what made it interesting."

But Morishita took the criticism in stride, "Perhaps Dragon Ball GT pushed away some of those who had been fans from the very beginning of the manga's run, but it also created many new fans, and maybe Goku has been very important to them too."

Reflecting on the series Morishita admits that the series just didn't have original series creator Akira Toriyama as a security blanket, "Thinking about it now, perhaps Dragon Ball GT appears separate from the sense of security of a 'Akira Toriyama work.' However, I am certain that even fans who were naysayers will be convinced [when] they watch the final episode of Dragon Ball GT."

As for its reception abroad, the series ranked well in the United States with "approximately 4% of boys age 6 to 11," and Morishita noted that Super Saiyan 4 was particularly well received.

Although Morishita also says that Dragon Ball GT didn't air on Cartoon Network in the same way it was in Japan as "the initial American broadcast cut out the early portion of the story, after they go into space and Pan and Gill play a prominent role. It then went straight into the middle portion, where Goku's exploits and Super Saiyan 4 are paramount."

So according to Morishita, the series was received as well as it was in the United States because it "immediately push[ed] the battles with Super 17 and the Evil Dragons to the forefront."

Dragon Ball Super's "Universal Survival" arc is part of the recent simulcast agreement that sites like Crunchyroll and Funimation have scored. Dragon Ball Super airs on Crunchyroll Saturday evenings at 7:15 p.m. CST. Adult Swim airs the English dub during its Toonami block Saturday evenings at 9:30 p.m, and it will soon be available to stream on FunimationNOW.

What did you think of Dragon Ball GT when it initially aired? Talk to me @Valdezology.

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