Growing, evolving, and learning and mastering new techniques is absolutely character development. Also, you're right, why don't we go back to the characters from early Dragon Ball to see their reactions to the current cast? Besides, there's been barely any main plot at all recently and it's near-unanimous that Super's best episodes are the in-between episodes.
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Okay, but what does that let them do? What benefit do any of the side characters get from keeping up their training, if it doesn't keep them in relevant roles then what does it do for them if they aren't in focus?
There needs to be a point.
Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.What does that have to do with them as characters?
It doesn't...eh?
Confidence, that doesn't seem to be a problem for any of them at the moment.
edited 17th Jan '16 10:03:54 PM by randomness4
Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.What does it contribute to the narrative, is a better question.
There is no such thing as atheistic fiction. There needs to be a purpose to what we're shown, otherwise it's completely pointless padding.
I mean, if you want to say that Krillin mastered the Kaio-ken in some supplemental material, or as an offhand mention, sure, but there's not much narrative reason to focus on it, especially since there's no real conclusion to be reached. He'll still be just as irrelevant as when he started.
You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!Character development is certainly good but if it serves no purpose to the narrative or to a character's story then it's just pointless padding and needs to be trimmed. Every single side character has already reached the end of their story and they're now just kinda there because there's nothing to do with them.
Let the joy of love give you an answer! Check out my book!And I'm saying that their stories should not be over. These people live lives. They encounter challenges. They have stories. I'm FAR more interested in the daily life of Yamcha, Krillin busting a drug smuggling ring, or Tenshinhan and Chiaotzu doing literally anything then I am in Freeza coming back for revenge. The slice-of-life episodes have been the best Super has had so far and I would not be opposed to just focusing on that aspect from now on.
Give it about three pages and it'll come back.
So...does anyone think Gohan training is going to mean anything?
The *Legendary* Super Saiyan is motivated by a crying infant! He is a literal giant f***ing baby!Can we please talk about something, anything, that doesn't revolve around the same subject "HUMANS NEED 2 BE STRONGER"
SSJ 3 Goku VS Buff Buu.
Ok, who let Light Yagami in here?

Pushover: Okay, if character development purely for its own sake is worth sidelining the main plot, are we going to include Puar, Roshi and Oolong in this? How about dragging back Eight to see how he gets along with the androids? And why'd we never go back to that little Indian boy? Or the guy that was actually from India and faced Goku in the semifinals that one time?
At some point you just gotta let it go. There's nothing more to be done with a character. There's really nowhere for Krillin to develop too because he's gone through his character arc and reached a point of real stability.
Oh, by the way, doing the same thing over and over again with no apparent change is a strange way to define character development.
edited 17th Jan '16 9:42:20 PM by Arha