Pretty much. Toriyama does what he pleases, and how popular a character is or isn't plays zero role in how he writes his stories.
Or at least that's how it used to be: Roshi and Tenshihan being involved in the Tournament of power (especially Roshi) must have something to do with popularity a little.
One Strip! One Strip!So I've been considering a bit of a what if:
The Spirit Bomb, the Kaioken, and the Instant Transmission:
If you could spread these three techniques out among the other fighters, instead of making them exclusive to Goku, who would you give them to?
In fact, lets also take Tenshihan's Kikohou / Tri Beam attack as well...and maybe Piccolo's Special Beam Canon / Makankosappo.
So go for it.
One Strip! One Strip!Kaioken is likely pointless on any human - they'd just die by overtaxing their bodies. Instant Transmission is something that honestly everyone in the cast should know. The Spirit Bomb is generally only a last resort technique.
Basically, everyone should learn Instant Transmission because it's got amazing utility and Piccolo should learn Kaioken. In fact, Kaioken can very easily be the thing that catapults Piccolo back into relevance, by virtue of his regeneration allowing him to push it far further than Goku ever could. Like doing Kaioken x100 or something.
edited 25th Mar '17 11:06:38 AM by IAmNotCreativeEnough
himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimariThe Spirit Bomb is only really useful if A. The enemy doesn't know about it and B. Half of the cast toss themselves at the enemy to distract them. Even if that comes together, the enemy has to not be able to tank it. So I wouldn't really give it to anyone.
edited 25th Mar '17 11:10:35 AM by LordVatek
This song needs more love....Piccolo still uses Ki during regeneration.
You are right about Humans learning Kaioken. We've been over this already (something I'd forgotten) and in order it to reach a level where they'd be valuable, they'd have to utterly trash their bodies to do so....and they'd still be too weak.
That's still a frustrating pill to swallow (and it feels like a flaw that was invented so that only Goku could ever use it).
Instant Transmission would be useful on everyone else I agree.
I also think there could be some value in Tenshihan's Four Witches Technique / Multiform. Sure, you make yourself weaker, but if you combine that with something where your individual Ki level doesn't matter (KIENZAN), I bet you could still get mileage out of it.
Edit: If we're into the Spirit Bomb, I once suggested that maybe if multiple characters learned it and gathered the energy at once, they could speed up the process, but I think I was told it doesn't work that way (though to be fair, we don't actually know that, because once again, only Goku knows it).
Usually, when you have more than one thing doing something, that something is done much quicker. Once again, a situation where Multiform might be valuable.
edited 25th Mar '17 11:12:13 AM by HandsomeRob
One Strip! One Strip!I think it's less of a flaw invented solely to justify only using it, and more a flaw to justify Goku not just flying around in a permanent Kaioken x1000000.
Toriyama doesn't need a justification to not give the humans any pace-keeping techniques.
My problem with Bulla is that it both makes sense and doesn't make sense.
Because we all know it's supposed to be Bra, but it makes sense to follow the theme naming for Bulma and make it Bulla, simply because Bulma is supposta be Bloomers.
So translating it to 'Bulla', which is technically wrong, would be technically right because it follows theme naming, which means it is adhering to the spirit of the series' naming conventions. But up until Bra, Bulma was the only member of the family whose name was translated incorrectly.
himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimariI say we riot.
Anyway:
Goku flat out says Goten and Trunks are no good due to inexperience, and Yamcha is going to completely miss the boat (he wasn't even on the list when they were naming potential fighters). At least they are somewhat acknowledging why some are chosen and some aren't.
One Strip! One Strip!Yes, it's very complicated...
But it's minor...
They could've called her "Bla"...
Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.

Toriyama didn't pull Gohan out of the hero spot due to popularity. He said Goku was a better fit for the type of protagonist he wanted to write about.