Why a Vegeta Like Character Is Crucial for Every Shonen?

Dragon Ball is arguably the best series of all time. Although several factors can be attributed to its success, none of them is as impactful as its strong group of characters. Every single one of the characters has an interesting backstory. Although Goku is the protagonist, some fans prefer Vegeta over him, and they have a good reason to feel that way. His character development is fascinating, and his transition from an outright villain to an anti-hero is intriguing. At one point, he was an antagonist for Goku, who later turned into a rival and then a friend. Even though Vegeta himself would never admit it, that’s what every Dragon Ball fan knows. On close observation, one realizes that although he makes his appearance in the Dragon Ball series, every Shonen anime has a Vegeta. 

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An excellent example of this can be Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto. Although unlike Vegeta, he started off as Naruto’s friend and a rival, he later became a rogue ninja and an enemy. Although Naruto’s dream was to become the Hokage, Sasuke was the first person he truly thought of as a rival. He strived hard to surpass him. It is not surprising that Sasuke too saw Naruto as his biggest rival and aspired to defeat him someday. Sasuke’s character development is quite similar to Vegeta and although he started off as a rival and then became a villain. But, at the end of the day, he found his way back to the right side, just like Vegeta. 

Katsuki Bakugo is another interesting example. Although he was Izuku’s childhood friend, he started bullying him as years went on. Bakugo was gifted with an explosive quirk, which made his future seem very bright. He was very clear about his goals right from his childhood. The series made the difference between Izuku and Bakugo quite clear. Izuku fought to save people while Bakugo would save people to show off his skills and special quirk; they were the two sides of the same coin. Although Bakugo hates Izuku and has no respect for him, with time, he realizes his mistakes. He then went on to understand that although he was born Quirkless, Izuku was a true hero who deserved to inherit One for All. Like Vegeta and Goku, Izuku and Bakugo had quite similar relationships, which helped the former immensely.

Killua Zoldyck from Hunter x Hunter is also quite similar to Vegeta in various aspects. It is evident with these examples that almost all Shonen has a Vegeta who is extremely important not just for the plot but also for the protagonist’s character development. He helps the main character grow physically and emotionally. Therefore, a Vegeta is an integral part of Shonen manga/anime, which deserves all the appreciation and love it gets.

Vegetas like Killua, Bakugo, and Sasuke make sacrifices that, thankfully, are recognized and respected.