Will Goten and Trunks ever finally showed as adults in DBS? |
However, despite the plot hole that Goten and Trunks looked like kids in the Dragon Ball Super (2015-2018) as well as in the movie Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018) has been fixed by Super Hero, it was really pathetic that they didn't look like teenagers even though they ALREADY WERE teenagers.
At the latest during the Universe Survival-Arc (which is set four years before the 28th Great Tournament), this incoherence can be felt because it's placed in the same year where Future Gohan has been killed by the Androids in the alternate timeline and Future Trunks was already 14 years old. And the Trunks from the "normal" timeline is also 14 years old but don't seem to have been grown up at all.
Goten is only one year younger. Thus, it's really disappointing that he also didn't aged yet in Dragon Ball Super at that time.
Let us be honest: Who can really deny this incoherence? Because it wouldn't be match with the 28th Great Tournament (i.e. the final of Dragon Ball Z) where Goten and Trunks have been aged. You see, it might let to a disastrous plot hole in the entire Dragon Ball-story line.
In any case, I've created a conclusive theory concerning this incoherence. Because neither Akira Toriyama nor his assistant Toyotarō have said a single word about it.
Right now, I don't wanna put you off, so here we go:
At first, you have to mind that the alternate timeline is dystopic and that Future Trunks' training by Future Gohan is another case. Thus, Future Trunks had to grow up very fast.
On the other hand, the "normal" timeline is a very peaceful one and Goten as well as Trunks had never really get a very tough training (regardless of Trunks' training by his father Vegeta during the Buu-arc in Dragon Ball Z).
In other words, specific life conditions or specific lifestyles can speed up the puberty.
This similar phenomenon can also be noticed in One Piece where Coby - who was 16 years old on his debut despite looking like a child - joined the marine and after a long time of training, he obviously grew up and after the Two-Years-Timeskip, he aged more. If I'm right in assuming, Future Trunks has passed through an equivalent process by a hard training like Coby.
As already mentioned, the Trunks of the "normal" timelime has never passed though this kind of training - unlike his alternate future's counterpart.
A little excursus enclosed: The knockout argument about Goku's childish appearance with 16 years in Dragon Ball Classic is really pointless because this question can be answered by the meta level only, not by the story level (see the right picture).
Futhermore, Gohan is aged normally during the Cell-arc but he trained with his father Goku in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for one day. As we know, one day is one year in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
By contrast, Goten and Trunks haven't trained that long in this room during the Buu-arc. Thus, not a single sign of aging speed-up could be verified on them.
And by the way, the difference in the aging of Gohan, Goten and Trunks have nothing to do with the fact that they are Half-Saiyan/Half-Human. So, you cannot say something like: "The Saiyan DNA was dominant for Gohan and because of this, he aged quicker than his little brother Goten whose dominant DNA was the human one."
Conclusion: The possible reason why Goten and Trunks still looked like kids despite already being teenagers might be their life circumstances, i.e. they hadn't passed through a very tough training, thus, they didn't grow up quickly. Especially Trunks who didn't need to live under the same dystopic conditions like his counterpart from the alternate future.
Nevertheless, this plot hole has been fixed by the movie Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, after all, by a different in-universe explanation which makes sense too. So, let us hope that Goten and Trunks are also gonna play a bigger and more decisive role in the further plot from this point onwards. Who knows? Perhaps, we might finally see Adult Gotenks as well
PS: Here are other previously published theories written by myself. If you didn't read them yet, please check them out:
Goten is only one year younger. Thus, it's really disappointing that he also didn't aged yet in Dragon Ball Super at that time.
Goten & Trunks in DBS - Broly vs. Goten & Trunks in the end of DBZ |
In any case, I've created a conclusive theory concerning this incoherence. Because neither Akira Toriyama nor his assistant Toyotarō have said a single word about it.
Right now, I don't wanna put you off, so here we go:
Future Trunks with 14 years vs. Trunks with 14 years |
On the other hand, the "normal" timeline is a very peaceful one and Goten as well as Trunks had never really get a very tough training (regardless of Trunks' training by his father Vegeta during the Buu-arc in Dragon Ball Z).
In other words, specific life conditions or specific lifestyles can speed up the puberty.
The aging of Coby from One Piece. It seems that his training has speed up this progress. |
As already mentioned, the Trunks of the "normal" timelime has never passed though this kind of training - unlike his alternate future's counterpart.
The reason why Goku have appeared as adult only since the 23rd Great Tournament |
Futhermore, Gohan is aged normally during the Cell-arc but he trained with his father Goku in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for one day. As we know, one day is one year in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
By contrast, Goten and Trunks haven't trained that long in this room during the Buu-arc. Thus, not a single sign of aging speed-up could be verified on them.
And by the way, the difference in the aging of Gohan, Goten and Trunks have nothing to do with the fact that they are Half-Saiyan/Half-Human. So, you cannot say something like: "The Saiyan DNA was dominant for Gohan and because of this, he aged quicker than his little brother Goten whose dominant DNA was the human one."
Conclusion: The possible reason why Goten and Trunks still looked like kids despite already being teenagers might be their life circumstances, i.e. they hadn't passed through a very tough training, thus, they didn't grow up quickly. Especially Trunks who didn't need to live under the same dystopic conditions like his counterpart from the alternate future.
Nevertheless, this plot hole has been fixed by the movie Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, after all, by a different in-universe explanation which makes sense too. So, let us hope that Goten and Trunks are also gonna play a bigger and more decisive role in the further plot from this point onwards. Who knows? Perhaps, we might finally see Adult Gotenks as well
PS: Here are other previously published theories written by myself. If you didn't read them yet, please check them out: