This could be turned into a DBZ philosophy thread, got me thinking over here
Some potential thoughts that could be explored-
The notion of life, death, and death as a vehicle for redemption:
-Outside of childbirths, we always find the evil forces creating various life forms (Saibamen, androids)
-The notion of death for protagonists was always based in reincarnation via redemption. The ones who were privy to this option , but the less virtuous characters eventually fell alone the path to redemption.
The weak being just as vital as the strongest:
- Yamcha played a huge role in the Saiyan saga- without him overcoming his cowardice, the battle would be lost. The same is true for other sagas as well. As alluded to in another post, even the people force that encompasses the spirit bomb represents how power is disseminated to us all. As much as Goku was the leader, without the works of many, he would not be successful, akin to the relationship that MLK, Mandela, and other freedom fighters against colonialism/imperialism had with the masses.
Namek- Native Americans in America
-home land destroyed, put into a foreign land (reservations or assmilate like Piccolo/Kami)
-subject to nearly total extinction
-initially thought to be evil and as the villain, but became beloved after their mass genocide. Came to represent a noble savage archetype
-(Piccolo) willing to mentor the youth, even allowing him to emulate his clothes and mannerisms and is even willing to die for this youth that is not his own. The youth, in the midst of this saturation into a counter culture, gets a reminder that he is different, more powerful, and is destined for greatness, and eventually shed the ways of his master to adopt those of his largely absent father.