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Dragon Ball has several elements that are constantly discussed and debated in the anime community and one that is very prevalent is the concept of Fusion. It has been shown throughout the series that there are different ways for two or more characters to merge into one being. This has begged the question as to why the fused individual is so different from the ones who made it.
This might be a very straightforward aspect on paper but the Dragon Ball Fusions are always their own individuals, not always holding similarities to the characters who merged. Some examples of that are characters such as Gotenks and even Gogeta, with them having their own personalities instead of being an amalgamation of the two people who fused.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.
Exploring the nature of Fusions in the Dragon Ball franchise
A common misunderstanding in the fandom is that the Fusions, special the ones that come out of the Fusion Dance, are their own individuals rather than the sum of the people involved. Perhaps the best example of this is Gogeta, who truly doesn't have a lot of the traits of Goku and Vegeta's personalities. The same can also be said of Gotenks, who is a lot more childish and immature than even Goten and Trunks when they are separated.
An interesting element, however, is how the Potara Fusion seems to be a bit different in that regard. Merged Zamasu's case in Super shows how he kept the same arrogant and destructive personality his two versions had when separated. On the other hand, Vegito displays a lot of Vegeta's arrogance while holding some of Goku's more lighthearted and playful nature. This is reflected through his antics during his battle with Majin Buu in Z.
It is very likely that this is just a coincidence and that there is no real approach or difference in mind when writing Fusion Dance and Potara Fusion characters. The most possible answer is that author Akira Toriyama never put too much thought into it and just ran with the concepts as he was close to ending the manga in the Buu saga. This was when the Fusion ability was introduced in the story.
The appeal of the Fusion in the series
The concept of Fusion is very popular in the Dragon Ball fandom because it allows one to see two characters shining in different ways and introducing new individuals who manage to make a very strong first impression. It is usually shown through Goku and Vegeta's fusions, whether it's Vegito or Gogeta, since they are extremely powerful, and is interesting to see the merging of the two protagonists.
The Fusions also seem to have an appeal through the fact that these new characters tend to have their own unique abilities. The case of Gotenks and the different powers and techniques he uses during his battle with Majin Buu is a good example of this. Gogeta and Vegito also have similar moments, particularly with the former when he is fighting Broly in the namesake film back in 2018.
Final thoughts
It has been shown that Fusion characters in Dragon Ball don't always share the personalities of the people who merged into one. That is something that the series never fully explains but it could be argued that is because the author, Akira Toriyama, never bothered to think this concept through.
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