If there is one conclusion fans and critics of Dragon Ball are surprisingly in agreement on, is that the Dragon Ball GT anime is the worst entry in Dragon Ball's extended universe. As the only series that did not directly involve creator Akira Toriyama, fandom has been critical of Dragon Ball GT since its debut. Despite this criticism, however, it is the only Dragon Ball continuation to expand the lore of the titular Dragon Balls and the dragons who appear from them. For this reason, Dragon Ball GT's Shadows Dragons story arc should be made part of the official Dragon Ball canon.
Dragon Ball GT, or as it is officially known, Dragon Ball Grand Tour, takes place shortly after the events of Dragon Ball Z. It originally aired for two years from early 1996 to late 1997. Altogether a total of 64 episodes and produced and aired. While Toriyama had some input into the character designs used in series, he did not have as much influence, especially in regard to the plot, as he had in other collaborations with Toei Animation, the cartoon company that produced it. Even though a substantial portion of the Dragon Ball fandom has resoundingly rejected Dragon Ball GT as good content, Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama has been quoted as saying the anime is, a grand side-story of the original Dragon Ball.
The series begins with Emperor Pilaf gathering the seven Dragon Balls and mistakenly wishing Goku was a child as he would be easier to defeat. Shenron grants the wishes and sends the Dragon Balls across the universe. Ultimately Goku, Vegeta, Chi Chi, Bulma, and their children are able to retrieve the Dragon Balls to save the world and return Goku to his former self. However, due to the fact that the Dragon Balls have been used so frequently throughout the Dragon Ball franchise, they suffer an imbalance of positive and negative energy that manifests itself into seven shadow dragons intent on wrecking the world until the Dragon Balls are completely and permanently filled with negative energy. Faced with the new challenge of finding and dealing with the seven dragons powered by the limitless energy of the Dragon Balls, Goku sets out to see his family and the world
Should Dragon Ball GT Be Part of Dragon Ball Canon?
While there are stories in Dragon Ball GT that are so far off the trail from what has been established in Toriyama's works that it would be difficult to integrate them into canon without some major retcons, that is not the case with the Shadow Dragon arc. Since the subject has not been explored with any depth in other Dragon Ball continuations, adding it wouldn't require too many major alterations to the Dragon Ball universe. Adding the story to canon would give viewers access to the secrets behind the Dragon Balls, and the dragons who live within them. This provides vital context to the whole saga. For instance, fans will understand that Dragon Balls are not static devices like the Marvel Universe's Ultimate Nullifier, or One Piece's ancient weapons, but rather a dynamic instrument that, feels and is subject to stress. That background information would help make an already great saga better.
To be sure, the fandom's complaints about Dragon Ball GT will not make it go away. 64 episodes of content will always exist. While some content from Dragon Ball GT might raise the eyebrows of a Dragon Ball purest, the Shadow Dragon arc should not.