Wait, I take some of that back. The show actually does have good characterization. You do care about them, and want to get to know more about them. Sadly, the fights are so long and drawn-out that character development is completely lost.
For example, there was so much comic potential in the relationship between Dragon Ball Z will be an anime that will be long remembered, even after we're gone, but I have to pose this question: Is that truly a * good* thing? ( Or shall all our posterity's intelligence be forever insulted? )