As the show goes on these "side" characters that you think are worthless and not really even needed slowly become an integral part of the story as well, It happens pretty slowly and gives you the sense that all the characters are growing and are essential to the story.
I loved the first 220ish episodes of this series but dropped it around then. It suffers from the typical things that most long anime series do, it has crappy fillers and there is always a new final final version of a move which is faster then the last move which was the fastest move they have every seen, and a new stronger enemy who is stronger then the last guy who said he was the strongest, you get the point.
