Would you say Dragon Ball is the most recognizable anime/manga worldwide?

[DBZAOTA482]

I got the idea for this thread after reading a super famous Brazilian voice actor Wendel Bezerra (voice of Goku, which he is mostly popular for) talking about how much the series had influenced him:

https://www.reddit.com/r/dbz/comments/6 ... bing_goku/


Anyways, I always had a feeling it's really well known to the general public... I mean, it's been a pop culture icon for years. Just about everyone I've met knows about Dragon Ball... even my parents know about it (although only through DBZ) and they don't watch anime at all. It's like one of the only anime you can watch without being considered a nerd.

The only other contender I can think of for this title is Pokemon but it's mostly known through the video games. The only time I imagine the Pokemon anime being more popular is during the whole Pokemon fad and the anime was at the Sinnoh arc where it was highly popular in it's own rights while the Dragon Ball has been going strong all through the years (even if it did decline a bit during the mid and late 2000's).

Sailor Moon was also huge back in the day as it was one of the frontrunners in popularizing anime in the west but it's popularity died off after 2000 and it's only seen a re-emerging in popularity during the last few years.

Now do you think Dragon Ball is the most recognizable anime/manga and if not... what is?

[8000 Saiyan]

I got the idea for this thread after reading a super famous Brazilian voice actor Wendel Bezerra (voice of Goku, which he is mostly popular for) talking about how much the series had influenced him:

https://www.reddit.com/r/dbz/comments/6 ... bing_goku/


Anyways, I always had a feeling it's really well known to the general public... I mean, it's been a pop culture icon for years. Just about everyone I've met knows about Dragon Ball... even my parents know about it (although only through DBZ) and they don't watch anime at all. It's like one of the only anime you can watch without being considered a nerd.

The only other contender I can think of for this title is Pokemon but it's mostly known through the video games. The only time I imagine the Pokemon anime being more popular is during the whole Pokemon fad and the anime was at the Sinnoh arc where it was highly popular in it's own rights while the Dragon Ball has been going strong all through the years (even if it did decline a bit during the mid and late 2000's).

Sailor Moon was also huge back in the day as it was one of the frontrunners in popularizing anime in the west but it's popularity died off after 2000 and it's only seen a re-emerging in popularity during the last few years.

Now do you think Dragon Ball is the most recognizable anime/manga and if not... what is?

Along with Pokemon? Yes.

[sintzu]

Along with Pokemon ? Yes.

DB has never gotten something as popular as Pokemon Go so I'd put it above it but 2nd place is by no means a bad thing, especially when you take into account the hundreds of anime and manga that are out there.

[Doctor.]

Pokemon is. Everyone knows about the games but everyone also knows who Ash Ketchum is to the point they still think he's the protagonist of the games too.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

No, but it's definitely up there, and rightfully so. Dragon Ball holds up far better than most cartoons, which have a tendency to age about as well as untreated milk of the same approximate age. It's a classic, to be sure.

[sintzu]

Dragon Ball holds up far better than most cartoons, which have a tendency to age about as well as untreated milk of the same approximate age.

Can milk even last for 20 years ?

[MajinMan]

While Pokemon is definitely more popular than Dragon Ball, it is a video game series first and anime/manga second. When it comes to series that originate as anime/manga, Dragon Ball is 100% the most popular world wide.

[Saikyo no Senshi]

I would say Pocket Monsters. My family doesn't know shit about Dragon Ball, but they at least know who Pikachuu is. But, this is by no means factual. I'm not even sure if any kind of factual data can be provided regarding this topic.

[Boo Machine]

I would actually be interested in what is the most recognizable Anime/Manga in the world. I have doubts saying it's Dragonball. Like others said, Pokemon is probably way more well known than Dragonball. Out of everyone I know personally, not all of them care about dragonball or even know about it, but they ALL know what Pikachu is. My mother plays the shit out of Pokemon.

So the most well known Anime/manga is mostly likely going to be one of the "Collect the shit out of all these creatures" type things. Things that kids well bug their parents to buy for them. Much like I did mine.

[Soppa Saia People]

Astro Boy and/or speed racer is. Everyone knows about them.

[Dbzfan94]

I would say Pocket Monsters. My family doesn't know shit about Dragon Ball, but they at least know who Pikachuu is. But, this is by no means factual. I'm not even sure if any kind of factual data can be provided regarding this topic.

This is the first time I've actually seen someone call Pokemon as Pocket Monsters. Yes I know that's what Pokemon means but it's just so jarring.

[precita]

Fun fact: The Pokemon anime as a whole has 960+ episodes, 20 movies, and about 25 specials.

[huzaifa_ahmed]

Even with FUNi's dub aside (sad as it is, regardless of quality it always tends to be the case that US has heavy international influence, due to imperialism), I would probably have to agree. Even in major territories not influenced by FUNi's dub, it seems to be that DB is, if not *the* biggest anime, always pretty popular, at least in my (admittedly limited) experience with international fandom.

I feel like Pokemon isn't as comparable because Japanese video games have historically had far more success (despite their continued marginalization) than so many other non-Hollywood arts (this is solely due to Nintendo picking up the power vaccuum Atari left in the mid-1980s). DB, while the video games are arguably disproportionately popular here, is still primarily & largely popular on the merits of the story (okay, outside of the US, where we had a bastardized adaptation...but still). I don't know if DB is the most recognizable, but it's definitely up there.

I want to say something like Gundam or Astro Boy is the most recognized if not DB, but I'm not too sure about that either. Digimon again has that sort of piggybacking off of a bigger industry, so I'm kind of hesistant to include it.

[Vijay]

Subjective opinions duh

I think DoragonBoru is right up there with Pokemon. Those 2 were favourites durin my childhood.

Even those who know nothing about DB or Z, would know about Goku. Dude is like Jesus of Anime

I cannot compare which one is bigger/greater: DB or Pokemon

Its as if wondering Right Eye or Left Eye is greater which is crap. Both are equally vital for visual entertainment of which in this case Blond Haired Macho Mens shattering planets & Gorgeous Animals wrecking havoc.

[GreatSaiyaJeff]

I feel that it's is 2nd to Pokemon. It seems everyone knows what Pokemon is, while DBZ, only not as many people know. That's what it seems like to me.

[Lord Beerus]

Nope. That honor would belong to Pokemon. Pikachu has Mickey Mouse popularity worldwide.

[DBZAOTA482]

Astro Boy and/or speed racer is. Everyone knows about them.

Not exactly... my parents know nothing about it and I doubt my younger cousins do.

[SaiyanGod117]

I would actually be interested in what is the most recognizable Anime/Manga in the world. I have doubts saying it's Dragonball.

It's Dragon Ball no it's, and, or buts about it. As someone has said in this thread Pokémon is a gaming franchise first, then anime/manga series second. It's like saying what are the most popular gaming companies and including Microsoft into the mix, when in-reality their a tech-company.

Do we really need a thread like this again? Everyone knows the answer.

[Boo Machine]

I would actually be interested in what is the most recognizable Anime/Manga in the world. I have doubts saying it's Dragonball.

It's Dragon Ball no it's, and, or buts about it. As someone has said in this thread Pokémon is a gaming franchise first, then anime/manga series second. It's like saying what's are the most popular gaming companies and including Microsoft into the mix, when in-reality their a tech-company.

Not sure I see much difference. Pokemon maybe mainly a gaming franchise, but it still has a manga and an anime. Which is well known. Though I can't even say for sure it's pokemon, Its just the first thing that comes to mind.

Do we really need a thread like this again? Everyone knows the answer.

We do not. Thats why many people are saying it's pokemon but others would swear it's Dragonball.

[SaiyanGod117]

Not sure I see much difference. Pokemon maybe mainly a gaming franchise, but it still has a manga and an anime. Which is well known. Though I can't even say for sure it's pokemon, Its just the first thing that comes to mind.

The Pokémon franchise is well-known primarily because of the game, not anime and especially not manga. Just like Microsoft is more well-known because of it's computer software, consumer electronics, and laptops and not the Xbox. Plus if we're are talking about current popularity, the Pokémon anime hasn't been popular since Diamond and Pearl or Sinnoh Region.