What if General Blue was...

[cheddarsword]

Let me say this first, then I'll proceed. For those of you who either didn't read the manga's "Pre Z" chapters (or if it was left out of the DB Anime) here's an interesting fact. General Blue is gay. To my knowledge, he's the first and ONLY homosexual character in the series. However, his portrayal is rather stereotypical and can come off about as offensive as Krillin later calling him a f**. (Seriously, i hear DB IS FEMININIST! DB IS RACIST! but never DB IS HOMOPHOBIC AND/OR HETERONORMATIVE!)

Now then. I was going to make this topic more about how people would think of the character had he been portrayed as a stereotypical lesbian instead, but after thinking about it, if Blue were into women as either gender, the way the events played out may have indeed changed.

For those who didn't know, here's some of the points of interest from the G.Blue mini arc:
[spoiler]When Bulma first sees Blue, she goes nuts over his good looks and latches right onto him.

He shakes her off though and states that she's disgusting. It's at this point that Bulma realizes he's gay.

Later, in a series of flooded tunnels, Blue is ready to kill Bulma and Krillin. Goku is on his way however.

Bulma tries to seduce Blue, but she ends up getting denied.

Remembering that he's gay, Bulma puffs up her chest and does a "manly" pose, stating that she may look like a woman, but she's actually a man instead, to which Blue hilariously replies "NO MAN HAS BOOBS THAT BIG!"

Goku jumps in before Blue can kill anyone however, and challenges him.[/spoiler]

So what do you think? How would things go if Blue was into Bulma as either gender?

Personally, I'm not sure how far it would have gone if they were a woman, as Bulma appears to be straight. If they were a guy though, I could see this being even more different.

[Kanassa]

I don't think he'd be as funny, since the only lesbian stereotype I know of is being really butch (Like a biker or something), which I'm unsure if Toriyama would have utilised in a funny way. I really enjoyed Blue in that arc, and was definitely one of the highlight. Sometimes stereotypes can be boring, but sometimes the best thing to do as a character is to own that stereotype and make something wonderous.

[sintzu]

His portrayal is rather stereotypical and can come off as offensive.

Anything can be offensive if you want it to be. If a writer tries to not be then he/she won't get anything done.

[cheddarsword]

His portrayal is rather stereotypical and can come off as offensive.

Anything can be offensive if you want it to be. If a writer tries to not be then he/she won't get anything done.

This is true. I just thought that kind of thing bothered people was all.

[sintzu]

I just thought that kind of thing bothered people was all.

It does but mostly people who have nothing more to worry about in life. This doesn't just apply to what you brought up but how women are written in entertainment, how violent certain things are, how certain history is depicted, etc. it doesn't just apply to one group or even country, it happens all over the world.

[dragon boss z]

To my knowledge, he's the first and ONLY homosexual character in the series.

There's this guy

[cheddarsword]

To my knowledge, he's the first and ONLY homosexual character in the series.

There's this guy

one panel isn't much to go on, but the point made is a strong one for sure. His statement makes him appear to be more than just that an effeminate male.

Also, isn't this taken from the end of Z? Odd then that the only two homosexual characters in the entire series appear near the beginning and right at the end.

It does but mostly people who have nothing more to worry about in life. This doesn't just apply to what you brought up but how BOTH GENDERS are written in entertainment, how violent certain things are, how certain history is depicted, etc. it doesn't just apply to one group or even country, it happens all over the world.

I fixed your statement for you. I do agree that stereotypes, if poorly used/executed can and do offend. Especially if the stereotype relates to a sensitive subject such as ones own sexuality.

For some stereotypes to offend however, the offended may just wear their emotions on their shoulder or are just looking for a reason to get angry.

[Generico Garbagio]

(Seriously, i hear DB IS FEMININIST! DB IS RACIST! but never DB IS HOMOPHOBIC AND/OR HETERONORMATIVE!)

Huh. I made a topic about "Dragon Ball and Homosexuality" and it was immediately deleted. k. It was 100% legit, not my fault if it was a copy/paste of the "Dragon Ball and Feminism" topic with very slight changes in character names. not troll

[cheddarsword]

(Seriously, i hear DB IS FEMININIST! DB IS RACIST! but never DB IS HOMOPHOBIC AND/OR HETERONORMATIVE!)

Huh. I made a topic about "Dragon Ball and Homosexuality" and it was immediately deleted. k. It was 100% legit, not my fault if it was a copy/paste of the "Dragon Ball and Feminism" topic with very slight changes in character names. not troll

Couldn't say why that was deleted. Maybe they didn't want it getting as out of hand as the feminism topic has? Maybe they thought that might end up being more offensive?

I tend to stay away from the feminism topic. I hear about it enough on youtube. I don't come here for social or political arguments. I come here for Dragon Ball and to have someone to relate to.

[VegettoEX]

The character being referenced at the end of the series is literally named Otosuki. You can't get any more on-the-nose than that.

I don't come here for social or political arguments.

Dragon Ball is the product of a person and a culture that inherently has a political slant to it regardless of whether you recognize it or not.

Every person here that you're talking to is speaking through their own political slant and viewpoints regardless of whether you recognize it or not.

[Generico Garbagio]

I don't come here for social or political arguments.

Dragon Ball is the product of a person and a culture that inherently has a political slant to it regardless of whether you recognize it or not.

Every person here that you're talking to is speaking through their own political slant and viewpoints regardless of whether you recognize it or not.

Wow really? I also heard our life experiences can make us more likely to approve or disapprove of differences in other people. Do you think that is true?

I think what he meant was that his main "goal" on this forum is to discuss Dragon Ball, not convoluted and overly serious political views that sometimes people try to stick onto too many things without a proper justification for it. Like "I am angry Goku Black does not represent the community that his name implies, DB racist confirmed".

[VegettoEX]

I think it's incredibly naive and close-minded to bubble yourself up like that and expect everyone else to do the same.

Furthermore, it's bizarre to create a thread that invokes social and political stances like gender and racial stereotypes... and then go on to say you're not not here for social or political arguments.

Even more furthermore, it's not like this represents even .00001% of the conversations taking place here. If I've managed to survive doing this for 20 years amidst the battle power debates, I think any given person will be able to weather the social commentary.

[Generico Garbagio]

Yeah, if you try to completely avoid every political argument you'll have to live as an hermit. Maybe ask Roshi how that works out?

I don't mind the political stuff myself, but sometimes I feel like people take a lot of things way too seriously. If Trump is POTUS, isn't that proof enough that the world isn't serious? /bait

[cheddarsword]

I think it's incredibly naive and close-minded to bubble yourself up like that and expect everyone else to do the same.

Furthermore, it's bizarre to create a thread that invokes social and political stances like gender and racial stereotypes... and then go on to say you're not not here for social or political arguments.

Even more furthermore, it's not like this represents even .00001% of the conversations taking place here. If I've managed to survive doing this for 20 years amidst the battle power debates, I think any given person will be able to weather the social commentary.

I'm not asking anyone to bubble themselves up. I just don't come here to argue about politics because i have enough shit going on in my life that I need a place to escape to. I don't have any real world friends either.

Besides, the current political climate is enough to make anyone's hair turn grey if they stay in it long enough.

I used to think that nobody wanted those types of topics here, like me, so at first, that's how I responded to seeing them. Once i learned that they did, i stopped caring.

Yes, it bothers me to see political debates that are close to me pop up within things that I like. It makes me think that nothing is safe from political scrutiny. Maybe it's not. But as I said, I need a place that doesn't have that. Since I can't seem to find one, I just have to end up ignoring that stuff.

As for the existence of this topic, Like I said in the first post, I was curious how people would look at Blue if this stereotypical, homosexual male was instead a stereotypical, homosexual female. Not from a political standpoint, but instead a personal standpoint.

Instead however, after thinking about how this would change the character to instead be attracted to females and possibly Bulma, I began to wonder how that would affect the story as his lack of attraction to her in the first place seemed to be a noteworthy point to me.

As for me not wanting to offend anyone, just how many people have committed suicide due to social backlash of their homosexuality? I wouldn't want to put anyone through that kind of mental hell.

In the end, I regret making this topic. Kanassa and dragon boss z are the ONLY ONES who took it for what it was.

I'd lock the damn thing if i could.

[TheZFighter]

Not really relevant to the OP, but I'd just like to agree with the second post. I thought Blue was a highlight of the Red Ribbon Army arc, and is a criminally underrated character. I thought he was brilliant, gay, straight, or otherwise.

[Generico Garbagio]

I think it's incredibly naive and close-minded to bubble yourself up like that and expect everyone else to do the same.

Furthermore, it's bizarre to create a thread that invokes social and political stances like gender and racial stereotypes... and then go on to say you're not not here for social or political arguments.

Even more furthermore, it's not like this represents even .00001% of the conversations taking place here. If I've managed to survive doing this for 20 years amidst the battle power debates, I think any given person will be able to weather the social commentary.

I'm not asking anyone to bubble themselves up. I just don't come here to argue about politics because i have enough shit going on in my life that I need a place to escape to. I don't have any real world friends either.

Besides, the current political climate is enough to make anyone's hair turn grey if they stay in it long enough.

I used to think that nobody wanted those types of topics here, like me, so at first, that's how I responded to seeing them. Once i learned that they did, i stopped caring.

Yes, it bothers me to see political debates that are close to me pop up within things that I like. It makes me think that nothing is safe from political scrutiny. Maybe it's not. But as I said, I need a place that doesn't have that. Since I can't seem to find one, I just have to end up ignoring that stuff.

As for the existence of this topic, Like I said in the first post, I was curious how people would look at Blue if this stereotypical, homosexual male was instead a stereotypical, homosexual female. Not from a political standpoint, but instead a personal standpoint.

Instead however, after thinking about how this would change the character to instead be attracted to females and possibly Bulma, I began to wonder how that would affect the story as his lack of attraction to her in the first place seemed to be a noteworthy point to me.

As for me not wanting to offend anyone, just how many people have committed suicide due to social backlash of their homosexuality? I wouldn't want to put anyone through that kind of mental hell.

In the end, I regret making this topic. Kanassa and dragon boss z are the ONLY ONES who took it for what it was.

I'd lock the damn thing if i could.

Hi people! Especially cheddarsword.

I think I am to blame for this whole mess! Like you said, I can't take anything seriously. I'm honestly sorry. It's true, I'm a bit of a smartass, and I guess I say a lot of ridiculous stuff.

Please don't close the topic, it just needs a fresh start. If anything, I'm the one who needs to stop being so ridiculous.

Cheddarsword, please forgive me. I hope I can be a better fellow forum member in the future.

[cheddarsword]

Hi people! Especially cheddarsword.

I think I am to blame for this whole mess! Like you said, I can't take anything seriously. I'm honestly sorry. It's true, I'm a bit of a smartass, and I guess I say a lot of ridiculous stuff.

Please don't close the topic, it just needs a fresh start. If anything, I'm the one who needs to stop being so ridiculous.

Cheddarsword, please forgive me. I hope I can be a better fellow forum member in the future.

Not a fan of people taking the blame for my shit you know. I've no ill will towards you or anyone save myself.

As for this topic, I don't give a fuck what happens to it now.

[Kanassa]

As for this topic, I don't give a fuck what happens to it now.

You gonna old yeller this bitch?

[Lord Frieza]

I would not say his portrayal is overly stereotypical. For the most part, I can honestly say I would not even have thought of Blue as being gay until the plot suggested it.

I have met men, both gay and not, who act like Blue dose. Men can be clean freaks, are overly dramatic, feminine and fear small creatures regardless of which gender they prefer to bed. Really theirs nothing in the manga that proves Blue is gay. Bulma and Krillin suggest it, but that could be them just being bigoted or not knowing any better. Lest be a little far here, Dragon Ball is an old story and little things like that are just a product of its time. For example I love the works of H.P. Lovecraft but I'm not going to lye and say that there is not a very strong undertone of racism in his works and that due to my ethnic background the guy would have hated me on sight.

The real shocker for me, and I think many people, was what the anime staff put in the filler for the Penguin Village episodes. His scene with Obotchaman hints at him being a pedophile!!!!! !!!!

I think that scene actually took a year off my life.

[Generico Garbagio]

Hi people! Especially cheddarsword.

I think I am to blame for this whole mess! Like you said, I can't take anything seriously. I'm honestly sorry. It's true, I'm a bit of a smartass, and I guess I say a lot of ridiculous stuff.

Please don't close the topic, it just needs a fresh start. If anything, I'm the one who needs to stop being so ridiculous.

Cheddarsword, please forgive me. I hope I can be a better fellow forum member in the future.

Not a fan of people taking the blame for my shit you know. I've no ill will towards you or anyone save myself.

As for this topic, I don't give a fuck what happens to it now.

It ended up under your expectations. This is a legitimate discussion and I think it is interesting and I don't think you should blame yourself.

If Blue had been a homosexual female, I would be very curious to see what would happen with Bulma. Probably her advances would work better, or maybe Bluegirl (maybe call her Bluette?) would have strong principles and refuse to mingle with just any interesting physique that came into contact with her. Maybe Bulma herself would choose not to flirt if Blue was Bluette. I have the impression Bluette wouldn't just join the good guys but she could get coaxed into it, unless obviously she did get frustrated with Bulma's actions (if she did try to seduce her). There are so many possibilities and I feel actually lame in this situation because it was a WHILE since I read the DB Manga. :s So yeah, probably that is a blame I can bear; I replied without having enough knowledge to properly be serious.

But this is a "What if", too, and I don't think homosexuality has that much to do with it. It's more based on the principles of the character in question. Not every straight guy would cave in to the demands of a pretty woman, and the same goes for any person of any sexual orientation.