Elements of DB that look dated

[JulieYBM]

Yeah, yikes. Mister Popo and General Blue need to be completely redone in new productions.

"To better comply with FCC Regulations, i now present you the now, non racially insensitive, Mr Milk"

Redesign him completely, is what I'm saying.

Fuck it, make him a cute anime boi.

[precita]

Mr. Popo is intended to be a genie, is he not? Make him look like the one from Alladdin.

[JulieYBM]

I don't think it's made clear what Mister Popo is based off of in any data books. Toriyama was probably going for a sort of stereotype of Middle Eastern nation people combined with what he thought was 'exotic', which clearly goes to show his and JUMP's god awful judgement and lack of planning.

[MasenkoHA]

Mr. Popo is intended to be a genie, is he not? Make him look like the one from Alladdin.

Pretty sure that was what Funimation/CW was going for in the KidsWb edit

[MyVisionity]

Popo's design is based off of the Black slaves from the Middle Eastern world that have been depicted in versions of the Arabian Nights stories, the Djinn/genies from them, as well as the Sambo/Pickaninny/Blackface imagery.

Maybe Popo retires one day and returns to his homeworld. Karin can replace him as God's assistant while Yajirobe becomes the new sage of Karin Tower.

[AlexSketchy04]

Yeah, yikes. Mister Popo and General Blue need to be completely redone in new productions.

"To better comply with FCC Regulations, i now present you the now, non racially insensitive, Mr Milk"

Redesign him completely, is what I'm saying.

Fuck it, make him a cute anime boi.

I have other edits on how he could look like, example like removing his lips like the Manga

Or.... bring back blue popo

[precita]

Popo's design is based off of the Black slaves from the Middle Eastern world that have been depicted in versions of the Arabian Nights stories, the Djinn/genies from them, as well as the Sambo/Pickaninny/Blackface imagery.

Maybe Popo retires one day and returns to his homeworld. Karin can replace him as God's assistant while Yajirobe becomes the new sage of Karin Tower.

I think the difference is we see Mr. Popo and Kami are such good friends in the series and it doesn't feel like Mr. Popo is his servant (even though he essentially is), or with Dende after that.

We also know Mr. Popo can leave the lookout at any time as we've seen. It's not like he's a slave, lol

[JulieYBM]

They're not friends at all. Popo cries like a child when God dies. Popo is God's simplistic man-child stereotype servant. It's really creepy and disgusting.

[Jiren The Alpha]

They're not friends at all. Popo cries like a child when God dies. Popo is God's simplistic man-child stereotype servant. It's really creepy and disgusting.

Because he is going to miss him? like a friend would? I don't thing a slave would cry if they master died.

[MyVisionity]

I think the difference is we see Mr. Popo and Kami are such good friends in the series and it doesn't feel like Mr. Popo is his servant (even though he essentially is), or with Dende after that.

We also know Mr. Popo can leave the lookout at any time as we've seen. It's not like he's a slave, lol

A slavemaster can be "good friends" with his slaves. Many slaves could also leave the plantation at any time as well.

Besides, I didn't mean that Popo was actually enslaved, just that he was based upon those figures along with genies.

They're not friends at all. Popo cries like a child when God dies. Popo is God's simplistic man-child stereotype servant. It's really creepy and disgusting.

Because he is going to miss him? like a friend would? I don't thing a slave would cry if they master died.

There are many slaves who would indeed cry if their master died. Although certainly many would not.

[JulieYBM]

They're not friends at all. Popo cries like a child when God dies. Popo is God's simplistic man-child stereotype servant. It's really creepy and disgusting.

Because he is going to miss him? like a friend would? I don't thing a slave would cry if they master died.

Combined with the way he talks? It comes across as extremely uncomfortable.

[Jiren The Alpha]

I think the difference is we see Mr. Popo and Kami are such good friends in the series and it doesn't feel like Mr. Popo is his servant (even though he essentially is), or with Dende after that.

We also know Mr. Popo can leave the lookout at any time as we've seen. It's not like he's a slave, lol

A slavemaster can be "good friends" with his slaves. Many slaves could also leave the plantation at any time as well.

Besides, I didn't mean that Popo was actually enslaved, just that he was based upon those figures along with genies.

They're not friends at all. Popo cries like a child when God dies. Popo is God's simplistic man-child stereotype servant. It's really creepy and disgusting.

Because he is going to miss him? like a friend would? I don't thing a slave would cry if they master died.

There are many slaves who would indeed cry if their master died. Although certainly many would not.

Are there any documentation of that?

[AlexSketchy04]

They're not friends at all. Popo cries like a child when God dies. Popo is God's simplistic man-child stereotype servant. It's really creepy and disgusting.

Because he is going to miss him? like a friend would? I don't thing a slave would cry if they master died.

Combined with the way he talks? It comes across as extremely uncomfortable.

That reminded me that Alvin Sanders, a black man, played Popo during the Ocean Dub

Not sure who was in charge of it, but... it must have been pretty uncomfortable

[MyVisionity]

I think the difference is we see Mr. Popo and Kami are such good friends in the series and it doesn't feel like Mr. Popo is his servant (even though he essentially is), or with Dende after that.

We also know Mr. Popo can leave the lookout at any time as we've seen. It's not like he's a slave, lol

A slavemaster can be "good friends" with his slaves. Many slaves could also leave the plantation at any time as well.

Besides, I didn't mean that Popo was actually enslaved, just that he was based upon those figures along with genies.

Because he is going to miss him? like a friend would? I don't thing a slave would cry if they master died.

There are many slaves who would indeed cry if their master died. Although certainly many would not.

Are there any documentation of that?

There are many slave narratives written that offer firsthand accounts of enslaved peoples, including the master-slave relationship which could be complex and took on many forms. Aside from that, I don't think it's too difficult to imagine that a slave serving in such a close capacity to their master as many did would feel those kinds of emotions. These are human beings after all.

[DragonBallFoodie]

Thank you all for your comments. Though I never expected Mr Popo to take over (and we never saw much of him as the story went on).

Reading the manga right now, and honestly I don't see Goku as an idiot at all. Considering that he grew up largely in the wilderness, alone, with almost no societal upbringing, he's actually quite bright. His "dumb" moments are a reflection of his lack of real upbringing, not of him being inherently stupid. When he learns something, it tends to stick with him. Fighting is where he shows just how "studious" he can be, and he becomes wiser over time as far as understanding compassion and the value of life. You can see a real maturity in him starting with the Tao Pai Pai stuff going through the Freeza arc especially. Super portrays him as way dumber than anything before, so if anything Super feels more dated in its depiction of Goku than DB/Z/GT.

Very true indeed. It feels like DBS Super decided to revert/regress Goku.

Honestly DBS should have started with Goku as a mentor to Uub. He would have been a fun and funny teacher.

I mean, you brought up One Piece. Luffy in many ways is very similar to Goku, and that's still one of the best selling comics in existence.

Yeah, but Luffy is a pirate Captain. He's shown himself as loyal to his friends and his dream and is smart and responsible enough to manage his crew.

But I suppose that's apples and oranges. After all, Goku's never been a leader.

The most you can say is that cinemasins-style "every subjective flaw I can point out is a disastrous plot hole and by listing all of them with a big number on the end" criticism has taken off, such that believing that airtight continuity and overexplaining everything to the viewer is more important than, like, having fun.

I don't mind exposition if it wraps up loose ends, but that depends on whether loose ends should be followed or not.

But I completely agree that nowadays a Cinema-Sins/DB Abridged look at a feature and poking at its flaws and holes can be a cynical and degrading thing to do to something you enjoy.

Roshi's perversion is very dated as is much of the sexual humor. Dirty jokes aren't a problem but I do think Roshi being an attempted rapist is flat out wrong. It's fine that he is horny all the time but no character should feel unsafe around him.

I agree about Roshi. And the point with the "dirty sexual maniac" joke is that the lady always, always wins against that character. Either she clobbers him silly, or outsmarts him. Losing that gives the maniac a confrontational advantage, and spoils that joke.

Roshi chases Yurin wasn't that funny, nor was him trying to jump that lady fighter in the Tournament of Power. Yurin should have messed with him as fast as possible, while that lady scared out of the Tournament was comparatively better IMO (the joke was still awkward, a veteran seductress wouldn't be that spooked with Roshi).

[JewyB]

I kinda... Dont really have a problem with any of it personally...

EDIT: I thought about it, and the age rating. I would change the target demographic and the age rating.

Nailed it.

[ABED]

There are many slave narratives written that offer firsthand accounts of enslaved peoples, including the master-slave relationship which could be complex and took on many forms. Aside from that, I don't think it's too difficult to imagine that a slave serving in such a close capacity to their master as many did would feel those kinds of emotions. These are human beings after all.

It's Stockholm Syndrome

I don't necessarily agree that is the case with Kami and Popo, but given the design and Popo's role, it is an uncomfortable parallel.

[TheQuestioner]

I mean, you brought up One Piece. Luffy in many ways is very similar to Goku, and that's still one of the best selling comics in existence.

Yeah, but Luffy is a pirate Captain. He's shown himself as loyal to his friends and his dream and is smart and responsible enough to manage his crew.

But I suppose that's apples and oranges. After all, Goku's never been a leader.

Disagreed. He has shown that he can lead the gang. In the Boo Saga Goku was pretty much the MVP and the Z-Fighters would've prevailed (before Gotenks and etc screwed it up) because he made sure everything was set in motion for the next generation to take over. He taught the Fusion Dance and made sure the boys would master it even though he was absurdly exhausted, he stalled Boo while not ending him when he could've because he believed it was better for the next generation to take over, he even made sure Boo won't attack the Z-Fighters for a while. If it weren't for Super Boo, something literally no one could've expected, the Z-Fighters would've won easily. While the quality of his leadership skills may be debatable, I do think he is still a leader.

Goku is a pretty competent character, he may lack understanding of the modern world (which makes him to an extent ignorant) and just like any other human being he too will make mistakes but he's constantly smart and capable in the series. He's remarked constantly as a fighting genius for a reason.

The story’s loose tone – People nowadays feel an action tale should involve tighter continuity with more serious world-building and characters more involved in the narrative, eg ONE PIECE and GINTAMA.

I was not aware his approach is dated, it is certainly unique though. I do not know how dated it feels, personally I believe Toriyama performed competently when it came to serious world-building. The characters not being involved as much in the narrative does not feel dated to me either. I believe overall the impact of the characters was pretty ok at least. These are merely my takes though.

[ABED]

What is tighter continuity?

I don't think people want more world-building, but I do think people want faster pacing.

[TheQuestioner]

What is tighter continuity?

I don't think people want more world-building, but I do think people want faster pacing.

Yes, the anime lacked that quite a bit. I think the manga has high pacing done right.