I know part of it is Toriyama felt he couldn’t keep Dragon Ball going if he kept Goku as an eternal child.
https://www.kanzenshuu.com/intended-end/piccolo/
Maybe he did feel that way but I don’t know I think you could have kept the story going with Goku at 15. You’d only really be sacrificing Gohan and Chi Chi.
But he was initially inspired by Jackie Chan movies when creating Dragon Ball. Especially Drunken Master
https://www.kanzenshuu.com/translations ... interview/
Could Jackie Chan have been the reason Toriyama decided to age Goku up as an adult? Make him more “Chan like” plus had a live action Dragon Ball movie been made in the 90s he always could have recommended Jackie Chan for the role.
Did Jackie Chan inspire Toriyama to age Goku up to being an adult.
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Re: Did Jackie Chan inspire Toriyama to age Goku up to being an adult.
Possibly. Didn't Toriyama always say that he could only see Jackie Chan in the role of Goku in live action? However, I think it was more out of convenience, as adult proportions with longer limbs lend better to the series' hand-to-hand combat. The action was getting more intense and it was no longer as feasible to constantly have chibi Goku darting around like a flea in every fight. I think Goku's body shape lines up best with Jackie Chan's from the 23rd Budokai to the Saiyan arc, where he was muscular yet lithe while still capable of being cute and comedic. After that, he starts getting seriously bulky with a neck thicker than Neck Guy's.
Plus, it's just a sensible narrative decision. Disallowing characters to age, especially in serialised stories, is always a lame trope in my opinion. You can definitely see Goku's growing pains as early as the Piccolo Daimao arc. When he shows up to roundhouse Drum's eye out, his face looks like his adult self's from some angles.
Plus, it's just a sensible narrative decision. Disallowing characters to age, especially in serialised stories, is always a lame trope in my opinion. You can definitely see Goku's growing pains as early as the Piccolo Daimao arc. When he shows up to roundhouse Drum's eye out, his face looks like his adult self's from some angles.
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Re: Did Jackie Chan inspire Toriyama to age Goku up to being an adult.
Yeah, also I don't think the series would have gotten as serious as it did if everyone was still kids.
I wonder though what made Toriyama decide to keep Kuririn from growing any taller. Just for the humor?
I wonder though what made Toriyama decide to keep Kuririn from growing any taller. Just for the humor?