Real Life Locations & The Dragon World

[MajinPopo]

So, throughout various permutations and ancillary media, we've seen a lot of visual representations of the "Dragon World", that is, Universe 7's Earth. Many fans have tried to come up with maps that fuse various depictions into a cohesive whole, but I always feel like there's some willful ignoring of certain elements of Toriyama's work, usually with the justification of "don't worry, gag moment", or whatever.

The main reason I bring this up is that there have been at least two depictions of the American Flag in-universe. I believe the first was the one that Ninja Murasaki hid behind. We later see (I don't have the image or chapter on hand) a small American flag on a newspaper that Kuririn reads.

Red Ribbon Army is a fascinating group that gives interesting insight to the Japanese perception of foreign soldiers, and ultimately comes across more as a "Globalist" multi-national conglomerate, rather than a Nationalistic army focused on the defense of a particular nation, but obviously the RRA were meant to depict America and Westerners. Perhaps an interesting early variation on the whole notion of "Journey to the West" that also led early Goku to West City.

In any case, this indicates that there is at least a country within the Dragon World that shares a flag with our America.

Now, this becomes a problem when we learn that King Furry is apparently "King of the World", that is, despite the failure of the RRA, at least somebody managed to create a one world government. But we're also meant to believe that there was a line of previous Dog Kings.

Later media like DBZ: Kakarot introduces the idea of Animarin, a drug that turns people into animal-folk, apparently meant to explain why animal people were prevalent in Dragon Ball but almost nonexistent in DBZ. But with that retcon explanation, can we apply it to King Furry?Was he born a dog-man from a line of dog-men as the anime background art suggests? Or is he just a drug addicted politician?

Indeed, the world of early Dragon Ball seems like there are many loose provinces and makeshift kingships like Ox King. Countries/Provinces warring and all trying to carve out a piece of land for themselves. Despite West City's technological advancement, the rest of the world appears like it's fairly old-school and poverty stricken.

Now, even with King Furry as the King of the World, can we assume that there are still individual countries and delegates and varying degrees of government? Ultimately we cannot ignore that the country America or at least it's analogue, either exists or existed within the Dragon World, in close enough proximity to the main cast that Kuririn was easily able to read one of their newspapers.

Are there any gaps in the story where people could have used the Dragon Balls to install King Furry as world ruler? I can imagine it being a solution to scupper the world domination plans of RRA, since not everything is solved by punching, and that the line of "Dog Kings" are a fiction to give Furry a sense of legitimacy with the people.

This probably isn't cohesively written or well thought-out, but it's something that bugs me that not many people mention, and wanted to hear your thoughts on it!

[Polyphase Avatron]

Well Hawaii also apparently exists somewhere as it was mentioned when Roshi first used the Kamehameha.

[MajinPopo]

Well Hawaii also apparently exists somewhere as it was mentioned when Roshi first used the Kamehameha.

I know that Kamehameha originates from the name of a Hawaiian king, but I can't remember Roshi referencing the real life king in-universe. I may have to dig out my manga and check. But that's pretty neat.

[Polyphase Avatron]

Well Hawaii also apparently exists somewhere as it was mentioned when Roshi first used the Kamehameha.

I know that Kamehameha originates from the name of a Hawaiian king, but I can't remember Roshi referencing the real life king in-universe. I may have to dig out my manga and check. But that's pretty neat.

I think Krillin said it in the manga. Like 'wasn't that the name of some old king of Hawaii?' or something.

EDIT: Nvm, it wasn't Krillin but Oolong I think. Krillin hadn't been introduced yet.

[John Pannozzi]

Well Hawaii also apparently exists somewhere as it was mentioned when Roshi first used the Kamehameha.

I know that Kamehameha originates from the name of a Hawaiian king, but I can't remember Roshi referencing the real life king in-universe. I may have to dig out my manga and check. But that's pretty neat.

I think Krillin said it in the manga. Like 'wasn't that the name of some old king of Hawaii?' or something.

EDIT: Nvm, it wasn't Krillin but Oolong I think. Krillin hadn't been introduced yet.

It was Pu'ar in a line that was added to the Viz manga localization.