Is Bulma based on an American woman?

[precita]

Did Toriyama base Bulma's character/design on what he thought American or western woman behaved like? Whereas most of the Dragonball girls like Chi-Chi, Videl, Mai, etc. are all blatantly Asian, Bulma (and 18) look western.

[Cure Dragon 255]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzWHE32IxUc

AMERICAN WOMAN. Ok I will stop.

That's an interesting way of seeing it.

[RedRibbonSoldier#42]

Well, she does come from the West in-universe, and it does feel like there's some parallel with "The West", especially in contrast to the most of the characters in early Dragonball. Her family has brighter hair and English based names, while people like Yamucha, Kuririn, Chi-Chi and Son Gokuu clearly have Chinese based designs and names.

[AgitoZ]

I'm pretty sure she's based on the priest from Journey to the West.

[RedRibbonSoldier#42]

I'm pretty sure she's based on the priest from Journey to the West.

Clearly not in design nor personality. I haven't read the story, but does this priest use his underwear as his prime method of bartering?

[Kid Buu]

I think Bulma is meant to be based on White-American while the Z-Fighters from Yamcha to Uub are all based on Asians, since Bulma's family seems to live in a more westernized place than the rest of the cast.

Actually recently I was talking to someone and I wonder if the Red Ribbon Army arc takes place in an area that is inspired by the US? There's a lot of people in the army who look White or Black, and of course Bora and Upa seem to be based on Native Americans/American Indians.

[Gokculo]

I think that, if Dragon Ball was to be perfectly translated into live action, (like perceiving the series as live action rather than in Toriyama's art style) Bulma would be Caucasian, Krillin, Yamcha, Tenshinhan, Roshi, Chiaotzu, Chi-Chi would be Eastern Asian, the Saiyans would probably pass for either Eastern Asians or white people (probably Asians more often than white people), Trunks would look pretty white, and Uub would be Southeastern Asian. 17 and 18 both dress in a Western style (compared to Chi-Chi's very Oriental style of dress) and have light colored eyes (though that may be Gero's doing) and 18 has blonde hair, so I guess it might be fair to say that they may be Caucasian. To me, Satan is probably of mixed African and Caucasian heritage (just his big curly hair, and somewhat darker skin, and the fact that he has something of an American Southern accent in Funimation's dub of the anime), and Videl's mother is likely Asian, given how much she looks like pretty much the rest of the cast, save her blue eyes. That would make Pan the character with the most diverse ethnicity in the series. (Part African, Part Caucasian, Part Asian and Part Saiyan) Not that it really matters, though, race isn't something that should be a whole big deal anyways, we are all just people after all.

[Esfír Dedragón]

I think that, if Dragon Ball was to be perfectly translated into live action, (like perceiving the series as live action rather than in Toriyama's art style) Bulma would be Caucasian, Krillin, Yamcha, Tenshinhan, Roshi, Chiaotzu, Chi-Chi would be Eastern Asian, the Saiyans would probably pass for either Eastern Asians or white people (probably Asians more often than white people), Trunks would look pretty white, and Uub would be Southeastern Asian. 17 and 18 both dress in a Western style (compared to Chi-Chi's very Oriental style of dress) and have light colored eyes (though that may be Gero's doing) and 18 has blonde hair, so I guess it might be fair to say that they may be Caucasian. To me, Satan is probably of mixed African and Caucasian heritage (just his big curly hair, and somewhat darker skin, and the fact that he has something of an American Southern accent in Funimation's dub of the anime), and Videl's mother is likely Asian, given how much she looks like pretty much the rest of the cast, save her blue eyes. That would make Pan the character with the most diverse ethnicity in the series. (Part African, Part Caucasian, Part Asian and Part Saiyan) Not that it really matters, though, race isn't something that should be a whole big deal anyways, we are all just people after all.

I actually perceive the character's ethnic/racial make-up in a similar fashion to your descriptions. What are the odds?

I've always perceived Bulma as being the "White Foreigner" of the early part of the Dragon Ball manga. Whether or not Toriyama/Toei/Japanese audiences see that too, is a different matter.

I remember reading an interview on Toriyama in which he mentions that he sees Jackie Chan playing Goku in real life.

[floofychan333]

Did Toriyama base Bulma's character/design on what he thought American or western woman behaved like? Whereas most of the Dragonball girls like Chi-Chi, Videl, Mai, etc. are all blatantly Asian, Bulma (and 18) look western.

I always thought Videl was Italian or something. Still, Bulma is very clearly American.

[nite_jay]

I could see Jackie Chan playing Goku at the 23rd Budokai. (With different hair of course.)

[spoiler][/spoiler]

[Quantum-Kakarrotto]

Now that someone brings it up, I can actually see Bulma being based off an American Woman by her lifestyle and where she lives. When Goku goes to see her in Dragon Ball to fix the Radar, the city always did have a little American flare to it with people doing shows on the street for money that reminds me of any major city here in the US.

[gregclark44]

I think that, if Dragon Ball was to be perfectly translated into live action, (like perceiving the series as live action rather than in Toriyama's art style) Bulma would be Caucasian, Krillin, Yamcha, Tenshinhan, Roshi, Chiaotzu, Chi-Chi would be Eastern Asian, the Saiyans would probably pass for either Eastern Asians or white people (probably Asians more often than white people), Trunks would look pretty white, and Uub would be Southeastern Asian. 17 and 18 both dress in a Western style (compared to Chi-Chi's very Oriental style of dress) and have light colored eyes (though that may be Gero's doing) and 18 has blonde hair, so I guess it might be fair to say that they may be Caucasian. To me, Satan is probably of mixed African and Caucasian heritage (just his big curly hair, and somewhat darker skin, and the fact that he has something of an American Southern accent in Funimation's dub of the anime), and Videl's mother is likely Asian, given how much she looks like pretty much the rest of the cast, save her blue eyes. That would make Pan the character with the most diverse ethnicity in the series. (Part African, Part Caucasian, Part Asian and Part Saiyan) Not that it really matters, though, race isn't something that should be a whole big deal anyways, we are all just people after all.

Uub is southeastern Asian? Really with features like his it doesn't come across such as that especially when doing side by side comparison. Also none of the saiyans are Caucasian (aside from maybe trunks) when Goku entire character concept was based heavily around Asian cultural and Gohan/Goten parents are both Asian related.

[Lord Beerus]

I'm pretty sure she's based on the priest from Journey to the West.

Clearly not in design nor personality. I haven't read the story, but does this priest use his underwear as his prime method of bartering?

Bulma was originally a parody of Xuanzang from Journey to the West. And funny enough, Toriyama's early draft of Dragon Ball depict Bulma as a western cowgirl.

[Kid Buu]

Uub looks more South Asian than Southeast Asian.