Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Discussion regarding the entirety of the franchise in a general (meta) sense, including such aspects as: production, trends, merchandise, fan culture, and more.
User avatar
Cure Dragon 255
Banned
Posts: 5658
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 5:23 pm

Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:40 pm

https://kotaku.com/why-black-men-love-d ... 1820481429

I may not like Kotaku very much but I love this article. I did also meet some very nice DBZ fans that happened to be black and we are friends now.

User avatar
Bullza
Banned
Posts: 8621
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 12:48 am
Location: UK

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by Bullza » Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:43 pm

Black people do in particular seem to like DBZ. When I went to New York and went around with a Goku shirt on I got quite a few comments on it, all being from black people.

User avatar
Lord Beerus
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 21430
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 5:20 pm
Location: A temple on a giant tree
Contact:

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by Lord Beerus » Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:05 pm

As a black man myself, I can really relate to this article on several varying levels.

This was a very good read. :thumbup:

User avatar
dbs fanboy
Advanced Regular
Posts: 1190
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 4:08 pm
Location: Spain

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by dbs fanboy » Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:29 pm

Well i can't deny the truth of a lot of those points. If i had to pick one for myself would be the fact that Goku simply never gave up and kept pushing himself trying to surpass his own limitations.
I really miss ma boy, Black :( :cry:


dbgtFO wrote:

User avatar
eledoremassis02
I Live Here
Posts: 4211
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:40 pm

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by eledoremassis02 » Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:30 pm

This takes me back to middles school where they said they got the creator lf Dragon ball z who happend to be this black guy.

As a native American(mixed) there are a lot of the same points that apply as well. But i never picked up on the loss of cultureand identity and I think its because while Goku did lose his memory and is inherently Saiyan triats he never really identifies as saiyan.

User avatar
Cure Dragon 255
Banned
Posts: 5658
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 5:23 pm

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:32 pm

He does in the Japanese version. These people really did get Dragon Ball!

User avatar
eledoremassis02
I Live Here
Posts: 4211
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:40 pm

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by eledoremassis02 » Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:42 pm

Cure Dragon 255 wrote:He does in the Japanese version. These people really did get Dragon Ball!
Reading the artlice I got the feeling they are refurring to the dubbed version because thats what people are most familar with but in the japanese version He doesnt go full on saiyan tho beyond that his instinct for fighting and getting stronger tho to a fault. He acknowledges Kakarott but he still refers to himself as Goku. I also wonder if that was originally suppose to parallel Japans partual loss lf identity to Westernisation (tho done purposefully for the most post) but ofcourse this is akira toriyama we're talking about lol

But i think even thats still a good message. Acknowledge where you come from but overall be yourself and do what makes yourself happy. Kinda like bruce lee, express yourself honestly :D

But it's interesting that Dragon Ball continues to resinate with youth. Its really become a timless franchise.

DragonBallFoodie
Advanced Regular
Posts: 1392
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 5:12 pm
Location: Zambia, Southern Africa

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by DragonBallFoodie » Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:56 pm

Curious and interesting.
"Don't take pleasure in destruction!" / "I will not let you destroy my world!"
A true hero goes beyond not the limits of power, but the limits that divide countries and people.

User avatar
ekrolo2
Kicks it Old-School
Posts: 7865
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:27 am
Location: Split, Croatia

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by ekrolo2 » Mon Dec 18, 2017 4:01 pm

Lord Beerus wrote:As a black man myself, I can really relate to this article on several varying levels.

This was a very good read. :thumbup:
Silly Beerus, you're an anthropomorphic purple cat. Silly Beerus.
When someone tells you, "Don't present your opinion as fact," what they're actually saying is, "Don't present your opinion with any conviction. Because I don't like your opinion, and I want to be able to dismiss it as easily as possible." Don't fall for it.

How the Black Arc Should End (by Lightbing!):

User avatar
ABED
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 20486
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:23 am
Location: Sarasota, FL
Contact:

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by ABED » Mon Dec 18, 2017 4:14 pm

I think a lot of this can apply to any person of any race. Even whites often came to America and their names got changed.

The article is interesting, though. Though I think what the article is conveying is that blacks who did like DB found deeper appreciation for it due to the similarities, not that they got into it because of the parallels.
The biggest truths aren't original. The truth is ketchup. It's Jim Belushi. Its job isn't to blow our minds. It's to be within reach.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott
Happiness is climate, not weather.

User avatar
KBABZ
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 5227
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:38 pm
Location: The tallest tower in West City

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by KBABZ » Mon Dec 18, 2017 4:23 pm

Bullza wrote:Black people do in particular seem to like DBZ. When I went to New York and went around with a Goku shirt on I got quite a few comments on it, all being from black people.
I went dressed in the classic turtle gi to PSX this year and I got a comment from one of the black security guards that he would have let me through no matter what I was carrying because of the "crazy DBZ costume" I was wearing. Was pretty cool!

User avatar
Lord Beerus
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 21430
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 5:20 pm
Location: A temple on a giant tree
Contact:

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by Lord Beerus » Mon Dec 18, 2017 4:27 pm

ekrolo2 wrote:
Lord Beerus wrote:As a black man myself, I can really relate to this article on several varying levels.

This was a very good read. :thumbup:
Silly Beerus, you're an anthropomorphic purple cat. Silly Beerus.
I recently got my hood pass as my casual destruction was officially considered "some real OG shit" and a true demonstration of "thug life". I'm one of the bruthas now, cus. 8)

DB1984
Banned
Posts: 555
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:07 pm

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by DB1984 » Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:12 pm

Some blacks think the Namekians were meant to represent the black community.

precita
Banned
Posts: 6037
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2015 3:10 pm

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by precita » Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:15 pm

I thought black people would like Tien, because with his bald head and his stoic no-nonsense personality, he seems rather relateable to people who act that way in real life.

User avatar
AgitoZ
Temporarily Banned
Posts: 1713
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 12:24 pm
Location: Florida, USA

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by AgitoZ » Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:26 pm

I'm kinda at a loss for words. This is Kotaku at its worst: stealing another person's work and making it more reductive and clickbaity. I can't believe people seriously liked it.
If you're not here soon... GET ON!

User avatar
Cure Dragon 255
Banned
Posts: 5658
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 5:23 pm

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:28 pm

I knew it. I FUCKING KNEW IT. Kotaku is shit shit shit! The one time I thought they did something good too.

User avatar
Baggie_Saiyan
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 10315
Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 5:22 pm
Location: Atlantis.

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by Baggie_Saiyan » Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:41 pm

AgitoZ wrote:I'm kinda at a loss for words. This is Kotaku at its worst: stealing another person's work and making it more reductive and clickbaity. I can't believe people seriously liked it.
But all they did was "steal" the topic right? The actual content is different? I just skimmd through both articles and seem so I don't see the issue at all. Topic ideas aren't somesort of copyrighted material y'know. Funny how the person only screenshotted the article headlines and nothing else, completely overblown to say they stole this persons work. Pshht.

User avatar
AgitoZ
Temporarily Banned
Posts: 1713
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 12:24 pm
Location: Florida, USA

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by AgitoZ » Mon Dec 18, 2017 6:04 pm

Baggie_Saiyan wrote:But all they did was "steal" the topic right? The actual content is different? I just skimmd through both articles and seem so I don't see the issue at all. Topic ideas aren't somesort of copyrighted material y'know. Funny how the person only screenshotted the article headlines and nothing else, completely overblown to say they stole this persons work. Pshht.
You might want to read them again. They read and have almost the exact same premise. Except as I said before Kotaku's article is somehow worst despite the original article's more amateur presentation. It starts with an introduction to the writer and their association to the series, followed by interviews, then a big point about how the series relates to black people and their struggle. Whereas the original article was merely an introspective look into the series and their black identity, Kotaku's garbage is trying to make some general statement for all of black people. It's rather condescending.

Also the article came out a whole week before. I find it quite difficult to believe that a supposed gaming site just suddenly had the idea to talk about Dragon Ball and black people in barely the same week that article came out. As the original author stated in her tweet it's obvious predatory behavior on Kotaku's part. The Kotaku writer does not even share any original or personal thoughts on the series as its clearly not her idea.
If you're not here soon... GET ON!

User avatar
Lord Beerus
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 21430
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 5:20 pm
Location: A temple on a giant tree
Contact:

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by Lord Beerus » Mon Dec 18, 2017 6:08 pm

AgitoZ wrote:I'm kinda at a loss for words. This is Kotaku at its worst: stealing another person's work and making it more reductive and clickbaity. I can't believe people seriously liked it.
Well, that's fucking horrendous. :thumbdown:

User avatar
ekrolo2
Kicks it Old-School
Posts: 7865
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:27 am
Location: Split, Croatia

Re: Kotaku's Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z

Post by ekrolo2 » Mon Dec 18, 2017 6:35 pm

Cure Dragon 255 wrote:I knew it. I FUCKING KNEW IT. Kotaku is shit shit shit! The one time I thought they did something good too.
Kotaku have been pricks for years now, this is nothing new at all.
When someone tells you, "Don't present your opinion as fact," what they're actually saying is, "Don't present your opinion with any conviction. Because I don't like your opinion, and I want to be able to dismiss it as easily as possible." Don't fall for it.

How the Black Arc Should End (by Lightbing!):

Post Reply