Craziest Dragon Ball-related opinions, rumours, etc.

[Shiro97]

I'm not talking about it being a superhero team, just in that genre, and yes, people still believe it is.

I think this is due to how both shows were handled by Funimation in North America.

I'd like to think so, but plenty of people here on this very forum make that mistake.

I'm not sure I understand how though, all the information's out there pointing to the contrary. I remember seeing it briefly as a kid and never making that connection. Most people I speak to who saw Dragon Ball when they were younger describe as a "kung fu" show. I'm saying all this having never watched or been even vaguely interested in American super-hero cartoons, so obviously it's difficult for me to make the connection. I also have a pretty foggy memory of the Funimation dub so any examples would be welcome, I am a little curious as to how they altered it and in what way it became a "super-hero" show.

[ABED]

Having martial arts doesn't preclude something from being a superhero story. There are colorful characters, they save the day, there are colorful bad guys trying to take over or destroy the world. They are superficial similarities but that's enough to reach the erroneous conclusion.

I'm saying all this having never watched or been even vaguely interested in American super-hero cartoons, so obviously it's difficult for me to make the connection.

That's not obvious. Whether you watched them or not, superheroes are so ubiquitous that even when I was growing up, mainstream audiences still knew what the big tropes of the genre were - colorful costumes, saving the day, fighting larger than life villains, abilities greater than normal men possess.

[Shiro97]

Having martial arts doesn't preclude something from being a superhero story. There are colorful characters, they save the day, there are colorful bad guys trying to take over or destroy the world. They are superficial similarities but that's enough to reach the erroneous conclusion.

I'm saying all this having never watched or been even vaguely interested in American super-hero cartoons, so obviously it's difficult for me to make the connection.

That's not obvious. Whether you watched them or not, superheroes are so ubiquitous that even when I was growing up, mainstream audiences still knew what the big tropes of the genre were - colorful costumes, saving the day, fighting larger than life villains, abilities greater than normal men possess.

Sorry, that was on me. I have the same vague awareness that any random guy off the street does of super heroes, more or less what you wrote at the end there. But it's totally peripheral. I'm not trying to be ignorant on purpose of course, like I obviously know who Superman is and the like. All I'm saying is, I never saw Dragon Ball and went "oh yeah, they're totally super heroes", I get what you mean but I don't see it.

[MasenkoHA]

People knew Dragon Ball was a martial arts show but Z is treated as this Sci-fi superhero series where super powered beings fight aliens and what not and scream really loudly to a score that badly wants to be Batman Beyond with the occasional Disturbed and Pantera song playing.

And yes people on this very forum have acted like the characters stopped using martial arts after Dragon Ball or that Z was way more serious (you know the series with the bubblegum demon that turned people into candy and a Super Sentai parody squad of baddies that super serious series) and that the series did a 180 when Toriyama introduced Raditz and it wasn’t a slow tonal shift that began all the way back in the Red Ribbon arc.


And I don’t know how many people actually think Dragon Ball came after Z NOW although Toonami definitely treated it like a Muppet Babies meets Young Hercules type of prequel spin-off in their promotions. But it’s pretty common for people to act like Dragon Ball didn’t matter.

[It_Is_Ayna_You_Flips]

It's not an exaggeration. Plenty of people think it's a superhero story.

What is arguably the best (and likely the most well known) arc of the franchise involves a team of warriors fending off a pair of planet conquering invaders. It is revealed that the protagonist is a member of the same race as these invaders and he loudly, passionately rejects his violent ancestry choosing instead to continue to live as a human. In the climax the protagonist calls upon the power of ever living thing on the planet and channels it into an attack.

It's an understandable mistake if you're not familiar with Journey to the West.

[10gigtriforce]

Piccolo had a "Super Namek" form where his skin turns blue.

Don't give Toei any ideas.

Didnt he have a blue alt skin in the games already, and werent super nameks in a movie already too?

[Zeon_Grunt]

Piccolo had a "Super Namek" form where his skin turns blue.

Don't give Toei any ideas.

Didnt he have a blue alt skin in the games already, and werent super nameks in a movie already too?

If he had a blue skin, it hasn't been since Budokai 1 at least. Most games have his cape as the alternate costume.

As for Super Namekians, yes. Lord Slug was one and I could have sworn they confirmed Piccolo became one after fusing with Kami.

[Hellspawn28]

For some reason TheGamer reported that George Lucas was considered to direct Dragonball Evolution. Not sure where this information came from, but I imagine it was made up. I'm a huge Star Wars fan but I've never heard Lucas say anything about Dragon Ball, he's probably heard of it but if he was asked to direct an adaptation of such an iconic series I'd say it would be more well documented.

I do remember that Industrial Light & Magic was rumor to do the special effects during the early days of the development of the live action movie. It's possible that they may have got that info mixed up with that because Lucas directing it is new to me as well. I was someone who was following the news and rumors of the live action movie long before DBE became a thing.

[ABED]

The rumor I heard was Roland Emmerich.

[Hellspawn28]

I remember the rumor of Roland Emmerich back in the day as well. Speaking of old live action rumors, I still remember the old rumor casting.

Hugh Jackman, Jackie Chan, Brendan Fraser or Tom Welling (Smallville) as Goku
Ray Park or Jet Li as Vegeta
Bill Goldberg as Nappa
Jason Bateman as Raditz
Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids) as Gohan
Michael Jai White (Spawn) or Chris Judge (Stargate) as Piccolo
Verne Troyer (Mini Me from Austin Powers) as Krillin
Orlando Bloom as Tenshinhan
Robin Shou (Mortal Kombat) as Yamcha
Lucy Liu as Chi Chi
Jessica Alba as Bluma
Ian McKellen as Kami
Pat Morita or Mako as Muten Roshi (This was before both Pat Morita and Mako died)
Jack Black as Yajirobe

I'm going from what I can remember. I may be forgetting some more.

[Polyphase Avatron]

To be fair, there is a lot of overlap between superhero and martial arts genres, even in the mainstream Marvel/DC settings. Characters like Shang-Chi, Iron Fist, and Richard Dragon are based around all of the kung-fu movie tropes, with mystical training from wise masters, meditation and even ki based abilities.

Even Batman, one of the most mainstream superheroes in the world, is known for his martial arts prowess and has had eastern fantasy style training from the likes of Ra's Al Ghul and such.

[It_Is_Ayna_You_Flips]

I remember the rumor of Roland Emmerich back in the day as well. Speaking of old live action rumors, I still remember the old rumor casting.

Hugh Jackman, Jackie Chan, Brendan Fraser or Tom Welling (Smallville) as Goku
Ray Park or Jet Li as Vegeta
Bill Goldberg as Nappa
Jason Bateman as Raditz
Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids) as Gohan
Michael Jai White (Spawn) or Chris Judge (Stargate) as Piccolo
Verne Troyer (Mini Me from Austin Powers) as Krillin
Orlando Bloom as Tenshinhan
Robin Shou (Mortal Kombat) as Yamcha
Lucy Liu as Chi Chi
Jessica Alba as Bluma
Ian McKellen as Kami
Pat Morita or Mako as Muten Roshi (This was before both Pat Morita and Mako died)
Jack Black as Yajirobe

I'm going from what I can remember. I may be forgetting some more.

80s Jackie Chan as Son Goku would have been amazing and I would fucking love to see Jack Black as Yajirobe. That'd be dope

[ABED]

No on Jack Black in like... anything. Few actors I have ever seen have gotten as far at convincing people they are talented as he has. I certainly wouldn't want him as Yajirobe.

[It_Is_Ayna_You_Flips]

No on Jack Black in like... anything. Few actors I have ever seen have gotten as far at convincing people they are talented as he has. I certainly wouldn't want him as Yajirobe.

But that's exactly what makes him the perfect Yajirobe! It's just a fictionalized version of who he already is! Like Ben Affleck in Gone Girl.

[ABED]

No on Jack Black in like... anything. Few actors I have ever seen have gotten as far at convincing people they are talented as he has. I certainly wouldn't want him as Yajirobe.

But that's exactly what makes him the perfect Yajirobe! It's just a fictionalized version of who he already is! Like Ben Affleck in Gone Girl.

But Affleck has talent. Black has none. Yajirobe is actually a talented fighter, he's just lazy and a bit of a dick.

[Soppa Saia People]

jack black definitely has talent, i don't really have an opinion on him as an actor or comedian, but like a lot of people really like tenacious d, and well i don't really care for them, i get why and their one of the few good comedy/parody bands.

Didnt he have a blue alt skin in the games already, and werent super nameks in a movie already too?

you might be thinking of cell, or maybe he's blue in one of the early snes games as like a Player 2 costume, but alternate skins with a blue color palette is mainly a cell thing.

[JulieYBM]

For some reason TheGamer reported that George Lucas was considered to direct Dragonball Evolution. Not sure where this information came from, but I imagine it was made up. I'm a huge Star Wars fan but I've never heard Lucas say anything about Dragon Ball, he's probably heard of it but if he was asked to direct an adaptation of such an iconic series I'd say it would be more well documented.

Jesus fucking Christ, why would you hire someone who can't fucking direct and is known for not being able to write or direct? Like, that name recognition ain't that good.

[ABED]

The thing is, Lucas isn't a terrible writer. He's quite good. But from what I see and know, it seems like he shoots first drafts.

[Hellspawn28]

Jason Bateman as Raditz is the strangest rumor casting choice. Even back in the day, I was like "Huh?". I do admit that I would have love to see Mako as Muten Roshi before he died.

[It_Is_Ayna_You_Flips]

The thing is, Lucas isn't a terrible writer. He's quite good. But from what I see and know, it seems like he shoots first drafts.

His pre Star Wars stuff is really interesting. I was actually shocked when I finally checked out American Graffiti and 1138. It made me a little sad that Lucas is mostly known nowadays for the Star Wars prequels. They really are not representative of his style or the themes he likes to explore.