Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

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Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Jord » Fri May 22, 2026 1:55 pm

I was reading a Death Note one shot where Donald Trump appeared in and it struck as how rare it is to see real people depicted in manga. I know DB has some expys like the Bruce Lee-like street fighter Goku fights for money, but were there any real life people depicted in any of DB?

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Kid Buu » Fri May 22, 2026 1:59 pm

Isn't Mr. Satan based on Bob Sapp?
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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by VegettoEX » Fri May 22, 2026 2:24 pm

Jord wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:55 pm I was reading a Death Note one shot where Donald Trump appeared in and it struck as how rare it is to see real people depicted in manga. I know DB has some expys like the Bruce Lee-like street fighter Goku fights for money, but were there any real life people depicted in any of DB?
Toriyama's tour guide from Bali, a man named Wayan Budhiyasa, is depicted twice:

https://www.kanzenshuu.com/faqs/wayan-budhiyasa/
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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Fri May 22, 2026 6:25 pm

The dictator in Dragon Ball Z movie 12 is clearly inspired by Adolf Hitler.

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by SuperSaiyaManZ94 » Fri May 22, 2026 7:29 pm

I know in one of the Tenkaichi Budokai arcs either 21st or 22nd there’s a fighter who is clearly modeled after either Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee, and given Toriyama mentioned numerous times over the years his enjoyment of those kinds of classic martial arts films (kung fu.etc) especially starring the former two it’s thus no surprise they were referenced.

If that’s not enough, Roshi’s alias “Jackie Chun” is literally the exact name with only a single vowel letter being change but the reference is also obvious.
Last edited by SuperSaiyaManZ94 on Fri May 22, 2026 7:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Kid Buu » Fri May 22, 2026 7:32 pm

Not a person per se, but King Kai and Michael Jackson both share a monkey called Bubbles.
Rocketman wrote:"Shonen" basically means "stupid sentimental shit" anyway, so it's ok to be anti-shonen.

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by jjgp1112 » Fri May 22, 2026 9:38 pm

Kid Buu wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:59 pm Isn't Mr. Satan based on Bob Sapp?
Bob Sapp didn't become a fighter until nearly a decade after Dragon Ball ended.
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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Kid Buu » Fri May 22, 2026 9:44 pm

jjgp1112 wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 9:38 pm
Kid Buu wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:59 pm Isn't Mr. Satan based on Bob Sapp?
Bob Sapp didn't become a fighter until nearly a decade after Dragon Ball ended.
Oh dear. My memory playing games with me. :lol: Nevermind that post then.

Bubbles is a legit mention though!
Rocketman wrote:"Shonen" basically means "stupid sentimental shit" anyway, so it's ok to be anti-shonen.

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Doctor Seaweed Roll » Fri May 22, 2026 10:08 pm

Jord wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:55 pm I was reading a Death Note one shot where Donald Trump appeared in and it struck as how rare it is to see real people depicted in manga. I know DB has some expys like the Bruce Lee-like street fighter Goku fights for money, but were there any real life people depicted in any of DB?
What do mean Trump is in Death Note? I own the all in one edition
Image
& he doesn't appear at all?

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Jord » Sat May 23, 2026 2:20 am

Doctor Seaweed Roll wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 10:08 pm
Jord wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:55 pm I was reading a Death Note one shot where Donald Trump appeared in and it struck as how rare it is to see real people depicted in manga. I know DB has some expys like the Bruce Lee-like street fighter Goku fights for money, but were there any real life people depicted in any of DB?
What do mean Trump is in Death Note? I own the all in one edition
& he doesn't appear at all?
After the manga's run, they released a compilation with a bunch of new short stories:

Image

Since you appear to be a fan, you should check it out.

Trump is in one of them.
Image

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Jord » Sat May 23, 2026 2:22 am

VegettoEX wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 2:24 pm
Jord wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:55 pm I was reading a Death Note one shot where Donald Trump appeared in and it struck as how rare it is to see real people depicted in manga. I know DB has some expys like the Bruce Lee-like street fighter Goku fights for money, but were there any real life people depicted in any of DB?
Toriyama's tour guide from Bali, a man named Wayan Budhiyasa, is depicted twice:

https://www.kanzenshuu.com/faqs/wayan-budhiyasa/
That is hilarious. I always thought that character looked "off", as in that he seemed to be drawn in a very different style.

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Doctor Seaweed Roll » Sat May 23, 2026 2:22 am

Jord wrote: Sat May 23, 2026 2:20 am
Doctor Seaweed Roll wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 10:08 pm
Jord wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:55 pm I was reading a Death Note one shot where Donald Trump appeared in and it struck as how rare it is to see real people depicted in manga. I know DB has some expys like the Bruce Lee-like street fighter Goku fights for money, but were there any real life people depicted in any of DB?
What do mean Trump is in Death Note? I own the all in one edition
& he doesn't appear at all?
After the manga's run, they released a compilation with a bunch of new short stories:

Image

Since you appear to be a fan, you should check it out.

Trump is in one of them.
Image
Your images are broken try posting them to imgbb.com first & share them as thats what works best on forums I've found

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by coola » Sun May 24, 2026 7:13 am

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https://www.deviantart.com/satoart/art/ ... -506589560 Who is who, according to this user
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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Hellspawn28 » Mon May 25, 2026 12:10 am

Jord wrote: Sat May 23, 2026 2:20 am
Doctor Seaweed Roll wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 10:08 pm
Jord wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:55 pm I was reading a Death Note one shot where Donald Trump appeared in and it struck as how rare it is to see real people depicted in manga. I know DB has some expys like the Bruce Lee-like street fighter Goku fights for money, but were there any real life people depicted in any of DB?
What do mean Trump is in Death Note? I own the all in one edition
& he doesn't appear at all?
After the manga's run, they released a compilation with a bunch of new short stories:

Image

Since you appear to be a fan, you should check it out.

Trump is in one of them.
Image
Death Note had Bush Jr or someone that look like him back when the series was new. Or was that only anime filler?
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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Doctor Seaweed Roll » Mon May 25, 2026 5:12 pm

Hellspawn28 wrote: Mon May 25, 2026 12:10 am
Jord wrote: Sat May 23, 2026 2:20 am
Doctor Seaweed Roll wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 10:08 pm
What do mean Trump is in Death Note? I own the all in one edition
& he doesn't appear at all?
After the manga's run, they released a compilation with a bunch of new short stories:

Image

Since you appear to be a fan, you should check it out.

Trump is in one of them.
Image
Death Note had Bush Jr or someone that look like him back when the series was new. Or was that only anime filler?
I didn't watch the anime so i sadly can't tell you

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by jjgp1112 » Mon May 25, 2026 10:27 pm

coola wrote: Sun May 24, 2026 7:13 am Image
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That Michael Jordan/Officer Black thing is the laziest comparison I've ever seen lmao. Nt only was Michael Jordan not a global superstar in 1985, he sitll had all his hair lmao
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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Koitsukai » Tue May 26, 2026 7:52 am

And Dr Gero/Don Ramon is just a running joke from the LATAM fandom. Back in the day, there's no way Toriyama would've had any idea what El Chavo was. The katakana used for the name is off, too.

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Mr Baggins » Tue May 26, 2026 7:16 pm

To be fair, the original DA post says it was just for fun and that they "resemble" those people rather than being based on them. Though I'm more surprised they didn't use the ultra-low-hanging Leo DiCaprio fruit for Trunks, lol

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by Yellow Flower King » Tue May 26, 2026 9:34 pm

I kept trying to read "Don Ramon" "Mr Ramon" or even "Ramon-san" but it says Ramon Valdez.

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Re: Were there ever real people depicted in Dragon Ball?

Post by BernardoCairo » Wed May 27, 2026 10:26 am

One of Toriyama's real life friends from another country showed up at the very beginning of the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, if I remember correctly.
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