Thoughts on Dragonball Evolution

[VegettoEX]

The name "Sun Wukong" is given to the character by... well, let's just call him a monk I guess. The "Sun" comes from the fact that he's a monkey, while "Wukong" means "awake to vacuity" or "aware of emptiness".

It's hardly an "Asian name" in that regard. I guess it's a name? And the name originates in Asia? "Son Goku" is just the Japanese reading/approximation of that original Chinese name.

If anything, I don't expect to see an Asian person: I expect to see a monkey person!

Therefore, no need for Goku to be Asian. White's fine. Black's fine. Orange is fine. Whatever. As long as he punches people in the face, I guess.

[Gaffer Tape]

Insert hackneyed joke about thinking Goku was an alien from another planet and is therefore not white or Asian here. Also insert oft-repeated statement about there being no such thing as Asia in Dragon Ball's world. But I think the point is, if the movie had been good, the character written well, and the actor able to pull off the role, nobody would be complaining over something as insignificant as this fantasy alien guy's race.

[Dalesy]

The name "Sun Wukong" is given to the character by... well, let's just call him a monk I guess. The "Sun" comes from the fact that he's a monkey, while "Wukong" means "awake to vacuity" or "aware of emptiness".

It's hardly an "Asian name" in that regard. I guess it's a name? And the name originates in Asia? "Son Goku" is just the Japanese reading/approximation of that original Chinese name.

If anything, I don't expect to see an Asian person: I expect to see a monkey person!

Therefore, no need for Goku to be Asian. White's fine. Black's fine. Orange is fine. Whatever. As long as he punches people in the face, I guess.

That just seems like a rationalization. It's a name that originates in Asia and only has meaning in an Asian language. How is it not an Asian name?

By this logic we could cast a fair skinned Irishman to play someone named Hector González, and it would be perfectly normal. Sure, the Irishman may be a perfectly capable actor, but it doesn't change the fact that the name doesn't fit the face, the viewer will likely be puzzled by this, and the movie will suffer as a result.

[VegettoEX]

Bender Bending Rodríguez doesn't need to be played by a Mexican robot, but it might be kinda funny if he were.

But seriously, I disagree with you.

[Gaffer Tape]

The character of Molly O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was played by an Asian child (Hana Hatae). The character of Leila Kalomi, written and named to be Hawaiian, in the original series was played by very light-featured actress named, get this, Jill Ireland. So, yeah... it happens.

[Dalesy]

The character of Molly O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was played by an Asian child. The character of Leila Kalomi, written and named to be Hawaiian, in the original series was played by very light-featured Jill Ireland. So, yeah... it happens.

Molly O'Brien is the daughter of Miles O'Brien and Keiko Ishikawa. Miles is Irish, and Keiko is Japanese. If the viewer isn't familiar with Molly's parents, then it would seem just as odd as a white Goku. And as far as Leila Kalomi goes, yes, I would hazard that it threw quite a few viewers for a loop.

[Gaffer Tape]

You mean as odd as white Goku seems to you. That slight clarification seems necessary. Besides, as you helpfully clarified, my former point was to address that it is entirely possible for someone to legitimately have a name that goes against their physical appearance. And that still doesn't address my other example that doesn't have any explanation at all but no one ever seems to ever care and is, in fact, considered one of the most popular and well-regarded TOS episodes.

[Dalesy]

You mean as odd as white Goku seems to you. That slight clarification seems necessary. Besides, as you helpfully clarified, my former point was to address that it is entirely possible for someone to legitimately have a name that goes against their physical appearance. And that still doesn't address my other example that doesn't have any explanation at all but no one ever seems to ever care and is, in fact, considered one of the most popular and well-regarded TOS episodes.

The difference between Molly O'Brien and Goku in DBE is that Molly has a backstory that is known to the viewer. The explanation for her name and appearance is readily available. This is not the case for Goku. We don't see his parents, we're not even sure he had any by the end of the movie, and we're left to assume that his grandfather decided to give him a name that seems vastly incongruous to his appearance, even to his classmates who tease him relentlessly about it. Now sure, that sort of fits the character of Gohan in that movie, to embrace difference. But that's a whole lot of extra thinking that the viewer needs to do just to justify what is, in my opinion, a very odd casting decision.

[ABED]

I do have to admit that having a white guy (hell, even a Mexican guy) play Khan Noonien Singh is pretty weird.

[90sDBZ]

It was like Dragonball meets the Karate Kid. Both are great on their own but terrible together.

[ABED]

DBE was far worse than Power Rangers: The Movie.

[Kamiccolo9]

DBE was far worse than Power Rangers: The Movie.

Power Rangers had hilariously bad puns.
DBE was just bad. I could watch Power Rangers again, but I'm still trying to purge DBE from my brain.

[TheGmGoken]

The name "Sun Wukong" is given to the character by... well, let's just call him a monk I guess. The "Sun" comes from the fact that he's a monkey, while "Wukong" means "awake to vacuity" or "aware of emptiness".

It's hardly an "Asian name" in that regard. I guess it's a name? And the name originates in Asia? "Son Goku" is just the Japanese reading/approximation of that original Chinese name.

If anything, I don't expect to see an Asian person: I expect to see a monkey person!

Therefore, no need for Goku to be Asian. White's fine. Black's fine. Orange is fine. Whatever. As long as he punches people in the face, I guess.

That just seems like a rationalization. It's a name that originates in Asia and only has meaning in an Asian language. How is it not an Asian name?

By this logic we could cast a fair skinned Irishman to play someone named Hector González, and it would be perfectly normal. Sure, the Irishman may be a perfectly capable actor, but it doesn't change the fact that the name doesn't fit the face, the viewer will likely be puzzled by this, and the movie will suffer as a result.

Name are not exclusive to race. My uncle name is Damon and he's black. Damon came from GERMANY. I'm Korean and Black. But take more of my black side. I got an Asian name. Most people names are foreign anyways.

[Hellspawn28]

The CG was total dog shit, but I admit the film sets looked good. I remember one guy on FB told me that they had a total blast on working on the film and they work on trying to make the movie look like the manga. Also the suits for Piccolo's monsters look decent too.

[KingofWisdom]

It was kinda fun to watch, since I was riffing on it with my bro. That said, I never want to see it again.

[ChroniclyFlaming]

The only good thing about this movie was that maybe it gave Emmy Rossum and Justin Chatwin enough popularity to make it easier for them to get cast on Shameless. Maybe.

[dprez]

It was pretty bad... They made a mockery of what Dragon Ball really is. It was a joke, the actors must've hated making this piece of garbage.

Things like this make me lose hope in humanity. I mean, did anybody making this truly believe it was good and would be a success? It's ridiculous. I guarantee 75% ( probably more ) of the crew didn't know a damn thing about Dragon Ball. It was so obviously a money grad appealing to the the sheep of this country who will flock to anything they are used to. Luckily they failed miserably and a sequel will never happen.

[Daimakku]

"Hey Geeko!"

I was done after that.

[Dr. Machismo]

Right, cause all that matters when casting someone for a role is their race. Not their looks, acting, gender etc...

All I said was that an Asian person being cast would have been more appropriate. Dragonball has many similarities to Japanese culture, like with Goku, so casting an Asian person as him would have been best. I never said that would make or break the movie.

In addition to being a critical nightmare, the movie didn't fare well commercially. One reason to this would definitely be because of how the movie was released several years after Dragonball's popularity in America reached its peak. Had a liveaction Dragonball film came out in say 2000, it would have been a lot more popular.

[ABED]

It was so obviously a money grad appealing to the the sheep of this country who will flock to anything they are used to.

Really, must we resort to using a term like "sheep"?