Does Japan exist in the DB World?

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GS7X7
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Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by GS7X7 » Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:02 am

In one of the Daizenshuu it's mentioned that the DB World is similar to earth but not like it.


However, in Movie 8 Oolong calls Kurillin "the best singer in Japan!"

Does that mean Toriyama included Japan in the DB World at some point? Or was that just a bit of movie filler fun?
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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by B » Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:09 am

Well, Japan exists in Dr. Slump, which supposedly shares the same universe as DB... The Red Ribbon Army arc has the American flag in it as well.
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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by MagicBox » Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:15 am

The "Japan" line is just the screenwriter forgetting he's in the Dragon World. The line is never referenced again.

My in-universe explanation: Places like Japan and America exist in the Dragon World in some capacity (Murasaki holds up an American flag in one scene, after all), but they're not the same as their real-world counterparts. They could be small cities, for all we know.

EDIT: B makes a good point, too. Tons of real-world countries are referenced and (slightly) shown in Dr. Slump. If that's part of your continuity, then there's your answer.
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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by Herms » Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:54 am

GS7X7 wrote:However, in Movie 8 Oolong calls Kurillin "the best singer in Japan!"
That's Kame-sennin's line, isn't it?

Anyway, in the manga I don't think we can any real world countries mentioned by name, but Murasaki uses a US flag as camouflage (the Viz translation also inserts references to Hawaii and Bangkok). During the Piccolo arc we learn that DB Earth is unified into a single worldwide state, with dog guy as king. The map of DB Earth featured in Daizenshuu 4 and later guidebooks doesn't feature Japan or any other real countries. Dr. Slump on the other hand has lots of references to the US, China, and other real countries, and Penguin Village itself is supposed to be located in Japan (on the fictional "Gengoro Island"). Penguin Village is part of the DB Earth map, but there aren't any islands around it that look much like Japan. Overall this is one of the many ways that it's difficult to fit Dr. Slump and DB together.

Bottom line: DB Earth is supposed to be a completely fictional fantasy world without real world countries...but like many things in DB, there are occasional inconsistencies. The movie 8 line is one of them.
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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by The Time Traveller » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:27 am

B wrote:Well, Japan exists in Dr. Slump, which supposedly shares the same universe as DB...
I kinda thought it was implied they went to another universe. It's looks more like that in the anime too I think.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by Hellspawn28 » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:37 am

The Dragon Ball Earth is different from ours. I don't think Dr. Slump is in the same world as Dragon Ball given that they crack the Earth in half before and the Planet was back to normal a page later.
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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by Herms » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:32 am

The Time Traveller wrote:I kinda thought it was implied they went to another universe. It's looks more like that in the anime too I think.
In the manga there's really nothing in the crossover chapters to imply that Goku's chased Blue to another universe. The anime has those weird colors as Blue's fancy turbo engines or whatever go into action, but this is presented more as a side-effect of Blue going really, really fast than anything else. The anime also depicts everyone in Penguin Village knowing all about the Red Ribbon Army, which somewhat goes against the idea that it's supposed to be in a separate universe. I guess you could say it's an alternate universe with their own alternate version of the RR, but that's probably making it a lot more complicated than was intended.

Also, in both the manga and anime, Goku just matter-of-factly flies off to find the next dragon ball and gets to the Land of Karin simply enough, and Blue has no trouble finding his way back to RR headquarters after Arale sends him flying. It doesn't look like they have to jump through any special hoops, as you might expect if they were crossing back over into their native universe.
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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by Marco Polo » Thu Jun 19, 2014 5:16 am

Hellspawn28 wrote:The Dragon Ball Earth is different from ours. I don't think Dr. Slump is in the same world as Dragon Ball given that they crack the Earth in half before and the Planet was back to normal a page later.
That was a gag, like Goku taking Boss Rabbit and his gang to the moon in the Pilaf Saga.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by DBZGTKOSDH » Thu Jun 19, 2014 5:55 am

Marco Polo wrote:
Hellspawn28 wrote:The Dragon Ball Earth is different from ours. I don't think Dr. Slump is in the same world as Dragon Ball given that they crack the Earth in half before and the Planet was back to normal a page later.
That was a gag, like Goku taking Boss Rabbit and his gang to the moon in the Pilaf Saga.
Or Kuririn & Kame-sennin taking bullets in the face from Lunch or Bulma, and then returning to normal after one panel. Or Piccolo Daimao growing 5 fingers for a panel.
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Superman is, and always has been, a symbol for truth, justice, and upstanding moral fortitude–a role model and leader as much as a fighter. The more down-to-earth Goku has no illusions about being responsible for maintaining social order, or for setting some kind of moral example for the entire world. Goku is simply a martial artist who’s devoted his life toward perfecting his fighting skills and other abilities. Though never shy about risking his life to save either one person or the entire world, he just doesn’t believe that the balance of the world rests in any way on his shoulders, and he has no need to shape any part of it in his image. Goku is an idealist, and believes that there is some good in everyone, but he is unconcerned with the big picture of the world…unless it has to do with some kind of fight. Politics, society, law and order don’t have much bearing on his life, but he’s a man who knows right from wrong.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by UpFromTheSkies » Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:25 am

Hellspawn28 wrote:The Dragon Ball Earth is different from ours. I don't think Dr. Slump is in the same world as Dragon Ball given that they crack the Earth in half before and the Planet was back to normal a page later.
Arale is in the Dragon Ball manga, so it's the same world.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by Hellspawn28 » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:52 am

Having the same character does not always mean it takes place in the same world. I remember one of the recent info we got in the newer data books states that Neko Majin and Dr. Slump take place in their own dimension.
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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by TheGmGoken » Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:05 pm

Hellspawn28 wrote:Having the same character does not always mean it takes place in the same world. I remember one of the recent info we got in the newer data books states that Neko Majin and Dr. Slump take place in their own dimension.
This might be crazy but could Dr.Slump be one of the 7 universes? I mean the original that didn't have Goku.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by UpFromTheSkies » Thu Jun 19, 2014 1:40 pm

Hellspawn28 wrote:Having the same character does not always mean it takes place in the same world. I remember one of the recent info we got in the newer data books states that Neko Majin and Dr. Slump take place in their own dimension.
Penguin Village, Dr Slump and Gatchan 1 and 2 also appear in Dragon Ball, so if they are separate worlds, then the Dragon Ball world contains an alternate version of the Dr Slump world within itself.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by UpFromTheSkies » Thu Jun 19, 2014 1:54 pm

TheGmGoken wrote:I mean the original that didn't have Goku.
Goku appears in Dr Slump.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by DBZGTKOSDH » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:16 pm

Hellspawn28 wrote:Having the same character does not always mean it takes place in the same world. I remember one of the recent info we got in the newer data books states that Neko Majin and Dr. Slump take place in their own dimension.
No, only Neko Majin was said that it took place in a parallel world. About Dr. Slump, it is stated that the Penguin Village in the Dr. Mashirito & Abale-chan one-shot is the same village that Goku visited in the manga.
UpFromTheSkies wrote:
TheGmGoken wrote:I mean the original that didn't have Goku.
Goku appears in Dr Slump.
Only in the anime remake.
James Teal (Animerica 1996) wrote:When you think about it, there are a number of similarities between the Chinese-inspired Son Goku and that most American of superhero icons, Superman. Both are aliens sent to Earth shortly after birth to escape the destruction of their homeworlds; both possess super-strength, flight, super-speed, heightened senses and the ability to cast energy blasts. But the crucial difference between them lies not only in how they view the world, but in how the world views them.

Superman is, and always has been, a symbol for truth, justice, and upstanding moral fortitude–a role model and leader as much as a fighter. The more down-to-earth Goku has no illusions about being responsible for maintaining social order, or for setting some kind of moral example for the entire world. Goku is simply a martial artist who’s devoted his life toward perfecting his fighting skills and other abilities. Though never shy about risking his life to save either one person or the entire world, he just doesn’t believe that the balance of the world rests in any way on his shoulders, and he has no need to shape any part of it in his image. Goku is an idealist, and believes that there is some good in everyone, but he is unconcerned with the big picture of the world…unless it has to do with some kind of fight. Politics, society, law and order don’t have much bearing on his life, but he’s a man who knows right from wrong.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by UpFromTheSkies » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:23 pm

DBZGTKOSDH wrote:
UpFromTheSkies wrote:
TheGmGoken wrote:I mean the original that didn't have Goku.
Goku appears in Dr Slump.
Only in the anime remake.
He's also in the manga "The Brief Return of Dr. Slump"

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by DBZGTKOSDH » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:40 pm

UpFromTheSkies wrote:He's also in the manga "The Brief Return of Dr. Slump"
Oh yeah, GT Goku with Trunks & Pan do make a cameo. But this is a sequel to the reboot movies, which isn't written by Toriyama.
James Teal (Animerica 1996) wrote:When you think about it, there are a number of similarities between the Chinese-inspired Son Goku and that most American of superhero icons, Superman. Both are aliens sent to Earth shortly after birth to escape the destruction of their homeworlds; both possess super-strength, flight, super-speed, heightened senses and the ability to cast energy blasts. But the crucial difference between them lies not only in how they view the world, but in how the world views them.

Superman is, and always has been, a symbol for truth, justice, and upstanding moral fortitude–a role model and leader as much as a fighter. The more down-to-earth Goku has no illusions about being responsible for maintaining social order, or for setting some kind of moral example for the entire world. Goku is simply a martial artist who’s devoted his life toward perfecting his fighting skills and other abilities. Though never shy about risking his life to save either one person or the entire world, he just doesn’t believe that the balance of the world rests in any way on his shoulders, and he has no need to shape any part of it in his image. Goku is an idealist, and believes that there is some good in everyone, but he is unconcerned with the big picture of the world…unless it has to do with some kind of fight. Politics, society, law and order don’t have much bearing on his life, but he’s a man who knows right from wrong.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by UpFromTheSkies » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:45 pm

DBZGTKOSDH wrote:
UpFromTheSkies wrote:He's also in the manga "The Brief Return of Dr. Slump"
Oh yeah, GT Goku with Trunks & Pan do make a cameo. But this is a sequel to the reboot movies, which isn't written by Toriyama.
It's not written by him, but he did supervise it.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by DBZGTKOSDH » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:47 pm

UpFromTheSkies wrote:It's not written by him, but he did supervise it.
Well, Toriyama supervised everything, including the anime and GT. That manga doesn't take place in the original manga's continuity.

Also...
DBZGTKOSDH wrote:No, only Neko Majin was said that it took place in a parallel world. About Dr. Slump, it is stated that the Penguin Village in the Dr. Mashirito & Abale-chan one-shot is the same village that Goku visited in the manga.
I might be wrong about this one. Gotta do some research.

EDIT: Nope, it seems I was right:
Herms wrote:Neko Majin they refer to as a "parallel world", due to it having references to the real word Dragon Boxes, GT era Pan and co., and Vegeta coming to Earth to pick up Freeza's kid. Dr. Mashirito they just wonder about when it's supposed to be set; they note that unlike in DB, they use the Gregorian calendar, and a lot of time has passed since Dr. Slump. With regards to Episode of Bardock, they just say vague stuff about "could this be the origin of the Super Saiyan legend?"
James Teal (Animerica 1996) wrote:When you think about it, there are a number of similarities between the Chinese-inspired Son Goku and that most American of superhero icons, Superman. Both are aliens sent to Earth shortly after birth to escape the destruction of their homeworlds; both possess super-strength, flight, super-speed, heightened senses and the ability to cast energy blasts. But the crucial difference between them lies not only in how they view the world, but in how the world views them.

Superman is, and always has been, a symbol for truth, justice, and upstanding moral fortitude–a role model and leader as much as a fighter. The more down-to-earth Goku has no illusions about being responsible for maintaining social order, or for setting some kind of moral example for the entire world. Goku is simply a martial artist who’s devoted his life toward perfecting his fighting skills and other abilities. Though never shy about risking his life to save either one person or the entire world, he just doesn’t believe that the balance of the world rests in any way on his shoulders, and he has no need to shape any part of it in his image. Goku is an idealist, and believes that there is some good in everyone, but he is unconcerned with the big picture of the world…unless it has to do with some kind of fight. Politics, society, law and order don’t have much bearing on his life, but he’s a man who knows right from wrong.

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Re: Does Japan exist in the DB World?

Post by UpFromTheSkies » Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:45 pm

DBZGTKOSDH wrote:
UpFromTheSkies wrote:It's not written by him, but he did supervise it.
Well, Toriyama supervised everything, including the anime and GT. That manga doesn't take place in the original manga's continuity.
He supervised GT? I thought he just did some character designs that TOEI requested.

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