So are we biased?

[TheGmGoken]

Is Goku the character black? No? Then an actor portraying him in live action shouldn't be, either.

Unless you're intentionally going for some new reinterpretation (like the New 52 version of Wally West being a black kid), then that's all there is to it. There's nothing inherently racial about it. It's simply a matter of "do they look like the character or not," and skin color is an big, obvious part of that.

I disagree with this 100%.

I'm definitely of the "Goku is not any particular race; therefore, any race can play him" camp.

And I do find it innately racist to suggest otherwise, conscious or not.

How is that racist?
noun
a person who believes that a particular race is superior to another.
adjective
having or showing the belief that a particular race is superior to another.

[Kaboom]

There's absolutely nothing racist about saying, "a pre-established character should be portrayed by an actor who looks like him." Otherwise it becomes a reinterpretation to some degree.

It's no different in my eyes than Sam Jackson playing Nick Fury in the Marvel movies. Sure it's still Nick Fury, but nobody's denying that it's not a new take on the character. Or inversely, Mr. Sulu in the new Trek films is played by the Jon Cho, who's Korean, while George Takei was Japanese — Cho still looks the part, which is what's important.

The only thing I'm concerned about is, "do they look like the character?" Period.

[irreality]

I don't know, I think Goku could be played by a black man. Maybe not a super dark-skinned one (unless it is a deliberate racebending adaptation, I'd be ok with that, too), but mixed race/light skinned black, sure. He is often shown "tan" in pictures, so it might work. And it would be an interesting take on saiyan hair to be afro-textured hair and that is why it can stand up on its own.

[SSJ Human]

Is Goku the character black? No? Then an actor portraying him in live action shouldn't be, either.

Unless you're intentionally going for some new reinterpretation (like the New 52 version of Wally West being a black kid), then that's all there is to it. There's nothing inherently racial about it. It's simply a matter of "do they look like the character or not," and skin color is an big, obvious part of that.

But Goku the character is not asian or white so why has the consensus been to have him be played by someone that is asian or why was he played by Chatwin in Evolution? Because people feel that they look like the character.

If you want to make the argument that he's not black so then he shouldn't be played by a black actor, then make it for every other race. Automatically if someone's black they can't play him? That's about as racist as it gets.

[VegettoEX]

The only thing I'm concerned about is, "do they look like the character?" Period.

In a list of Goku's defining features (even PHYSICAL features), where exactly would his skin color fall?

You can do far more with an interpretation of the character -- this character in particular -- with costuming and acting ability.

[SSJ Human]

The only thing I'm concerned about is, "do they look like the character?" Period.

In a list of Goku's defining features (even PHYSICAL features), where exactly would his skin color fall?

You can do far more with an interpretation of the character -- this character in particular -- with costuming and acting ability.

Exactly. I've been trying to state that this entire time. Race isn't the only thing that goes into it but someone shouldn't be discriminated against just because of what they are.

[Marco Polo]

The only thing I'm concerned about is, "do they look like the character?" Period.

In a list of Goku's defining features (even PHYSICAL features), where exactly would his skin color fall?

You can do far more with an interpretation of the character -- this character in particular -- with costuming and acting ability.

It's not just a matter of skin color. Race =/= skin color

I think people find it hard to imagine SSJ hair as something else than straight hair.

[Alex9196]

It is not descrimination. It just doesn't fit the role. Goku has white skin, so an actor with white skin would look more like him. That is it, there is nothing racist about it.

[Kamiccolo9]

If you want to make the argument that he's not black so then he shouldn't be played by a black actor, then make it for every other race. Automatically if someone's black they can't play him? That's about as racist as it gets.

No one's saying that. They are saying that a black man would not be physically accurate to a portrayal of Goku. I'm not really sure how that's a debatable point either. You can argue about whether or not that's important, but Goku, as shown in Dragon Ball, does not resemble someone of African descent. That's not racist, that's a fact. If the goal of the production is to be as accurate to the source material as possible, then there is nothing wrong with not casting a black man because he doesn't resemble the character.

No one is being discriminated against. He would not be allowed the part because he doesn't have the qualities that they are looking for.

If a show about a Brooklyn lawyer doesn't hire a guy to play said lawyer because he's German, and he's got too strong of an accent to believably come across as a Brooklyn native, is that discriminatory?

If a show about a suburban housewife wouldn't hire a woman who was an amputee because their vision of the character did not include that character missing an arm, is the show discriminating against amputees?

If a movie about a supermodel does not hire a morbidly obese actress to play said supermodel just because she doesn't resemble the character they wanted, does that make them discriminatory against fat people?

[Makaioshin]

A live action film is an adaptation is free to do whatever it wants with the source material. A black actor could authentically capture all two dimensions of his character or completely miss the point. Personally I have always seen Son Goku as East Asian. Him being portrayed by a white actor in Evolution told me all I needed to know about what direction the film was going to take.

[Akumaito Beam]

I don't care who plays Goku so long as they can bring forth the spirit of the character. If a fat black gay woman plays the most fucking amazing interpretation of Goku I've ever seen that's cool by me.

[rereboy]

In a list of Goku's defining features (even PHYSICAL features), where exactly would his skin color fall?

Since we actually have black characters with obviously dark skin color in Dragon Ball, it's abundantly clear that Goku is supposed to have much lighter skin. That's just how it is. Being an alien doesn't change the fact that he is visually much different from the black characters in Dragon Ball in regards to skin color. And no, there's nothing racist about preferring that details like that are close to to the source in an live action adaptation.

[B]

In a list of Goku's defining features (even PHYSICAL features), where exactly would his skin color fall?

Sorry, but since we actually have black characters with obviously dark skin color in Dragon Ball, it's abundantly clear that Goku is supposed to have much lighter skin. That's just how it is. Being an alien doesn't change the fact that he is visually much different from the black characters in Dragon in regards to skin color.

When... was this being disputed?

[rereboy]

When... was this being disputed?

Since the topic is about Goku being portrayed by a black actor, and since the question I quoted asks where Goku's skin color falls, I thought the adequate response was to demonstrate that it is supposed to be much lighter than black/dark.

[B]

VegettoEX was asking where does Goku's skin color fall on a list of his defining characteristics; not where on the color spectrum does it literally fall. Basically, there's a laundry list of ways to describe Goku before you get to "He's Asian-like."

[rereboy]

I understood that, but I felt that it was missing the point. Ideally, most fans will want an actor as close as possible to how he is portrayed and that includes his skin tone. An actor with a skin tone much different from how he is portrayed will always be viewed negatively by those fans. What rank does skin tone hold in a list of characteristics doesn't really matter because it's a very noticeable change from the source and that's the point.

[Zephyr]

The only thing I'm concerned about is, "do they look like the character?" Period.

In a list of Goku's defining features (even PHYSICAL features), where exactly would his skin color fall?

There's gotta be some merit to this, right?

[Kakacarrottop]

Automatically if someone's black they can't play him? That's about as racist as it gets.

No one would cast whites as Lando Calrissian or Morpheus in Star Wars and Matrix remakes, since they were never portrayed as white, just like how Goku was never portrayed as black. Would you consider that "racism" against whites?

It's a logical decision which has nothing to do with one race being superior to another.

I thought Michael Duncan (or whatever his name is) was really good as Kingpin in the Daredevil movie. But a Dragon Ball Z film staying close to the source material (unlike Evolution or the Daredevil movie) should and will have a white skinned East Asian/European person playing Goku.

[VegettoEX]

No one would cast whites as Lando Calrissian or Morpheus in Star Wars and Matrix remakes, since they were never portrayed as white

That's an awfully bold statement to make with absolutely zero basis for making it.

[Sora Saiyan]

I'd rather Goku be played by somebody who looks, what I'd deem, as much like him as possible, sort of like how people need a look to play Supes, I'd want the same for Goku.. Obviously adjust the features like the huge eyes, hair and small pointy nose so they're more realistic. Considering we won't see many, if any more live action Goku's I'd want him to be as accurate as humanly possible.

The last post Kamiccolo made is spot on for me.