Mr. Satan - A Good Idea?

[Piccolo Daimao]

Do you think that Mr. Satan was a good addition to Dragon Ball?

On the one hand, it was nice to see a bit of comedy back into Dragon Ball, but at the same time, was it really needed? The Cell Arc (I'm ignoring Buu Arc for the mo') would've been just as good without him, not to mention that it makes no sense that Mr. Satan was dubbed the title "Champion Of Earth" after winning the 24th Tenka'ichi Budokai, despite the fact that all known previous winners of the Tenka'ichi Budokai never got as much publicity as Mr. Satan (Son Goku was virtually forgotten; only Kame-Sen'nin recognized Akkuman). Granted, because Mr. Satan was something of a gag character, the reason of him becoming the "Champion Of Earth" didn't really matter, but I do think that he should've just gone. The running gag of "It's a trick!" degenerated into an irritating, unfunny one-trick pony, and the Cell Games fight snapping back to Mr. Satan and the reporter's reactions were annoying also. Same for his clueless fans.

Thoughts?

[Godo]

I think that Mr. Satan is the embodiment of what Goku and Kuririn would become if Kame-Sennin (as Jackie Chun) didn't put them in their place.
They would think that their power was enough and not bother to become stronger.
They would also fight stronger opponents with the illusion that they would beat them, because of that they are the world champion.
Mr. Satan is simply Kuririn if he was failed, since Kuririn was kinda into women and a leisury lifestyle for a moment in Dragonball.

[Bussani]

I think the reason Mr. Satan became a celebrity was due to his personality. Most of the other martial artists in the series aren't interested in that type of life.

I think Dragon Ball would lose a lot without Mr. Satan there. He brought some refreshing comedy into the story. Now, I will admit that I do not like all the filler of him they added into the Cell games. It just went too far. But in the manga it's the perfect amount, in my opinion.

[russ869]

Mr. Satan is simply Kuririn if he was failed, since Kuririn was kinda into women and a leisury lifestyle for a moment in Dragonball.

Hey, I never thought about that... Kuririn is always complaining about how Mr. Satan is just an attention whoring trickster, but he kinda used to be like that too as a kid. Cheating the martial arts tests just to show off.

[IncompetentOverlord]

I think that Mr.Satan is there to be a measuring tool in order to compare to constantly remind the reader of exactly how much stronger Goku and the others are. He's kind of the Battle Strength of the Cell and Boo arcs.

[MCDaveG]

With that superstar manner, there is also a big change of world in Dragon Ball.... In the beginning, during the story of Dragon Ball, we're in some unspeciffied country in one of possible futures or past of planet Earth with people, dinosaurs and animal humanoids living together but later during the end of Freeza arc and beginning of Android saga, Dragon world is turning in some mirror of our real world with inhabitants having the same or simmilar habits as nowadays people.

[jjgp1112]

Mr. Satan was always really annoying. But more annoying than Mr. Satan were all of his fans. They were so sheepish it was ridiculous.

EDIT: I mean his fans in the show, like the audience at the Tournament.

[LeprikanGT]

Great addition. Aside from the Z fighters, he's the strongest on Earth, as he is the World Champion.

And he saved the world and helped the Z fighters on many occasions.

[B]

He seems kind of random in the Cell arc, but, I'm not creative enough to think of another way to set him up/introduce him for the awesome stuff he pulls in the Buu arc.

[Maphisto86]

To me Mr. Satan is meant as a comedic foil initially in the Cell saga and that remains his main role for the rest of the series and into GT. Yet in the Buu saga Mr. Satan sort of rivals Goku as the "heart" of the story. Despite his bombastic and obnoxious arrogance, Mr. Satan is another example of kind heartedness and redemption that is present through the whole Dragonball saga. Having a good heart deep down is a running theme of Akira Toriyama's story and is a shonen theme noticible in other works as well. So overall Mr. Satan provided that comedic foil during the Cell games that most of the characters shed by that point in the series and then became the "heart" of the story in the Buu saga. Overall a good call on Mr. Toriyama's part I think.

[johnboy1]

I actually thought Mr. Satan was one of the most "successful" characters in all the manga, and even moreso in the anime. I'm telling you, throughout the Cell Games and the first half of the Boo arc, I hated him so much I was begging for someone to just totally go to town on his ass. Taking credit for things one didn't do is something that pushes all the wrong buttons with me (that and the villain winning in the end, which I consider to be such a cardinal sin of storytelling that it immediately and irreparably destroys any work of fiction that allows it to happen), so you can imagine how I reacted it when Mr. Satan took credit for Cell's defeat and everyone believed him.

That said, my opinion of him changed after he challenged Boo and didn't run away. Instead, he tried a different method of stopping the monster, one that nearly worked. Then he and Dende prepared to attack Super Boo after Vegerot was absorbed, despite being outclassed in every conceivable way. Then he actually attacked Kid Boo in order to protect Fat Boo. Then he was solely responsible for getting the requisite energy for the Genki-Dama. Then he pulled Vegeta to safety before Goku used it. Then he invited everyone to the grand opening of his new hotel... oh wait, that wasn't canon, was it? Anyway, he went from a character I couldn't stand to one of the truest heroes in the comic. After all, it takes real bravery to do all that when you can't blow up planets with your mind.

[Hellspawn28]

I like Mr. Satan in the seriers since he was a funny character, and I don't find him useless since it was him to help #16 head next to Gohan afterall.

[Scarz]

Damn right he was! I absolutely love that idiot. I think Toriyama really liked the character too because he was a gag artists after all and Mr. Satan is a walking joke. Over ego, muscled bound, cowardly, lying, fool and he still managed to save the Earth and convince most of the population that he's a hero! He may be lying asshole but he's got a big heart and plays the daddy role really well. At that point in Cell games, I was so happy we were introduce to a new comic relief character and I'm even happier that he stayed for the rest of the series.

[SSJmole]

This may sound weird but when I was younger I assumed he was a parody of Hulk Hogan




Like how Goku = Superman (from Saiyan saga) , Future Trunks saga = Terminator. I thought they drawing on how wrestlers are fake fighters yet get treated like some sort hero because of it. The biggest example been hulk hogan. They look similar IMO, They had championship belts and the poses, dramatic moves ect... Sort of like what the Z-warriors do is real fighting and if if a poser tried it they'd get hurt. Like people say if professional wrestlers got in to a real fight they'd get hurt.

I admit I don't think this theory is correct any more. It's just what I thought at first. However that said I loved Mr. Satan even more so with Buu. The Buu thing I thought was nice as it showed he wasn't completely selfish, He could care about someone. Even in GT with how he was with Pan as well it was nice.

[SHINOBI-03]

I think Mr. Satan was a good addition to the Dragon World. We got used to those Supers who can do super stuff like flying or shooting beams from their hands. I think it was good to add a normal human who is considered "The Strongest in the World" to show us how the rest of the world think about those who were forgotten by history for some reason.

He is not a complete idiot all the time. One of the moments that I liked ((From what I've read in the manga)), is when #16 was asking him to take him to Gohan and said: "Don't you want to help? You're the world champion, aren't you...?" And then Mr. Satan gets a bit concerned and decided to risk his life saying: "SHUT UP!! All these No-names are out there fighting!! I'll be a laughing stock if I, the Champion, run away!!" to the announcer who told him not to go, or he will get killed.

Like how Goku = Superman (from Saiyan saga) , Future Trunks saga = Terminator. I thought they drawing on how wrestlers are fake fighters yet get treated like some sort hero because of it. The biggest example been hulk hogan. They look similar IMO, They had championship belts and the poses, dramatic moves ect... Sort of like what the Z-warriors do is real fighting and if if a poser tried it they'd get hurt. Like people say if professional wrestlers got in to a real fight they'd get hurt.

Is it true that all the Wrestling matches are fixed from the beginning? Like, the higher-ups decide before the matches who should win and tell it to the wrestlers, like they are some sort of actors in a play?!

[rereboy]

Is it true that all the Wrestling matches are fixed from the beginning? Like, the higher-ups decide before the matches who should win and tell it to the wrestlers, like they are some sort of actors in a play?!

Obviously.

[caejones]

I didn't care so much about him at first, though I saw his introduction in the anime before my dad, making the start of the Cell Games kinda fun. Heh.
He did get way too many cutaways in the Cell Games, but never really annoyed me.

I like the analysis of Mr. Satan as what would have happened had Goku or Kuririn not been molded by KameSen'nin at the tournaments.

As for setting him up for the Buu arc, I have a slight idea that I think would fit well in say, a video game, but might hurt in the anime or manga.
That being to set the 24th tournament early enough compared to the arrival of #19 and #20 to show some of it. Wouldn't have to be much; could be a couple of the main cast (T'en, Chaozu, Yajirobe?) showing up, doing mild owning, then realizing that the others won't show up and leaving. Could also forshadow Spopovich and the like.
I think something like that would hurt the Anime/manga, though, since part of what made Mr. Satan's introduction work was that it was a response to the anouncement of the Cell Games. Cell made it a global thing, and left it open to plenty of participants, so it was only fitting that someone outside the circle of major characters took up the challenge without knowing what he was getting into. Had an existing character done that, I kinda feel like it'd hurt the world-building a bit. So... ur... I guess I just said my idea sucks. .

But ... umm... yeah. Mr. Satan and Buu FTW.

[jjgp1112]

This may be considered Necro-posting, but after I saw the Hulk Hogan-Mr. Satan comparisons, I had to drop in. Although I doubt Toriyama knew this, Hogan and Mr. Satan are more similar than you think. Hulk Hogan is infamous in the world of wrestling for lying and politicking when he was at the top, stabbing people in the back, manipulating higher ups to give him wins all of the time, and holding down new guys so he can hog all of the time and always be the center of attention, just like how Mr. Satan rose to fame off of lying as well and he's really a complete sleaz.

[LeprikanGT]

No Mr. Satan, No more Earth.

So, Yes.

[TripleRach]

This may be considered Necro-posting, but after I saw the Hulk Hogan-Mr. Satan comparisons, I had to drop in. Although I doubt Toriyama knew this, Hogan and Mr. Satan are more similar than you think. Hulk Hogan is infamous in the world of wrestling for lying and politicking when he was at the top, stabbing people in the back, manipulating higher ups to give him wins all of the time, and holding down new guys so he can hog all of the time and always be the center of attention, just like how Mr. Satan rose to fame off of lying as well and he's really a complete sleaz.

I've made similar comparisons in the past, but not so much about politics as talent. Despite his enormous popularity, Hulk Hogan actually has very poor technical wrestling skills. But he's the ultra famous one who gets all the credit and fame (like Satan), while the really skilled guys are nobodies to the average person (like Gokuu, Piccolo, etc).

I highly doubt Toriyama cared enough about American pro wrestling to know that, so it's just a coincidence, if anything. But I do think it's possible Satan may have been modeled after Hogan just based on the fact that wrestling in general is fake, compared to legit martial artists like Gokuu and his pals. Their faces are really similar, and Satan's championship belt looks a lot like the old WWF belt, but with a bat instead of an eagle.