How long until Mr Popo gets cancelled?

[Jord]

With Dragonball being a global brand, it's getting harder and harder to defend the design of Mr Popo. While we're not sure what Toriyama's intention for his design was, it sure does look pretty racist now. Some very clear Sambo-like inspiration, talking in broken language. (in the Japanese version at least) While dubious in the 80's, it's pretty much a mess now.
I know that some companies have tried to paint him blue but to me that looks even worse. I don't advocate him being removed from existing material but perhaps it's better that he leaves the franchise for future stories.

[VegettoEX]

Intentional or not, framing this as "cancelled" is needlessly dog-whistling for a certain demographic. As a general reminder, there's no such thing as "cancel culture" -- people facing repercussions for their own actions and statements is a good thing, and people feeling empowered and supported to speak up for themselves is a good thing.

"Some companies" changing Popo to blue is, to my knowledge, just the CW4Kids broadcast of Dragon Ball (Z) Kai. Not the Nicktoons broadcast, not the Toonami broadcast, and not the home video version. This decision was likely modeled around what has been done with Jynx/Rougela in the Pokemon franchise, another character clearly based in the same stereotypes and cultural ignorance.

Viz has consistently edited out Mr. Popo's lips in their English release of the various Dragon Ball manga series, another attempt at distancing the character from some of the more blindingly obvious stereotypes.

But with regard to your question/point about "how long" until something happens with regard to Popo... these discussions have been taking place forever. There's nothing new about them, and there's nothing new to them (other than perhaps the CW4Kids addition). We were having them on Usenet before web-based message boards existed, and I'm sure folks were having them on their university listservs before that. This question has always been a question. My bet is that Shueisha/Toei want to simply avoid acknowledging it by way of doing nothing, rather than bringing any attention to it by... uhh... doing anything at all.

I don't think there's a good way to avoid using Popo considering they still want to use Dende as Earth's God. It would be a glaring omission. At the same time, like, good riddance if he fucks off forever, right? I don't think he needs to stay out of inertia and purity to the "original vision." Dragon Ball, since its very beginning, has consistently swapped in and out new characters.

[Yuji]

At this point, I don't think there's anything they will effectively do. But Mr. Popo's time in the spotlight has passed, he has already been written out of the series in essence.

Intentional or not, framing this as "cancelled" is needlessly dog-whistling for a certain demographic. As a general reminder, there's no such thing as "cancel culture" -- people facing repercussions for their own actions and statements is a good thing, and people feeling empowered and supported to speak up for themselves is a good thing.

This is closing one's eyes and ears and singing "la la la, I can't hear you" when faced with the issue that there's a very specific vindictive vocal minority of people actively looking for the tiniest microaggression in someone's past to completely discredit and ruin that person's life and career. "Cancel culture" as a term isn't associated solely with right-wing douchebags getting what they deserve, because even progressive, left-wing people get "cancelled" for careless phrasing, philosophical musings or old statements devoid of context. You may take an issue with the term, and the people who use it, but to claim the general attitude being described isn't an issue affecting people in more grievous ways than they probably deserve is privileged willful ignorance.

[JulieYBM]

Cancel culture only exists if you are BIPOC, disabled, queer or a cis woman.

Anyway, I think future releases of old Dragon Ball projects should begin with disclaimers admitting to the shame of the product and those who made it. For new works I believe that they should, of course, not include horrible shit.

[goku the krump dancer]

Does Popo speak with a broken dialect in the Japanese version of the manga?

[WittyUsername]

I disagree with the idea that cancel culture isn’t a thing, but the people who most vocally complain about it (the far right) are also perfectly willing to exploit it when it comes to getting people they disagree with fired. That’s what they did to James Gunn. There’s also Kiwi Farms, which is an alt-right harassment forum that’s dedicated to humiliating people they don’t like, especially autistic and trans people.

Anyway, to answer the question, I doubt anything will ever be done about Mr. Popo in Japan. As for the West, the Toonzai broadcast of Kai and the Viz translation of the manga have tried to censor his appearance, but FUNimation has never bothered with that. I’m not sure if that will change in the near future, but at the moment, there doesn’t seem to be a big uproar about it.

[Shaddy]

Blackface is so ubiquitous across anime outside of Dragon Ball, I have very little faith they will make changes any time soon.

[Polyphase Avatron]

Cancel culture only exists if you are BIPOC,

What does that mean?

[JulieYBM]

Cancel culture only exists if you are BIPOC,

What does that mean?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.co ... s-hercules

[Brodes]

At this point, I don't think there's anything they will effectively do. But Mr. Popo's time in the spotlight has passed, he has already been written out of the series in essence.

Intentional or not, framing this as "cancelled" is needlessly dog-whistling for a certain demographic. As a general reminder, there's no such thing as "cancel culture" -- people facing repercussions for their own actions and statements is a good thing, and people feeling empowered and supported to speak up for themselves is a good thing.

This is closing one's eyes and ears and singing "la la la, I can't hear you" when faced with the issue that there's a very specific vindictive vocal minority of people actively looking for the tiniest microaggression in someone's past to completely discredit and ruin that person's life and career. "Cancel culture" as a term isn't associated solely with right-wing douchebags getting what they deserve, because even progressive, left-wing people get "cancelled" for careless phrasing, philosophical musings or old statements devoid of context. You may take an issue with the term, and the people who use it, but to claim the general attitude being described isn't an issue affecting people in more grievous ways than they probably deserve is privileged willful ignorance.

Except for the whole thing that most people who "get cancelled" are never really cancelled. They still remain employed, or change a different lucrative job or simply get never ending platforms to cry about this supposed cancellation and make a lot of money doing it.

[pixie_misa]

The problem with invoking "cancel culture" is that you could be referring to anything from a wealthy celebrity throwing a fit for being mildly criticized to a small time queer artist getting harassed off of social media for some percieved minor infraction.

I think using that in the title of the thread just muddies the waters.

[Polyphase Avatron]

Cancel culture only exists if you are BIPOC,

What does that mean?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.co ... s-hercules

Never heard that specific term before.

[MasenkoHA]

At this point, I don't think there's anything they will effectively do. But Mr. Popo's time in the spotlight has passed, he has already been written out of the series in essence.

Intentional or not, framing this as "cancelled" is needlessly dog-whistling for a certain demographic. As a general reminder, there's no such thing as "cancel culture" -- people facing repercussions for their own actions and statements is a good thing, and people feeling empowered and supported to speak up for themselves is a good thing.

This is closing one's eyes and ears and singing "la la la, I can't hear you" when faced with the issue that there's a very specific vindictive vocal minority of people actively looking for the tiniest microaggression in someone's past to completely discredit and ruin that person's life and career. "Cancel culture" as a term isn't associated solely with right-wing douchebags getting what they deserve, because even progressive, left-wing people get "cancelled" for careless phrasing, philosophical musings or old statements devoid of context. You may take an issue with the term, and the people who use it, but to claim the general attitude being described isn't an issue affecting people in more grievous ways than they probably deserve is privileged willful ignorance.

Regardless the term is overused such as by the OP. A fictional character can not get “cancelled”


Like when Mr.Potato Head company changed its brand to Potato Head and whiny conservatives moaned about cancel culture getting Mr.Potato Head cancelled.

[JulieYBM]

At this point, I don't think there's anything they will effectively do. But Mr. Popo's time in the spotlight has passed, he has already been written out of the series in essence.

Intentional or not, framing this as "cancelled" is needlessly dog-whistling for a certain demographic. As a general reminder, there's no such thing as "cancel culture" -- people facing repercussions for their own actions and statements is a good thing, and people feeling empowered and supported to speak up for themselves is a good thing.

This is closing one's eyes and ears and singing "la la la, I can't hear you" when faced with the issue that there's a very specific vindictive vocal minority of people actively looking for the tiniest microaggression in someone's past to completely discredit and ruin that person's life and career. "Cancel culture" as a term isn't associated solely with right-wing douchebags getting what they deserve, because even progressive, left-wing people get "cancelled" for careless phrasing, philosophical musings or old statements devoid of context. You may take an issue with the term, and the people who use it, but to claim the general attitude being described isn't an issue affecting people in more grievous ways than they probably deserve is privileged willful ignorance.

Regardless the term is overused such as by the OP. A fictional character can not get “cancelled”


Like when Mr.Potato Head company changed its brand to Potato Head and whiny conservatives moaned about cancel culture getting Mr.Potato Head cancelled.

When in reality it was just a cost-cutting measure, if I remember correctly. Too bad they won't cancel capitalism!

[Anonymous Friend]

At this point, I don't think there's anything they will effectively do. But Mr. Popo's time in the spotlight has passed, he has already been written out of the series in essence.

Intentional or not, framing this as "cancelled" is needlessly dog-whistling for a certain demographic. As a general reminder, there's no such thing as "cancel culture" -- people facing repercussions for their own actions and statements is a good thing, and people feeling empowered and supported to speak up for themselves is a good thing.

This is closing one's eyes and ears and singing "la la la, I can't hear you" when faced with the issue that there's a very specific vindictive vocal minority of people actively looking for the tiniest microaggression in someone's past to completely discredit and ruin that person's life and career. "Cancel culture" as a term isn't associated solely with right-wing douchebags getting what they deserve, because even progressive, left-wing people get "cancelled" for careless phrasing, philosophical musings or old statements devoid of context. You may take an issue with the term, and the people who use it, but to claim the general attitude being described isn't an issue affecting people in more grievous ways than they probably deserve is privileged willful ignorance.

Regardless the term is overused such as by the OP. A fictional character can not get “cancelled”


Like when Mr.Potato Head company changed its brand to Potato Head and whiny conservatives moaned about cancel culture getting Mr.Potato Head cancelled.

People on the internet made Hank Azaria feel so bad that Apu won't be on the Simpsons any more. Also, every week there's some entertainer or whatever losing their job over some off-color comment they made decades ago. Like people aren't able to change and grow and become better people.

As for Popo ... I don't give a damn about how he looks. And I didn't care twenty years ago. I highly doubt they meant any thing with the design 30 years ago. People need to stop trying to pick fights and cause divisions and such.

[MasenkoHA]

At this point, I don't think there's anything they will effectively do. But Mr. Popo's time in the spotlight has passed, he has already been written out of the series in essence.



This is closing one's eyes and ears and singing "la la la, I can't hear you" when faced with the issue that there's a very specific vindictive vocal minority of people actively looking for the tiniest microaggression in someone's past to completely discredit and ruin that person's life and career. "Cancel culture" as a term isn't associated solely with right-wing douchebags getting what they deserve, because even progressive, left-wing people get "cancelled" for careless phrasing, philosophical musings or old statements devoid of context. You may take an issue with the term, and the people who use it, but to claim the general attitude being described isn't an issue affecting people in more grievous ways than they probably deserve is privileged willful ignorance.

Regardless the term is overused such as by the OP. A fictional character can not get “cancelled”


Like when Mr.Potato Head company changed its brand to Potato Head and whiny conservatives moaned about cancel culture getting Mr.Potato Head cancelled.

People on the internet made Hank Azaria feel so bad that Apu won't be on the Simpsons any more. Also, every week there's some entertainer or whatever losing their job over some off-color comment they made decades ago. Like people aren't able to change and grow and become better people.

As for Popo ... I don't give a damn about how he looks. And I didn't care twenty years ago. I highly doubt they meant any thing with the design 30 years ago. People need to stop trying to pick fights and cause divisions and such.

Damn inch resting how that has jack all to do with my statement that fictional characters can’t get cancelled


Like, oh noooo a one note racial stereotype character won’t be on a show nobody has watched since around 2003 anymore and his actor will still voice a third of the cast.

[Cursed Lemon]

I defer to black people on this subject. I haven't seen anyone raise a serious issue about it. I assume this is because while his physical appearance is...questionable, he doesn't embody any kind of stereotype that would make someone think, "this is what Toriyama thinks black people are like".

[MasenkoHA]

he doesn't embody any kind of stereotype that would make someone think, "this is what Toriyama thinks black people are like".

You mean besides the simpleton speech?

[Cursed Lemon]

You mean besides the simpleton speech?

I mean maybe I've got Ocean on the brain but I never looked at it that way? He's just a very inconsequential character who doesn't get exposition. When I look at a scene like this I don't really get "simpleton" vibes.

[Cold Skin]

I've known Dragon Ball my entire life, and even as a kid, I NEVER saw Mister Popo as being a stereotype of any sort or related to black people.
Even to this day, I look at Black from the Red Ribon arc and I do see a black man, but I look at Mister Popo, and I see an undefined humanoid creature with pitch black screen that doesn't exist in the world and pointy ears. The only thing in common between them are the lips, just like a common point between Nameks and Saiyans are the rectangle-eyes as opposed to characters like Bulma and Chichi.

Maybe this is because with Black, Toriyama clearly showed how he illustrates black people, so when Mister Popo was shown, it didn't even register in my mind that it could be any kind of representation of that, especially with the unrealistic pitch black and noticeable pointy ears. Toriyama might have been inspired by ill-intended parodies and stereotyped designs of the time that he might have seen here and there for the design, but he was also probably inspired by the devil for Dabra and I don't think he's trying to convey a satanist message or mock the Christians with that. The man just takes inspirations from common representations, including stereotypes, he just thinks "oh, those physical feature can be used for a creature if I tweak them a bit".

Plus, Mister Popo was never put into a situation that makes people mock him: he's immediately shown as stronger than the young Goku who has to learn from him, or later mentioned as a very respectable entity by Goku who points out he predates God himself and has known several past Gods, capable of initiatives that save the day when coming up with the spaceship for Namek, or shown as pretty clever when coming up quickly with the idea of fusing Goten and Trunks and the reasons why it would work when nobody could think of it. I don't remember any moment that's like "this guy's just like those funny black people, so laughable, now laugh in the audience!".

I don't think the character's in any trouble for the future, the same censorship might keep going for specific American channels (like the one that made him blue) or in the manga (you'd have to check if Viz still censors Mister Popo in DBS).