As a film enthusiast with a lifelong passion for anime and a soft spot for nostalgia, I must admit that Dragon Ball has held a special place in my heart since childhood. The first time I watched Goku’s adventures on a grainy VHS tape, I was immediately hooked by the vibrant colors, action-packed fights, and quirky humor.
Dragon Ball, initially appearing to be just another series popular among boys due to its themes of muscle, violence, and spiky hair, seems surprisingly timeless upon closer inspection. Its enduring influence across decades, as evidenced by the countless memes and references it has spawned, suggests a deeper appeal that transcends simple boyish tastes. With the simultaneous release this month of the new anime, Dragon Ball Daima, and the video game Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, it’s worth pondering what makes this franchise so enduring.
Over the span of four decades, the serialized narrative known as Dragon Ball has proven to be both humorously simple (a tale revolving around a group of powerful fighters safeguarding Earth) and incredibly diverse. Throughout its run, it has encompassed elements of slapstick comedy similar to Looney Tunes, adventure stories for young boys, absurd comedies, domestic sitcoms, fitness motivation, moral lessons, science fiction horror, and sports dramas, often simultaneously. At the heart of this multifaceted story is Goku, a clumsy child from another world who found himself unexpectedly tasked with Earth’s protection.
In multiple series, Goku evolves from a boy to a man, then a father (and occasionally reverts, as the latest episode of Daima begins with the character transformed magically into a child once more), and it’s through his viewpoint that the franchise’s “guys are awesome” narrative style becomes clear. The Dragon Ball franchise is so sincerely, fully, and accessible in its male perspective that it surprisingly returns to being universal.
In a unique way, the show “Dragon Ball” stands out, even with its high-stakes themes reminiscent of global events. It manages to maintain an authentic guys-hanging-out feel, despite being imitated numerous times. This could be due to its ability to balance intense seriousness, as suggested by its muscular, hypermasculine aesthetic, with self-parody. For instance, the anime “Dragon Ball Super“, which was the franchise’s most recent TV series, started with a cat-like god of destruction who could wipe out entire worlds, yet he was also portrayed as an easily distracted gourmet who could be dissuaded from destruction by the thought of all the food he would miss. One of its tough characters, Vegeta, even lost a fight to a pig in a high-stakes game of rock, paper, scissors. The characters in “Dragon Ball” are both cool and absurd, which is why they captivate us.
The story unfolds with its main character initially as a young boy, shaping his understanding of what it means to be a strong adult man through unwavering self-development. What makes this intriguing is how Goku and his peers embody this philosophy in their actions. In the realm of Dragon Ball, improvement comes only when there’s someone else to grow with, thus fostering community. Sparring partners and past adversaries transform into allies, lending support as needed when one’s challenges become overwhelming. Friendships deepen over time, and families are formed in the hope of nurturing a superior generation than the current one.
As a passionate movie critic, I’d like to clarify that “Dragon Ball” isn’t intentionally biased in its portrayal of gender. Instead, it caters predominantly to young boys, with combat serving as the primary catalyst for character development. Female characters are portrayed as formidable and enigmatic, inspiring awe and fear in the male protagonists who, paradoxically, harbor both admiration and apprehension towards them. It’s worth noting that women do indeed display impressive fighting abilities, but it’s typically the men who take center stage in the climactic battles. Interestingly enough, children often make an appearance, while romantic relationships are subtly implied, yet parentage is always distinctly defined.
The peculiarities that come with Dragon Ball actually enhance its charm. It stays true to itself and never aspires for more, but when it’s at its finest, there’s an earnestness about its characters and perspective that makes it effortless to embrace what it lacks. You don’t have to be a man to appreciate “guys are great,” nor do you have to be a guy who excels at being a guy. And let me tell you, when you’re watching Dragon Ball or playing a Dragon Ball game with a buddy? Guys are absolutely awesome.
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2024-10-14 18:53