The first teaser trailer for James Gunn’sSupermanis out, and it makes a very sneaky nod toDragon Ball.Dragon BallandSupermanhave always had a lot of overlap thanks to their sci-fi themes and the blatant similarities between Goku and Superman, and while that often sparks arguments between the two fandoms, it often leads to just as much camaraderie between the fandoms, even on a creative level.
The overlap betweenDragon BallandSupermanis undeniable, and James Gunn’sSupermanis, surprisingly, the latest work to bring it up. The first teaser trailer for the film opens with an injured Superman lying in a crater, and with how his body is positioned,the teaser trailer for James Gunn’sSupermanmight have referencedDragon Ballby putting Superman inYamcha’s iconic death pose. This is hardly the first time aSupermanstory has referencedDragon Ballin recent years, of course, and overall, it does wonders to further emphasize the impactDragon Ballhas had on the world.
The Superman Trailer Is The Latest Dragon Ball Homage In A Superman Story
TheSupermanteaser trailer making aDragon Ballreference is great to see, especially since it isn’t the first one in recent years. Scott Snyder’sJustice League, for example, used Superman to reference the iconic Father-Son Kamehameha, and Dave Wielgosz’sSuperman: Man of Tomorrowhad Superman undergo martial arts training in a way framed likeDragon Ballfights. Most notably, of course,Phillip Kennedy Johnson’sAction Comicsgave Superman the power to create a giant energy construct two years after Goku did the same inDragon Ball Super, something far too blatant to brush off as a coincidence.
TheSupermanstory that best referencesDragon Ball, of course, is the Adult Swim cartoonMy Adventures with Superman. Not only does it referenceDragon Ballthrough how much action there is and how many of the characters are written to resembleDragon Ballcharacters, butcovers for theMy Adventures with Supermancomicshave paid clear homages toDragon Ballin tribute to Akira Toriyama following his passing earlier this year.Supermancreators have done much in recent years to referenceDragon Ball, and James Gunn being the latest to do so is great to see.
Why Superman & Dragon Ball’s Stories Go So Well Together
Superman & Dragon Ball Are So Iconic For A Reason
The overlap betweenSupermanandDragon Ball’s fandomsis undeniable, and it’s easy to see why. The surface-level similarities like the sci-fi elements andGoku and Superman’s backstories are one thing, but more importantly, they’re both about all-powerful beings who use their powers to protect a world that isn’t their own, so if anything,SupermanandDragon Ballshare so many fans because of their similar themes combined with their great action. Because of that overlap, James Gunn’sSupermanwon’t be the last story to make aDragon Ballhomage, and overall, that’s great to think about for both fandoms.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
