Hang in There, Japan!
Goku says, "Good Luck!!"
The recent earthquake in Japan has caused a lot of grief and heartache. Akira Toriyama wrote a message to the Japanese people wishing them good luck in their recovery. He said:
Hang in there~!!
To all the victims,
This is truly awful, but please don’t give up,
and hang in there no matter what!
- Toriyama Akira
(Translation by Hujio, from Kanzentai.com)
The Weekly Shonen Jump Editors also wrote a message below Toriyama’s illustration, wishing everyone a speedy recovery.
In Toriyama’s illustration, Goku and Arale-Chan from Dr. Slump ride aboard the Kinto-un while a golden Immortal Dragon flies behind them and the 7 dragon balls follow our hero upward into the sky.
Goku’s cheerful appearance and the overall symbolism imply an optimistic rebirth and a long life; an eternally youthful state of perseverance and rising ever higher.
Japan, perhaps now more than ever, needs the dragon balls and a hero like Goku to save the day.
Update! (Mar 28, 2011)
Shueisha and Toriyama have collaborated along with other manga artists in a relief effort.
Shueisha released a video that allows people to contribute their “genki” to the genki-dama (spirit bomb) and send it to Japan. By watching the video Shueisha will donate a small amount of money to the affected areas.
Toriyama also drew some new art along this same theme, found on the Japanese Shonen Jump site, where it can be downloaded as a wallpaper.
The art contains a drawing of Goku holding the genki-dama above his head, and Mister Satan is cheering the world on, saying “Thank you everyone!! The genki-dama is getting bigger and bigger!!”
Dragon Ball Zee or Zed?
Dragon Ball Z. How is it pronounced? Perhaps you never asked yourself the question, but it turns out there are a few different ways to say it. All because of the Z.
For example, is it pronounced Dragon Ball Zee, Dragon Ball Zed or something else entirely? The title of the show represents a linguistic problem with various answers that depend on where you live and what language you speak.
Why does it matter? Because the show is an international phenomenon with no agreed upon standard for how to pronounce its name. And the differences stand as another example of diversity seen within the localized versions of the Dragon Ball series.
To really understand why this is the case we have to learn a little about languages and world history from within the Dragon Ball perspective.
Dragon Ball’s Bloody Pond of Hell
Welcome to the "Bloody Pond" from DBZ's Hell
Have you been to the Bloody Pond of Hell? It’s a great place to visit… They have row boats.
Many fans of Dragon Ball may be aware of the Bloody Pond in Dragon Ball’s Hell, but how many of them know that you can actually visit it?
It turns out that there is a real Bloody Pond in a city of Japan, and that it was the most likely source for Dragon Ball’s version.
This Bloody Pond also has an interesting part to play in traditional Japanese culture and society.
What is the Bloody Pond and why does this matter in Dragon Ball? And where exactly did Toriyama receive the inspiration for his Bloody Pond?
Hammer of the Gods – Dragon Ball Martial Arts and the Double Axe Handle
Vegetto Smashes Majin Buu with a Double Axe Handle
In this Dragon Ball explorative essay we’re going to focus on the martial arts technique known as the double axe handle. This iconic technique is found throughout the Dragon Ball series and has both a rich history and symbolism.
Dragon Ball is a comic book and anime filled with fighting and all kinds of different martial arts styles. Yet many of them share similar techniques, and the double axe handle is one of the most identifiable.
These are the questions we will answer in this article:
- What is the double axe handle?
- What are its origins and history, and how does it relate to Dragon Ball?
- What are the histories of East Asian martial arts, Buddhism, and the Lightning Bolt Clasped Hands style of combat?
- How do eastern philosophies and this technique fit into the fights of DBZ?
- Why is the double axe handle used so often in Dragon Ball?
- Outside of Dragon Ball, where else can the double axe handle be seen?
Read on to find out! continue …
Over 9,000! Bonus Item Just Added to DBZ Book
Nope. It really is Over 8,000 in the original comic. Read the report to find out more.
I’ve put together a brand new special report that will help you learn all the details on the Dragon Ball internet phenomenon “Over 9,000!” that is found all over the web, and I’m giving it away for free with The Dao of Dragon Ball book.
Included in this over 9 page bonus item is an in-depth analysis of the pop cultural history of “Over 9,000!” and it’s connection to the Japanese DBZ source material as well as its connection to ancient Chinese, Indian, and Japanese cultures.
The report cannot be found elsewhere and is yours free just by giving The Dao of Dragon Ball a shot. If you decide the book isn’t for you, then you still get to keep your bonus item.
You can pick up a copy of the report at the main DBZ Book website.
Dragonball Book Review – Dragonball Z Extreme
Dragonball Z Extreme
Dragonball Z Extreme
Dragonball Z Extreme
This book is licensed by FUNimation, the American owners of the DBZ anime brand, so it’s filled with images of characters from the series. This really pulls you into the Dragon World and makes all of the activities feel very engaging. continue …
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