Current Events > Does akira toriyama view saiyans as resembling japanese people?

(+) Yeah! (+)

If they're aliens; why would anyone get mad at what race Goku's actor is, as long as the person somewhat resembles him?
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Most likely. Japan is an incredibly homogenous country. Id imagine most of the characters they create are meant to be Japanese.

If Goku were any other nationality, itd be Chinese, since hes supposed to be Sun Wukong.

Probably, just like how Superman is represented by a white, Western Male primarily even though he is an alien.

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Kami_no_Kami posted...

Most likely. Japan is an incredibly homogenous country. Id imagine most of the characters they create are meant to be Japanese.

If Goku were any other nationality, itd be Chinese, since hes supposed to be Sun Wukong.

That makes sense
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PiOverlord posted...

Probably, just like how Superman is represented by a white, Western Male primarily even though he is an alien.

True that!!
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When they transform, they get blond hair and green eyes.

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InfinityMonster posted...

When they transform, they get blond hair and green eyes.

So it's like they're Japanese & Nordic at the same time..or cloud strife's cousins
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Originally Goku (and the series) had a heavy Chinese flavor since it was clearly inspired by Journey to the West. The dragon's name and all the dragon ball names are in Chinese (in Japan, English probably translated them), many of the characters he meets are obviously inspired by China and the aesthetics if the setting as well. They even originally wrote the unit of distance in the manga in modern Chinese (). The alien stuff was thought up much later, around the time of the anime switching to being called Dragon Ball Z.

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ssjevot posted...

Originally Goku (and the series) had a heavy Chinese flavor since it was clearly inspired by Journey to the West. The dragon's name and all the dragon ball names are in Chinese (in Japan, English probably translated them), many of the characters he meets are obviously inspired by China and the aesthetics if the setting as well. They even originally wrote the unit of distance in the manga in modern Chinese (). The alien stuff was thought up much later, around the time of the anime switching to being called Dragon Ball Z.

I was just wording my question in a devils advocate way that it could be answered by the folk who didn't want a european goku & the folk who don't know why other people want an asian actor for goku.

But like you I am a classic dragon ball-z-gt-s fan & dug that stuff up myself as well lol; even bought saiyuki: journey west on ps1 as a kid for that reason.
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No, there are Asian characters and they don't look like the saiyans.
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Trickfinger posted...

No, there are Asian characters and they don't look like the saiyans.

yamcha is asian and he looks exactly like the Saiyans try harder

also the saiyans had blonde hair and light eyes because he was too lazy to ink in the characters. Saiyans are 100% meant to be Japanese since they went out of their way to make universe 6 Saiyans culture and looks closer to the Japanese.

The_Freecs posted...

yamcha is asian and he looks exactly like the Saiyans try harder

also the saiyans had blonde hair and light eyes because he was too lazy to ink in the characters. Saiyans are 100% meant to be Japanese since they went out of their way to make universe 6 Saiyans culture and looks closer to the Japanese.

What? What are you talking about even? How do you know Yamcha's Asian?

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Guide posted...

What? What are you talking about even? How do you know Yamcha's Asian?

his name is Yamcha, hes modeled off a character from a Chinese story he does Kung fu he wears Chinese clothing, he looks distinctly asian (as do all the dragon ball characters outside the red ribbon army and bulmas family). Hes also got a hairstyle common among asian celebrities.

InfinityMonster posted...

When they transform, they get blond hair and green eyes.

So they transform into white guys?
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Smashingpmkns posted...

So they transform into white guys?

Super Saiyans

The_Freecs posted...

his name is Yamcha, hes modeled off a character from a Chinese story he does Kung fu he wears Chinese clothing, he looks distinctly asian (as do all the dragon ball characters outside the red ribbon army and bulmas family). Hes also got a hairstyle common among asian celebrities.

None of that means he's Asian in the slightest.

It really helps my point that Asia doesn't even exist in the verse.

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you mispelled cyan.

Guide posted...

None of that means he's Asian in the slightest.

It really helps my point that Asia doesn't even exist in the verse.

sure mate whatever you want

CE is exactly the kind of place where I'd expect people to be arguing about the nationality of cartoon aliens.
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Nanaimo-Bar posted...

CE is exactly the kind of place where I'd expect people to be arguing about the nationality of cartoon aliens.

Jade is BLACK
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Nanaimo-Bar posted...

CE is exactly the kind of place where I'd expect people to be arguing about the nationality of cartoon aliens.

Heck yeah fam!
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The_Freecs posted...

sure mate whatever you want

You give up too easily, though I would too with bad points like yours.

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