Akira Toriyama Got Away with the Worst ‘Dragon Ball’ Scene That Would Make Fans Boycott Goku
- Dragon Ball's early episodes, particularly from 1986, contained s*xual humor and invasive acts.
- The portrayal of Master Roshi's harassment and Bulma’s over-s*xualization reflects outdated norms that could lead to boycotts if Dragon Ball aired in today’s world.
- Goku's disregard for personal space and repeated discomforting actions highlights the show's neglect of boundaries.
For the past seven years, Dragon Ball has been Toei Animation’s most profitable anime franchise, highlighting its immense popularity among the audience. Son Goku is undoubtedly one of the most iconic anime characters of all time.
For 32 years, he has remained the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball series, captivating generations of kids. Over the years, Goku has grown from a slightly bratty young boy into Earth’s greatest hero, with DAIMA showcasing the fan-favorite Saiyan’s venture into the Demon Realm.
Although Dragon Ball is a beloved classic series, some of the early anime scenes are still riddled with outdated social norms. The 1986 anime, despite its influence, contains inappropriate s*xual humor, especially when it comes to teenage girls, which has not aged well by modern standards.
If Dragon Ball had premiered today, it would have caused a huge controversy, and Goku would have been facing backlash for his questionable actions.
The Biggest Dragon Ball controversy that could have shattered Goku’s legacy
For decades, the main cast of Dragon Ball has been well-defined, earning plenty of love from fans for their enduring charm. Goku stands out for his strength, purity, and relentless drive to be the strongest, inspiring generations of kids around the world.
Goku’s charm wouldn’t be as impactful if he were a flawless character, and one of his most endearing traits has always been his lack of intellect.
This has been evident since the early days of Dragon Ball, where Toriyama included many inappropriate scenes that highlighted Goku’s inability to understand the wrongness of his actions.
Dragon Ball was made in an era where discussions on representation and social awareness were not as prevalent as they are today. As a result, many scenes and moments now feel uncomfortable by modern standards.
From Master Roshi’s inappropriate behavior to Bulma’s over-s*xualization, the 1986 Dragon Ball anime was filled with controversies that would likely result in a boycott today.
Even Goku, despite being a child, was placed in several questionable comedic moments that, in today’s era, would have sparked a major backlash against the beloved character.
In the early days of Dragon Ball, Goku picked up the invasive habit of patting other characters to check their gender.
What’s intended as an innocent curiosity instead turns into one of the most awkward aspects of his character. Goku’s rural upbringing and lack of understanding of societal norms are meant to be comedic, but the gag stretches on too long, making it increasingly uncomfortable to watch.
Not over how Goku couldn’t tell the difference in gender 😭 he was too wholesome pic.twitter.com/rwPCyuiNK3
— Sarz 🔥 (@Sanjistars) March 8, 2023
Dragon Ball reflects the era it was created, but modern audiences can better appreciate the importance of respecting boundaries and recognizing how invasive Goku’s actions truly are.
When Goku touches Chi-Chi, Oolong, or Nam, their visible discomfort is actually a humor element but very outdated as a recurring gag in hindsight.
Something that is of importance and needs to be addressed is the disregard for personal space, as we move towards a more respectful understanding of these issues.
Upon Dragon Ball‘s release in America, Funimation’s English dub censored the full-frontal nudity and toned down explicit s*xual jokes to make the series more accessible. In hindsight, certain scenes should have been removed entirely.
How DAIMA missed the mark on Goku’s legacy and characterization
DAIMA is the latest installment in the Dragon Ball franchise after Dragon Ball Super and is currently generating a huge buzz online. It follows the story of Goku in the nebulous Demon Realm before he and the rest of DB‘s cast find themselves transformed into mini-kid versions of themselves.
Even though Mini Goku is physically younger than Kid Goku, there’s no excuse for a 40-year-old Goku to be less mature than a 12-year-old version of himself. Nothing about Goku’s character in Dragon Ball Z indicates he is as foolish as he is portrayed in DAIMA and the rest of the modern Dragon Ball.
DAIMA may be in the crosshairs today, but it didn’t start the trend of a dumbed-down Goku. This is how modern Dragon Ball has been writing Goku for years now.
Toei has shifted its focus to a younger audience, which has resulted in the creation of this simplified, “dumbed-down” version of Goku. Unless major changes happen, we may be stuck with this overly simplistic and foolish Goku for a long time.
Dragon Ball Super and DAIMA are available to stream on Crunchyroll.
