Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime in history, with millions of fans worldwide. Some die-hard fans may be aware of its origins, but others may find Dragon Ball’s roots surprising. Before Goku achieved intergalactic combat experience and powerful transformations, his adventures were more Earth-centric and inspired directly by myths.
In fact, Dragon Ball came to be thanks to the famous 16th-century Chinese folklore, Journey to the West. Understanding the connections between the two offers a deeper understanding of the storyline as it evolves throughout the franchise. Understanding the ties to Journey to the West also creates a deeper appreciation for Akira Toriyama’s work and the thought he put into giving the tale a spin of his own.
Every Journey To The West Reference In Dragon Ball Explained
The Characters in Dragon Ball Were Inspired by Those in Journey to the West
The early chapters of Dragon Ball had parallels to Journey to the West in abundance. Goku shares similarities with Sun Wukong, the legendary Monkey King in Journey to the West, and not just in their names. Wukong was born from a mystical stone on Mount Huaguo, while Goku was raised on Mount Paozu after being found in a spaceship. Goku’s Nimbus and power pole are directly inspired by Wukong’s Cloud Somersault, which allows him to travel great distances, and his Golden-Hooped Rod can grow and shrink. Similarly to Goku, Wukong was capable of great and powerful transformations.
Aside from Goku, there are many more references to Journey to the West, such as Bulma’s connection to Tang Sanzang. Bulma first meets Goku and goes on to gather Oolong and Yamcha, similar to Tang Sanzang, who gathers similar warriors along his journey. Oolong, for example, is a direct reference to Zhu Bajie, a pigman who is comical, powerful, and morally gray. Yamcha’s counterpart is Sha Wujing, a bandit coming from the desert. Even Master Roshi, despite having a completely different personality, can be related to Sun Wukong’s teacher, who was also a hermit.
How Journey To The West Still Influences Dragon Ball All The Way Up To Daima
The Original Myth’s Influence on Dragon Ball Ranges Far and Wide
As the series grew and evolved, the influence of Journey to the West could still be seen, echoing through Dragon Ball Z and even the latest installment, Dragon Ball Daima. The Saiyan’s ability to transform into Super Saiyan is a homage to Sun Wukong’s ability to achieve new forms with greater power himself. The enemies Goku faces also mirror the battles Wukong faces along his own journey, such as Prince Vegeta and Nezha, the Third Lotus Prince.
More modern examples include the fact that both Goku and Sun Wukong visited and escaped the afterlife several times along their journeys. The Demon Realm in Daima could have easily been inspired directly by Wukong’s journeys and the trials he faced while in the Underworld. While Goku is aiming to save Dende and fight the Tamagamis, Sun Wukong aims to escape and fights his way out after erasing his name from the death list. As Goku’s story progresses in Dragon Ball, there could be even more subtle references or nods to the lore Toriyama based the original story on.
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.
