Getting aDragon Balllive-action movie right would depend on successfully casting the main character, a challenge thatOne Pieceperfectly succeeded at. While Netflix’sOne Piecerestored hopes for future adaptations, mostlive-action anime movies from Hollywoodmissed the mark and did not live up to their source material. Fifteen years later,Dragonball Evolutionremains the most infamous example of how not to turn a beloved anime into a live-action film. Not only did the 2009 movie completely change the story and the setting, but it also got the cast of Goku and his friends wrong.
Dragonball Evolutionwhitewashing Goku was the first and biggest indicator that the movie was not going to treatDragon Ballwith the respect it deserved. Naturally,the actors cast in the project were not to blame, yetDragonball Evolutionwas doomed to failfrom the start. Between the questionable casting choices, the relatively low budget compared to what a properDragon Ballfilm would need, and the changes made to the story,Dragonball Evolutionhas no redeemable qualities. IfanotherDragon Balllive-action film ever happens, the first step for it to work is to find the perfect Goku.
A Dragon Ball Live-Action Movie Would Have To Cast The Perfect Goku
A Faithful Adaptation Only Works If It Casts The Right Goku
Goku is one of the most iconic anime main characters of all time, if not the most. From his early adventures as a child to saving the universe even when was not even supposed to be alive, Goku has been the face of theDragon Ballfranchisesince its inception. A charismatic, kindhearted protagonist who just wants to have fun and become stronger, Goku is not a very complex character. Still,casting the right Goku would be a very difficult missionsince audiences all over the world already have preconceptions of what he should look and sound like.
James Marsters, who played King Piccolo inDragonball Evolution, voiced Zamasu in the English dub ofDragon Ball Super.
From small yet important details such as how to do Goku’s hair in live-action to the acting challenges that the character would pose, portraying a proper Goku in a different media would be a herculean effort. Naturally, it would all start with the right casting choice –an actor that could capture not only the looks but also the spirit of Son Goku.Such actor would have to convey the naivety and the humor of Goku, yet they would also have to be ready for the physical aspect of playing one of the greatest fighters in fiction.
Netflix’s One Piece Live-Action Struck Gold With Its Monkey D. Luffy Casting
Iñaki Godoy As Luffy Is One Of The Reasons Why One Piece Live-Action Works
While there have been plenty of live-action anime adaptations, not many properties as big asDragon Ballhave been turned into Hollywood movies or TV shows. The only other example is Netflix’sOne Piece, which brought Eiichiro Oda’s best-selling manga to live-action for the first time.One Piecedid a lot of things right, and it is arguably the best live-action adaptation of an anime by far. However, in addition to all the right creative and visual decisions made by the show,One Piecestruck gold by finding the perfect actor to play Monkey D. Luffy.
Lera Abova
Miss All Sunday
There are not many characters in fiction that can compare with Monkey D. Luffy in terms of personality and appeal, Goku being one of them. This is why it was so important – and difficult – for the Netflix show to find the right Luffy. Fortunately, they did.Iñaki Godoy managed to capture the spirit of Luffy and achieved what many thought to be impossibleby crafting a version of the character that fit in the “real world” while still feeling like Luffy from the manga and the anime. The rest ofOne Piece’s casting choiceswere also on point.
An Accurate Dragon Ball Adaptation Would Have To Cast 2 Actors To Play Goku
Goku Is 12 At The Start Of The Series But An Adult Later On
The idealDragon Ballmovie franchise would not skip the first 194 chapters of Goku’s story. Even thoughDragon Ball Z– which begins with the arrival of Raditz and the reveal that Goku is an alien from a planet of warriors sent to conquer Earth – is the most iconic part of the franchise, the story doesn’t start there. Jumping right into the Saiyan saga and make into a big-budget action movie certainly sounds tempting, butthefirst part ofDragon Ballshouldn’t be ignored in an adaptation.
Every Single Dragon Ball Movie (In Chronological Order)
With more than 20 entries, viewing the Dragon Ball movies in order is a big experience, and keeping track of them all can be difficult.
Funnily enough,Dragonball Evolutionwas technically aDragon Balladaptation and not aDragon Ball Zone. Still, apart from Goku and Bulma teaming up to find theDragon Balls and Piccolo as the villain, there were not many similarities between the movie and the classic anime series. Regardless, should aDragon Balllive-action reboot start with Goku as a child, the franchise would likely have to cast a second actor to play the older version of the character later on – Goku is 12 at the start of the series and 24 when Raditz arrives.
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.
