Dragon Soul: 30 Years of Dragon Ball Fandom

By Derek Padula

With a foreword from Christopher Sabat and Sean Schemmel, Dragon Soul: 30 Years of Dragon Ball Fandom is a grand celebration of the world's greatest anime and manga and it's momentous 30th Anniversary.

Join me on a global adventure in search of the 7 dragon balls, as we head west toward Japan, the birthplace of Dragon Ball. Along the way we'll meet 81 fans from 25 countries who will share their Dragon Ball story. From artists to authors, collectors to philosophers, we'll hear their Dragon Soul and discover how Dragon Ball changed their lives. Includes over 100 images.

We'll meet such famous fans as Lawrence Simpson (MasakoX) from Team Four Star, Malik from Dragon Ball New Age, Salagir from Dragon Ball Multiverse, MMA fighter Marcus Brimage, YouTube celebrities SSJGoshin4, Nelson Junior (Casa do Kame), and film critic Chris Stuckmann, famous cosplayers "Living Ichigo," Atara Collis, and Jah'lon Escudero, the creators of Dragon Ball Z: Light of Hope, Twitter star @Goku, authors Patrick Galbraith, Nestor Rubio, and Vicente Ramirez, and dozens more.

Joining us will be 27 professionals from 7 countries, including American voice actors Chris Sabat (Vegeta), Sean Schemmel (Goku), Chris Ayres (Freeza), Chris Rager (Mister Satan), Mike McFarland (Master Roshi), Chuck Huber (Android 17), Kyle Hebert (Son Gohan), Jason Douglas (Beerus), Chris Cason (Tenshinhan), FUNimation employees Justin Rojas, Adam Sheehan, and Rick Villa, Dragon Ball Z composer Bruce Faulconer, Dragon Ball manga editor Jason Thompson, Canadian voice actors Peter Kelamis (Goku) and Brian Drummond (Vegeta), Latin American voice actors Mario Castaneda (Goku), Rene Garcia (Vegeta), Eduardo Garza (Krillin), French voice actor Eric Legrand (Vegeta), French journalist Olivier Richard, Spanish voice actors Jose Antonio Gavira (Goku), Julia Oliva (Chichi), and manga editor David Hernando, Danish voice actors Caspar Philllipson (Goku) and Peter Secher Schmidt (Freeza), and Brazilian voice actor Wendel Bezerra (Goku).

Gather your belongings, jump on your magic cloud, and embark on a grand adventure, in Dragon Soul: 30 Years of Dragon Ball Fandom!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Derek Padula
• Release date: Jun 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781943149018

Derek Padula

Derek Padula is the Dragon Ball Scholar. He writes non-fiction books about the culture, history, and fandom of Dragon Ball, the world's most-recognized anime and manga.Derek has been a fan of Dragon Ball since 1997 when he first watched the anime, and has seen every episode and read every chapter of the manga dozens of times. His love for Dragon Ball inspired him to begin martial arts training in Shaolin Gong Fu, and then Taiji Quan, Qi Gong, San Sau, Shotokan Karate, and Falun Dafa meditation. Derek earned his B.A. in East Asian Studies and a minor in Chinese from Western Michigan University. He studied abroad in Beijing, China where he trained with the Buddhist Shaolin Monks and a Daoist Taiji Sword Master.He loves to design video games, speak at anime conventions, and wants to share his understanding of this profound series that continues to influence the lives of millions.

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Dragon Soul

30 Years of Dragon Ball fandom

Derek Padula

thedaoofdragonball.com

Legal Disclaimer

Copyright © 2015, by Derek Padula

Written and published by Derek Padula in The United States of America, all rights reserved.

Cataloging In-Publication Data

Padula, Derek.

Dragon Soul: 30 Years of Dragon Ball Fandom / Derek Padula

Includes glossary.

ISBN: 978-1-943149-01-8

1. Fantasy comic books, strips, etc. – Japan – 20th century – History and Criticism. 2. Martial arts – Comic books, strips, etc. 3. Spiritual life – Buddhism 4. Spiritual life – Daoism. 5. Good and evil. 6. Imaginary wars and battles. 7. Ethics, ancient. 8. Heroes.

PN6790.J33 – P2 2014

741.5952 – 23

LCCN: 2015905660

Notice of Rights

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Notice of Liability

The author has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information herein. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author nor its dealers or distributors will be held liable for any damages to be caused either directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

Trademark Notice

Rather than indicate every occurrence of a trademarked name as such, this book uses the names only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner with no intention of infringement of the trademark.

License Information

Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Kai, Dragon Ball Online, and all other logos, character names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION, Akira Toriyama, BIRD STUDIO, SHUEISHA, FUNIMATION, VIZ MEDIA, BANDAI NAMCO, ATARI, and all other respective license holders unmentioned.

This book was not prepared, licensed, or endorsed by any entity involved in creating or producing the Dragon Ball series. It is an independent, unofficial work that has no connection to the official license and is written within fair use guidelines.

Image Information

The illustrations in this book and on the cover that are rendered in the Dragon Ball style are original works, created through work for hire contracts with independent artists unaffiliated with the official Dragon Ball license.

All other images within the content of the book are created by fans and given to the author, Derek Padula, with full and express consent, for use within the book. They are not licensed images, nor official artwork owned by the Dragon Ball license holders. All rights to the images are owned by Derek Padula, and may not be reproduced without his express written consent. The Dragon Ball license holders in the United States (FUNIMATION and VIZ MEDIA) recognize these as independent and wholly owned works, and do not claim ownership of them, nor claim that they infringe upon their official licenses, nor that they are equal to an official license. In submitting images to the author for use in this book, the fans forfeit their right to profit from their submissions, and likewise to ownership of copyright, unless express written claims were made beforehand. Otherwise, all other content within the confines of this book are owned by Derek Padula and may not be copied, altered, or sold without his approval.

Cover Art Illustration by Javier Secano.

Version 1.0

Web: http://thedaoofdragonball.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Akira Toriyama, born April 5, 1955.

30 years of Dragon Ball; 60 years of Toriyama; 100’s of millions of fans.

Thank you for sharing your Dragon Soul with the world, Toriyama-sensei.

Fusion Foreword

Hey, Vegeta! What’re we doin’ here, again?

Kakarot, pay attention! This is a foreword.

Eh?! F-Foreword… Is that a type of food?

No, you fool! It’s the part of a book where somebody important says good things about it, and gets you excited to read it. It’s obvious why they asked me to write it, but you, I’ll never know.

A book, huh? Like those things that Chichi’s always forcin’ Gohan to look at, instead of trainin’? That reminds me of the time that the old man made Krillin and I look at his funny books, hahaha...

… No, you have to… Ehhh, we’ll never get anywhere like this. Our only hope is for me to take the lead. As much as I hate to say this… we need… to fuse.

Fusion?! B-But you said, Never again, Kakarot! Remember?

Of course I remember! And I meant it! But this is such a big challenge that we’ll need to combine our efforts and take it head-on. It’s a foe unlike any other…

Oh! Well, when you put it that way, I’m in!!

… Great… I’m thrilled…

Okay, here we go…

…. Never again, Kakarot. Never again…

*

Fuuuuu…

Sion…

FOREWORD!!!!

***

This Fusion Foreword is inspired by the words of Seán Schemmel and Christopher Sabat during a conversation with the author. Seán and Christopher are the American English voices of Son Goku and Vegeta. It is written in a single voice, as if they were a new person who had fused together in the fashion of Gogeta and Vegetto.

***

Dragon Ball means a lot to me, and Dragon Soul showed me why. This book is a collection of important interviews and stories from fans across the world, just like yourself. It’s an international collaboration of meaningful content, like gathering energy for a giant Spirit Bomb that hits you with its awesome power. It’s an exciting idea, and I’m honored to be a part of it.

Working on the series for so long and being so close to its development gives you a different perspective than the fans who watch it at home. I helped create the English dub and bring it to millions of fans across the world, so I have my own personal experiences with it and see it in a certain way. For me, it started off as a cool job on a weird Japanese show where I got to fly through the air, transform into a golden-haired warrior, and blow up mountains. But life imitates art. Not the Super Saiyan part, although that would be great. What I mean is, the Dragon Ball series has grown in magnitude with every episode and film, and new releases by Akira Toriyama show this trend continuing. As it does, Dragon Ball plays an increasingly greater importance in my life. I work on the series all the time, I talk about it at conventions, I shout "Kamehameha! and It’s Over 9,000!" until my voice gets sore, and this show literally made my career. Where would I be without Dragon Ball? I have no answer to that question because I can’t imagine life without it.

This is a book about Dragon Ball fans, and when I read these stories it shows me how profoundly it’s changed their lives. Some of the stories made me say, Wow! Others left me in awe, in part because I had a role to play in them. When I was in the recording studio and screaming my head off I couldn’t have imagined that one day there’d be a person who decides to not commit suicide because of it; to set a world record for the largest Dragon Ball collection; or be raised on the show after being kidnapped, with Goku and Vegeta filling in as their role models. Who can plan to inspire people like that? I don’t think that’s because of my performance. I think it’s because Dragon Ball has this Dragon Soul, just as the title says.

There’s never been a book dedicated to the fans of an anime before, and there’s no series more fitting than Dragon Ball. It’s the show that started hundreds of millions of people on anime and created entire industries built around it in countries across the world. Without Dragon Ball, it’s likely that none of the anime that you watch on TV outside of Japan would be dubbed in your language. It created the international anime and manga industry in every country where it appeared.

There’s no author more qualified to write a book about Dragon Ball fans than Derek Padula. He’s the leading authority on the culture of Dragon Ball and has dedicated his entire life to its fans and the series they love. Dragon Soul follows in that tradition, in being honest, open, interesting, and delving into Dragon Ball in a deeper way than talking about power levels.

It’s fitting that on Dragon Ball’s 30th Anniversary it’s more popular today than it’s ever been. This series keeps rising upward to higher levels. As it does so, I’ll always be there with it, and with you, traveling on this incredible adventure.

*

Seán Schemmel and Christopher Sabat

May, 2015

Contents

Dedication

Fusion Foreword

Introduction

Soul of the Dragon

81 Stories

Eternal Spirit

My Dragon Soul

Origin

Valleys

Discovery

Darkness

Light

Gōngfu

Energy

Paths

Dàfǎ

Běijīng

Mountains

Journey

Why?

Perspective

Dragon Souls

Deepak Sharma

3-Star Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Trivia

Walk the Path

Hisham P.

Frank Einar Josep Haugen

Christian F.

Marcel Schmidt

Hejar Abdi

Marb

5-Star Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Trivia

Back to Earth

Laurent Gomez (Salagir)

Lucrezia Antea Barbarossa

Néstor Rubio (Clarens)

Vicente Ramírez Jurado

Carlos Merino

Antonio Sánchez-Migallón Jiménez (Mr. Kaytos)

João Pinto

Lawrence Simpson (MasakoX)

2-Star Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Trivia

Game On!

Ajay Stewart

Shaun Hawksworth

Natasha Sazenski

Andrew Affleck

Dominic Valela

Sunny Mann

Jory Sigmund Matthew Waese

Jacob Barth

Terry Lee (Malik)

Chris Stuckmann

Matthew Baldaccini

Conor Flatley

Lexi Momo

Chance McMurdy

Wayne Harrison Hawkins

Chad Scott

Frankie Jackson

Marcus Brimage

Stephanie Symoné-Germanotta Paz (SSJGoshin4)

Clayton Bowen

Topher Mowry

Christian Vázquez

Chad Elkins (ValiantGoku)

Jeremy Patrick

Colton Knox

Stephen McClung

Christopher M. Sanchez

Desirae Quintana

Angelica Romero

Steven Alvino

Michael Tenorio

Daniel Noreen

Atara Collis

Jewell Tovar

Brandon Smith

Brandon Thomas

Jacob Khuraibet

4-Star Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Trivia

Follow Goku’s Lead

Scott Adams

Michael Nilsen

Richard Simoneau

Theodore Linardos (Living Ichigo)

Brady Huang

Alex C. (Kakarot)

Laurent Lohan Buson

Tyler Tackett

Abraham Castañeda

Avineesh Kom

Angel Hernandez

Clinton La Vine

Jah’lon Escudero

Marc Dorris (@Goku)

Maritza Alvarado

Patricia Ledezma

Juan Carlos Vega (Jack)

Claudia Soriano

7-Star Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Trivia

Gotta’ Gather Them All

Afrania Sauning

Luis Cuevas

Herbert Köster and Carli Vela

Anderson Pires

Nelson Junior

1-Star Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Trivia

Origin Revealed

Vania Boidanich

Fabricio Panattieri (Fabricio Works)

Asfand Alvi (Son Alvi)

Yasir Diedericks

Jehred Abuy

Patrick W. Galbraith

6-Star Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Trivia

Destination Reached

Summoning Shenron

Shenron Appears

Making our Wish

Ascension

Seán Schemmel

Christopher Sabat

Christopher Ayres

Chris Rager

Adam Sheehan

Mike McFarland

Justin Rojas

Chuck Hüber

Bruce Faulconer

Kyle Hebert

Chris Cason

Jason Douglas

Rick Villa

Jason Thompson

Peter Kelamis

Brian Drummond

Mario Castañeda

René Garcia

Eduardo Garza

Éric Legrand

Olivier Richard

José Antonio Gavira

Julia Oliva

David Hernando

Caspar Philippson

Peter Secher Schmidt

Wendel Bezerra

Conclusion

Appendix

Dragon Ball Generation

Dragon Ball in Japan

Dragon Ball Dreamers

Global Generation

Just Entertainment

The Opposite of Toriyama’s Expectation

A Timeless Work

Waves of Influence

The Mark of a Generation

Dragon Ball Spirit

About the Author

Next Steps

Rate this Book

Share this Book

Write to the Author

Introduction

Dragon Ball is a life-changing series. In Dragon Soul: 30 Years of Dragon Ball Fandom you’ll embark on a mystical adventure across the world to find the 7 dragon balls and discover how Dragon Ball has changed your life.

Dragon Soul is a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Dragon Ball, from 1985–2015. Following in Goku’s footsteps, we’ll travel through 24 countries and meet 81 fans whose life stories prove that Dragon Ball made the world a better place, one person at a time.

Soul of the Dragon

Dragon Ball is the #1 action anime and manga series of all time.¹ The fights are ‘epic,’ ‘incredible,’ and ‘mind blowing.’ Dragon Ball set the bar for every shōnen (少年, few years, or young boys) battle manga and anime series to come, and the ones that are popular today only exist because Dragon Ball inspired them into existence. Nothing has ever taken its place, and I don’t think anything ever will.

But here’s the thing. Dragon Ball isn’t popular today because of the punching and the screaming. It’s popular because of the characters and what they mean to us. Sure, when we’re kids we think the action is incredible and it might be what attracts us to the show. But what keeps us watching it into our 20s, 30s, and 40s? It’s not the punches to the head. It’s the punches to our hearts.

Dragon Ball penetrates deep inside your heart, and it never leaves you. It inspires you to run fast, fly through the air, fire ki blasts,² and scream at the top of your lungs as you chase down your dreams. Dragon Ball pushes you to think big, go on adventures, take risks, and become the hero you want to be. And when the going gets tough and the odds are against you, the spirit of Dragon Ball is there to remind you to stand back up and continue the fight; to keep moving forward; to find your courage and take your shot!

This series is a showcase for the universal principles of perseverance, determination, commitment, loyalty, sacrifice, purity, and just downright enjoying life. This is what makes it worth watching, discussing, and analyzing as you mature. Life is complicated and difficult to endure, but Dragon Ball is simple and easy to enjoy. It’s a place to turn to when the going gets tough, and is a timeless reminder of your ideals.

Funny as it sounds, the creator, Akira Toriyama, didn’t want Dragon Ball to be meaningful. He wanted it to be pure entertainment, and whenever the series started to veer toward imparting ‘lessons’ to the reader, he put an immediate stop to it and took the story in a different direction. The fact he made his story up week-by-week, without a grandiose vision or much of a plan to speak of, is the icing on this ironic cake. Because by trying to make it meaningless, he made it meaningful. Toriyama focused on entertaining young Japanese boys, but in the process of striving to exceed expectations at every turn, so did his characters, and their actions spoke to people across the world. It doesn’t matter where you come from or how old you are, Dragon Ball is a series that touches your heart and speaks to your humanity.

So why is Dragon Ball such a meaningful story if the author didn’t intend it to be?

Toriyama based his story on a Chinese legend called Journey to the West, written in 1592 A.D.³ It’s a classic adventure story that tells the tale of a Buddhist monk who travels from China to India and then back again in order to recover sacred Buddhist texts. He does this because he wants to save humanity and offer a way for man to transcend beyond the three realms of reincarnation, in heaven, earth, and hell. Along the way he meets a monkey warrior named Sūn Wùkōng, a pig man, a sand demon, and a magical white horse, who protect him from demons and deception. As they travel to India they experience 81 hardships, and upon the completion of their quest they attain enlightenment, becoming eternal Buddha’s.

Journey to the West is the inspiration for the original Dragon Ball story, and Son Goku is Toriyama’s modern adaptation of Sūn Wùkōng. That’s why they both have a magical cloud, extending staff, monkey tail, and a love for fighting. But it doesn’t stop there. I spent 12 years writing about the similarities in a 7 volume book series called Dragon Ball Culture.

Toriyama takes this ancient tale and makes it modern. He bases his story in the setting of Chinese culture and then combines it with Hong Kong kung fu films, Hollywood movies, silly jokes, and Japanese pop culture. That’s the formula for his success. Instead of being a religious story filled with Buddhist and Dàoist inspired action, adventure, and occasional jokes, it’s an adventure story filled with action, jokes, and an unspoken subtext of Buddhist and Dàoist culture. He makes it the opposite of what it originally was, and thereby opens the story up to countless millions.

By basing it on the Chinese story and martial arts concepts inherent in its ancient culture, Toriyama’s story inherited a deeper meaning. This is revealed in his character’s actions and their continual inner journey for growth, their dream of reaching a higher level and tapping further into their potential, and the principle of endurance. It’s the idea that we can change ourselves if we train hard enough and persevere. Do you have untapped potential? Would you like to be better than your current self? Journey to the West and Dragon Ball inspire you to try.

They also impart the idea that everyone deserves a second chance, through compassion and patience. We find this path of redemption, transformation, and salvation in several villainous characters that Goku meets on his journey. For example, Piccolo and Vegeta, who undergo profound character development and become the opposite of their former selves. As we watch them change, step by step, we reflect on our own humanity and actions in life.

This is rather thought-provoking stuff for a battle manga, don’t you think?

That’s the cool thing about Toriyama. He brings this to you and to the entire world, but he doesn’t explain it in the series or elaborate on it in his interviews, so it’s left for you to interpret. Some people miss it because they’re so in awe of the action, but if you examine it, you’ll see the signs and symbols pointing to these ancient beliefs. And this content is what speaks to you 15, 20, or 25 years later as you grow up with the series.

This is the eternal Soul of Dragon Ball.

81 Stories

Dragon Soul has 81 stories because the pilgrims in Journey to the West have 81 experiences on their adventure. The monk returns to the source of the Buddhist teachings, and then shares what he’s learned with the rest of humanity.

We’re going to do the same thing here, only in reverse. Starting in India, we’ll travel west on a global journey to Japan, the source of Dragon Ball. And if we can find all 7 dragon balls by using our trusty Dragon Radar, then we’ll summon Shenron, the God Dragon, and make our wish come true!

As the pilgrims in Journey to the West complete each step in their journey, they gain wisdom that leads to their enlightenment. My intention is for you to undergo a similar process as you read through Dragon Soul, and to have a lot of fun while you do it.

I announced this book on my website, thedaoofdragonball.com, on November 20, 2014, which is the day that marks the 30th anniversary of Dragon Ball. I made an open-call for fans across the world to share their Dragon Ball story with others. Over the next several months I received submissions from artists, collectors, cosplayers, martial artists, philosophers, scholars, and a whole bunch of Dragon Ball Z fanatics.

There were more than 81 stories to choose from, and I’m thankful to everyone who sent in their story. I couldn’t include them all, so let me explain the process of how I made the selections.

My goal was to show you a broad spectrum of the Dragon Ball fandom. I wanted each story to be a microcosmic representation of the larger macrocosmic fanbase. The voices of these fans, from boys to girls and young to old, will help you better understand why this show is still so popular and such a large part of your life. You’ll read some inspiring stories, others funny, sad, or awe inspiring. Through the laughter and tears you’ll reconnect with your childhood and discover what Dragon Ball means to you.

When I started reading through the submissions I began by categorizing each person, such as an author, collector, or YouTuber. But I soon discovered that this didn’t work. Like Dragon Ball itself, Dragon Ball fans are indefinable. You can’t squeeze Dragon Ball into a box and slap a label on it, and likewise, there’s no single thing that Dragon Ball fans ‘are’ or ‘are not.’ Some of the YouTuber’s are collectors, while other fans are actors who play the DBZ video games, artists who are philosophers, or PhDs who run DBZ websites. And there are different parts of the series that attract different people; from the action to the humor or the romance—what little of it there is.

There is no single word used to describe Dragon Ball fans at large. Star Trek has its Trekkers, but there are no Dragon Ballers. The closest I’ve heard is Z Warriors,⁴ and this term already refers to the main cast of martial artists within the show, so it could be confusing to use it to refer to fans, and moreseo because it carries a martial arts context.

But this lack of a simple definition is a good thing, because it means you’re special. Just like each of the characters in Dragon Ball, you have your own qualities that make you a great person. So as you read these stories from other fans, you’ll get to discover who each of these wonderful people are, and their story will unfold through their voices and into your heart.

You might think that after researching Dragon Ball for more than half my life, and writing about it professionally for years, that I’d know it all, right? But I discover something new about Dragon Ball every day. And you can’t hear these stories in a Dragon Ball data book or online dictionary. There’s no DBZ expert online who can show you these people’s hearts. This is original and true content: the untold stories of Dragon Ball.

It’s a difficult task to receive and edit submissions in multiple languages from across the world. My approach was to see the inner potential of each story and bring that to the surface, like training a Saiyan to become a Super Saiyan. All of the people who submitted stories agreed to let me edit their text before they sent it in, but I strove to maintain their voice. I did not add to their content, but in some cases I deleted content for the sake of brevity and to strengthen their message. Nor did I coach them into saying certain things. Everything that you read in these stories is a genuine expression.

One voice, one story. My goal was to put the focus on their stories, and that’s why I remove myself from the 81 stories. Some of the people preferred to share their stories in an interview, rather than in written format. In those cases I’ve removed my voice from the conversation. You’ll also find an occasional essay, which is a nice treat.

Reading 81 Dragon Ball stories in a row will highlight the similarities among them. These fans never spoke to one another, but you’ll see common themes throughout. No matter the age, gender, or nationality, the message of Dragon Ball rings loud and clear. For some people it’s as simple as, "Dragon Ball rocks!" While for others it’s a soul-stirring epic that expanded their minds, led them onto the path of self-cultivation, inspired them to fight against bullies, or helped them make friends, survive depression, and fall in love. The one constant is that Dragon Ball changed their lives.

The more you experience Dragon Ball, the more you’re changed. You don’t have to process this on an intellectual level, because it’s deeper than that. It’s who you are. As you read these stories you’ll look back on your own life and see how you grew up with Dragon Ball and its spirit became a part of you.

Eternal Spirit

Dragon Ball is a multi-generational, evergreen series. Wherever it appears, it makes fans, and as it has spread from one country to the next, it has created an entire generation of fans at a time.

The children of Japan born in the 1970s watched it during the original run in the 1980s and early ‘90s. Then the children in Europe, Mexico, and South America born in the 80s grew up with the series during the late-80s to mid-90s. And the children in America and the United Kingdom born in the 80s grew up with the series in the late-90s and early 2000s. For each of these groups, Dragon Ball is the manga and anime of their generation. This is in part because it is such a long series and the story covers Goku’s childhood to adulthood. As a result, the fans grow up alongside Goku.

Once they become adults, it’s still their favorite series, so they introduce it to the next generation, through their children, nieces, or nephews. With the broadcast of Dragon Ball Kai⁵ and the resurgence of new Dragon Ball Z movies and anime, the series has been revitalized and is more alive now in 2015 than most brand new series will ever have the chance to be. Every day there is someone who experiences Dragon Ball for the first time.

The people in this book are true Dragon Ball fans, so reading these stories is like hanging out with your best friend, and you feel like you could talk with them for hours. Because it doesn’t matter how old we are, what race, financial background, or creed; Dragon Ball unites us together. It’s the common thread in all of our lives. That’s Dragon Ball’s power.

I believe this is an important aspect of the series to understand. It’s not just a funny story or illustrations on a page. There’s a magical quality that gets inside you and never goes away; an energy. If there weren’t, then it couldn’t have had such a big influence on these people. Of course, Dragon Ball means something different to every person who experiences it. So if you consider yourself a Dragon Ball fan, then ask yourself this question:

What’s my Dragon Ball dream?

The potential of that dream is inside you, waiting to be tapped into. If you’ve forgotten what that dream is, or you’ve been distracted and haven’t chased after it, then now’s the time to bring it back to the surface from deep within your heart. Our values and ideals are embedded into our stories and told through our actions. So while this book may not change the world, it may change yours. Stories have a transformative power, and listening to their stories will show you the common aspirations that we carry inside us. Perhaps while you continue to read this book, your dream will be given new life, and in turn, your Dragon Soul will rise into the clouds once again.

I enjoyed writing this book, and want to thank everyone who sent in their stories. Dragon Ball means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to you. We each have our own stories to tell, and I think the great thing about this book is that it shows you how other Dragon Ball fans have lived their stories. So I hope that it inspires you to live your ideals and tap into your potential. I want you to go Super Saiyan and embark on a grand adventure!

It’s time to let your Dragon Soul roar!!

---

1 Anime (アニメ, animation) is the Japanese approximation of the English word of animation, referring to animated cartoons on television and in movies. Manga (漫画, whimsical drawing, comic, or cartooning) is the Japanese word for comic. Both anime and manga are single words that refer to a large industry in focused on the production of illustrated entertainment, with many genres. These are foreign terms and should normally be italicized, but they are such common terns outside of Japan now, that I don’t feel the need.

2 Ki (気, energy) is the metaphysical material in Dragon Ball that enables martial artists such as Goku to fly through the air, run at superhuman speed, and fire beams of energy out of their hands as a weapon. It is a Japanese derivative of the Chinese qì (氣, energy).

3 Journey to the West (Chinese: Xīyóujì, 西遊記, Japanese: Saiyūki, 1592 A.D.) is often attributed to the author Wú Chéng’ēn (吳承恩, 1500–1582).

4 Z Warriors is a translation of the Japanese Zetto-senshi (Z 戦士). The term originates in the anime, so it is not canonical to Toriyama’s manga. Senshi can be translated as warrior, fighter, or soldier. The American dub of Dragon Ball Z calls them Z Fighters, but I prefer the cultural connotations of a warrior; someone who follows a path of discipline.

5 Dragon Ball Kai (ドラゴンボール改, 2009) is a refreshed version of the Dragon Ball Z anime created in celebration of the 20th anniversary of DBZ, starting in 1989. It features remastered footage, redubbed voice acting, and cuts most of the filler content in order to stay closer to the canonical manga. Outside of Japan it is called Dragon Ball Z Kai.

My Dragon Soul

What’s my Dragon Ball story? Who am I, and why did I write this book?

Dragon Ball saved my life. Without this series, I’d be dead.

Origin

As my father placed me into the space pod, my mother waved goodbye. Tears fell down her cheeks as I rocketed toward Earth. The last thing I remember is my home planet exploding in a fiery ball of destruction!

Or, wait, no, that’s not my story. Where did I get that from? Sounds familiar.

Oh yes, it’s coming back to me now.

East Grand Rapids, Michigan, born and raised. On the playground is where I spend most of my days.

Born in 1983, I’m raised Presbyterian Christian by a mom who likes going to church and an agnostic dad that prefers I make up my own mind. He wants me to discover and believe in what I feel is best. I grow up in a middle class home with two loving parents and two older brothers.

I take an immediate interest in pop culture. I love reading comic books, including the classics from DC and Marvel, such as Superman, Batman, and X-Men with a healthy dose of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I just miss the heyday of Transformers and G.I. Joe, but am the perfect age for the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and a wild assortment of action movies and kung fu films. The late 80s is a good time to be a kid in Middle America.

Reading comic books, watching TV, playing war games, hide and seek, team sports, jumping off the couch pretending to be a professional wrestler, going to school, hanging out with friends, riding a bike around the lake, and all around being a young boy. That sums it up.

I’m an innocent child with a big smile and a natural trust of everyone around me. Elementary school is fun, and I’m one of the most popular kids in class during 5th grade.

Along the way I learn to love both pop culture and traditional culture. My childhood is good and everything is looking up.

But then it starts to hurt.

Valleys

My teenage years suck.

What’s up with middle school? You go from being Mr. Cool to Mr. Fool over a single summer break? I don’t know how that happens. Social hierarchies, maybe?

Suddenly I’m the 6th grader that all of the 7th and 8th graders want to pick on. Whether it’s the acne, the glasses, the bad hair, or you name it, there’s a target on my back. And yes, that literally happens.

I start to fear going to school each day because I never know what’s going to happen. Are they going to shove me into a locker again, or just call me names? I don’t know which is worse, but I start disliking myself and get a case of depression. Of course I don’t know what depression is at the time, and it seems so confusing, because in my mind life is supposed to be a fun adventure. As a coping mechanism I spend far too much time playing video games. It’s a place where I can be by myself and in another world, where everything is fun and I can make progress and get a feeling of achievement. I start to think that becoming a game designer would be an incredible job. I can create fantasy worlds and bring people the same meaning and joy that they bring me. And I’ll have complete control of what happens and doesn’t.

Two years go by and now I’m the 8th grader at the top of the class. By social law I’m supposed to be cool again, yet somehow that law doesn’t apply to me.

Another year of that nightmare later and I’m a freshman in high school, back at the bottom of the class. And now those same guys are picking on me all over again!

Some Dragon Ball fans may be a little shy, introverted, or let’s just say, ‘not the coolest kid in school.’ Trust me, I know what it’s like to be a nerd. From being an ace video game player, to playing with Warhammer miniatures, Dungeons & Dragons, and putting together model airplanes and toy rockets. I’m fine with that, and I think nerds are the best people on earth because they’re fans of something fun, lighthearted, and meaningful. But not everyone feels that way. So I understand what it’s like to get picked on by the more popular kids, to have bad skin, and to not feel strong, even though the heroes I read about and play as are the world’s strongest.

Fortunately I have friends who share the same interests, and we spend most of our free time in my parents basement huddled around the TV, playing games.

It’s around this time I discover Dragon Ball.

Discovery

I first see Dragon Ball Z at the age of 14 (in 1997). It airs on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block and becomes the staple of my after-school cartoon diet. I love it.

Dragon Ball Z has everything I look for: heroic figures that fight for what they believe is right, powerful villains, silly jokes, epic quests, and cosmic adventures in a fantasy realm filled with supernormal powers and far out technology. What more can you want?

I watch the same episodes whenever they’re on, both by choice and because at the time they only have the first 52 episodes in syndication. So it just keeps looping through those same episodes again and again. And I keep watching them.

It has some kind of spirit. An energy.

After getting knocked down at school, Dragon Ball Z lifts me up.

It teaches me to believe in myself, to tap into my potential, and to endure.

Darkness

I’m a sensitive guy, so the daily grind of going through that Lord of the Flies-like scenario every day takes its toll. Meanwhile my parents are arguing, I’m getting F’s in some of my classes, and I’m tired. So tired.

But I’m not dumb. I have the ability to think smart, be artistic, philosophical, and gain insights on things that the other kids in class can’t. At the time I call it wisdom, but I think it’s more like ‘the ability to see through the lies;’ to know what’s real and what isn’t. This whole society and the garbage it’s pushing into my head doesn’t feel real. Working hard to get approval from an arbitrary authority figure so I can get a piece of paper that says I’m qualified to be a good person? Or get a job? No thanks. The whole situation feels wrong, and like there’s something better out there waiting for me. Something bigger, and less mundane. My brothers call my view ‘failing at life,’ but I don’t want to succeed at that kind of life, because to me, that’s real failure.

In any case, my idealism can’t deny that life is what it is. The depression and unhappiness with this reality that I don’t want to be reality reaches the point where I run away. I decide that I’m sick of this crap, so let’s just escape it all.

But after running away for an afternoon and returning, I realize that running isn’t a solution. Or I’m just not good at it. Plus it was cold outside.

Let’s try Plan B.

While dinner cooks on the stove and my parents watch TV, I pull out a kitchen knife, close the bathroom door behind me, and hold the knife to my wrist.

I want to kill myself.

God do I want to kill myself. It seems like the best way to end the pain. To end the name calling, the teasing, the being pushed against the lockers, having my clothes drawn on while I wear them because I’m too depressed to resist, kids spitting on me, the bad grades, ensuing guilt, arguments, screaming, and the endless worry about having to face another day of this meaningless existence, where it seems like no one wants me. Why doesn’t anybody want me?

Now I don’t know if it’s a guardian angel, self-preserving logic, or some kind of deep held belief in my own potential, but I can’t go through with it. I have the thought of, No, I’m better than this. I can do great things. Just keep going… Persevere.

The tears roll down my face and I fall to the bathroom floor.

At first there are no thoughts. Just emptiness.

I still have the knife in my hands. I can still do it.

Then I think, No, I can make it another day. And I stand back up.

Dinner’s ready! I hear my dad say. I wipe away the tears, place the knife back in the block, and act like nothing happened. I never tell anyone.

Light

Later that evening I realize why I’m still alive.

The first reason is fear. It’s scary to hold a knife to your wrist as you stare into your eyes in the mirror. A lot rolls through your mind in that moment.

The second reason is optimism. I’m a born optimist and a positive idealist. I believe in the inherent goodness of people and know that with the right motivation and proper teachings, anybody can improve themselves. They just have to want it and work hard at it. I’m hardwired, so to speak, and even though I’m taken advantage of by others, I still inherently trust everyone. Though as I’ve learned the hard way, this trust needs to be tempered by caution. But it’s a value I hold deep inside my heart, and always have since as far back as I can remember. It’s just that other people try to crush it; make it small; tell me I’m no good; reinforce again and again that I’m not worth anything; fill my head with notions.

Dragon Ball teaches me that I am worth something. That I’m good; that I can be big, strong, and help others; that it’s possible to do great things in life, so long as you endure.

So I put the two together and I figure out that this is what keeps me alive. That small light buried underneath all of the lies, garbage, and notions that other people pile on top of me just to make themselves feel better. To take away their own pain, fears, and inadequacies, they project it on to me. But no matter how buried you are under the dust, there’s always a way to wipe it clean. Because that light can’t be touched by the things of this world. It’s a light so powerful that it blasts away the darkness. As I learn later in life, One righteous thought can subdue a thousand demons. All it took to survive was a single thought.

If it weren’t for Dragon Ball Z reminding me of that light, I’d be dead.

Life doesn’t magically improve, and I’m still depressed, but after hitting bedrock and standing back up with a more positive perspective, I discover that I can accomplish greatness if I keep at it long enough. If I endure, then I can do anything.

Gōngfu

It’s now my junior year in high school (in 1999), and like usual I’m watching Dragon Ball Z at a friend’s house after school. He turns to me and says, Hey, why don’t we try living this?

What do you mean? I ask. And he says there’s a martial arts studio called Chan’s Kung Fu School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I tell him, Nah, that’s not my kind of thing. You see, I’ve always been a player of team sports, such as soccer, baseball, and lacrosse, so this seems uncomfortable and weird. But he says, Hey, the first class is free, and my mom will drive us, you’ve got nothing to lose. I think he just wants to go for his own sake and doesn’t want to go alone, so I say, Fine, let’s go.

That night I feel like I am Dragon Ball Z. I’m doing the deep stances, I’m throwing punches, screaming, watching guys jump around the room and swing martial arts weapons around. It’s incredible!

I come home exhausted but exhilarated. Then I convince my parents that this is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life, and I drive back the next day and sign up for 3 months. I achieve my yellow sash in the Zhōu-jiā (周家, Zhou Family) system in less than a month; breaking the school record. Gōngfu (功夫, great effort, or kung fu) becomes my obsession. It connects me with that part of myself that I long to bring to the surface.

I tell all of my friends and fellow Dragon Ball Z fans at school about it, and soon afterward a few of them join the class. We love it because it makes us feel like the Z Warriors. We spar in our free time, joke about one another’s power levels, draw our favorite characters in art class, and make it a big part of our lives. But as the months go by and the going gets tough, the others fall out of the habit and then quit altogether. I’m the one that continues, and I become devoted to gōngfu.

Team sports seem boring and dumb to me now. I’ve learned that I want something that I, myself, can learn and develop, not subject to the random acts of other people or reliant on a group-think mentality. In gōngfu, either I do well or I don’t. And if I don’t, I’m sensitive and intelligent enough to learn how to improve. Then with enough training, I do. It’s cause and effect; loss and gain. It’s Dragon Ball Z. You train hard and raise your level. The martial arts feel right, in a world that otherwise doesn’t.

I then enroll in the tàijí-quán (太極拳, supreme ultimate fist) and sàn shǒu (散手, free hand) fighting class. So my Monday to Friday schedule becomes: return from school, watch Dragon Ball Z and other anime, eat dinner, and then attend class from 6 to 9 pm. Gōngfu becomes an integral part of my life, and Dragon Ball Z inspires me along the way. How could you not be inspired to train harder after watching Goku and Vegeta?

Cartoon Network finally starts showing new episodes and then they add a midnight showing, so each summer, Dragon Ball Z, training, and video games are my life.

All the while I wonder, ‘How do they do what they do? Is it possible to shoot energy out of your hands? Can people fly?’

Energy

Dragon Ball makes me curious about Eastern philosophy and I begin to delve into that world in order to better understand the culture of Dragon Ball. I start to study Śākyamuni Buddha’s fófǎ (佛法, Buddhā Law) and the Dào (道, the way, or path). I learn that compassion and forgiveness are the way toward happiness, and being a true man is the most important aspect of your character. As part of the effort to become a true man, I swear an oath to never tell a lie again. I become fascinated with the Shàolín (少林, Young Forest) fighting monks of China and study their legends.

The more I study, the more I see correlations between Dragon Ball Z, my martial arts practice, and these philosophies. This huge influx of martial arts legends and culture begin to change my worldview. The observations between this odd pairing of reality and fantasy start to make perfect sense. That’s because I’m seeing what other people can’t see, just like I’ve always been able to. The weird part to me is that nobody else can see it.

When I log onto the Internet (back in the days of 56k modems) to try and discover the culture behind Dragon Ball, there’s nothing there. I mean absolutely nothing. Granted, Dragon Ball Z is only a couple years old to American audiences at the time, and this is the early stages of the Internet, but there’s got to be something, right?

Wrong. Yet the more I watch Dragon Ball and practice gōngfu and read Eastern philosophy, the more correlations I see between it and my own life. So how could there not be anything about this? It makes no sense!

Frustrated, I go to the book store to see if I can find a book that will teach me how to fly through the air. You know, maybe I just hadn’t reached that level yet, right? With the proper training I’m sure it’s possible. Otherwise why would it be written about in all the legends? And where would the creator of Dragon Ball Z have come up with this idea?

Through further research I read that Chinese masters attain profound supernormal abilities by practicing qìgōng (氣功, energy skill). This is a modern and agnostic term for the traditional xiūliàn (修煉, cultivation practice) taught in spiritual practices and religions. So I begin practicing a Dàoist style of qìgōng meditation in my spare time, along with a practice called língkōngjìn (凌空勁, pure empty force). It promises that you can develop the power to project your energy like Goku and the other characters do, either as a weapon or for self-defense.

So I learn from books and pay attention in class, and sure enough, I start to feel my qì (氣, Japanese: ki, 気, energy). It’s warm, it’s electric, it moves like waves and air mixed together, and it crawls up my spine and forms a field just like in the show when one of them powers up.

Woah. It hits me. This stuff is real.

Paths

Sweet freedom! I graduate from the prison called high school at the age of 18 (in 2001). I’m now on a new path toward college, attending Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.

For the first year I have no idea what to study. I’m good at debates and finding peaceful resolutions to problems, so maybe I’d be a good diplomat or a politician? My eldest brother and dad think I should study business. Hmm, well, I like philosophy, so I’ll check that out.

I go to the School of Philosophy and enroll in an introductory philosophy class. By the end of the semester I know that philosophy is not for me. It’s all about arguments, logic, fallacies, and trying to validate yourself at the expense of others. It feels cold and robotic, and is missing the human heart. ‘The logic is clear. I’m right, you’re wrong.’ What’s clear to me is that logic can only take a man so far.

So at this point I’m still undecided on a major. Fortunately the university starts a new Chinese language and culture program. My prior studies of Buddhist, Dàoist, and now Confucian thought must have primed me for this moment, because when I walk into the School of East Asian Studies and open a random book on the library shelf, I know I’ve found my place. It speaks of heart, self-transformation, having compassion for others,