Ethnicity in Dragon Ball

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It's always been rather ambiguous with how characters are depicted in anime/manga, but some are meant to represent westerners while others are meant to represent eastern characters. Confusingly they may appear the same with only minor differences in hair color or eye color to denote their race.

Dragon Ball sometimes flies in the face of this because blonde haired and blue eyed characters are actually Asian, i.e. # 18.

Being the hero and coming from the pen of a Japanese writer, Goku, even though he is an alien, is most probably Japanese in appearance. This would most likely translate into other Saiyan characters having the same or similar appearances.

What about characters that aren't humanoid in appearance at all? Freeza? Cell? The multitude of species we saw in the ToP? This affects me personally because is Sorrel an Asian looking rabbit? I.....have no idea. :LOL:

What are your thoughts on the depiction of race and/or ethnicity in Dragon Ball?
 
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LividJay

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In other anime/manga, I notice that Westerners are often depicted as blonde hair/blue eyes...and their wardrobe is many times quite ridiculous (usually with the high-class people). They also sometimes talk with slang or a specific dialect from there they come from.

In Dragon Ball, there are definitely a lot of stereotypes portrayed. However, in that universe, there is no Japan, Americas, Europe, etc. Just seems to be cities, some small villages, and then a whole lot of nature. So you might see a village like Nam's, where everyone looks the same. However, yes, I would say that the Saiyans and most humans would look Japanese. As far as Frieza, Cell, etc...I think they just look like whatever their race is.
 

India Actual

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In other anime/manga, I notice that Westerners are often depicted as blonde hair/blue eyes...and their wardrobe is many times quite ridiculous (usually with the high-class people). They also sometimes talk with slang or a specific dialect from there they come from.

In Dragon Ball, there are definitely a lot of stereotypes portrayed. However, in that universe, there is no Japan, Americas, Europe, etc. Just seems to be cities, some small villages, and then a whole lot of nature. So you might see a village like Nam's, where everyone looks the same. However, yes, I would say that the Saiyans and most humans would look Japanese. As far as Frieza, Cell, etc...I think they just look like whatever their race is.

I brought up Freeza because especially in his final form his eye shape tends to be let's say more "eastern" in shape. The aliens and monsters in the world probably bear little in resemblance to any race we would know here on Earth.

LividJay made it official then, my OCs, Shihori and Kuroba are Hafu children. :ROFLMAO:
 
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Beerus

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I always wondered this about DB because there is no clear indication of people being Japanese or not. I mean to me, that is a good thing. Focus more on the characters and the story and less on their skin, hair, eye color. I also still don't think Doctor Brief is from earth and he is a Tuffle himself. This is why he and Bulma are so intelligent and why Bulma was easily able to replicate Vegeta's space pod and scouter. The tech was stolen from the Tuffles by the Saiyans after all.
 

India Actual

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I always wondered this about DB because there is no clear indication of people being Japanese or not. I mean to me, that is a good thing. Focus more on the characters and the story and less on their skin, hair, eye color. I also still don't think Doctor Brief is from earth and he is a Tuffle himself. This is why he and Bulma are so intelligent and why Bulma was easily able to replicate Vegeta's space pod and scouter. The tech was stolen from the Tuffles by the Saiyans after all.
Diabolical conspiracy theory!
 
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Super Kami Guru

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It was all part of the Tuffles' plans... Get back at King Vegeta by having his own son impregnate one of them!
Jokes on them because the kid wound up as Princess Trunks Briefs...I mean...that's hardly a strong name!


giphy.gif
 

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In my opinion, there is no such thing as westerners, asians, there are just people mixed in, since the Earth that Dragon Ball happens on does haven't the same geography as the world we know. All the land masses and their geological placement is different in that universe.
 

Yoshi

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There are black people in Dragon Ball like Staff Officer Black, but there are also black people in Naruto, Bleach, and even One Piece (if you count Usopp).

What I find really weird is the amount of animal humans in Dragon Ball, though. I mean a talking dog rules the world... LOL.
 

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There are black people in Dragon Ball like Staff Officer Black, but there are also black people in Naruto, Bleach, and even One Piece (if you count Usopp).

What I find really weird is the amount of animal humans in Dragon Ball, though. I mean a talking dog rules the world... LOL.
I'm not going to say it's canon or anything, but DBZ: Kakarot gave the explanation that Beastmen are the product of people experimenting with a drug that turned them into anthromorphs.
 
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Kid Goku

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When it comes to bulma im conivinced shes supposed to be american not only is her hair naturally bright she also lives in WEST city and shares a lot of american stereotypes!
 

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When it comes to bulma im conivinced shes supposed to be american not only is her hair naturally bright she also lives in WEST city and shares a lot of american stereotypes!
Seems like an American thing to do... Marrying an alien knowing full well they are an alien. lol

I know this happened with Goku but Chi Chi didn't know she married an alien, just a weirdo.
 
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When it comes to bulma im conivinced shes supposed to be american not only is her hair naturally bright she also lives in WEST city and shares a lot of american stereotypes!
Well, you're not wrong because some of the earlier drafts of Dragon Ball. She was a blonde dressed up like a cowgirl with a six shooter. So Toriyama was leaning on American tropes to build her character. I think she eventually evolved in a different direction and she's more a city girl. West city is set up to pretty much be the Tokyo of the Dragon verse's Earth.

dragon-ball-design-concepts-round-1.jpg
 

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Some characters ethnicities can be seen on their clothing. For example, Chi-Chi is probably Chinese since she wears cheongsam. Goku is an alien, but he has an Asian appearance, so does all saiyans. Uub looks Indian, Hercule probably has some African or Arabic descent and Videl is therefore mixed race though mostly Asian. Android 18 could also be mixed race (white/Asian) which would explain her various ethnic features.
 
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