Dragon ball has achieved status as a global cultural pillar, and a promotion has proven its legacy forever. It comes at a great time for the series. 2024 saw the debut of the new series Dragon Ball Daimawhich is only receiving a warm welcome. Dragon ball is generating more buzz than it has in years, and for Shōnen’s most influential franchise, that’s saying a lot.
The franchise is often unfairly relegated to the status of a nostalgic relic whose age outweighs its influence, but 2024 has shown Dragon ball be alive and well. The event is wrapping up with the promotion of a lifetime: a popular sports website has pitted Goku against an unlikely foe in a mutual ode between anime and football. It’s a landmark moment in anime’s relationship with football, but it’s far from being the whole story.
The posters are signs of the anime’s important connection to football
To increase enthusiasm for China and Japan’s matches in FIFA’s Asian qualifiers, the popular Chinese sports website Dongquidi created posters pitting Goku against Sun Wukong shared on X by Dragon ball SLO influencer. This is a double honor. Firstly, Goku’s global recognition is affirmed by pitting him against a vital figure in Chinese mythology (and an inspiration for Goku himself). At the same time, Dragon ballThe depiction of Japan itself in a FIFA promotion is a respectful nod to the anime’s involvement with football.
Although the posters are jaw-dropping, Dragon ballThe appearance of in FIFA promotional material is not surprising: anime and football have always gone hand in hand. The first manga centered on football, Akakichi No Elevenpremiered in 1970. Its influence would have nothing on Captain Tsubasahowever; Captain Tsubasa has become a beloved landmark franchise since its debut in 1981, spanning multiple entries. Your last entry, Captain Tsubasa: Rising Sunended a few months ago, in April 2024. Both would influence countless stars like Messi and Fernando Torres.
Captain TsubasaThe company’s historic success, however, has been eclipsed by the more recent Blue Lockwhich has become one of the best-selling manga in recent years. Providing a fresh spin on popular sports anime tropes, Blue Lock It also became popular in the mainstream, with crossovers even with the Japanese football team.
Sports and anime have always built on each other
The pair are inseparable and that’s a good thing
Goku’s appearance is also shorthand for something much bigger. Anime is part of a broad cultural sphere where it is intertwined with sport, exerting a mutual influence. Anime’s ability to inspire is nothing new – and that includes future athletes. However, since its humble origins, anime has always carved out a space for sport. speed runner (1966) and Ashita no Joe (1968) are fundamental examples. If the power of friendship, teamwork, training arcs, and overcoming adversity have become prevalent shōnen themes, this is largely due to the influence of sports anime.
Anime and sports continue to inspire each other. Franchises that don’t even deal with sports continue to be referenced by athletes they inspired, such as football player Dominic Solanke, who celebrates with Jujutsu Kaisengestures of expanding dominance or the winner of the men’s 100 meter sprint at the Olympics, Noah Lyles, who displayed a piece of the iconic Yu-Gi-Oh! Exodia card before each race.
In a way, Dragon ballAkira Toriyama’s appearance in FIFA promotional material is fitting: Akira Toriyama’s iconic series is as fundamental as the sport itself for the franchises responsible for inspiring generations of athletes.