Don't have an account yet? You can create one. As a registered user you have some advantages like theme manager, comments configuration and post comments with your name.
Toonami Infolink: Forums
Toonami Infolink :: View topic - Religion in Dragon Ball
Toonami Turner Cartoon Network Thundercats Voltron Space Ghost Birdman Herculoids Dino Boy Galaxy Trio Mighty Mightor Moby Dick
Shazzan The
Impossibles Max Fleisher's Superman (a.k.a. Roulette) The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest Robotech Sailor Moon DragonBall Z Filmation Superman Batman Superfriends ReBoot
Ronin Warriors G-Force Powerpuff Girls Batman: The Animated Series Gundam Wing Tenchi Muyo! Universe in Tokyo Superman Outlaw Star Big O CardCaptors Mobile Suit Gundam O8th
MS Team DragonBall Batman Beyond Gundam 0080 Zoids: Zero Hamtaro Zoids: Chaotic Century Guardian Force G Gundam He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Transformers: Armada
G.I. Joe .hack//Sign Yu Yu Hakusho Rurouni Kenshin QuickTime .mov MOV AVI .avi MPEG .mpg Movies movie Videos Clips Sounds articles rants essays images files CNX inner circle
cn2 revolution Japan japanese multimedia saban funimation toei graz harmony gold mainframe Tyler Zogg TylerLToonami Turner Cartoon Network Thundercats Voltron Space
Ghost Birdman Herculoids Dino Boy Galaxy Trio Mighty Mightor Moby Dick
Shazzan The
Impossibles Max Fleisher's Superman (a.k.a. Roulette) The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest Robotech Sailor Moon DragonBall Z Filmation Superman Batman Superfriends
ReBoot
Ronin Warriors G-Force Powerpuff Girls Batman: The Animated Series Gundam Wing Tenchi Muyo! Universe in Tokyo Superman Outlaw Star Big O CardCaptors Mobile Suit Gundam
O8th
MS Team DragonBall Batman Beyond Gundam 0080 Zoids: Zero Hamtaro Zoids: Chaotic Century Guardian Force G Gundam He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Transformers:
Armada
G.I. Joe .hack//Sign Yu Yu Hakusho Rurouni Kenshin QuickTime .mov MOV AVI .avi MPEG .mpg Movies movie Videos Clips Sounds articles rants essays images files CNX inner
circle
cn2 revolution Japan japanese multimedia saban funimation toei graz harmony gold mainframe Tyler Zogg TylerL
I was watching Dragon Ball on Thursday, and something dawned on me. See, we're studying Buddhism in school right now. And there were 2 things that just sort of HIT me. First, Tien has a third eye that alows him to see certain things that the ordinary person can't. This is exactly like the third eye of Buddha, though not nearly as profound. It's my contention first that Tien is buddhist, and second that this parallel illustrates a certain virtue-ness about him.
Second, when Goku drank the Divine Water, it awoke the sleeping powers within himself. Basically, he found the answer to life's problems within himself, just as the Buddha found the answers to life by searching his own soul. In effect, the Divine Water caused a 'rebirth' of Goku, and it could be argued that because of Goku's superior Karma that he was reborn as a stronger more vailliant person.
It's long been known that Goku, what with the tail and the riding of the cloud, is based on an old oriental story about the monkey prince and such. I just found it super interesting that there are quite a few parallels that can be drawn from the show to origins of some main religions. I suspect that when we move on to Taoism and Confusionism, I'll see even more parallels. And, obviously, when we move on to Shinto, both Inu Yasha and even Rurouni Kenshin will make more sense. Also, now that I think about it, Vash the Stampede acts on quite a few Buddhist principles, what with the not killing anything and the search to be content . . .
So, it would seem, that there is much more ot Dragon Ball than a cute ass kicking kid. Though DBZ is ALL about the ass kicking . . .
Anyone have any thoughts or was this a waste of my time? _________________ anime is teh s uck
Play City of Heroes/Villians? Look me up, Pinnacle server, @C Paradox
Sat Sep 27, 2003 3:04 pm
Fodder
Joined: Apr 02, 2003
Post subject:
Your not wasting your time at all. Snake way and quite few things about the alternate dimension in DBZ are religous. I believe I heard them referred to as "Zen Warriors" at one point. That being what the Z means. And when Gohan taught Mr Satans (Hercule) daughter (damn why cant i remeber her name). He talked about pulling the power from your center. And told her she should understand because of her martial arts teaching. But CP this is something i have thought about. In fact they talk about Goku having his body after his being dead because of his virtues
For those who have seen the unedited versions of the show. Can you spread some light on this?
Sat Sep 27, 2003 3:17 pm
Goldfinger2K
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
This doesn't really relate to religions ans stuff, but it does related to something I noticed in DBZ the other day.
Disclaimer: If anyone else has ever posted this "theory" disregard my post.
I thought of a reason that Nameks don't eat and only drink water!
It's pretty simple. They're plants! Think about it.
First, they only drink water,
second, they never sleep
third, they have two suns on their planet so that they can keep photosynthesizing (where else would they get their energy from)
Fourth, the can regenerate limbs.
Fifth, they're green!!
If you think about it it pretty much makes sense. Did anyone ever notice how the older nameks, have kinda of a brown hue to them, it's cause they're just like plants people.
peace _________________ "one time yug!-Steve O Fuss
Y.U.G.
"If I threw a stick would you go away?"-a shirt
"Toonami, better than getting kicked in the nuts!"-me
"If I was so inclined, I would have groped you five times!"^O^hohohohoho!-Vash
Sat Sep 27, 2003 3:24 pm
counterparadox
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
That's what I thought of INSTANTLY when I found out that Piccolo doesn't eat, Goldfinger. However, I don't think that it has ever been stated on the boards. _________________ anime is teh s uck
Play City of Heroes/Villians? Look me up, Pinnacle server, @C Paradox
Sat Sep 27, 2003 3:42 pm
Asha
Joined: Sep 22, 2003
Post subject:
Yeah, I can believe that DB/Z has so much religion in it.
Especially when compared to a lot of other anime series, that have so many religious influences in them, we can see how much religion means to these mangaka. As stated, Trigun, Inuyasha, Fushigi Yuugi, even Cowboy Bebop to some extent, have a lot of religion in them. It seems manga artists draw their inspiration from the old myths...
Sat Sep 27, 2003 8:03 pm
Nobuyuki
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
Asha wrote:
It seems manga artists draw their inspiration from the old myths...
*ahem*
So do Western artists. "Superman", for one, is chock-full of Moses and Christ parallels. _________________ "When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."- C.S. Lewis
"Superman can't be emo. He can't cut himself."-CP
Sat Sep 27, 2003 11:48 pm
Spookmonkey
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
*sigh* people are so ass quick to dismiss the west...
If you really try hard enough you can and will find religious paralels with almost everything. Religion is a world wide influence, the stories within the different religious texts are some of the oldest and well known. It makes sense that even inadvertantly writers would draw inspiration from these old stories for elements or morals of their own. _________________ "Veni. Vedi. Spooki." - Julius Caesar
I came. I saw. I spooked.
*sigh* people are so ass quick to dismiss the west...
Actually, it might be that we're so familiar with western religious themes that we don't find it remarkable when they're included into western comics and cartoons. :-/
Although _I_ find it noteworthy that elements of Oh, My Goddess! are partly based in Norse mythology, as are Jack Kirby's Fourth World (i.e. Darkseid & Co.) stories. _________________ "When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."- C.S. Lewis
"Superman can't be emo. He can't cut himself."-CP
Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:12 am
Spookmonkey
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
But it really shouldn't be suprising that the japanese are influenced by the ancient cultures. Anime originated from the Americas. The Americas originated from Europe. From the beginning anime has had eurocentric themes running in its shows and movies. Even if our animation no longer had in impact on their thought process, hollywoods grip is still as tight as death.
Religion (from all around the world) is one of the most common forms stories come in as I said before, I'm not suprised at all to find norse mythology included into Oh, My Goddess! and especially Fourth World. _________________ "Veni. Vedi. Spooki." - Julius Caesar
I came. I saw. I spooked.
I didn't dismiss American animation, I never do. I just happened to notice these parallels to the Buddha in Dragon Ball and thought it was . . . cool? I don't even know. But when you think of DBZ, you think ACTION ACTION ACTION and don't really think there could be anthing deeper, at least I don't. So I thought I'd share. I don't find it remarkable that anime or animation would have religious parallels, but I do find it remarkable that there are some in Dragon Ball and DBZ, and that they are almost hidden so that you have to have a really firm grip on the stuff to see them. _________________ anime is teh s uck
Play City of Heroes/Villians? Look me up, Pinnacle server, @C Paradox
Sun Sep 28, 2003 2:12 pm
Nobuyuki
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
counterparadox wrote:
I just happened to notice these parallels to the Buddha in Dragon Ball and thought it was . . . cool? I don't even know. But when you think of DBZ, you think ACTION ACTION ACTION and don't really think there could be anthing deeper, at least I don't. So I thought I'd share. I don't find it remarkable that anime or animation would have religious parallels, but I do find it remarkable that there are some in Dragon Ball and DBZ, and that they are almost hidden so that you have to have a really firm grip on the stuff to see them.
No, I get what you're saying. It's that most fans on this side can't see the parallels because they're not familiar with them. So when you discover them (as in your example of studying Buddhism in school), then the "Neo moment" happens. I'm certain that a lot of Japanese fans don't give it a second thought, because they grew up with it.
My only point was to remind folks that not everything profound revolves around Japan. _________________ "When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."- C.S. Lewis
"Superman can't be emo. He can't cut himself."-CP
Sun Sep 28, 2003 4:45 pm
Beatdiggga
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
The original has many refrences to Easter religions as well as the old legends of the Journey to the West.
The later parts of DBZ on the other hand... _________________ Sometimes I miss my sanity- Wedge Antilles
Sun Sep 28, 2003 4:53 pm
Nobuyuki
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
Beatdiggga wrote:
The later parts of DBZ on the other hand...
...bring Superman to the forefront. _________________ "When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."- C.S. Lewis
"Superman can't be emo. He can't cut himself."-CP
Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:02 pm
Zechs
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
Well one reason you see religion alot more in japanese culture is because as a people thier still quite riligious, and the fact that Shinto is more of a practice and a teaching than a strictly followed religion sort of like Feng Shui. In a politically correct society like ours you rarely see blantent religious references in secular works.
Shinto or things having to do with it is pretty much in every anime excluding most mech stuff. Religion there is also alot more open and intresting with the belief of spirits and karma than Christian followings. _________________ Bang.
Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:41 pm
JohnnyPsycho
Joined: Nov 14, 2002
Post subject:
Okay, here's the Saiyuki (Journey West, also called Hsu Yu Chi in the original Chinese) in bite size, basically to show how it inspired Dragonball and how elements of the original story keeps showing up in the show.
first, the characters:
Son Goku, the Monkey King (also called Sun Wu K'ung and Sun Houzi) is, obviously, Goku... duh... His weapon is the Nyoi-bou, which is also straight from the Saiyuki story
Tripitaka (also Hsuan Tsang) the monk who frees the Monkey King and "leashes" him to assist in his journey, is introduced as Bulma
Cho Hakkai (also Chu Pa Chieh or Chu Wu Neng), the pig, is obviously Oolong
Sha Gojyo (also Sha Monk or Sha Wu Ching), the water demon, draws a couple parallels to the introduction of the character Yamcha
Goku's origin story:
Basically, Goku was born of an ancient rock, which created and egg that was fertilized by the wind, and out hatched the stone monkey Son Goku. He soon became the King of the Monkeys after diving into a waterfall and leading the monkeys into a new home. Even though he lives a contented life, he eventually decides that he wants to learn about religion and become immortal in order not to lose all that he had strived to attain.
He wandered for decades, and he eventually meets the Immortal Subodhi, the monk who teaches the Monkey King many useful skills, such as the secrets of long life, how to fly on clouds and seventy-two transformations (think the Turtle Hermit, aka "Master Roshi").
Deciding that he needed a good weapon in order to prove to the Jade Emperor of Heaven that he deserved immortatlity, Goku visited the Dragon King of the Eastern Ocean, whom he had heard owned a magical iron wand. The Dragon King at first denied this, but eventually gave Goku the enchanted Ruyi (Nyoi-bou), the staff that can shrink or extend to its master's wishes. He then returned to his home to teach an army of 4800 monkeys the combat arts.
The Monkey King also caused some trouble in Hell, where he angered the God of the Dead (King Yamma, or also King Enma or Emma-ten) by erasing his name and the name of his monkey subjects from the book of the dead.
Eventually, word got back to the Jade Emperor, who tried to send Heaven's forces against Goku, but was unable to subdue him. He then decided to distract Goku by giving him a job in Heaven to guard the sacred peach tree. Eventually, though, Goku found out that the Jade Emperor was trying to stop him from his goal, so he lead his Monkey Army into an all-out revolt against Heaven... and he ate some of the peaches of immortality while he was at it.
He was eventually captured, but Heaven was unable to execute Goku for his crimes because he had become immortal, so the Tathagata Buddha was called in to trap Goku under a mountain until he learned his lesson. Eventually, he was freed to assist Tripitaka on his task to bring back the sacred Buddhist teachings from India.
Other religious things to note:
Yama, the King of the Dead, originates from Indo-Aryan mythology as the first man to die, thereby being the pathfinder to the realm of the dead and the ruler of the dead. In both Hindu and Buddhist belief, Yama is judge of the dead and prince of Hell. In Japan, he is called Emma-ten. Since he is so prevailent in religious beliefs of Asia, his character has been used in numerous Anime, such as Yu Yu Hakusho.
Another anime that ties in with the Saiyuki: Genzo Maden Saiyuki
hope that's enough information for y'all... _________________ "The principles you live by create the world you live in; if you change the principles you live by, you will change your world." -Blaine Lee
"I plan to live forever. So far so good." -Steven Wright
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
