Summary
Any new prospective live-action adaptation ofDragon Ballneeds to avoid messing up the same character thatDragon Ball Evolutionfailed to do justice with.Dragon Ballis one of the most successful anime franchises of the 21st century, with the original light-hearted adventure manga of the same name leading to sequels across mass media. The unique melding of a bizarre world, earnest emotion, and absurd fights was a recipe for success. However, it’s proven to be a remarkably tricky property to bring to live-action, like updating material fromDragon Ballinto something that feels more reflective of modern sensibilities.
The success of other live-action anime adaptations might give fans hope that a new approach to the material could right the mistakes made byDragon Ball Evolution. One of the most important elements anylive-actionDragon Ballneeds to get right would be properly recreating the growth that made the characters compelling. This is actually one of the key reasons that any potential adaptation of the franchise should start from a specific point in the overall storyline, asit would allow a more faithful reimagining of one ofDragon Ball’s best characters, whose arc reflects the franchise’s most enduring themes.
A Live-Action Dragon Ball Movie Would Need To Break The Anime’s Timeline
Any prospective Dragon Ball live-action adaptation should jump to a very specific storyline that would highlight the strength of the franchise.
Piccolo Should Be The Real Protagonist Of A Live-Action Dragon Ball Z Movie
Piccolo Gets The Best Character Arc InDragon Ball Z’s First Saga
More than Goku,Piccolo has the most important and drastic character arc inDragon Ball Z’s opening “Saiyan Saga”(and subsequently the series as a whole), underscoring the importance of getting the character right in any adaptation. At the onset ofDragon Ball Z, Piccolo is one of the most dangerous threats in the world. This is quickly established when he teams up with Goku to bring down Raditz, but happily takes the opportunity to kill both of them. Capturing Gohan and training him to prepare for the other Saiyans' arrival, Piccolo forms a surprising connection with the young boy.
This sets off the most drastic character arc in the saga.None of the other protagonists in the first majorDragon Ball Zstoryline go through quite as impactful of a character arc than Piccolo. Goku becomes stronger but doesn’t change much, while Gohan’s growth plays out across the entire series. The first arc is quietly Piccolo’s story. Piccolo starts the show as a pragmatic villain and becomes willing to sacrifice everything to save the son of his worst enemy. It’s one of the show’s best examples of redemption, and a key element to get right in any prospective adaption.
How Dragonball Evolution Got Piccolo Completely Wrong
A Clear Symptom Of A Greater Problem
Dragon Ball Evolutionremains an infamous example of how poorly a live-action anime adaptation can go. Although it turned a profit at the box office,Dragon Ball Evolutionwas decried by critics and reviled by many fans.An underlying flaw with the film was its failure to recreate the unique tonal energy ofDragon Ballor properly adapt the quirky and compelling characters. This extends to the villain, James Marsters' King Piccolo. Reimagined as a drab alien overlord with a grudge after spending thousands of years imprisoned, the character lacked any of the distinct characteristics of the original King Piccolo.
The film was a name-only adaptationthat tried to mimic the tropes found in superhero films likeSpider-Man, making Goku a more mundane high school student and removing much of the unique adventure of the original. King Piccolo lacked the memorable qualities that made King Piccolo so compelling, and instead used him as a placeholder for numerous character tropes like over-dramatic speeches and killing Goku’s father figure, Gohan. Whether it be as the colorful and lethal King Piccolo or the redemption arc of his son Piccolo, getting characters like Piccolo right is an important aspect of anyDragon Balladaptation.
If A Dragon Ball Z Live-Action Movie Happens, This Actor Needs To Be Vegeta
If a live-action Dragon Ball Z movie ever comes to fruition, one actor from HBO’s Warrior is the only choice to play Vegeta, Goku’s long-time rival.
Getting Piccolo Right Sets Up Dragon Ball Z’s True Cinematic Potential
Piccolo Is One Of The Franchise’s Most Important Characters
Piccolo is one ofDragon Ball Z’s best characters, withhis overarching arc eventually leading him to become a full-fledged hero and protector of Earth. His connection with Gohan remains a key aspect of the character throughout, underscoring the effect his growth in the “Saiyan Saga” has on the character. Getting this storyline right highlights important themes like enemies becoming allies and transforming combat from heartless conquest to friendly competition. It’s one of the most emotionally charged arcs in the series. It also plays heavily into the lore of the series, setting up plenty of other explorations of the universe.
Piccolo is a Namekian, whose connection to Kame makes him necessary for the Dragon Balls to work. His sacrifice to save Gohan forces the surviving heroes to venture to Namek, setting up the next major arcs in the franchise and introducing locations like Namek and characters like Frieza.Piccolo’s role in the series is an important one on both an emotional and plot level, adding stakes to his eventual return and role in the story going forward. Piccolo is one of the franchise’s most important characters, and is a big part of what makes earlyDragon Ball Zso effective.
A New Dragon Ball Live-Action Movie Should Go Straight Into DBZ
Starting WithDragon Ball ZLets Piccolo Take Center-Stage
If there was going to be a fresh attempt at turningDragon Ballinto a live-action film, it should skip to the Saiyan Saga.There are actors who perfectly fit intoDragon Ball Zcasting for Gokuand Vegeta, and the series could drop the trickier elements ofDragon Ball. It’s been attempted, andDragon Ball Evolutionproved how hard it is to adapt for modern sensibilities. Focusing onDragon Ball Zfirst could allow an adult cast to jump straight into a story with massive action set-pieces andone of the best examples of the show’s core redemption arc.
Piccolo’s story would be the emotional core of any “Saiyan Saga” adaptation and is a big part of the appeal of starting with that story for any live-actionDragon Ball.It’s a great example of what makesDragon Ball Zwork on an emotional level, serving as a perfect microcosm of the redemption arc that fuels other characters like Yamcha, Krillin, Tien, Vegeta, and Buu. It would be an ideal core element of any new live-action adaptation of the series. It’s one of the biggest reasons why any potentialDragon Balllive-action adaptation should start with the “Saiyan Saga.”
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.
