Godzilla Fans Spot Wild Dragon Ball Crossover From Kaiju's Past
While The New Empire had a nod to Son Goku, kaiju fans spotted another big Dragon Ball Easter Egg in the kaiju's past.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has been a kaiju-sized blockbuster at the box office, and the king of the monsters' new look in the film had many thinking of Dragon Ball. When Godzilla's new pink aesthetic was first revealed, many kaiju and anime fans alike immediately began thinking of Super Saiyan Rose. With one creator on the film revealing that the lizard king's form was based on Dragon Ball's Kaioken, many have been searching for other Dragon Ball Easter Eggs in the kaiju world. Luckily, fans recently discovered a big one.
The world is still in mourning following the passing of Akira Toriyama earlier this year. Not only have countless fans shared their memories of the legendary creator's works, but even world leaders and entire countries have taken the opportunity to mourn the manga artist. At present, the future of the Dragon Ball Super manga remains a mystery, as the series went on indefinite hiatus following the release of the latest chapter which brought the Super Hero Arc to an end. This fall, fans will have the opportunity to check out one of Toriyama's last big projects as the original anime series, Dragon Ball Daima, will hit the small screen.
Akira Toriyama is a Part of Godzilla History
In the same year as the beginning of the Dragon Ball franchise, 1984, Akira Toriyama just so happened to be an extra in the movie, The Return of Godzilla. Not only was Toriyama on screen, but he was also on the official poster of the film that would bring back the king of the monsters to Japan. Ironically enough, this movie marked the last of the Showa Era, one of the biggest time periods for the popular kaiju.
Fun fact: Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama was an extra during the crowd scene in The Return of Godzilla (1984) and can also be seen on the film's poster. pic.twitter.com/fkSS4Q5Hgw
— Kaiju No. 14 (@14_kaiju) April 6, 2024
The closest that the Z-Fighters have ever come to fighting against a kaiju is in the thirteenth Dragon Ball Z movie, Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of The Dragon. In the film, Goku and company find themselves taking on a world destroying beast known as Hildegarn, which would fit right into the MonsterVerse were it given the chance. While this film isn't considered canon to the main series, it still has its place in the shonen franchise.
What do you think of this blast from the past that united the worlds of kaiju and Z-Fighters? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the MonsterVerse.