This 'Dragon Ball' Mural Is Making Fans Go Super Saiyan
Dragon Ball comes from Japan, but the series has grown into such a worldwide mainstream hit that [...]
Dragon Ball comes from Japan, but the series has grown into such a worldwide mainstream hit that its influence extends from the Far East all the way down to the Dirty South! Check out a Dragon Ball mural that was done in Memphis, Tennessee (supposedly North Memphis, Chelsea Ave), and features one of the more epic visual depictions of Goku's many transformations and power-ups that you are likely to see anywhere!
"Somebody Did This in North Memphis"
UPDATE: According to multiple user reports, it seems this mural may be located in the city of Juiz de Fora, Brazil, and NOT in Memphis, TN. See the embed below.
Painel Dragon BallAs you can see above, the mural tracks all of the following transformations or forms that Goku has had in the Dragon Ball series (from right to left):
- Young Goku
- Classic Goku
- Goku Kaio-Ken
- Goku Super Saiyan
- Goku Super Saiyan 2
- Goku Super Saiyan 3
- Goku Super Saiyan God
- Goku Super Saiyan Blue
- Goku Ultra Instinct
To be honest, there are some sketches in the mural that are definitely better than others. The artist nails the classic looks of young Goku and base form Goku; however, the SSJ and SSJ2 are a little too similar (SSJ2 is more than just SSJ with crackling energy), while SSG and SSB look like Goku simply swapped wigs. SSJ3 Goku just looks off (the only pose that doesn't match), while the Kaio-Ken boost is hard to see, and makes Goku look a little like Yamcha. Ultra Instinct is the most recent transformation, and not surprisingly, it looks like the most accurate carbon-copy of what we got in the Dragon Ball Super anime.
Seeing Dragon Ball fan art from fans or the actual series animators is nothing new. And yet, seeing the series represented in real-world artwork is always interesting, whether it's appreciating the level of skill the artist has, or tracking all the places around the globe where the artwork is showing up. As stated, seeing the level of fan love that exists for Dragon Ball even in the dirty South is pretty amazing; that bridge looks like it could be a seedy little walking experience at night - but the sight of some colorful Dragon Ball lore just invites a feeling of reassurance.
If you're in the area anytime soon, check it out! In the meantime: what do you think of the mural? Let us know in the comments!
Dragon Ball Super: Broly will hit Japanese theaters in December, and is expected to arrive in the U.S. around mid-January 2019. Dragon Ball Super is currently airing its English dub on Adult Swim during the Toonami programming block Saturday evenings at 9:30 p.m. ET. It is also available to stream on Funimation and Amazon Video. The Japanese language release of the series is complete and available to stream on Funimation, VRV and Crunchyroll.