Yes, Deadpool Is A Big ‘Dragon Ball’ Nerd

Dragon Ball has a special place in pop culture, and its fandom continues to prove how important Son Goku has become. Ever since the franchise debuted, Saiyans have converted fans left and right. And, yes — Wade Wilson counts himself as one such believer.

So, really, isn’t it about time someone made a mash-up of Deadpool teaming up with Piccolo?

For those unaware, Deadpool is a definite fan of Dragon Ball in the Marvel Universe. The mouthy mercenary is a fan of lots of things, but it seems his interest in the anime falls in-between guns and chimichangas.

After all, the anti-hero has called out his love for Dragon Ball in the past. If you have read the first volume of Spider-Man/Deadpool, you will have an idea of the character’s otaku leanings. In 2017, the run put out its 18th issue, and it was there Deadpool threw out a Dragon Ball reference when he was backed into a corner.

On a mission to corral Itsy Bitsy, Deadpool and Spider-Man come upon an impasse with one another. The pair argue over how to contain the threat, prompting the two to get in an all-out fight. Still, Deadpool keeps trying to find a solution, but his plans take a rather fictional turn.

“There has to be a super-max maxi-prison somewhere that can handle [her],” Deadpool tells Spider-Man as the pair exchange blows. When Spider-Man brushes off the comment, Deadpool blanches and says the first thing that comes to mind”

“Collect all the Dragon Balls and wish her away!!!”

For a second, Spider-Man seems to mull over the advice before he realizes what Wade said. The wall-crawling hero is left bewildered by the suggestion, but Deadpool’s wise-cracking words do show something; When in doubt, Dragon Ball always has a back-up plan… but that doesn’t mean it will work for just anyone.

So, which anime series would you recommend to Deadpool? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

If you are interested in the anime series, Dragon Ball Super is currently airing its English dub on Adult Swim during the Toonami programming block Saturday evenings and Adult Swim on weeknights. 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.