3 Years Ago, at the Height of the Pandemic, DC Honored the One Anime That Precedes One Piece and Naruto in Popularity

3 Years Ago, at the Height of the Pandemic, DC Honored the One Anime That Precedes One Piece and Naruto in Popularity
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DC has had a massive fanbase for a long time now, but it’s thrilling when DC merges with one of the most popular anime franchises of all time. To everyone’s surprise, it wasn’t Oda’s One Piece or Kishimoto’s Naruto but Dragon Ball Z created by Akira Toriyama. Albiet, there was no direct reference to the anime till The Flash #87, where Barry’s golden transformation is actually called the “Super Saiyan.”

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Also Read: “He’s actually stronger than anyone”: Akira Toriyama Insulted Vegeta Yet Again, Said Another Character is Stronger Than Goku

What anime did DC honor three years ago?

The Flash from the DC Comics
The Flash from the DC Comics

In Flash #86, Flash turns himself over to the police after defeating Captain Cold. He believed that his unstable power could result in a lot more harm. Flash and Captain Cold are transferred to Gotham City’s Arkham Asylum because of the damages inflicted upon Central City’s Iron Heights. While trying to figure out the discrepancies in the Speed Force, Pied Piper gets involved and meets Flash at Arkham Asylum.

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Piper synchronizes Barry with Speed Force using a sound gun. This results in him being able to utilize his powers again, though it was just a temporary fix. Piper explains Barry to minimize the use of his powers as much as he can, “Any time you do, you run the risk of going ‘Super Saiyan.'”

Dragon Ball Z Goku Super Saiyan
Dragon Ball Z Goku “Super Saiyan” that was mentioned in DC’s Flash.

Piper clearly referred to the popular anime and manga Dragon Ball. Akira Toriyama created this fan-adored series. Dragon Ball Z is the sequel to Dragon Ball, which aired from 1989 until 1996.

Also Read: “That just didn’t work out”: After Superman, Nicolas Cage Lost Another Iconic DC Role That Went To His Cousin’s Ex-Boyfriend Keanu Reeves

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Does Dragon Ball Z exist in the DC universe?

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Gohan
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Gohan

Also Read: “Vegeta had lost all courage, which is horrifying”: Vegeta’s Voice Actor Revealed His Favorite Dragon Ball Movie That Did the Saiyan Prince Justice

One of the most popular anime franchises of all time is Dragon Ball Z. It has attracted several fans and is believed to be one of the most adored pop culture series of all time. However, keeping aside the audiences, it was a shocking reveal when the DC Universe mentioned Dragon Ball Z in their media. This led to several questions among the fans, like whether Dragon Ball Z exists or not in the DC Universe.

There have been several posters seen in the room of Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s son. Jon is a massive Dragon Ball Z enthusiast so it’s subtly evident that Dragon Ball Z exists within the pages of DC Comics.

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Source: CBR, ScreenRant

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Written by Archak

Articles Published: 295

Despite holding a degree in Chemistry Majors, Archak found himself as a Journalist. His love for anime and choccy milk is unmatched! When not writing, Archak can be found indulging with motorcycles. After all, four wheels move the body but two wheels move the soul!