Dragon Ball will always be on the list of most popular anime worldwide. Generations of children have grown up while watching Goku’s ‘Ka-me-ha-me-ha,’ and in today’s world, it has become a kind of unifying force. No matter where you belong, Goku’s primary move will always excite you, and this time, it has been proven in the Olympics.
The Olympic Games Paris 2024 has seen the peak of sports, with players bringing glory to not just them but also their countries. Another community was also satisfied by the Olympics, and it is the anime otakus who have had their fill of anime references via the Olympics.
The French Fencing Team Performed Goku’s Signature Move from Dragon Ball at the Olympics
The Paris 2024 Olympics has seen a ton of anime references, but probably the most wholesome one of them all came from the French Fencing Team. In one of the events of the men’s team, they won a bronze medal. The group of four was so happy about it that they decided to perform the most legendary pose ever.
In fact, the Kamehameha was performed so smoothly that it almost felt like it was a choreographed move. The fact that the fencing team had to have a chat and a practice session over it seems endearing since they also have a hectic practice schedule.
But one thing is for sure: this move from the French team has won over all otakus and sports enthusiasts alike. The homage to Son Goku was a pleasant surprise. In fact, it could even be considered an honor dedicated to Akira Toriyama, the proud creator of Dragon Ball, who passed away in March 2024.
Anime References at The Paris Olympics 2024
The Paris Olympics 2024 has been an event of delight for anime fans, as athletes from all across the world created a hub of global pop culture. However, no one was expecting that multiple contenders from all over the world would use so many anime references.
Spain’s Jordan Diaz secured the country’s first Gold Medal at the Olympics for the men’s triple jump event. Immediately afterward, Diaz was seen posing a proud ‘Shinzou wo sasageyo’ salute from Attack on Titan.
Mari Leivis Sánchez is a Columbian weightlifter who won the silver medal, and all of this was while wearing a Monkey D. Luffy pair of socks. It seems like the popular protagonist of One Piece has largely influenced the weightlifter.
Of course, Noah Lyles, the American sprinter, cannot be excluded from this list. Why? Because he somehow managed to reference two major anime moves in between the pressure of the events. Kyle claimed a gold medal in the 100m event and was seen striking a Kamehameha pose. In fact, just before his qualifying 200m run, the sprinter surprised everyone by copying the hand sign of Gojo, which he made for his Domain Expansion.
A variety of different anime and manga series have found unexpected representation at the Olympics. This has been a truly unifying event that made the sharing of culture possible among both athletes and sports enthusiasts.
You can read Dragon Ball on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
