Sorry Invincible Fans, Robert Kirkman May Have Copied One Core Concept of His Show That Akira Toriyama Introduced in Dragon Ball 36 Years Ago

Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball might have inspired Robert Kirkman's Invincible, with the latter show featuring a similar concept!

Invincible, Robert Kirkman, Dragon Ball
Image by Gage Skidmore, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

SUMMARY

  • Invincible is one of the most popular animated superhero shows.
  • The Saiyan Saga from Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball may have inspired Robert Kirkman.
  • The Saiyan Saga was one of the peak arcs in Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball.
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Robert Kirkman’s Invincible is one of the best animated shows of recent times that has been a blast to watch in the age of superhero fatigue, where franchises like Marvel and DC have lost their allure to collect massive numbers at the box office.

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invincible
Invincible. Credits: Prime Video.

The show elevated the standards of a superhero show by introducing the unique concept of Viltrumites, who were introduced as an alien race constantly returning to Earth so that they could make it part of the prestigious Viltrum Empire.

While this was an intriguing concept that made the fans eagerly watch the series, it sounds quite common with a core concept that has not only been originally showcased in Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball but also was a core part of it that has kept the Shonen series so popular since 1986.

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Invincible Might Have Copied One Important Aspect of Dragon Ball

Based on the comic book of the same name, Robert Kirkman’s Invincible has been a great watch till second, which has even given a brief cameo of Batman in the show. The show revolves around Mark Grayson, a titular teenage superhero, under the guidance of his father Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man, the most powerful superhero in on earth.

Atom Eve was nerfed for being too OP
A still from Invincible. Credits: Amazon Studios

As the plot progressed in Season 1 of the show, it showcased the surprising revelation that Omni-Man was originally sent to Earth to conquer it and make it a part of the prestigious Viltrum Empire.

For fans, who surprisingly have not watched the show even in 2024, the Viltrumites are a warrior race that is known for their immense strength and ambition. The Viltrum Empire is built on the foundation of blood and conquest; these creatures run on only one philosophy: survival of the fittest.

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A still from Invincible
Omni-Man. Credits: Prime Videos

This aspect of the superhero show sounds strikingly similar to Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball, where infiltration babies were sent to different planets so that they could conquer them. Like the Viltrumites, the Saiyans were also a race with immense pride and power, which fueled their prestige.

According to Dragon Ball Wiki, the power of the Saiyan would decide his social prestige, and it would either classify them as an “upper-level” or a “low-level” warrior. These low-level babies can become scientists, engineers, or infiltration babies.

A still from Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball
Kid Goku. Credits: Toei Animation

To put it simply, infiltration babies are sent off to a distant planet where they have to conquer the planet so that they turn into capable warriors and will be allowed to return only after they completely take over the planet they were originally sent to.

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However, this is not the only thing that Kirkman copied from the Shonen series because fans would remember that in the initial episodes, Raditz came to Earth to meet a warrior called Kakarot, followed by Nappa and Vegeta.

In Invincible, a similar incident took place, where Viltrumites would occasionally visit Earth to convince Mark to prove his worth by taking over the complete control of Earth. Though this might break the hearts of Invincible fans, this uncanny similarity between the two shows proves that Prime’s animated show copied one important aspect of Toriyama-Sensei’s work.

The Saiyan Saga That Started It All!

In Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus, several iconic arcs have been featured over the years, but none of them could even come close to the charisma of the Saiyan Saga.

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Raditz vs. Goku
Goku grabs Raditz’s tail. Credits: Toei Animation

The show kicked off 25 years after Goku won the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament and a mysterious pod landed on Earth. Raditz is a high-level warrior sent to Earth to find a certain warrior called Kakarot.

Part of the saga’s success is because of its narrative appeal, which focused on high-stakes drama. The arc did not take much time to feature Goku’s long-lost brother and the arrival of formidable foes, who are driven by sheer ruthlessness and a never-ending pursuit of power.

Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z became a massive hit among fans
The iconic stand-off between Goku and Vegeta in DBZ. Credits: Toei Animation

Moreover, this arc started the iconic rivalry between Vegeta and Goku, especially their epic showdown that showcased an intriguing blend of martial arts choreography, energy blasts, and side characters stepping up when they needed to.

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As a result, fans were biting their nails in anticipation, wondering what would take place in the next scene of the show that would keep them on the edge of their seats.

Hence, even if there are a ton of sagas in the iconic franchises that feature jaw-dropping transformations, none could come close to the perfect integration of emotional weight, character development, and setting a benchmark for Shonen series, which none have come close to matching.

Dragon Ball is available to stream on Crunchyroll as of August 16, 2024.

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Invincible has been available to stream on Amazon Prime Video since March 25, 2021.

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Written by Tushar Auddy

Articles Published: 1119

Tushar Auddy, Content Writer. He has been in the entertainment industry for 3 years and is always on the lookout for a captivating story. He is a student of Linguistics and is currently pursuing his Master's degree in the same field. He has a passion for literature that runs deep and loves nothing more than getting lost in a novel for hours on end. When he isn't reading, you'll find him capturing the beauty of language.