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With the new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie finally out, Dragon Ball fans received an unexpected but welcome surprise. Previously believed to be dead, Erik Killmonger, aka Michael B. Jordan, appeared in the movie (we won't say where or how, though!). What's more interesting is that the movie has references to Akira Toriyama's magnum opus.
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In particular, the Líik’ik Talokan hand gesture closely resembles the famous Kamehameha Wave hand sign. Fans watching the film quickly caught on and rushed to social media to display their excitement, as this is the second time the Black Panther franchise has referenced the Dragon Ball series.
Fans ecstatic as Black Panther and Dragon Ball parallels carry on
In the first Black Panther movie, the story's antagonist majorly hinted at Dragon Ball. Michael B. Jordan, portraying Erik Killmonger, sported a blue outfit with plackart armor covering the front. This was very similar to what Vegeta wore when he went into battle in the anime. His look became iconic along with the show and could be identified anywhere. Thus began the parallels between the two.
Intriguingly, the actor has a deep inclination towards anime. In an interview with Highsnobiety, he mentioned that anime was "a big piece" of his childhood, his life as an adult, and his creativity. During the interview, he began to name his all-time favorites and listed mega-famous series such as Dragon Ball Z, Naruto Shippuden, Attack on Titan, and Gundam Wing.
In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the Líik’ik Talokan hand gesture reminded people of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball. The entire hand gesture seemed to be based on the hand sign used when utilizing the Kamehameha attack. This reference was too noticeable to miss and had fans of the anime flooding social media platforms with comparisons of the same.
To say it was well-appreciated would be an understatement. Some praised the parallels and hoped the makers would continue more of the same in future films. Others joked that future references could include a Tournament Arc or emulate the poses that the Ginyu Force made when they made an appearance early on.
Dragon Ball Super season 2
Speaking of Dragon Ball, the show is speculated to return soon with the second season of Super. Following the success of DBS: Super Hero, many new doors have opened for the series. Gohan and Piccolo receiving new transformations, as well as a proper introduction to Pan, has broadened the scope of the anime.
Although no such official announcement has been made yet, interviews with members of Toei Animation have hinted at a possible return. Assuming it returns, the season will likely cover the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga. It will showcase Goku with greater control over Ultra Instinct, Vegeta's new Ultra Ego form, and a new villain, the evil sorcerer Moro.
Meanwhile, the manga just concluded Granolah the Survivor Saga and gave the tyrant Frieza a powerful new form, Black Frieza. It will be interesting to see how Goku and Vegeta tackle this new threat.
