THE Dragon Ball The franchise is now ready to continue with Dragon Ball Superthe latest addition to the franchise. Showing Goku and his allies in much smaller forms than usual, it harks back to the antics of the younger version of the hero seen in the original series. To that end, it brings back an iconic weapon that is also based on one of the many inspirations for Dragon Ball.
Goku's Power Pole is ready to make a big comeback in Dragon Ball Superand recalls one of the main sources of material for Akira Toriyama's series: Journey to the West. An absolute classic of Chinese literature, it has since inspired several other works in various media. One of these is the hit video game Black Myth: Wukongalthough the original novel features a slightly different weapon than the one wielded by a certain Saiyan.
The Power Pole is Goku's first weapon
First Appearance: Chapter 1 – “Bloomers and the Monkey King” (Manga); Episode 1 – “The Secret of the Dragon Balls” (Anime)
Long before he learned to use the Kamehameha Wave attack or transform into a Super Saiyan, Goku wielded the Power Pole in the original Dragon Ball anime and manga. He uses the bo staff for various purposes, both as a means of defense and simply to reach and touch objects. This is the case when he first meets Bulma, as he uses it in a similar manner to a staff. He continued to use the weapon during fights in the original series, as it was his primary means of “unique” attacks aside from the aforementioned Kamehameha Wave (which he did not learn until he met Master Roshi). Despite how trivial it may seem, the Power Pole actually served a much more important purpose in the grand scheme of the classic series.
The Power Pole was intended to connect and ascend from Korin Tower to the top of the Lookout where Kami (the heroic counterpart of the evil King Piccolo) resided. In fact, the object can extend immensely beyond its normal size, even reaching the moon and back. Long ago, Master Roshi had reached Korin Tower, with the cat giving him the Power Pole in exchange. Coincidentally, Korin thought that no one else would be trained and disciplined enough to use the object. Eventually, Roshi gave it to his friend Gohan, who later bequeathed it to his adopted “nephew”, Goku. The story would later end with Master Roshi training Goku and Goku using the Power Pole in combat and to reach the Lookout.
The Power Pole is incredibly powerful, and the item cannot be destroyed. Goku could even use it without touching it at one point, but its full power is apparently limited by the user's health. For example, it was once unable to stretch out and allow Goku and his friends to escape from the top of Emperor Pilaf's castle. This was mainly due to Goku being hungry at the time, which was a major obstacle in his younger days. As the original series focused more and more on his training, Goku used the Power Pole less and less. By the time of Dragon Ball Zwas a mostly irrelevant vestigial limb from the classic series, much like the Flying Nimbus. Similar to that object, however, it had ties to a work that long predated Dragon Ball.
Goku's most powerful weapons were based on this Chinese classic
Before shaping the concept into what fans now recognize as Dragon BallAkira Toriyama created a sort of prototype entitled Dragon Boy. This and subsequent series were heavily inspired by a notable Chinese novel that continues to inspire works to this day. Filled with magic and mythology, Journey to the West was one of the biggest influences on classical Dragon Ball manga and anime. Many of the initial cast members mirror characters from the novel, with Son Goku being analogous to Sun Wukong and the shapeshifting Oolong the Pig being based on Zhu Bajie. Beyond their superficial characteristics, these heroes of Dragon Ball He used weapons and items similar to those found in the novel. Among these was the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which Goku's Power Pole is based on.
The Ruyi Jingu Bang is a magical staff used by Sun Wukong, with the strange monkey seeking it out after all other weapons failed to impress him. He was given the weapon by the Dragon King Ao Guang and his wife, who were trying to get rid of the seemingly useless pillar. Much like the later Power Pole, this weapon possessed the power to change its size depending on its wielder's wishes. However, it mostly shrank, with Sun Wukong at one point making it as small as a needle to stick in his ear. Interestingly, the Japanese name for the Power Pole is “Nyoi Bo”, which is also the Japanese translation of Ruyi Jingu Bang (meaning “Golden Circle Rod”). It wasn't the only item derived from the Chinese novel, with the Flying Nimbus being based on Sun Wukong's ability to ride a cloud at high speeds.
Black Myth: Wukong Recreates the Game That Inspired Dragon Ball
Published and developed by Game Science, Black Myth: Wukong is a new video game that adapts the story of Journey to the WestThe protagonist is the ape-like being known as the Destined, with gameplay that is a third-person adventure similar to the entries in Dark Souls series. It is one of several video games based on the iconic Chinese novel, with another example being the underrated 2010 title Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Black Myth is much more faithful to the source material, however, namely in the way it arms its main character. The Destined One wields a powerful staff that, like the legendary Ruyi Jingu Bang, can extend and shrink.
Other characters such as Zhu Bajie are present in the game, though he is very different from his “offspring”, Oolong the Pig. The Bull King/Ox King is also present in the novel and video game, with his daughter Pingping being the inspiration for Chi-Chi. Goku himself is a bit like Sung Wukong/The Destined One, with the latter choosing to live in the mountains instead of ascending to godhood. This is similar to how Goku, for all his power, is a relatively simple man who lives in the woods with his family. Fans have even taken this idea a step further, modifying Goku in the game to carry the Journey to the West experience an even more complete circle. Black Myth: Wukong was a huge success, so much so that the new title became one of the best-selling video games of all time.
It has also inspired renewed interest in China's ancient history and tourism to the game's locales. Naturally, those unfamiliar with the source material and its impact have noted similar notes to Dragon Ball and Goku, namely in terms of the Destined Staff and Goku's Power Pole. It's very ironic given that the upcoming anime series Dragon Ball Super will make the Power Pole more prominent than it has been in years, with young Goku evoking its status quo in the non-canon sequel anime, Dragon Ball GTFans of the franchise certainly have a lot to be happy about, but those who are even more in love with Journey to the West will be able to celebrate its influential legacy in both video game and anime form.