Among the Shreks, Spongebobs, and Cory Baxters out there, no character has been a more desired “meme pick” for the Super Smash Bros. roster than Son Goku of Dragon Ball. Holding a seminal place within the hearts of many an anime fan, in no small part due to the series’ iconic moves, fights, and power-ups, Goku has been requested (and rumored) to join the roster for about as long as Smash speculation has been a thing.
Apparently, those involved with the anime business are starting to get in on the action, as Funimation — the licensors and dubbers of Dragon Ball in America — tweeted at Nintendo of America to let “[their] boy” into Smash at last. While they wouldn’t be responsible for Goku actually being put in the game (that would fall to probably Toei Animation, creator Akira Toriyama, and/or publisher Shueisha), it is an oddly official endorsement for a company’s character in Smash — though given the similar advocacy by WayForward and Yacht Club Games for their own fighters in the past, it’s not unprecedented.
@NintendoAmerica Hey Nintendo, When's our boy Goku going to join the fight? 😏 #NintendoDirect #SmashBrosSwitch pic.twitter.com/QFLhxtWWkw
— Funimation (@FUNimation) March 12, 2018
How likely is Goku’s entry into Smash? Honestly, still very low, mostly by virtue of not originating in or being best known for a video game. That said, if any anime character were to make it into Smash, it would probably be him — Dragon Ball is the second best-selling manga of all time (exceeded only by One Piece), has been culturally significant in both the East and West for decades, and has produced many a recognizable image, from the Kamehameha to the Super Saiyan. And heck, Goku’s English voice actor, Sean Schemmel, is already in Smash as Lucario — which probably doesn’t help at all, but hey, it’s worth mentioning.
For those who want to play as Goku in some other fighting game, you can check out the recently released and widely acclaimed Dragon Ball Fighterz, or one of the myriad other video games he’s been in over the years — including a Smash-type game (and one of my personal favorites) Jump Ultimate Stars for the Nintendo DS. Stay wired for more unlikely Smash speculation pieces as more companies either play into social media marketing or make a sincere plea to see their creations in gaming’s finest fighting arena.
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
