Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerohas been widely acclaimed as a celebration of every chapter inDragon Ball’s extensive history, even including many non-canon characters from throughout the years. This is how theBudokai Tenkaichiseries has always operated, but there have been many more additions to the world ofDragon Ballduring the long wait forDragon Ball: Sparking Zero.
Of course, not all of these additions have been created equally, or even looked upon favorably whatsoever.Dragon Ball Superis the successor toDragon Ball Z, and has had a generally positive reception in the fandom despite some of its more glaring flaws. By contrast,Dragonball Evolutionwas almost universally despised upon release, and maintains that reputation to this day. This leavesSparking Zerowith nothing less than the impossible task of treating both with an equal amount of dignity.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Gives a Playful Nod to the Most Infamous Entry in the Series
Dragonball Evolutionwas released in 2009, and is intended as a live-action adaptation of the earliest arcs ofDragon Ball, including its very own version ofDemon King Piccolo. Both its plot and its cast mostly avoid elements fromDBZ, for better or for worse. What was most certainly for the worse, however, wasEvolution’s approach to adaptation overall.
In simpler terms,Dragonball Evolutionis often blamed for two significant trends inlive-action anime adaptations. First and foremost is the attempt to “Americanize” these stories, which misses the mark on elements as important as Goku’s identity, and even the tone ofDragon Ballitself.Evolution’s negative reception also fostered the consensus that live-action anime adaptations will never live up to the source material, and this trend can be considered even more pervasive than the first.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s Fused Zamasu References Dragonball Evolution’s Lord Piccolo
Dragonball Evolutionwas presumably never going to receive an entire slot onDragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s roster. The game features more than 180 playable characters, and giving each of them the proper attention to detail is already a tall order. Developers somehow managed to accomplish this task for the most part, and have even gone the extra mile on much of the cast.
It couldn’t have been easy to sneak in a reference to something asuniversally criticized asDragonball Evolution, yet developers still managed to find a way. During one of his signature moves, Half-Corrupted Fused Zamasu proudly taunts his opponent by saying, “Human power has failed before, and it will again!” This line appears innocuous enough at a glance, since it is perfectly in-character for the elitist god. However, this line was actually first spoken by Piccolo during the climax ofDragonball Evolution.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s Evolution Reference Has a Deeper Meaning for Zamasu’s Voice Actor
Fans would be forgiven for assuming thatDragonball Evolutionwouldn’t receive so much as amention inDragon Ball: Sparking Zero. Even James Wong, the film’s director, has explicitly apologized for its negative impact on the community. That anecdote has been a point of humor among fans for quite some time, but he’s actually not the only person involved with the project to hold that sentiment.
James Marsters portrayed Lord Piccolo inDragonball Evolution, and has similarly expressed his desire to redeem himself for the work. to do this, he went on to voiceZamasu inDragon Ball Super, and even went so far as to do it for free. James Marsters reprises the role of Zamasu inDragon Ball: Sparking Zero, which gives theEvolutionreference a whole new meaning. Instead of simply mocking a low point in the series' history, it offers a new and playful sense of dignity to one of the series' most loyal performers.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
WHERE TO PLAY
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO takes the legendary gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series and raises it to whole new levels. Become a super warrior and experience the earth-shaking, limit-breaking power of DRAGON BALL battles!Unleash the strength of over 180 fighters from DRAGON BALL Z, DRAGON BALL Super, DRAGON BALL GT, and selected DRAGON BALL movies, all in the base game! Each character comes with their own signature abilities, transformations, and techniques.Make the destructive power of the strongest fighters ever to appear in DRAGON BALL yours!Engage in heart-pounding, high-speed 3D battles that stay true to the anime and video game series, with breathtaking visuals and authentic combat moves like beam clashes, rush attacks, movements too quick for the eyes to see, and planet-razing ultimate attacks.Challenge other players online to test your skills, or sit down with friends offline to hone your skills exclusively in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber! Fight your way to become a champion across various tournament modes and victory conditions.Conquer the action-packed battles from the beloved original story, or discover and unlock new encounters for your favorite Z-Fighters and more. Relive your favorite moments from the series through cutscenes you can experience from the perspectives of eight characters!Recreate your favorite battles from throughout the DRAGON BALL story, or set up your dream story battle with your favorite characters! Share your creations with other fans and experience the battles brought to life by imaginations around the world.
