One PieceandDragon Ballare two of the most popularanimeof all time. They’re generally the franchises that people picture not only when discussing Shonen, but also anime in general. Through their decades of wacky action, they’ve accumulated vast fan bases that span multiple generations and right across the globe.
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With that popularity comes inevitable comparisons. Fans love a little friendly competition between hot properties. In the age of the internet, that competition manifests as memes. BothDragon BallandOne Piecehave spawned virtually unlimited amounts of these gags, and they’re every bit as funny as one would expect from these outlandish series.
7Villain Introductions
One Pieceplays few things straight, and that includes its villains. Most other anime series -Dragon Ballincluded - introduce their antagonists with some level of gravitas or menace. Creators typically show them amidst the shadows ordepict them demonstrating their immense power.
The pirate comedy occasionally does this too, but it aims for subversion more often than not. Viewers usually catch the baddies doing something outrageous or interrupt their mundane, daily routine. When juxtaposed against its rivals, this approach is all the more farcical.
6Civil War
This meme may be overused, but it’s no less applicable here. It’s arguably more so given the longevity of the franchises and the passion of most genre fans.
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Dragon BallandOne Pieceare two tent poles of anime. They’ve led the industry for decades, cultivating countless followers during their lifespans. If these two titans ever conflicted, the significance would be akin to a pop culturecivil war. It goes without saying that each side would fight to the bitter end to prove that their show is better.
5Children, Please.
As big as they both are,Dragon Ballhas ultimately accumulated more mainstream attention thanOne Piece.The runaway success of martial arts hit on Toonamiand other networks was instrumental in bringing more anime to the West. As a result, audiences see it as the granddaddy of the genre, at least outside of Japan.
This meme perfectly illustrates that. Fans ofNaruto,One Piece, and other anime can argue about each one’s merits to kingdom come, butDragon Ballwas good enough to change the industry. It’s hard not to feel a sense of seniority, hence the bigger picture and more flattering portraits. Sure, it’s a cheap shot that reeks of smugness, but those are sometimes the funniest.
4Sorry, I’m Busy.
Regardless of which one viewers prefer, everyone can agree thatboth shows are massive time sinks.Dragon Ballhas around five hundred episodesacross various series, whileOne Piecerecently passed a thousand. Watching either of them requires months of commitment and a clear schedule. Watching both is an even greater challenge.
As such, many anime fans likely face this same dilemma. Friendships split down the middle as each viewer must choose a show. Dabbling in the other is out of the question, especially for those hoping to finish either series in their lifetime.
3Marriage
Due to how long these shows are, their characters obviously go through some growth. A significant step for Goku was marrying Chi Chi and starting a family. He wasn’t aware of the concept at first though and only did it to fulfill a boyhood promise. That said, he bears a deep love for his wife and is fiercely protective of her and others around him.
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It’s laughable, then, thatOne Piecehas produced more episodes, yetnever taken such a step with its hero. Luffy has admittedly matured as a captain, but his conquests have never brought him any major love interests. One would think wenches would be among the first things on a pirate’s mind, but the appeal still eludes Luffy. Even Goku’s not that much of an idiot.
2An Impossible Wish
A running gag ofOne Pieceis Zoro’s lack of direction. Basically, he goes the wrong way. One would think he’d grow out of this weakness through training or Devil Fruit, but it still hinders him after hundreds of episodes. Like a bad habit, it seems to be an ironclad part of his character. In theory, a wish-granting dragon like Shenron should be able to solve that problem.
Even his powers have limits, though, and they usually show up at the most inconvenient times. For example, he can only bring people back to life once. Any further deaths must be outsourced to the Namekian dragon, Porunga. It’s hardly surprising, then, that he can’t fix an issue as ingrained as Zoro’s.
1The Ultimate Crossover
Here’s anotherMarveldig, but it references an even bigger event.Infinity Waracted as the culmination of everything theMarvel Cinematic Universehad built on the big screen with its numerousAvengersflicks. By this point, it had a veritable army of superheroes to create a team-up more ambitious than ever before. The hype was practically unparalleled among the comic crowd. In the anime industry, on the other hand, one event rivaled that hype.
One Pieceeventually aired an episode that not only combined it withDragon Ball, but alsoToriko. Once again, these are genre giants, so seeing them all on one TV screen was surreal. It likely did feel likethe Shonen Avengers. Because their worlds are so different, though, their coming together is even more unbelievable.
