Dragon Ball's Anime Got 1 Detail Wrong From the Manga, And This 37-Year-Old Art Proves It
Dragon Ball's anime adaptations have always had their slight differences from the source material, and many of them have been well discussed by the series' ever-growing fan base over the last four decades. Despite that, shows like 1986's Dragon Ball and 1989's Dragon Ball Z were able to capture the spirit of Akira Toriyama's original masterpiece manga series, and acted as gateway series for multiple generations of fans getting into the medium of anime.
However, though very few in number, some differences have seemingly fallen through the cracks and gone unnoticed by the Dragon Ball fandom over the years. Topics like the differences in Goku's characterization or what is and isn't filler have been discussed to death, but one official illustration by Akira Toriyama from 1988 proves that one detail from the series' anime adaptations was actually a mistake: Kame House was never pink.
Official Artwork Reveals That Kame House Was Actually Blue
The Iconic Home Base of Master Roshi Was Never Pink
Dragon Ball fans will be able to spot the iconic Kame House anywhere. The series' main cast of heroes have spent quite a large chunk of time on the island, either training with Master Roshi or simply hanging out with friends. The pink house in the middle of the ocean was a home base for Goku for quite some time, and was the setting for Dragon Ball Z's opening scenes, in which the largest plot twist in the entire series takes place. However, fans might be surprised to learn that the house was never actually pink.
According to artwork shared on the Dragon Ball official website, the house is actually blue with a black roof. The image description reads, "The bright colors used for Kame House evoke the feeling of a tropical climate." Unfortunately, the Akira Toriyama archive section of the website is only available to read for 24 hours, and is updated every other day, meaning those who missed the entry will no longer have access to it. Luckily, the colored image was saved and shared around social media.
Dragon Ball's Anime Adaptations Have Always Differed Slightly From the Manga
It might surprise some to know that Dragon Ball GT is the one adaptation to have gotten the color of Kame House right, though it was only briefly before the house was changed to pink once again in the finale. There are differences such as these littered throughout all of Dragon Ball's many iterations, with some more glaring than others. Gregory, the witty cricket who lives on King Kai's planet, was actually an anime-original character never seen in Toriyama's manga, while the famous "It's over 9,000" line was actually originally "over 8,000".
Dragon Ball Is a Classic Anime, But These 8 Shenron-Sized Plot Holes Prove It's Not Perfect
Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime and manga franchises ever, but it has introduced a fair share of plot holes over its 40 year run.
The different colors of Kame House don't hold an incredible amount of weight in the grand scheme of the franchise, though Dragon Ball fans would likely never pass up an opportunity to expand their knowledge of series lore. Over the 40-plus years and counting that Dragon Ball has been active, certain details have inevitably become changed or lost to time, and it seems the latest literally paints Roshi's home in a different light.
Source:Dragon Ball Official Website, Saiyan XQ on X
- Created by
- Akira Toriyama
- First Film
- Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies
- Latest Film
- Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
- First TV Show
- Dragon Ball
- First Episode Air Date
- April 26, 1989
- Current Series
- Dragon Ball Super
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku's never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
