Anyone who has never done a “Kamé Hamé Ha” raise their hand.
“For ten years, I thought I had mastered it, that it was going to come out of my hands.
In the playground, everyone was trying to imitate the characters from
Dragon Ball, especially
Son Goku
,” remembers Mario, an analyst in the banking sector now 26 years old, with nostalgia tinged with humor.
This gesture - an attack which consists of concentrating all the energy of one's body, which forms a ball of energy between the hands, and propelling it in one go with force towards one's opponent - is one of the cultural references the most powerful of the last forty years.
History owes it to a man, Akira Toriyama, creator of
Dragon Ball
, whose death, at the age of 68, was announced on Friday March 8.
I discovered this Japanese object, which is read from left to right... I remember sitting down to read it.
And it never left me.
Jean, 30 years old, “Dragon Ball” reader
The cult manga, which draws its inspiration from a 16th century Chinese novel, tells the life and adventures of Son Goku, martial arts prodigy, since his childhood.
The 42 volumes, drawn between 1984 and 1995, have sold more than 260 million copies worldwide, according to the specialist site
Mangazenkan,
including 30 million in France.
And has spawned numerous adaptations: three animated series (
Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z
and
Dragon Ball GT
), video games and numerous sequels such as the recent
Dragon Ball Super
.
“The Star Wars of manga”
The French discovered the phenomenon on television in 1988. The series appeared on TF1 on March 2, 1988, in Club Dorothée.
The enthusiasm is immediate.
On Wednesday morning, up to 65% of 4-14 year olds are in front of the station.
Scores sometimes reach more than 1.5 million viewers.
“The success is colossal, an entire generation has been fed Japanese cartoons thanks to TF1.
Culturally, it was very important
, explains to Le
Figaro
Olivier Richard, author of
Akira Toriyama the master of manga
(Glénat, 2011, 144 pages).
Dragon Ball
is the
Star Wars
of manga.
It’s a manga that passes from father to son, like a Rolling Stones vinyl.”
Over time, the French have become the second largest consumers of manga in the world, behind... the Japanese.
“It is the major work, the pillar, the reference. No manga would be what it is today without
Dragon Ball
,”
agrees Mario, whose favorite character is Son Gohan, son of Son Goku.
Clément, 47 years old, is also one of those whose childhood was rocked by the wanderings of the main hero
“I grew up with the Dorothée Club, it was a real meeting place.
And when I happened to miss an episode of
Dragon Ball
, it was panic.
Sometimes I only had bits of the plot, which was very frustrating
,” recalls the publicist.
The adolescent readership had a comic book that met their expectations.
The notions of wonder and discovery were very strong
Benoît Huot, manga editorial manager of Glénat
It was in 1993 that the abundant saga, published by Glénat, arrived on the shelves of bookstores in France.
“It was immediately the alpha and omega of manga in France.
Dragon Ball
allowed an entire generation to understand what this art was.
And the teenage readership finally had a comic book that met their expectations.
The notions of wonder and discovery were very strong
, explains Benoît Huot, manga editorial manager at Glénat.
The characters are the age of their readers, at least initially, which made identification immediate.
As the volumes progress, they grow, progress, and face dilemmas and story complexities.”
“I made real friends talking about manga
”
“
The universe was completely outside of what we were used to seeing,”
says Jean, 30, who will remember
his encounter with Dragon Ball
“all my life.”
“I was in a supermarket in Angers, and my habit was to rush to the book section while my parents were shopping.
I discovered this Japanese object, which is read from left to right... I remember sitting down to read it.
And it never left me.”
Like all “pop culture” juggernauts,
Dragon Ball
creates links between enthusiasts from all over the world.
Forums are overflowing with discussions about it, events like the Japan Expo give it pride of place.
“I made real friends talking about manga on social media.
Over time, we found ourselves at conventions or during the previews of animated films
, explains Marwan, 24 years old, cheerfully.
Some of my friends cried when they learned of Akira Toriyama's death.
For some, it's empty, because
Dragon Ball
has accompanied their entire life.