Sorry Invincible fans, Robert Kirkman may have copied a basic concept of his show that Akira Toriyama introduced in Dragon Ball 36 years ago

of Robert Kirkman Invincible is one of the best animated series in recent times, which has been a blast to watch in the era of superhero fatigue, where franchises like Marvel and DC have lost their allure to garner massive box office numbers.

The show raised the bar for a superhero show by introducing the unique concept of the Viltrumites, who were introduced as an alien race constantly returning to Earth so they could be part of the prestigious Viltrum Empire.

While this was an intriguing concept that made fans look forward to watching the series, it sounds pretty common with a core concept that wasn’t originally featured in Akira Toriyama’s film alone. Dragon Ball but it was also an essential part of it that kept the Shonen series so popular since 1986.

Invincible You may have copied an important aspect of Dragon Ball

Based on the comic of the same name by Robert Kirkman Invincible it was a great watch until the second, which even featured a brief Batman cameo in the show. The series revolves around Mark Grayson, a titular teenage superhero under the tutelage of his father Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man, the most powerful superhero on earth.

As the plot progressed in Season 1 of the show, it featured the surprising revelation that Omni-Man was originally sent to Earth to conquer it and make it part of the prestigious Viltrum Empire.

For fans, who surprisingly haven’t been watching the show even in 2024, the Viltrumites are a warrior race that is known for their immense power and ambition. The Viltrum Empire is built on blood and conquest; these creatures follow one philosophy: survival of the fittest.

This aspect of the superhero show sounds strikingly similar to Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball, where the infiltrated babies were sent to different planets for you to conquer. Like the Viltrumites, the Saiyans were also a race of immense pride and power, which fueled their prestige.

According to the Dragon Ball Wiki, the power of the Saiyan would decide their social prestige and classify them as either one “higher level” or a “low level” warrior. These low-level babies can become scientists, engineers, or infiltration children.

To put it simply, the baby infiltrators are sent to a distant planet where they must conquer the planet so that they become capable warriors and are only allowed to return after they completely take over the planet they were originally sent to.

However, that’s not the only thing Kirkman copied from the Shonen series, as fans would recall that in the initial episodes, Raditz came to Earth to meet a warrior named Kakarot, followed by Nappa and Vegeta.

In Invinciblea similar incident occurred where the Viltrumites would occasionally visit Earth to convince Mark to prove his worth by taking complete control of Earth. Although this might break hearts Invincible to fans, this uncanny similarity between the two shows proves that Prime’s animated series copied an important aspect of Toriyama-Sensei’s work.

The Saiyan saga that started it all!

In Akira Toriyama’s work, several iconic arcs have been featured over the years, but none of them could come close to the charisma of the Saiyan Saga.

The show began 25 years after Goku won the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament and a mysterious staple landed on Earth. Raditz is a high-level warrior sent to Earth to find a certain warrior named Kakarot.

Part of the saga’s success is due to its narrative appeal, which focused on high-stakes drama. It didn’t take long for the arc to introduce Goku’s long-lost brother and the arrival of formidable foes who are driven by pure ruthlessness and a never-ending quest for power.

Furthermore, this arc began the iconic rivalry between Vegeta and Goku, particularly their epic showdown, which featured an intriguing mix of martial arts choreography, bursts of energy, and supporting characters who step up when they need to.

As a result, fans were biting their nails in anticipation, wondering what would happen in the next scene of the show that would keep them on the edge of their seats.

Therefore, while there are plenty of sagas in iconic franchises that feature jaw-dropping transformations, none could come close to perfectly integrating the emotional weight, character development, and setting a benchmark for the Shonen series that none came close to. . matching

Dragon Ball is available to stream on Crunchyroll starting August 16, 2024.

Invincible has been available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video since March 25, 2021.