The 'race' issue...

[COAL TIGER]

The reason why Tony Jaa didnt use those corny wires is because his movies didn't require it due to the fact that he could pull of some pretty amazing feats.

Exactly my point.

 

[mr. peasant]

However, how good is Tony Jaa's English? Skill and combat prowess (which can be worked around) only gets you so far in a blockbuster-aiming Hollywood summer action flick. You can be the world's greatest fighter but if nobody can understand what you're saying, you're not getting the part. And if I remember correctly, Jaa doesn't speak much English and what little he does is heavily accented.

 

[COAL TIGER]

Jet Li didn't speak much english before he did Romeo Must Die. I may be wrong but I'm sure that movie was a hit. Like I said, I may be wrong.

 

[javphonic]

IMO Goku in live action should be racially ambiguous (Chatwin was a poor choice IMO, but we'll se in '09) racial ambiguity makes him seem more alien, yet he's still able to fit in as he posseses basic human features, just a little from various race... I was watching ANTM and a model named Elina is a great example of racial ambiguity, I couldn't figure out if she was of European or Asian




and realistically speaking Goku could've looked any way and blended in, as there are talking animals walking around and functioning in day to day life


just curious, is Bulma asian in the manga?

 

[Antrax255]

Bulma is definitely white.

 

[kaypain]

I have no problem with an Asian cast as Goku to be honest i think Jon Foo looks just like Goku, but can he speak good fluent English? looking like him is one thing, but I want to be able to understand the guy, this is an American film, Tony Jaa is a talented martial artist, but can he speak good fluent English? how is his acting, he barely had dialogue in the protector. We have to realize that this movie, just like most movie are, is here to make money, not just please fans, and to be honest, a white lead>asian lead in American any time, it's just the flat truth, you can't change that, unless you change all 100 billion of the people's minds here in the U.S.

 

[CaptainClown]

I have no problem with an Asian cast as Goku to be honest i think Jon Foo looks just like Goku, but can he speak good fluent English? looking like him is one thing, but I want to be able to understand the guy, this is an American film, Tony Jaa is a talented martial artist, but can he speak good fluent English? how is his acting, he barely had dialogue in the protector. We have to realize that this movie, just like most movie are, is here to make money, not just please fans, and to be honest, a white lead>asian lead in American any time, it's just the flat truth, you can't change that, unless you change all 100 billion of the people's minds here in the U.S.

 

[kaypain]

just an expression, not an accurate count of the U.S. population

 

[CaptainClown]

Well if that was true. Jet Li, Jackie Chan and hell any foreign film would bomb instantly in America.

 

[kaypain]

point taken....

 

[SuperAl]

the chinese had their opportunity at a asian goku and they failed lol

 

[Dark Jaguar]

I'm so sorry you're not going to get your Asian body builder to portray Goku in a American film....

even Tony Jaa had a stunt double.... I can go toe to toe with Tony Jaa.... so what's your point

as i owned his movies on DVD... -WHERE- did he have a stunt double??
oh. he didn't. Jaa did ALL of his own stunts. Why? Because he was a stuntman.
And I hardly doubt you can go toe-to-toe with Tony Jaa.

Tony Jaa = Real Deal
You = Nerd behind a computer.

just an expression, not an accurate count of the U.S. population

just over 300 Million. just wanted to help.t:

 

[Dark Jaguar]

Anyways, to post my own thoughts on the "race issue"...

I always figured Goku would end up being a 'white guy'... He was just portrayed as so much taller than a 'typical asian'...

And up until about 30 minutes ago, I was not sure Chatwin would look anything like Goku... But now I can see the resembalance.

As for the "Race Issue" in general....
what's the big deal what ethnicity someone is? Can't we just be happy if they look like the character?

 

[Majin...]

Can't we just be happy if they look like the character?

oh,but I can.That's the most important thing-to look act and fight just like goku.

 

[Dark Jaguar]

of course. to fight like him to...
isn't that supposed to be a horse stance?

 

[mr. peasant]

Bulma is definitely white.

While I definitely think that Emmy Rossum as Bulma is perfect and inspired casting, why do you think that Bulma, the manga character is necessarily white? I don't mean to stir trouble but I'm just curious as to why people seem to have a problem for Goku (an alien) being White yet are perfectly content with Bulma (an Earthling in a more or less Oriental setting) being White?

 

[Antrax255]

While I definitely think that Emmy Rossum as Bulma is perfect and inspired casting, why do you think that Bulma, the manga character is necessarily white? I don't mean to stir trouble but I'm just curious as to why people seem to have a problem for Goku (an alien) being White yet are perfectly content with Bulma (an Earthling in a more or less Oriental setting) being White?

Goku is not and alien like Piccolo is being a green creature. I see the Sayians as "aliens" of different races. My reason for not having a white is because Dragonball was a perfect chance for Asian culture and actors to finally become mainstream. But in Hollywood you would need a "white" protagonist to sell the movie. Examples The Last Samurai 21 The Forbidden Kingdom Shaolin Monk etc. Dragonball universe involes alot of martial arts and the majority of the cast probably haven't train until they were cast.

Bascially Goku is Japan's Superman. Our Superman is white (an at one point black). If Superman was Japanese in the next movie riots would start. Why can't Japan's Superman be Japanese?

 

[Lobo]

While I definitely think that Emmy Rossum as Bulma is perfect and inspired casting, why do you think that Bulma, the manga character is necessarily white? I don't mean to stir trouble but I'm just curious as to why people seem to have a problem for Goku (an alien) being White yet are perfectly content with Bulma (an Earthling in a more or less Oriental setting) being White?

My guess would be because she's from the Western Capital

 

[javphonic]

While I definitely think that Emmy Rossum as Bulma is perfect and inspired casting, why do you think that Bulma, the manga character is necessarily white? I don't mean to stir trouble but I'm just curious as to why people seem to have a problem for Goku (an alien) being White yet are perfectly content with Bulma (an Earthling in a more or less Oriental setting) being White?

that was the point in me asking the question, everyone's in a tif about Goku being portrayed as white and ignoring Bulma-the human-or even Picollo (however you spell his name) whose eyes more-so reemble an asian character that Goku or Bulma, yet Goku is "visually and obviously" asian

 

[kaypain]

I strongly disagree..

I don't think Goku looks just Asian...
there's a lot of diversity in Goku's appearance in my opinion

 

[RED-RAIN]

in the end, does it really matter? i dont think we are going to get a movie that will blow our socks off let alone one that will even pull them halfway down, so why bother complaining about the race of goku? this thread is poo

 

[DorkyFresh]

I have no problem with an Asian cast as Goku to be honest i think Jon Foo looks just like Goku, but can he speak good fluent English? looking like him is one thing, but I want to be able to understand the guy, this is an American film, Tony Jaa is a talented martial artist, but can he speak good fluent English? how is his acting, he barely had dialogue in the protector. We have to realize that this movie, just like most movie are, is here to make money, not just please fans, and to be honest, a white lead>asian lead in American any time, it's just the flat truth, you can't change that, unless you change all 100 billion of the people's minds here in the U.S.

we disagree on a lot of things but i can totally agree with you about Jon Foo. aside from his nose, he's pretty much what i expected Goku to look like and he has the martial arts savvy to back it up. i'm sure his acting is rusty, but considering Chatwin isn't that great of an actor himself...i would've gladly accepted Jon Foo as Goku. he gives off more of a Goku vibe than Chatwin probably will in the movie.

here's a demo reel of his work for anyone who's curious.

 

[kaypain]

why fox why? after watchin that video.... I have no doubt that Jon Foo should have been Goku...dammit

 

[Dark Jaguar]

so, what's everyone gonna say if we find out that the creator(Akira whats-his-asian-name-that's-too-long-for-me-to-remember-off-the-top-of-my-head) of DB is the one who decided on Chatwin, and says Goku is white?
or asian?

Does anyone know?? Has he ever said anything? Do you think he created the characters with a specific race in mind??

can someone ask?

 

[DorkyFresh]

supposedly someone asked him, after DBZ took off, what Goku's race is and he said he meant for Goku to be ambiguous. however, i believe he was giving a politically correct answer and he originally intended Goku to have Asian features considering that Dragon Ball is inspired by Asian culture and was meant to attract an Asian audience at first. it wasn't until DBZ's episode that it started to stray from the Asian ideas and gravitate more towards a universal feel.




btw, Akira Toriyama had nothing to do with the way this movie turned out seeing as how Fox booted him as producer, supposedly because he wanted too much creative control....therefor, he could not have decided on Chatwin as Goku.