Dragon Ball Z From A Christian Perspective

[@Cmike20]

Happy Easter Christ has risen

[@sammywilliam8156]

I mean

[@MikeHoltackers]

The OG Zombie!

[@wes4736]

@@sammywilliam8156 - I mean.... He has :]

[@Hulavuta]

I know that most people are joking when they say that, but resurrection is different from reanimation.

[@ironrex6979]

Amen brother!

[@AndrewAce.]

The story of Dragonball focuses on Goku, a character with a pure heart who loves his friends, and forgives his enemies. He protects the innocent and opposes or redeems the evil, even at the cost of his own life. He's a person who doesn't have a hateful bone in his body, loves and cherishes life, strives everyday to be better than he was the day before. One of his greatest strengths is his love and good nature, and it's allowed him to bring so many people from so many different backgrounds to his his side and become like a family. His compassion for others is what has made him strong throughout his life, and it's uplifted the people around him. He has negative aspects of his personality like anyone else, but he's a good person where it counts. Some the enemies Goku faced through his journey are: Piccolo, someone who was born a sinner, but redeemed himself by helping Goku face a far greater evil, and then training a young hero, the son of his enemy, before sacrificing his life to protect him because he had been someone who treated him as a person rather than a monster... Piccolo eventually turns his back on his demonic past for good and finally returns to God. Vegeta, is a dark prince from the same tribe as Goku who thought his noble lineage made him Goku's superior. After being humbled by Goku, with help of the friends he's made through his journeys and good deeds, Goku spares Vegeta- yes because he wants to face him again, but also because it would be such a waste of a life to kill someone with so much potential. Goku is someone who inherently believes in the potential within people, which is why killing is always his last resort, and why he broke the cycle of violence by having Krillin spare Vegeta. Throughout their time together, he answers Vegeta's evil attitude by turning the other cheek, and trying to guide him along the right path. Goku becomes something like a brother to Vegeta, and someone he unknowingly emulates by settling down an starting a family on Earth, and through these familial ties and his eventual respect, admiration, and emulation of Goku, Vegeta confronts and accepts his sin, then is transformed, and redeemed through a sacrifice he never expected to come back from... Frieza, the most evil person Goku has encountered, who unlike Buu and Cell was not engineered to be that way, and who has free will of his own. He spares no one who displeases him, not even his most faithful servants. He destroyed Goku's own world, and committed genocide time after time, even killing Goku's friends and allies right in front of him. Goku unleashed a righteous fury against Frieza and defeated him, only for Frieza to fall on his own sword, which is something that Goku tried to prevent. Frieza then asks for mercy, which Goku granted to him despite hating him, but had that mercy literally thrown back in his face. Goku tried to save Frieza multiple times, but in the end, he was caught up in the destruction of the planet he doomed- a firey hell of his own making, while the good were resurrected through a miracle and raptured to Earth, the safe HAVEN... Later, Goku turns to Frieza in order to help save their universe, something Frieza is only willing to do because Goku swore to revive him, a promise Frieza trusted because Goku is someone who would even try earnestly to save him. So Goku is someone whose honor and righteouness is even recognized by his most hated foes. And because of this, through Frieza's help, all universes are saved. In the end, the benevolence and help Goku showed Frieza was repaid to him, as those who sow goodness reap prosperity... I wouldn't call Dragonball a Christian story by any means, but it is very spiritual. And if one looks past the restrictive lense of ideology, they can see themes and ideas that are valued in every culture around the world. There's much wisdom and inspiration to be found in this story, and I think a good Christian could also see their values reflected in it... And rightfully, Dragonball is a story that has inspired generations and people around the word... If there's a Heaven, I hope toriyama-San will make it there. Happy Easter, guys...

[@twaggytheatricks4960]

What a fascinating perspective. Thank you for sharing this long, but enjoyably emotional comment of yours! Oh, since I've recently rewatched the full anime and read the manga, I'll point out some relevant facts from the Dragon Ball characters you covered. Based on everything you said, you _clearly_ know about the series yourself, so assume these add-ons of mine are more for those here who don't. Feel free to correct me if I've forgotten anything - Dragon Ball is fresh in my mind now, but I am certainly not perfect. I already know I can trust your knowledge, so, I won't mind any add-ons of your own. •Piccolo didn't just return to God: he is the son of a literal evil half of one and then merged _with_ the god of how world to become something new. Obviously, this is mind-boggling from a Christian perspective, but the point I'm making is that he was willing to cast aside his very self for the sake of becoming what he needed: not for himself, but for others. He's quite the redeemed one. •This is... At least in my eyes, a perfect summary of Vegeta's journey. I commend you for explaining it so masterfully, and to this, I have absolutely nothing to say beyond the fact that it makes me smile. Thank you. For loving, for understanding Dragon Ball. I say this as a fellow fan. •I was actually genuinely shocked to realize, upon reading the manga, that Freeza (excuse the original spelling of his name: It's merely habit) _did not murder a single one_ of the minions who worked under him. Having grown with the anime, it felt a bit like I went through some sort of elaborate illusion, but the anime actively made him more wasteful of his forces than he truly is. This fuels the fascinating showcase that Freeza is such a functional mirror of Goku. He, like Goku, doesn't see a reason to waste life so long as he sees potential in it (not to mention usefulness, which is where the evil part comes into play), but the way he seems potential is, of course, radically different. For all his ruthlessness, he tolerates a variety of alien races under his leadership, seems to genuinely appreciate his Captain Ginyu (even though he finds his personality embarrassing), and cares about results and ability more than whichever planet his forces come from. Freeza only really hates Saiyans specifically because of how powerful they could be as a group, not to mention what Goku and Vegeta did to him; but even then, he showed respect for Paragus (until he didn't), and would like Broly as an ally if the latter was loyal to him. So, he certainly wasn't made evil, but he was clearly educated this way - which didn't help. He'd likely be a different person if King Cold wasn't his father. But then again, when we look at Piccolo and Vegeta's cases, we can see that much of it definitely comes from his personality. That's about all I have to say! And, well. If there is a heaven, I also hope Toriyama-san makes it there. He's left us with quite the inspiration.

[@AndrewAce.]

@@twaggytheatricks4960 Very good! Piccolo is my favorite character in Dragonball, his story is very spiritual and there's a lot of subtlety to it that can go unnoticed. For example, right before seeking out Kami, he reasserts to Krillin, Tien, and Trunks that he's the evil Piccolo Daimao, he only teamed up with them out of necessity and he'll one day take over the world. He obviously doesn't still believe this at that point in the story, and even Tien, the most critical of them, points out that he had forgotten who Piccolo was in the past, but you might look at this as him asserting his past identity one final time before giving it up for good. I like what you said about Piccolo sacrifing his individuality here, it's definitely one of the biggest sacrifices a person can make, so it shouldn't be overlooked... Vegeta imo, has the most beautiful character journey in the whole series, and you can see the changes in his personality in every point of the story, from the Saiyan Saga, to Namek, the Androids, Buu, the End of Z, and then GT & Super. Someone pointed out that he loses a piece of his armor in each saga, until finally he's just dressed as an Earthling, which is symbolic of him turning his back on his violent Saiyan past and achieving peace, something that's very interesting when you notice it. Vegeta went from being Goku's enemy, to his rival, to his ally, to someone who was like a brother to him. He's one of the greatest examples of redemption I've ever seen... And yes, you are right, The anime definitely plays up Frieza's murderousness so much more. The thing I like about Frieza is that his evil is nuanced. He takes enjoyment in destroying his enemies, but he doesn't do so needlessly aside from certain situations, like the Saiyans with their potential or even the Namekians and their Dragonballs- both of whom could become a threat to him in the future... And even with the Saiyans, he actually did make an offer to Goku to join him, and Goku was someone who could actually touch Frieza. Later on in Super, he makes an offer to Vegeta as well. So it's very interesting that you point out that Frieza reflects Goku. They can both see the potential in others, but while Goku looks to bring out the best in people, Frieza only sees their potential usefulness or threat to his own interests. And as you say, unlike Cell or Buu, but LIKE Piccolo and Vegeta, Frieza had bad roots, but the free-will to overcome them, but simply chose not to, even in the face of Goku's kindness. Which is why he is the number one villain of Dragonball. Thanks for sharing that with me. I could go on and on about this story. There are a bunch more characters I'd have covered, but it would have become a legitimate essay if I had. I love Dragonball for it's optimism and simplistic nature, but it has depth that often goes overlooked by even its own fans, so I always love to encounter people who understand and value its deeper points. Thank-you very much, my friend.

[@Manu-rk7bl]

You really believe people read this

[@fireweeblem5553]

@@Manu-rk7bl I did

[@orangejuicesimpson7233]

@@AndrewAce. Thank you to someone with some common sense. Also I never thought of Dragon ball that way. Good perspective

[@83jbbentley]

Toriyama’s creations, such as Dragon Ball, incorporate elements of various mythologies and belief systems, often blending them in a fictional universe. His use of gods, aliens, and other supernatural beings in his stories does not necessarily reflect his personal religious beliefs but rather serves as a narrative tool to craft engaging and imaginative worlds for his audience. Therefore, without direct statements from Toriyama himself regarding his religious affiliation, it remains uncertain whether he was Shinto, Christian, or followed any other religious tradition. For instance, Crono exhibits many telltale traits of Jesus Christ, such as his selfless death and resurrection, gifts from three wisemen who carry the same names as the Biblical wisemen. There’s elements of Shinto and Christianity as Japan is predominantly Shinto and Buddhist than Christian.

[@pattersong6637]

King Yama/Enma Daiou is directly taken from Buddhism, though. That's a direct reference.

[@loganmiller4919]

Kami also legit literally means God 💀💀 Dragon Clan members are literally called creators. Along with this the Kaioshin has a sort of resemblance (mentally speaking) to the Gods of Ancient Egypt, calm, collected, but ready to protect at any cost.

[@carlinrackley8547]

I'm a Christian and I'm in total agreement with Laughingstock Media on the topic of this video. There is nothing wrong with enjoying art and entertainment as long as they do not take the place of God and Jesus Christ in your life, as long as they do not become your substitute for God.

[@joshuamtzchz2596]

Very true...

[@samrael8398]

I'm Hispanic and my family is Christian. I have conservative Christian grandparents and an aunt and uncle who view anime as “Chinese cartoons” and automatically label it as Satanic. There were times when they told me that if I kept watching Dragon Ball or any other anime, I’d be possessed by the devil himself. However, I just laugh it off and ignore them because they don't seem to understand what they’re talking about.

[@SpeedPunch]

Old people don't even know what a goku is unless you work with toei.

[@dragonballgacha]

> DB being called a "Chinese cartoon" That, uh...that's a first.

[@samrael8398]

@@dragonballgacha Not only DB but all anime in general. It's because Hispanic people who are old and very conservative Christians label them as “Chinese cartoons” 😂

[@dragonballgacha]

@@samrael8398 which is weird, because with how wildly popular it is in Latin America, you'd think they'd love Goku as much as they love Jesus

[@samrael8398]

@@dragonballgacha good question bro maybe they do lol. I meant for the older generation of Mexican people. They most likely don't understand what anime even is.

[@odd-eyes6363]

Happy Easter everyone! Let's celebrate the return of the GOAT

[@mr5jr]

That’s interesting because all of my friends growing up in church who were devout Christians LOVED Dragon Ball

[@phantom8926]

They devoured Christians? What kind of church did you go to?

[@freezasama5802]

I'm not Christian but I respect Christians and pray the best for them

[@ACTS-1631]

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

[@protege6383]

@@ACTS-1631Just because you don’t believe doesn’t make you a bad person, non believers do not deserve hell, and the beliefs of Christians should not be forced upon others, that was somewhere in the Bible I think I dunno I didn’t read it

[@The_Natalist]

Hmmm 🤔, who are you praying too then?

[@The_Natalist]

​@@protege6383 Can you get somewhere without a map? Sure, its way way way harder though

[@freezasama5802]

@@The_Natalist I pray to the one and only God who else would I pray to?

[@meatyo]

I studied religion in school and even wrote a paper on Dragon Ball Z movie 12 for a class. This was excellent.

[@williamcobb2917]

I'm a pastor and still watch/read DB. Love the video. I'm proud of you for being bold enough to come out as Christian. It's not something that we should be ashamed of, but something that we need to be proud of and also dispel some of the negatives that people think of when it comes to our faith. Keep up the good work brother.

[@Jim_Lahey101]

Happy Easter Mike! I've noticed a lot of people claim Dragon Ball is Satanic because of it's symbolism of magic, and the use of dragons etc, so it's good to hear you breakdown how it is in many ways the opposite.

[@mrm64]

My parents are immigrants from Jamaica and they came to the USA in 1989. Anime was new to them but they saw how much my sis and I loved DBZ and Sailor Moon and etc. They would allow us to draw at church (so we'd stop crying and being loud lol). They called it "Dragon Boy Z" for the longest time lmao....they still don't understand anime that much but I'm glad they allowed me to watch it despite many Evangelicals being ignorant to it all back in the 90s. Happy Easter!

[@dtay8913]

Mike, words can not express what this video means to me. I've been subscribed to you for years now, through the highs and lows of the channel. When you took a hiatus, and when you returned, but this is by far the greatest video you have posted. It takes a VERY strong man with conviction to publicly declare their faith in Christ, especially in this day and age where Christians are openly persecuted. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, my friend. Happy Easter and God bless.

[@Gypsygeekfreak17]

Tell me about it

[@Perroden]

Ya isee it all the time. Especially online. Mock and demonize Christians allyou want but say the wrong opinion and you get banned for hate speech.and that's not even the worst that I see.

[@Pure_Sin666]

@@Gypsygeekfreak17 Lucy would clap all of y’all all hail Lucifer dweebs

[@dsalas1204]

Well said 👏🏻 and Amen 🙏🏻

[@LSMMIKE]

Thank you for your kind words, I appreciate it.

[@nickboaz9629]

Happy Easter 🐣✝️ God Bless

[@Monte2003]

As a Christian I love Dragon Ball z and anime I've been watching anime since I was 6 years old back in 09 God bless you brother 🙏🏿❤️✝️

[@Gypsygeekfreak17]

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit amen

[@georgethemonkeydrummer5598]

The video we didn’t expect, but that we needed. As a Christian and being an anime fan, I appreciated this video a lot

[@free55]

Love it, thank your sir! Happy Easter

[@kirylspence1190]

Awesome video man. Been watching for years. Glad you don't shy away from your faith.

[@TheRealDyscyples]

Yes. To Jesus alone be the honor.

[@overclockshock]

Good perspective, Mike! God bless and happy Easter, He is Risen!

[@OrgesBesho]

HALLELUJAH

[@pattersong6637]

Longtime fan. Not a Christian but it's great to see how much of an impact this has had on you and how you can put these two parts of your life together like this. Happy Easter.

[@146zigzag3]

He Is Risen

[@justinalexander186]

Yes Goku has

[@acegameravery9488]

@@justinalexander186 Are you insulting christianity?

[@SnackJar]

@@acegameravery9488 yes as he should

[@acegameravery9488]

@@SnackJar Why should he insult christianity? We ain't do nothing to him.

[@jongriggs85]

Happy Easter Mike, Thanks for this video brother.

[@LSMMIKE]

Thank you for your generosity. Happy Easter.

[@marcelperes6842]

God bless you man! Christ has risen indeed

[@DesertGuy702]

So cool to see this. God bless you LSM! Have a blessed Easter & year ahead!

[@alitafullarmor5957]

God bless you Mike. As a born-again Christian and a dragonball fan, this video was a breath of fresh air.

[@MsMRkv]

I'm Catholic and love Dragon Ball.

[@universalspaceexpeditioner8259]

I am an Orthodox Christian so Easter is May 5th for us this year. As for your take I do agree with you. If you study on the older father of the Church from 1500 years ago we will find that they even stated about the positives on studying other ideologies and thus making your own faith even stronger by solidifying your world views. I love Dragonball too and it's one of the mangas with very positive life lessons.

[@everettjohnson9374]

I first learned about dragon ball. Thanks to the church I went to when I was very, very young. The funny thing is, the pastor was saying all these things about how goku was evil and of satan and all I remember taking away from all of his sermons. Was how amazing dragon ball sounded. And so it was Thanks to the church that I learned about dragon ball and pursued dragon ball. It became a huge part of my life and still is to this day.

[@Hulavuta]

Great video Mike. I think the original DB delves a lot more into theology, and there were two things I was curious about that you didn't mention. 1. When Goku first meets Kami, Kami mentions that he created the Dragon Balls to give humanity hope, but then regretted creating them because then he realized people just wanted the Balls to get their selfish wishes granted. Wonder if you had a take on that, it's kind of similar to the Flood or the tower of Babel. 2. Originally, there was a rule in DB that anyone killed by a Demon (Piccolo and his minions) could not go to Heaven, but would be stuck between the living world and Other World. That was why it was so important that Goku wish everyone back after the King Piccolo arc (and also was a hint that Piccolo was already starting to turn good, because when he killed Goku and Raditz, they both passed on). But from Z on, every time people die, they are brought back. There's almost this idea that it's wrong or irresponsible to want to go to Heaven, because it's leaving Earth unprotected. I know a big criticism from fans is that Goku was wrong to choose to stay dead after the Cell arc, even though he "earned" Heaven. I think that ties in a lot with Goku wanting to make sure the kids became the new protectors of Earth, though of course that was undone to make Goku the permanent hero once again.

[@donkeynoose]

Personally as much as I love Goku, I kind of wish they did go in the direction of making Gohan the hero of the Buu arc. The entirety of Z is spent building up Gohan's character, actually making him the hero of the Cell arc as a last minute twist is great. Building him up to become even more powerful before he goes to fight Super Buu only for him to get absorbed and make Goku have to come back, feels like a waste of Gohan's growth and development throughout Z, and then continuing on in Super making it centered 90% around Goku and Vegeta once again, and though everyone discounts GT these days, once again, just a total waste of the rest of the cast making it Goku Goku Goku again. I love Dragon Ball, always have and always will, but man there really is some frustrating story telling choices throughout. I could go on and on and on about other things, especially in Super, that I find to be wasted opportunities, but I'll leave it at that for now lol. God bless you!

[@Soadaa5656]

I'm not religious but you know I'm going to enjoy the heck out of this video.

[@FishesFlyTillTheWorldDies]

Religion and faith are two different things.

[@SpeedPunch]

"For God so love the world they he give his only son a happy life." Namekians 3:16-

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Love your content Mike 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@SpiritLife]

I've enjoyed Dragonball since I was a kid but I also thought it was unbiblical. You've changed my mind on some of these points Mike. Great to see other believers who are also DBZ fans! I love your boldness too

[@nancytruong3910]

The amount of times that the Holy Spirit has spoken through DBZ and DB Super to me is so many, but I want to highlight a specific one as a Christian, a woman who has also been a fan for 30 or so years and as a wife and mother. DBZ is what we watch as a family, but since I began working out again, I try and watch things that will really get me into that fighting spirit, so to speak. Recently I was re-watching the Majin Buu saga and it was early on in the saga when Goku is returning to earth to enter the tournament and is about to be reunited with his friends. When he and Goten meet for the first time and hug as they are surrounded by loved ones, I felt so strongly in my spirit "that's what it will be like". I immediately knew the Holy Spirit was referring to the previous many miscarriages I had a decade ago. I mean immediately. And as I cried and watched that wholesome moment, I knew that God really can speak through anything and anyone but also, that He really was right there with me. So take it from this daughter of the King. There's a lot we can learn from Dragon Ball and from anything in life if we simply listen to the Holy Spirit and let God lead. God bless, my friends.

[@LSMMIKE]

Thank you for sharing your testimonial. Hope you have a blessed life.

[@jhoangelz7890]

awesome to know you are a fellow brother in christ. i had kept assuming it to be the case because of your manner of speaking but was not sure. I believe what you've shared is aligned well biblically!

[@ReturnoftheLightning]

Happy Easter😊 perhaps you could check out the Dragon Quest series, it is the most Christian friendly jrpg from the famous ones, and the artwork is (well, was) from Akira Toriyama

[@wes4736]

Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling death by death! Happy Easter and Pascal tidings! Let's all celebrate Christ's resurrection and pray that the Lord has shown His mercy to Toriyama by making him a citizen of Paradise.

[@mrfluffysr]

@@smitty1647 no he wouldn’t be.

[@wes4736]

@@smitty1647 - We have no idea the state of his soul. Who are we to play God?

[@phantom8926]

​@@mrfluffysrso you don't need to believe in God to get to heaven?

[@wes4736]

@@phantom8926 - i think he's moreso talking about the others verbiage of hell. The grave isn't so much a specific location than it is a state. Something pretty much every single non Christian, and many Christians themselves fail to delineate is the separation of the grave from the pit of fire. Death, or Hades, or the Grave, or Sheol, or Hell (depending on how it's being used because the English world Hell carries conflated and simultaneously contradictory concepts the other words don't) is the entire separation from God. Since God is life, you have no life within you. The agony of the grave is the separation from God itself, not the flames of torment that are reserved for the Devil and his minions on the Day of Judgement. Think back to the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus. The Rich man goes to the grave, where he is in despair and suffering, yes, but he's also not in an incomprehensible anguish for the entirety of time to come. Rather, that's what the pit of fire is, which is entirely seperate from the grave, but we both specifically in the English language use the word "hell" to describe both.

[@wes4736]

@@phantom8926 - maybe if you didn't report my elaboration you'd have a better idea than just slinging slanders around 💀

[@brianrosado2333]

People who think dragon ball or any anime promotes satanism, needs to understand that Japan is very different than we here in the west. Anime is just an entertainment form and I do not put it as something to live by.

[@loganmiller4919]

For real, like I could understand them saying Hellsing is satanic, the main character is a Vampire being used by the Catholics as a weapon… because yk, they aren’t allowed to kill a man or command a man to kill a man, but Alucard is no man, he’s a self proclaimed monster. Devoted to protecting Integra Hellsing at any cost.

[@BUDOKAIultimate3]

Well, it's important to understand what "satanism" is...and what they mean by that. God of the Holy Bible explicitly states that "You can't serve two masters...." If you aren't doing the will of God, than you are doing the will of Satan/the enemy. If you aren't doing GOoD, ur doing dEVIL... U understand? You CANT do both...though we often think we can. Lol Just like you can't have the light bulb On AND Off at the same time. You can't go UP AND DOWN at the same time. It doesn't work like that with God. You can't serve God AND the Devil. So by saying "Promoting satanism" it could be like saying...You aren't promoting the will or ways of God so, there's only one other option; Satan. DBZ isn't exactly "Godly" doctrine. And it incorporates various religious concepts that aren't compatible with Christianity. And as a Christian I can fully admit that. So I guess what I'm saying is, DBZ isn't exactly promoting Christ or Christ like themes....so that just leaves.....😈

[@brianrosado2333]

@@BUDOKAIultimate3 the problem is the absolutism of christians, if you don’t serve god you serve the devil, if you don’t serve god you are evil, if you don’t serve go god you don’t have morals. Japanese are not Christian centric they may use some themes here and there and mix them with buddhism and other easter religions. I believe the bible which was written by men and also translated by multiple men and revisioned by monarchs and leader of men is riddled with with inconsistencies and it should not be a book you base your life from. We can’t serve two masters, you clearly haven’t work two jobs or obey both parents. That is just a metaphor for you can’t be good and evil at the same time knowing you are doing both. Again somethings are just meant as entertainment. You enjoy it if there is a positive message you can learn from it and apply it, if not keep on with your life.

[@musicbox6144]

It doesn’t promote satanism , just as much as it don’t promote religion

[@dylans482]

Who's one of the first main villians in Dragon Ball? "The devil." What's Hercule's nickname? How many people respect/praise him?

[@MrANTIeggman]

HE IS RISEN INDEED! Mike the Lord is watching over you and guiding you! You've inspired me today thank you ❤

[@dariusturner1171]

Congratulations Mike!!!!!! This is why you are my favorite KZbinr

[@Eagles30]

HE IS RISEN

[@goldenboy23s]

I was always curious about mr satan being seen as a savior by the people of earth and yet Toriyama always presented him as a false savior who lies and beguiled

[@jacobwest7]

Cool, dude I've seen quite a few of your videos, nice to know you follow the Lord as well as I do. On top of that I'm also a terminator and dbz fan like you, interesting we have all that in common, may God bless you!

[@marcelomunhozdarocha5358]

God bless you Mike.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Happy easter mike! 🙏🙏🙏✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️

[@Rude_Boi]

I'm a Christian as well. God Bless you, Mike, in the name of Jesus Christ!

[@OdeezyBaby18]

As a member of both fandoms, I'm really thankful for tis video! Cheers Mike!

[@nessdbest8708]

YOOOO I'm fellow christian myself! Happy Easter! I hope that Toriyama is in heaven as well.

[@jonathanlisowski5618]

I was hoping you'd go over Dabura but great, overall analysis of comparing/drawing parallels of Christianity with Dragon Ball.

[@dinghydoggy]

Wow, nice to discover one of my subbed channels is a Christian. Blessed Easter Mike and fam!

[@jt-ic8hc]

"And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved." - Mark 13:13

[@waltersanchez6741]

Hatred toward christians and christianity is justified. Have fun in your imaginary land.

[@ninjawaver]

LOVE THIS TOPIC. Very Unique video! I'm a Christian and I used the series to motivate and inspire me from a physical perspective.

[@Ryng98]

you definitive makes some of the best content keep up the good work, and happy Easter

[@Hydroverse]

This reminds me when I was younger that my parents wouldn't let me watch Pokemon because of "witchcraft", and then they proceeded to watch Ghost Whisperer. Anyway, good video.

[@ENNEN420]

I thought this was gonna be a schizo theory from the early kanzenshuu forums, but it's just our favorite Cell enjoyer expressing his love for his god and DBZ and explaining the parallels between biblical/christian teachings and values and the series on an important day of celebration for him. This isn't what I signed up for but this is gigachad tier to put this out ngl.

[@TheLonelySoulja]

Brought a joyful tear to my eye at t end

[@justinweber4977]

On the points about Mr. Satan, there's also the fact that its actually a stage name he fights (or wrestled, depending on the translation) under. We can probably find some interesting ways to read into that, that most of what Mr. Satan does is performance, and his refusal to break character.

[@Lira_orpheus]

I remember watching this video called "Why are there no good Christian videogames?", great video by the way, sorry I don't remember the autor. It explores how the most vocal american christianism evolved into a materialistic, capitalist mindset that signs leisure and non-production of capital as sinful so entertainment is inherently viwed as bad. So that clearly doesn't help. There's also the damage left by the "Satanic Panic" in the 80's and early 90's that viewd anything non explicitly labeled as christian sinful; ignoring any context or content. Of course there's a lot more to the rabbit hole, but I think this are two big factors for the negative light.

[@The_Layman]

Thanks for putting this out there. I hope more people take this video to heart.

[@ArchangelGavriel]

I look at the relationship of Goku and Vegeta as the characters from the parable about the prodigal son. Goku being kind of the image of the perfect and lawful one and Vegeta being the sinful one that was later redeemed. Vegeta and Goku now act more like brothers than enemies and of course that still has sibling rivalry. I am blown away that there are people that can think outside of Biblical Tradition. This was a very refreshing video and I thank you. I find it often difficult when i feel that there may not be very many people that believe as I do. Not everything is inherently evil. Not everything is Satanic. We can live in the world. We are just not to BE of the world. God created nice things for us to enjoy. Shows like Dragon Ball is but one of those things. A good story. The basic theme of the show is that good always overcomes evil. If it were the other way around, then we could say that it is satanic. Thanks again for this. More people need to hear this.

[@princenero_]

Interesting and captivating concept. Love both topics coming together ✝️🔥

[@Alex22406]

Happy Easter, Christ is risen!

[@whichcache2517]

Goku is a man who is without impure thoughts, sent to us from on high, who resolves conflicts and ultimately redeems them. He also dies and rises again. Sounds pretty Christian to me.

[@Perroden]

Grew up with dragon ball and dbz and I always looked at goku as a great example to follow and perfect example of a what a warrior Christian should be. Tough, benevolent, merciful and trains on body and mind. As well as knowing when to put the foot down

[@talcumx2124]

Goku stop killing tons of people after he found god. which is hilarious.😂

[@PKSkyler]

just noticed that lol awesome

[@dragonballgacha]

(proceeds to kill Boo and Moro)

[@Mf__Bucket]

Was looking forward to this video 🎉

[@Dredabeast95]

Mike….this was a great and amazing video. I struggle with religion because I do not like feeling like im bad because I enjoy things of the world, but I will learn to look it thru the lens you view it. I can learn to appreicate both sides of the coin and live my life in an enjoyable way 😇 thank you for the new perspective.

[@ElderKai555]

This applies to every single person, to include any background and all religions. People judge in general regardless of facts based on their perception and past experiences, which falls under being subjective. That can either be good or bad and yet again that aspect is based perception. All depends on society at that current time and the person's background growing up in their past society. A few things most people fail to obtain that is crucial are critical thinking, empathy, and some form of general education to apply the first two together where it's functional. Not to forget social skills to communicate to another person. Seems the internet has eroded that skill for a lot of people.

[@MegaSolidninja]

Wow... As a christian and dbz fan i appreciate this

[@TheTricoman]

Great video. Been watching your videos for a while had no idea you were a Christian. Happy Easter and God Bless.

[@DoctorMario606]

Im so glad to hear youre a Christian!

[@AlphaProto]

I thought about this a lot as a kid. I've learned to departmentalize Dragon Ball as a fantasy story with it's own lore. I wouldn't introduce the show to kids. Just 12 or 13 plus. This got a subscribe from me.

[@garrettbrannon1490]

Fantastic video as always! What great way to spread the good news

[@lapin0307]

Id like to see you talking about the Goku black and Zamasu. Specially merged zamasu monologues...

[@joshuawalrath2152]

God bless you brother

[@danieldorvil7683]

Thx for this take. Jesus has risen and I love that you share the love and compassion for creation that God endorses.

[@Cheapstall]

KZbin alerts me about all of Laughingstock’s videos but for some reason this one flew under the radar… I wonder

[@chrisclifton192]

Awesome video! I had no idea you were a fellow brother in Christ, but I def subbed for that. Us Christian nerds/geeks/dorks/anime fans/gamers/ etc gotta stick together!

[@ThunderNecros]

Happy Easter Mike, you inspire me to be a better person. Godbless man.

[@MasterRoshi8974]

Christ is King!

[@boltskyline2957]

Hey that's antisemitic -Ben Shapiro

[@MasterRoshi8974]

@@boltskyline2957 I'm team God -Candace Owens

[@boltskyline2957]

@@MasterRoshi8974 let's freaking go

[@playboss6918]

Ah I see. People of culture garnering here.😊

[@MasterRoshi8974]

@@playboss6918I love you guys in the comments.

[@BrakSplash]

Looking at the thumbnail, now I want to see Goku casually greet Jesus the same way he treated Zeno.

[@RogueAndroid]

Happy Easter,! Christ has risen. Great video! I was NOT ready for that ending 😂😂😂

[@QCDBABY]

Great video, Mike. Happy Resurrection Day! He is Risen!!! While there's other gods in Dragon Ball, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). "Greater love have no one than this, than to lay down ones life for his friends" (John 15:13). God bless!

[@wolffmanjax725]

Great video, appreciate your point of view. Jesus is King!!!!🙏🏼

[@thepowerup]

We approve...might have to do a video on this topic as well

[@MrKevin486]

A great topic. Well done. I am the same, I don't think its contradictory (or evil, or demonic) to love both Jesus and Dragon Ball (or anything else) just make sure your love of 'whatever else' never surpasses your love for the King of Kings. God Bless, and Happy Easter. 🙏

[@SterlingSimmons22]

Love your breakdown in this video, it really resonates

[@angelpujols3893]

I have been a dbz fan ever since i could remember being in diapers. I've been watching it with my older brother. He's the one that got me into it. I can still remember that very special day, that very special episode that me and my brother watched, where Goku died saving the earth from Raditz, you know, teaming up with Piccolo and all that, we all know what happened, anyway....Goku was racing back to Earth from King Kai's planet. I remember the dramatic moment, the happiness expression on my older brother's face. That day alone was so special, so important to me, it's been sketched in my memory forever. That was the day i truly fell in love with anime, with Goku, then Naruto. I just love how they never give up, their determination to keep going forward after every hardship task or during. Anime is not for everyone in this world, its for those who can compare to it. And it's also a passion, which for me it is. Hercule is his name, the world champ, not you know what. Starts with S ends in tan.

[@sr20driftz66]

Hey just wanted to say that in the animated series version of Goku sparing Vegeta’s life by telling Krillin to let him go, Goku tells Krillin to show Vegeta what it means to be merciful and that mercy is a good thing. Just like how he showed mercy to Piccolo and Piccolo became a powerful friend/ally. I was not aware that the manga portrayed that scene a little different than the animated series, so thanks for sharing!

[@SumTr011]

God bless, Mike! I never knew you were a follower of Christ. To me, the media we enjoy is not necessarily synonymous with our morals, ethics, or religious association. I've been raised Christian since childhood (30 now), and grew up with DB/Z/GT etc. since it came stateside in the 90's. I agree that I don't equate the existence of a piece of fiction like Dragonball to blaspheme.

[@boyzen5832]

Great video man🔥

[@arrowofGod86]

As a fellow Christian and Dragon Ball fan I appreciate your thoughts and perspective Mike. Our faith should be strong enough to never lead us to fear or be led astray by the things of the world. At the end of the day, God gives us the free will to choose.

[@marcperkins9559]

thank you as an agnostic I find it refreshing to see a good video from religion. Most of what I saw was close minded, so thank you very much

[@anthonynorman7545]

What a great message!!!

[@KeyOfTwilight777]

Happy Easter!

[@cemeteryhill]

Happy Easter Mike! Fantastic video, As a Hispanic 90s kid I encountered plenty of Satanic Panic attitudes regarding DBZ, Pokemon, etc. but oddly enough NOT Saint Seiya. Always grateful my parents were capable of critical thinking & saw it for the moral panic it was. Plenty of moral panics still happening these days.

[@donovanbradford8231]

Also another fun one was Goku fighting Devilman in the Baba tournament and he is hit by the Devilmit beam which uses the evil in someone's heart to destroy them, but because Goku is pure of heart he survives it much like the way someone devote would be able to as well.

[@LilRellBabySKRT]

this is awesome id love to see more videos like this from you tbh. Glory to God!