It’s no secret that anime as a medium is immensely fond of recurring tropes, themes, and even cliches & character archetypes. While the industry richly rewards creative and original ideas of all kinds, it also makes huge allowances for well-worn tropes. The good news is that aside from the most problematic cliches, anime fans tend to love these recurring tropes, as they help provide a sense of familiarity. This even applies to the goofiest concepts, such as the “big eater” trope.The “big eater” trope is a good example of how even the silliest ideas can become canonized as running jokes in the anime industry. Once a funny idea is established in anime, it’s bound to keep showing up in future works, paying homage to whoever thought of it first and keeping fans entertained. It’s easy enough to see a trope like “big eater” appear regularly, but mapping out its origins, and the reason for their enduring popularity, takes some work.As for why Goku has a big appetite and not some other trademark gag, this likely stems from the Chinese tale Journey to the West. It’s evident that Son Goku’s design takes many cues from Sun Wukong, the monkey hero of that Chinese story – from Goku’s monkey form to his flying cloud, extending rod, and indeed, his massive appetite for good food. At one point in Journey to the West, Sun Wukong ate some peaches and drank wine to gain immense powers, which he was not meant to do. In turn, this translated into Son Goku eating an entire restuarant’s worth of food, much to Krillin’s, Bulma’s, and Roshi’s shock, in the original Dragon Ball. Goku doesn’t need food to gain Super Saiyan powers or become immortal, but then again, if the story needs more comedy, food is a fine way to deliver. Fans might also note that Senzu Beans can be eaten to instantly restore a character’s stamina and health, the closest that Dragon Ball usually gets to Sun Wukong eating fruit to power up.
It’s no secret that anime as a medium is immensely fond of recurring tropes, themes, and even cliches & character archetypes. While the industry richly rewards creative and original ideas of all kinds, it also makes huge allowances for well-worn tropes. The good news is that aside from the most problematic cliches, anime fans tend to love these recurring tropes, as they help provide a sense of familiarity. This even applies to the goofiest concepts, such as the “big eater” trope.
The “big eater” trope is a good example of how even the silliest ideas can become canonized as running jokes in the anime industry. Once a funny idea is established in anime, it’s bound to keep showing up in future works, paying homage to whoever thought of it first and keeping fans entertained. It’s easy enough to see a trope like “big eater” appear regularly, but mapping out its origins, and the reason for their enduring popularity, takes some work.
As for why Goku has a big appetite and not some other trademark gag, this likely stems from the Chinese tale Journey to the West. It’s evident that Son Goku’s design takes many cues from Sun Wukong, the monkey hero of that Chinese story – from Goku’s monkey form to his flying cloud, extending rod, and indeed, his massive appetite for good food. At one point in Journey to the West, Sun Wukong ate some peaches and drank wine to gain immense powers, which he was not meant to do. In turn, this translated into Son Goku eating an entire restuarant’s worth of food, much to Krillin’s, Bulma’s, and Roshi’s shock, in the original Dragon Ball. Goku doesn’t need food to gain Super Saiyan powers or become immortal, but then again, if the story needs more comedy, food is a fine way to deliver. Fans might also note that Senzu Beans can be eaten to instantly restore a character’s stamina and health, the closest that Dragon Ball usually gets to Sun Wukong eating fruit to power up.
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