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Slump manga, advertising Dragon Ball's upcoming debut. Goku's first appearance was on the last page of "Grand Finale", the last chapter of the Dr. Goku was revealed a month before the Dragon Ball manga started, in postcards sent to members of the Akira Toriyama Preservation Society. Reading "Sun Wukong" via the first and final characters only through the Japanese kun'yomi rendering system makes it read out as "Mago Gosora", used at some point as a gag in the original manga's run by the World Tournament Announcer. 孫/ 孫 そん is a common Chinese/Japanese surname that normally means "grandchild", while 悟空/ 悟 ご 空 くう is a common Buddhist name that means "perceiving air/awakened to emptiness". The name 孫 そん 悟 ご 空 くう is simply the Japanese on'yomi rendering of 孫悟空, as Chinese and Japanese share the same characters but with different pronunciations. Goku's adoptive full name is also based on the traditional Mandarin Chinese full name 孫悟空. Toriyama's third draft became the final design. During Toriyama's second draft, Goku was instead a full human dressed in sailor clothes that rode a flight mecha instead of the Flying Nimbus. When Toriyama started his first draft of Dragon Ball, he originally planned on making Goku full monkey to make the series more faithful to Journey to the West. Similarities between the two include their mischievous nature and possession of the Power Pole and Flying Nimbus (which, in Japanese, have the same name as the source material). The Dragon Ball universe began as a loose adaptation of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, with Goku himself as an alternate take on Sun Wukong. The original inspirations for that story were Hong Kong martial arts films, including Bruce Lee films such as Enter the Dragon (1973) and Jackie Chan films such as Drunken Master (1978) Toriyama later said he had a young Jackie Chan in mind for a live-action Goku, stating that "nobody could play Goku but him." The original incarnation of Goku in the Dragon Ball prototype Dragon Boy was Tangtong. 6.5 The Return of Son Goku and Friends!.5.13 Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan.5.3 Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle.The only remake I have enjoyed to date other than the 1986 version is the 2009 version. I still rate this series highly and would recommend it to others. A hallmark of the 1980's drams are great acting, well told stories and fantastic songs. The songs for this series are also something to behold. In fact I found the supporting cast to be really good. The series was also well led by Simon Yam as Cheung Tsui San and Carol Cheung as Yan So So. I have yet to find two female co-leads who have played these roles better. Sheren Tang as Chow Chi Yeuk and Kitty Lai as Chiu Man also makes this series worth watching. ![]() Notwithstanding that Tony Leung is great actor as well. Some of the guys in the remakes look weak (sissy looking) that you question how they can win the hearts of so many girls. He looks handsome and has an aura that convinces you that many girls will chase after him. ![]() As for the leads, Tony Leung for me is still the best to play Cheung Mo-Kei. It also follows the novel pretty closely, well parts of the novel they chose to adapt. I love these touches in the 1986 version. For example, the 1986 version makes clear the origins of the Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre, also on the fate of Kwok Jing and Wong Yung, also has Kwok Seung looking for Yeung Gor at the start of the story and you are made aware that the girl in yellow is a descendant of Yeung Gor and Siu Long Nui. Modern remakes just touch on these references. There's great continuation with references in the story back to the Legend of the Condor Heroes and Return of the Condor Heroes. I have lost count of the times I've re watched the series. You will notice that all 5 of the '5 Tigers' of the TVB golden generation of actors took part in the series one way or another. These 3 series I watched as a kid and I have all 149 episodes of the dramas on my laptop. ![]() Rewatch Waarde 10 The New Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre 1986, as it was titled, completes the trilogy which started with the Legend of the Condor Heroes 1983 (starring Felix Wong, Barbara Yung, and Michael Miu) and Return of the Condor Heroes 1984 (starring Andy Lau, Idy Chan and Kent Tong).
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