Nothing unites people more than being part of a fandom, and nowhere is that more true than within the anime community. But it’s not enough to say that one lives and breathes their favorite anime, they have to prove it and
this summer Bandai America did just that. The company, which is known for their outstanding craftsmanship and highly articulate collectible figures, took to the “streets” and asked fans to put their love for this popular anime property, Dragon Ball, on full display by answering a “Summer of Stars” survey.
With anime growing faster than ever before, finding Dragon Ball fans was not hard. In fact, 61 percent of the US general population is aware of the Dragon Ball franchise, with nearly 9 in 10 of these fans owning Dragon Ball merchandise!
On a scale of 1-6 (1 being the most preferred, 6 being the lowest), approximately 40 percent of fans have ranked figure collecting as their number 1 or 2 way of showing their Dragon Ball fandom. Below figure collecting, the fans’ top 2 most preferred ways of expressing their interest lay in wearing Dragon Ball apparel, engaging with the community, going to conventions, or exploring cosplay of their favorite characters.
And of all the Dragon Ball characters, there is a clear favorite. The majority of fans favor the iconic and endearing Goku, more than any character in the Dragon Ball Universe. When faced with the choice of who they’d invite to dinner, a whopping 69 percent said they’d choose Goku as the guest of honor. Fans indicated that his powers are the most iconic in their eyes and that when it comes to fight scenes, battles between Goku and Vegeta are their favorite.
“We love to see the passion behind our fans who have grown up watching Goku and and all the other characters in the Dragon Ball series,” says Cisco Maldonado, Senior Director – Brand Strategy, Bandai America.
The survey is just the one component of the “Summer of Stars” that pays homage to the fans and franchise. Fans should stay tuned for even more exciting announcements. For more information visit www.bandai.com.
