Most writers walk a line between influence and invention. What we grew up on, whether books, movies, or television shows, serve as creative fuel for both our conscious and subconscious mind. Just because a new book is inspired by a story from the past doesn’t mean it is inferior, or that the new work lacks originality.

In this week’s blog, Ginger shares how his son’s Dragon Ball obsession recently sparked conversations about storytelling, creative “fixes,” and why influence is not the same as imitation. As Ginger explains, many of his own novels have been shaped by the iconic favorites of his youth. From anime and space operas to sword-wielding brutes, these inspirations helped form some of his most original ideas. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a single story to inspire generations of new ones, so instead of shying away from the stories that led you to writing in the first place, embrace them, and transform them into something uniquely your own.

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For the last few months, my 16-year-old son has been swept up in a whirlwind obsession with the Dragon Ball franchise. For weeks, our living room has been a cacophony of ki blasts, epic showdowns, and Goku’s infectious optimism. He’s devoured every series—Dragon Ball, Z, GT, Super, and even Daima—picking apart character arcs, plot twists, and the wildly inconsistent writing quality. 

Over dinner, or when I’m driving him to school, he’ll rant about how some writers botched Vegeta’s redemption arc or dragged GT’s pacing, then pivot to gushing over Gohan’s emotional depth in Z. As a writer myself, it’s been a really amazing opportunity to bond over a passion we both share: storytelling.

Now, he’s even itching to write his own story, steeped in Dragon Ball’s spirit, to “fix” the narrative missteps he sees. Although I was never into Dragon Ball myself, I’m thrilled by his passion because I remember being similarly influenced by the books I read and movies I watched when I was his age. It’s a reminder of how the stories we love can spark creativity, if we channel them ethically.

Dragon Ball has a Bigger Influence Than you Think

My son’s obsession with Dragon Ball isn’t a one-off. Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama in 1984, has left a seismic imprint on countless other pop culture creators, inspiring artists across anime, comics, and beyond. Its mix of martial arts, humor, and epic quests are themselves inspired by the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en, and have since birthed a legion of works that borrow its vibe while carving their own paths. 

For self-published authors, navigating this line between inspiration and plagiarism is key. In my blog post Exploring the Fine Line between Inspiration and Plagiarism, I referenced something called the Somerton Scale which was a tool specifically envisioned to grade creative borrowing.

My son’s budding story, like many before it, sits squarely in the realm of inspiration rather than plagiarism. And through my conversations with him, I’ve come to learn that Dragon Ball’s legacy is practically a masterclass in how other shows have walked the tightrope between the two.

Dragon Ball’s Influence on Creative Minds

I was barely aware of Dragon Ball before my son started watching it, but I’ve learned since that the show’s reach is staggering, shaping everything from anime to Western cartoons. 

Take another of my son’s favorite shows, Steven Universe, created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network (2013–2020). Sugar, a vocal Dragon Ball fan, weaved subtle tributes to Dragon Ball throughout her show. In “Sworn to the Sword,” Connie’s outfit echoes Piccolo’s, a nod to Gohan’s training days. While Dragon Ball thrives on physical battles and power-ups, Steven Universe explores emotional growth and queer identity, with the Crystal Gems’ fusions symbolizing relationships. There’s so much that seems superficially the same, yet Sugar manages to utterly transform Dragon Ball’s influence into something fresh and unique, a deeply personal narrative that proves inspiration can always yield something original.

Then there’s Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto, who credits Dragon Ball as a major influence. Naruto Uzumaki channels Goku’s scrappy determination and even rocks a similar orange-and-blue palette. But Naruto dives into ninja lore and the pain of ostracism, with the Nine-Tails Fox adding a psychological edge absent in Dragon Ball’s cosmic slugfests. Kishimoto’s intricate world and emotional stakes make Naruto distinct, despite its unapologetic roots in the Dragon Ball mythos.

Yongje Park’s God of High School, a South Korean manhwa turned anime, also owes a debt to Dragon Ball. Protagonist Jin Mori mirrors Goku’s playful ferocity, and both draw from Journey to the West’s Sun Wukong. Park amps up Dragon Ball’s tournament vibes into a modern martial arts showdown, blending Korean mythology with sleek visuals. Yet despite the clear inspiration from Dragon Ball, God of High School manages to stamp out its own identify by staying grounded in a contemporary world rather than a sprawling intergalactic adventure.

All these creators—Sugar, Kishimoto, and Park alike—embody the Somerton Scale’s “Inspiration” (Grade 4) and “Influence” (Grade 5). Their works nod to Dragon Ball but reshape it into unique stories, protected by fair use. As I wrote in my article, fair use shields transformative works that add original elements, just like my son’s writing aims to reimagine Dragon Ball’s themes in a totally original story that champions his own characters and “fixes.”

Dragon Ball’s Roots in Journey to the West

And while I’ve spent all this time talking about shows that Dragon Ball inspired, it’s important to note that Dragon Ball itself is a love letter to inspiration. Toriyama drew heavily from Journey to the West, a Ming Dynasty epic about the monk Xuanzang’s quest for Buddhist scriptures, guided by the cheeky monkey king Sun Wukong. 

Son Goku is Wukong reborn, complete with tail, staff, and cloud-riding antics. Bulma, Oolong, and Yamcha echo Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing, while the Dragon Balls mirror the novel’s sacred relics. Toriyama reimagined this ancient tale with the cool and catchy addition of kung fu flicks and science fiction; crafting a global myth from an ancient legend.

And this influence rippled outward like before Toriyama put pen to paper to create Dragon Ball. Back when I was a kid there was a 1970s Japanese series called Monkey (Saiyūki) which my son revealed to me was adapted from Journey to the West just like Dragon Ball was. 

I don’t remember much about the show (except the catchy theme song, which included the lyrics “Monkey is funky”) but I now realize that it was responsible for introducing Wukong’s antics to a whole new global audience through the power of TV, perhaps even including Dragon Ball creator Toriyama himself (he’d have been 23 when the show aired in Japan.)

Starring Masaaki Sakai as the impish monkey king, Monkey leaned into campy humor and trippy visuals, a far cry from Dragon Ball’s action-packed intensity, yet both share Wukong’s irreverent spirit, providing a tangible thread that ties the show and the novel that inspired it together. 

And there are countless other takes as well. I’m not super familiar with it (I’m more into Looney Tunes than anime) but apparently Kazuya Minekura’s Saiyuki is another reframe of the tale, this time set in a demon-ridden modern world. Once again, this demonstrates the timeless spark of inspiration that Journey to the West continues to have on creative people.

My Own Inspired Works

As I’ve mentioned above, I’m not exactly a massive fan of anime, but I do think examining the spiderweb of inspiration that Dragon Ball is woven into provides a fascinating glimpse into the creative process. 

It’s helped me identify some of the popular movies, books, and shows that have heavily inspired my work, too, even if I didn’t always realize it at the time. 

My novel High Point, for example, draws heavily from Star Wars, although many readers might not realize it even after they’ve finished the book. While Star Wars has lightsabers and X-wings, High Point is a modern sea adventure about a rogue captain battling corporate greed, but the connection lies in the journey of a reluctant hero and the David-versus-Goliath stakes he and his family face. My hero Max is Han Solo. His stepson Marty is Luke Skywalker. Grandfather Paulie is a grizzled Obi Wan Kenobi and heroine Tina is just as feisty and capable as Princess Leia. Readers might miss the nod, but Star Wars fuels the story’s soul.

Likewise, my book Branded by the Modern Day Pirate riffs on the movie Conan the Barbarian, directed by John Milius. As I noted in “Exploring the Fine Line”, I even slipped in a line of dialogue as an Easter Egg (one that an eagle-eyed reader spotted and called me out on. I was so proud!)

But despite the heavy influence of Conan the Barbarian, Branded by the Modern Day Pirate is a contemporary romance off Somalia’s coast, a world apart from the sword-and-sorcery setting of Conan. The inspiration isn’t direct, it exists more in the larger-than-life hero and the themes of survival and revenge that drove the plot of Conan the Barbarian, just reshaped in the form of a modern maritime tale. 

I’d argue that both novels align with the Somerton Scale’s “Allusion” (Grade 7), which means they use subtle tributes to their inspiration without directly copying it, yet neither would exist without the movies that inspired them.

Why Inspiration Matters for Self-Published Authors

My son’s Dragon Ball-fueled story, like Steven Universe, Naruto, and God of High School, shows that inspiration isn’t theft, it’s growth. 

Each work builds on what came before, adding new voices to stories that have gripped millions. Journey to the West birthed Monkey, which birthed Dragon Ball, and later Naruto and Stephen Universe and countless others (and will probably go on to inspire even more adaptations in the future.) One novel from hundreds of years ago triggered a veritable creative tsunami that still ripples across popular culture today.

And just as one story inspired countless others, their success should inspire self-published authors. Self-publishing itself is a great platform to craft and showcase tales that take inspiration from what has come before. Because if you’re an author liberated from the shackles of the traditional publishing, you can take bold swings, daring new approaches, and create something utterly new and unique in a way that publishing industry gatekeepers would never have allowed before.

As I explored in my article “Exploring the Fine Line”, even Shakespeare and Dickens borrowed heavily from stories that came before them, yet their works still shine as original. You can follow their examples. 

The trick is transformation, taking the spark of inspiration and making it your own. 

If he ever completes it, my son’s story might echo Dragon Ball’s energy, but his characters and “fixes” will carry his unique voice and vision. For writers like us, that is both the challenge and gift of creativity, honoring your influences while crafting something utterly new from them.

I’ve learned a lot from my conversations with my son about Dragon Ball, chief among them not to fear your inspirations. Whether it’s Dragon Ball, Star Wars, or another timeless classic, let the stories that once fired your imagination now fuel your creativity. 

The stories that move you are links in a great chain of storytelling that stretches back centuries, and your new stories add to that great chain, not diminish it. As Picasso quipped, “Great artists steal”—but they steal to transform, not copy.

But that’s just my take on the subject. What do you think? What stories have inspired your own writing? I’ve mentioned how Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian influenced two very unlikely sea adventures, and now I’d love you to read what unexpected influences helped guide you in your own creative journey. Share how they influenced your books and stories in the comments section below, and let’s toast these inspirational creators together!

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