Dragon Ball Sparking Zero’s Roster of 182 Characters Is One Giant Dragon Ball Easter Egg

Dragon Ball Sparking Zero's Roster of 182 Characters Is One Giant Dragon Ball Easter Egg

As a seasoned Dragon Ball fan who’s been following this legendary series since its inception, I can confidently say that Bandai Namco has outdone themselves with the launch of Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. The 182-character roster is not just an impressive milestone, but it appears to be a meticulously crafted Easter egg decades in the making.


As a passionate Dragon Ball gamer, I’m pumped about “Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero“! With an impressive lineup of 182 characters at launch, it sets a new record for Dragon Ball games – more fighters than any other game in this series has ever had! And that’s not all. It seems the developers have been carefully crafting this Easter egg for decades, and the number of characters isn’t just a coincidence but a nod to the Dragon Ball universe itself.

If the 182-character list seems familiar, like it’s taking you back to your Dragon Ball memories, that’s because it seems to be a nod to one of the episodes from the original Dragon Ball series. To be exact, we’re looking at Dragon Ball Episode 84, which was called “Rivals and Arrivals” in the English version and marked the beginning of the Tien Saga. Characters like Krillin, Yamcha, and others show up for the World Martial Arts Tournament, where they meet Tien, Chiatzu, and Master Shen. However, it’s a character that isn’t usually memorable who gives us the Dragon Ball reference in this list.

At the closing of the episode, the host who initially welcomed everyone to the Global Martial Arts Championship expressed gratitude for their presence and provided details about the tournament’s structure ahead. The host also mentioned that this particular World Martial Arts Championship would break records with a staggering 182 combatants participating.

In the latest game showdown I’m part of, they’re touting it as their grandest event ever, boasting an unprecedented 182 combatants!

BigMeruemFan, a Twitter user, posted a screenshot to help those without immediate streaming access to the show, specifically Dragon Ball. In Episode 85, the dialogue is discussed in a recap, but it can also be heard at the closing moments of Episode 84.

182 characters huh

— KBC #ThankYouToriyama (@BigMeruemFan) September 19, 2024

It’s highly unlikely that this is just a coincidence; it seems reasonable to infer that this was planned intentionally during the selection process for the game Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. Although Bandai Namco mentions there are 181 fighters at launch, that includes Goku from Dragon Ball Daima, who is actually a bonus character for pre-orders.

Despite the uncertainty about when a roster of 182 fighters was set, it seems plausible that the developers had to delve deep into their resources to transform this launch lineup into an Easter egg of sorts. This theory is supported by characters such as Dr. Wheelo and the Frieza Force Soldier, who may not be popular among fans but were still included, presumably to allow for a nod to the Dragon Ball universe.

On October 11th, you’ll get a chance to play “Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero”. Look forward to meeting all 182 characters in the game initially, and there will be additional ones added later as downloadable content (DLC).

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2024-09-22 01:09