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Black Myth: Wukong has amazed many with its gameplay, incredible graphics, and take on the Chinese novel Journey to the West. Of course, when thinking of the Monkey King, another character pops into the minds of many: Goku. This has given rise to several discussions and comparisons between Black Myth: Wukong and Dragon Ball, and it has led to the question of whether one is better than the other or who would win in a fight. It is not uncommon to see Goku involved in confrontations with all kinds of characters, such as Gojo, Sukuna, or Sailor Moon, although this time, it is against his equal.
Without going into spoiler territory, I’ll focus on the first steps of the game, which has one of the best opening scenes ever. It’s beautifully cinematic, as it highlights the celestial aspects of Wukong facing off against basically the entire celestial court. Wukong seeks to avoid having to resume his responsibilities as a God, but Erlang manages to defeat him by burying him under a mountain. This is where Black Myth: Wukong makes its own version. In the various editions, Wukong was born from this rock, but in the game, Wukong is already a legend, and when he loses to Erlang, he turns into a rock. This rock is essential for the monkey tribe, as they have a prophecy that one of them will be the reincarnation of Wukong. It is here where the “reincarnation” of the Monkey King begins its journey to become the legend again.
Dragon Ball and The Legend
In Dragon Ball, many elements are taken from the legend and repeated in Black Myth: Wukong. This is especially true of Goku’s “arrival,” although instead of coming out of the rock, he does it in a capsule, where his grandfather finds him. Goku grows up as a semi-normal human with only a monkey’s tail until it is cut off so he doesn’t destroy everything every full moon. Nor can we forget his iconic baculum that stretches and his flying cloud. Besides, Wukong visited Shenlong at some point in the legend, but Goku does it quite often throughout the anime.
Another aspect of Sun Wukong’s legend in Dragon Ball Z is when Goku dies after the fight with Raditz. At that point, Goku must cross the entire Snake Way in the Other World to meet Kaio-sama and ask him to revive Goku before the arrival of the other Saiyans. In the legend, Wukong was already immortal, and some demons took him to the afterlife, even if he wasn’t dead. Although the Monkey King cleared his name from among the dead and returned from the beyond.
Who is the Best Monkey King?
As in the legend, there are several versions; Dragon Ball and Black Myth: Wukong are two more variants. However, there’s nothing to stop you from enjoying both, but it’s more up to you which one you enjoy more. Goku has many similarities, but for the newer seasons, he focuses more on multiversal tournaments. While Black Myth: Wukong is a story that sticks more to the legend, sure, it takes some creative licenses, but the feeling is like watching some Chinese movie about Sun Wukong. However, I appreciate ancient China’s history, culture, and inspiration in the game better.
