Comic-Con ‘Dragonball’ fans break Guinness World Record
More than 700 Comic-Con attendees performed Goku’s signature combat move in unison at the Marriott Marquis to set a Guinness World Record.
A mob of “Dragon Ball” enthusiasts broke the Guinness World Record for performing in unison a special attack movement made popular by the show at San Diego Comic-Con International’s Preview Day.
According to Guinness, 784 people gathered outside the downtown Marriott Marquis hotel to execute the “kamehameha” attack, in which the participating Goku imitators plant their feet, extend their cupped hands in front of them and scream the word with increasing volume, holding the last syllable for three seconds.
The previous record for people performing the movement was roughly 250.
Sean Schemmel, the voice actor who plays Goku in the English version of the anime series, led the crowd in performing the movement.
“Make sure you don’t damage your vocal cords,” Schemmel said as he coached the timing of the crowd. “We’ll do it all together, you guys ready? Ka-me-ha-me-HA!”
Toei Animation, the licensing company for “Dragon Ball,” organized the event.
In the show, the character Goku journeys to save the universe from evil forces. In fights along the way, he commands a signature combat technique, the “kamekameha.”
The Japanese cartoon follows various chapters in Goku’s story, released under different series’ names since 1986. The show’s current iteration, “Dragon Ball Super,” airs on Cartoon Network.
Suejin Lim and Linda Velasquez are members of the U-T Community Journalism Scholars Program.
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