About the Author

Derek Padula is the author of The Dao of Dragon Ball website and book series; the first to reveal the deep history, philosophy, and cultural roots of the world's #1 anime and manga. Derek's journey begins when he sees the Dragon Ball anime in 1997. His love for the series inspires him to start martial arts training in Sh�ol�n gōngfu, t�ij�-qu�n, q�gōng, karate, and Fǎl�n D�fǎ meditation. He earns his B.A. in East Asian Studies and a minor in Chinese from Western Michigan University. Then he studies abroad in Běijīng, China where he trains with the Buddhist Sh�ol�n monks and a D�oist t�ij� sword master. After returning home he begins his life's work. He is now an authority on Dragon Ball and loves to share his understanding of this profound series that changes lives.

Reviews

Derek Padula's brilliant Dragon Ball Culture books are well-researched and written in a formal but still accessible manner, providing insight on the culture, themes, and history that influenced the story and world of Dragon Ball. Mr. Padula's books are excellent pieces for any Dragon Ball fan looking to dig deeper into the essence of the franchise, and I highly recommend them. - all-comic.comThe ante has been raised! Our young champion, Goku, is now facing an adventure all on his own and the stakes enlist none other than an entire army for him to face against! As the title of this Volume explicitly implies: we're heading Westward and that means western culture itself. This is the part of the story where us Westerners can look in the mirror and find familiar tropes and guises that have gone on to inform the world abroad. Much of the popular zeitgeist from celluloid, history and the like finds itself carrying much of this fish-out-of-water segment of the story. It is quite the enriching endeavor to observe just how these tokens present themselves in an Eastern package. Not only that, but then for us to be treated to see just how our innocent protagonist interacts haphazardly through this unfamiliar world that resembles the real-life Occident; it is genuine charisma in print! - Amazon Customer Review