Akira Toriyama’s iconic manga and its adaptations into Dragon Ball have elevated the fighting genre to new heights. Budokai Tenkaichi – the grand tournaments that reward victors with significant prizes – has become one of the most notable events in the world of anime and gaming.
The martial arts tournaments are organized on a global scale, allowing anyone to participate. Initially held every five years, the frequency has since changed to three years. These competitions attract fighters from all over the world.
As a symbol of the Dragon Ball universe, the tournaments have led many to ponder the actual costs involved in participating in events like Budokai Tenkaichi. How much does it really take to witness this spectacle in person?
To answer this intriguing question, the official Dragon Ball website interviewed Nobuyuki Sakakibara, CEO of Dream Factory Worldwide and a key figure in organizing martial arts events in Japan. For those unfamiliar, Sakakibara was behind the PRIDE fighting championships in the 1990s and currently leads the RIZIN Fighting Federation, both of which are major names in the world of mixed martial arts.
Sakakibara shared his insights, estimating that a ticket to participate in an event like Budokai Tenkaichi would cost around 1 million yen (approximately 160 million VND).
In terms of international currency, this equates to roughly 6,800 USD per ticket. To put this into perspective, a high-profile boxing match, such as Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul, can see ticket prices ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 USD. According to Sakakibara, the price of Budokai tickets would fall within this range, given that attendees would not only get to watch typical fights but also witness professional martial artists displaying their skills in real-time.
If you had the chance, who wouldn’t want to pay to see Goku unleash a Kamehameha live or watch Vegeta obliterate the stage with a single blow?
Why Can’t We Have a Tournament Like Budokai Tenkaichi in Reality?
While the concept of hosting Budokai Tenkaichi seems appealing, the reality of organizing such an event presents numerous challenges. According to Sakakibara, existing regulations and guidelines make it impractical to hold a tournament as depicted in the series.
One primary concern is the rigorous physical demands placed on participants. In Dragon Ball, fighters in Budokai Tenkaichi must compete multiple times in a single day, including various rounds. However, in real life, this scenario is completely unfeasible.
Sakakibara elaborated: “According to the sports commission overseeing these types of events in the U.S., a fighter can only participate in a maximum of one competition per day. These regulations are designed to ensure the health and safety of all competitors. Even in Japan, where there is no such commission, the general consensus is that holding two matches in a single day could lead to excessive physical strain on the fighters.”
In other words, the epic battles we see in Dragon Ball are simply not feasible when compared to real-life athletes. Even if a tournament were organized in Japan, the physical limitations of participants would make the experience vastly different.
Moreover, the fighters in Dragon Ball are anything but “ordinary.” Even the most basic participants in Budokai Tenkaichi possess extraordinary strength and capabilities that far exceed those of any real-life individuals. Characters like Goku and Vegeta can withstand immense physical challenges and continue to fight despite suffering severe injuries.
To draw a comparison, top fighters in the real world often require several days (or even weeks) to recover after a strenuous match. Thus, imagining a tournament like Budokai Tenkaichi in real life is more like a distant dream than a feasible possibility.
