It's one of the most beloved anime franchises in the world.
And Dragon Ball Super: Broly was released in the U.S. on Wednesday, the twentieth film in the Dragon Ball franchise and is a follow on of the Super TV series.
The film follows titular Saiyan Broly, an iconic villain from the series who first made an appearance in 1993 film Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan.
New story: Dragon Ball Super: Broly was released in cinemas across the US on Wednesday... as the return of the villainous Saiyan warrior continued to bolster the pop culture phenomenon
In the new drama, a deadly power awakens within the character as he goes up against heroes Goku and Vegeta in a quest for revenge.
The Saiyan with an evil streak has been one of the series' main adversaries, but the version of him that appears in the Super film is a reworked iteration of the character.
Dragon Ball may be a Japanese-born anime, but the series has had a major pop culture influence for decades all around the world.
Intense: In the new drama, a deadly power awakens within the character as he goes up against heroes Goku and Vegeta in a quest for revenge
Rappers sprinkle references in their rhymes, athletes channel the character's super powers when making big plays, and the franchise's star even made a towering appearance at November's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The franchise spans video games, six animated spinoffs and more than 500 TV episodes, all starting in 1984 when Akira Toriyama created the best-selling manga series, also known as a Japanese comic book.
De'Aaron Fox, a 21-year-old Sacramento Kings guard who owns a pair of Dragon Ball Z-themed basketball shoes, said: 'I've been a fan for so long, and I know a lot of others are too. It's like a cult following.'
Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen and Golden State Warriors player Jordan Bell are also fans of the anime who have worn custom Dragon Ball-themed shoes in games in the past.
Iconic: A pedestrian walking past a mural depicting Caulifla by artist Jake Merten inspired by the Dragon Ball anime series in Los Angeles
The franchise stars Goku, an alien who lands on Earth as a child and trains in martial arts through his adulthood, venturing across the globe to find seven orbs, known as Dragon Balls.
He and other human-looking aliens, known as Saiyans, occasionally transform into Super Saiyans with enormous power that unleashes a glowing aura and random arcs of electricity around them. The transformation turns their black spikey hair blonde.
Fox continued: 'Dragon Ball really made an imprint on the world, particularly in entertainment. You hear so many references in songs, mostly from hip-hop and rap. Athletes are coming out as fans as well. Like People are saying they want to become like Goku. It's a big deal.'
Its crossover appeal was evident during the Macy's Thanksgiving parade ,
