‘Dragon Ball’ may be a Japanese-born anime, but the series has become a major pop culture influencer for years. 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. That influence stateside is likely to grow Wednesday with the theatrical release of “Dragon Ball Super: Broly ,” the 20th film in the “Dragon Ball” franchise that spans video games, six animated spinoffs and more than 500 television episodes. It all started in 1984 when Akira Toriyama created the best-selling comic book series, known as a manga in Japan. “‘I’ve been a fan for so long, and I know a lot of others are too. It’s like a cult following,” said De’Aaron Fox, the 21-year-old Sacramento Kings guard who owns a pair of Dragon Ball Z-themed basketball shoes . 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. 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. Published in Daily Times, January 17th 2019.