If you stay informed about current events and spend time on social media, you have likely encountered the announcement of a Dragon Ball theme park, which has been extensively promoted by fans of Akira Toriyama’s work. This announcement came several weeks after the death of one of humanity’s greatest mangaka, whose passing is still mourned today. While this news has brought joy to many, others have begun to protest, finding it controversial that the park is being established in Qiddiya, a city near Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. It is important to note that if this Dragon Ball-themed park becomes a reality, it is due to the initiative of the country and its sovereign, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Through his ambitious plans, the country is undergoing significant transformations, particularly in how it positions itself to the Western world, an approach known as soft power. Additionally, Mohammed bin Salman anticipates the end of oil dependency, a prediction made by some experts for 2050. While China has taken the lead in electric vehicle technology, Saudi Arabia sees an opportunity to play a role in entertainment and cultural expansion. This may seem contradictory given the country’s human rights concerns. However, the future of our pop culture, including video games, manga, anime, and more, is likely to involve Saudi Arabia, with support from Japan.
Before discussing the extensive soft power initiatives that Saudi Arabia has been implementing over recent years, let us first examine the presentation video for the newly announced Dragon Ball Park. It is important to note that this park will be located in Qiddiya, a city situated 40 kilometers from Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. To enhance visual appeal and immersion, an area spanning 500,000 square meters has been designated to bring visitors into the universe of Son Goku and his companions. As depicted in these preview images, the plan is to recreate iconic locations from the Dragon Ball series. This includes the Capsule Corporation, Kame House, and Turtle Genius’ house, surrounded by water as illustrated in the manga and anime. Additionally, features like Karin Tower, Freezer’s spaceship, Beerus’ planet with its massive dead tree, the Red Ribbon Army base (as shown in official site photos), and Kami Kyūden or God Tower will be included. Here, Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Trunks will train in the Time Chamber to prepare for their battle against Cell. Similarly to Universal’s Super Mario World attraction, the idea is to replicate various biomes adjacent to each other for maximum immersion. At the heart of this park will stand a 70-meter-tall Shenron statue, which will also serve as the base for an exciting rollercoaster ride.
Seven distinct zones have been announced, featuring approximately thirty attractions, restaurants, hotels, and crystal-shaped residences. Given this extensive development, it is difficult not to feel a desire to visit the site. This ambition is precisely what Mohammed Ben Salmane aims to achieve for those immersed in Japanese culture, considering his own deep appreciation for Japan, manga, anime, and video games. However, his intention to promote Japanese pop culture within Saudi Arabia extends beyond personal interest, as this initiative has been endorsed and likely launched with the support of Shueisha, the renowned Japanese publishing house known for its top mangas. It is important to note that Japan and Saudi Arabia have engaged in cooperation for several years now. For example, it is worth mentioning that Goldorak’s licensing rights are being revitalized thanks to efforts from Saudi Arabia. Additionally, beyond Microids’ video game release, a new anime project is scheduled to debut, led by Go Nagai. Saudi Arabia collaborates closely with Dynamic Planning, the Japanese entity holding the Goldorak rights, facilitating the exploitation of the “Goldorak” license and its characters across theme parks and special events in the Middle East region. In fact, a 33.7-meter-tall Goldorak statue was erected in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital city, last year (2023), and has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest metal sculpture of a fictional character. This achievement is unrelated to the French version of the Space Robot located on a roundabout in Auvergne.
Projects such as the Dragon Ball Park and the revival of Goldorak are not isolated initiatives but are largely associated with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. At 38 years old, he was raised on Japanese manga and anime, a period when the Middle East also embraced Japanese pop culture in the 1980s. Mohammed bin Salman is an avid fan of video games and the NeoGeo console from the 1990s, which captivated him to such an extent that he acquired 96.18% of SNK in February 2022 for $430 million through his MISK foundation. Furthermore, this acquisition is part of a larger strategy. In September 2022, Saudi Arabia announced plans to invest at least $37.8 billion in the video game sector. This ambition will be pursued by Savvy Gaming Group, owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, aiming to establish itself in the global video game market.
It is indicated that $18.6 billion will be invested in minority stakes in video game development studios as well as video game publishers. The country has recently acquired an 8.3% stake in Nintendo following the submission of an application to Japan’s Ministry of Finance through the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, PIF. Nintendo is not the sole target among video game publishers; Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Nexon, Capcom, KOEI TECMO, and Take-Two Interactive are also under consideration for investment, with the country having recently reinforced its position by increasing capital in these companies.
The text discusses an upcoming Dragon Ball-themed park in Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia, which is a project supported by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of his efforts to transform the country’s global image and diversify its economy beyond oil. The park will cover 500,000 square meters and include seven zones replicating iconic locations from Dragon Ball, along with approximately thirty attractions, restaurants, hotels, and residences. This initiative aligns with Mohammed bin Salman’s interest in Japanese pop culture, which he aims to promote within his country through significant investments. For instance, he has acquired a stake in SNK, the owner of the NeoGeo console, and plans to invest at least $37.8 billion through the Savvy Gaming Group into video game development studios and publishers such as Nintendo, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, among others. The construction of this park reflects Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to use soft power for cultural and economic influence, while acknowledging the country’s ongoing human rights issues.
