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Suppaman (スッパマン Sourman) also known as Sourman in the FUNimation Dub of Dragon Ball, is a superhero-wannabe from a faraway planet, Okakaumeboshi. When in disguise, he works as a reporter as Kenta Kuraaku (暗悪 健太 Kuraaku Kenta)which is also Clarke Kent with the order of the names reversed.

Overview[]

Suppaman changes his clothes in a phone booth and eats a pickled plum (or sour plums and vinegar plums) to transform and rolls around with his belly on a skateboard. His purpose is to protect the world or so he thinks. However, neither he has a sense of justice nor real superpowers. He doesn't care much about the safety of other people but only about his reputation and is being regarded as a hero, and is easily offended when others make fun of him. He's a coward in front of enemies, and mean and violent towards innocent villagers as he usually launches grenades at people who annoy him for some reason.

History[]

Early life[]

Youngsuppaman

Sourman in his youth on Planet Okakaumeboshi.

In his days on Planet Okakaumeboshi, Sourman was in the same preschool as Bubibinman and was nicknamed Supercrybaby because he was a coward. In grade school, he was known as "Suppa-Mouth" ("Suppa-chan the Piggy" in the English Dr. Slump manga) because of his major appetite.[2]

Dr. Slump[]

The Birth of Arale[]

Midorinudescooter

The See-Thru Glasses, showing Suppaman flying naked.

Main article: Volume 1: The Birth of Arale
He appears as Kenta Kuraaku in the first chapter The Birth of Arale in Penguin Village's clothing store watching Senbei Norimaki walking by dressing as a schoolgirl.

In Something's Missing!, he is seen flying naked through Senbei's vision from the See-Thru Glasses while trying to look at Midori Yamabuki.

Arale on the Loose[]

Main article: Volume 2: Arale on the Loose
He appears again in a brief cameo in Arale Flies the Skies!.

Earth S.O.S.![]

Main article: Volume 3: Earth S.O.S.!
Suppaman has a bigger role in the chapter Our Hero, Suppaman, where he tries to impress Arale Norimaki and Gatchan, and finally defeats Arale at rock paper scissors.

He is seen in a crowd when Arale buys a bra in Arale Goes on an Errand.

The Happy Doctor[]

Main article: Volume 4: The Happy Doctor
He also makes brief appearances when his rival Parzan is introduced in the series, as well as in Sad, Sad Santa, and Kick the Can.

Monsters' Night[]

Main article: Volume 5: Monsters' Night
As Kenta Kuraaku, he attempts to rob the Penguin Village Bank in chapter Untouchable, but he is stopped by Arale.

In Heel, Achilles!, his girlfriend leaves him for a man who has a nicer car.

Dr. Mashirito's Ambition[]

Main article: Volume 6: Dr. Mashirito's Ambition
Suppaman has again a major role in the chapter Suppaman 2, in which he confronts Arale, Gatchan, and Chivil.

My Toilet Paper[]

Main article: Volume 7: My Toilet Paper
He is seen among the residents of Penguin Village running after Arale and Gatchan in Penguin Village Dom-Dom-Dom!

He has the role of Cinderella's stepmother in Cinderella, the Musical.

Penguin Grand Prix[]

SuppamanPVGP

Suppaman listens to Akira Toriyama when he tells about the Penguin Gran Prix.

Main article: Volume 8: Penguin Grand Prix
Suppaman is a contestant in the race organized in the Penguin Gran Prix chapters, using a skateboard as his vehicle.

Suppaman(Ch102)

Suppaman during the Penguin Village Wars.

In the Penguin Village Wars chapters, thinking that the Earth he has to protect is vast, Suppaman creates the Planetary Defense Academy and recruits Arale, Gatchan, and Oinkety Oink. During the battle against Dr. Mashirito and Caramel Man 003, Suppaman betrays the faction he created and joins Dr. Mashirito, but the Planetary Defense Academy is still victorious in the end.

I am Obotchaman[]

Main article: Volume 13: I am Obotchaman
Later in the series, when Obotchaman leaves Dr. Mashirito, Suppaman's house is taken by Obotchaman who literally picks it up and moves it somewhere else. Suppaman spends the rest of his days living in a tent.

Other Media[]

Tomato, Girl Detective[]

Kenta2ndHostage

Kenta Kuraaku holds a baby and a cockroach hostage.

In his very first appearance, he is only seen in his secret identity, Kenta Kuraaku, and he has the role of the manga's antagonist, being suspected of several bank robberies. He manages to take hostages, a baby, a cockroach, and ants, and he is still arrested by the heroine, the young Akai Tomato, in the end.

Dragon Ball[]

Suppaman dragonball

Suppaman in Dragon Ball, breaking only one brick.

Kenta Kuraaku is driving in the road when General Blue stops him. He changes into Suppaman and tries to intimidate Blue by punching a brick, but fails when Blue crushes a phone booth with his arms right in front of him. Suppaman then becomes completely loyal to Blue, letting him use his car and telling him the whereabouts of an airplane located at Senbei's house. Once Blue leaves, Suppaman says to himself he will let him go this time.

Suppaman also makes a cameo appearance in volume 3 of the Dragon Ball manga, where he is seen near the Budokai registration booth. And in episode Elimination Round, he's also seen among the contestants of that said Budokai when the preliminary bouts begin.

Video Games[]

Suppaman(DSlpPS)

Kenta Kuraaku in Dr. Slump.

Suppaman makes his first video game appearance in Dr. Slump Arale Part III: Ncha! Bycha. He appears in Dr. Slump for PlayStation, which is based on the 1997 remake, Doctor Slump. Suppaman briefly appears in the Eastern Capital level on Super Dragon Ball Z, where he is seen rolling off across the street lying on a skateboard after a telephone booth is smashed by the fighting characters. He appears as an assisting character in Dragon Ball Z: Bakuretsu Impact. Suppaman also makes appearances in Dr. Slump: Arale-Chan. he also appears in the card game Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle.

Voice actors[]

  • 1980s series: Tesshō Genda
  • 1990s series: Tohru Furuya
  • 1980s and 1990s series Latin dub: Igor Cruz
  • 1980s Latin dub (only ep. 73): Ismael Larumbe
  • Dragon Ball's Latin dub: José Luis Orozco
  • 1990s series Indonesian dub: Endi Rahardjo
  • FUNimation Dub of Dragon Ball: Dameon Clarke

Trivia[]

  • The name Suppaman is derived from the Japanese word for sour, suppai (すっぱい), and the English word "Man". "Suppaman" sounds similar to the Japanese pronunciation of Superman, Suupaaman (スーパーマン).
    • Suppaman's secret identity of Kenta Kuraaku is based on Superman's secret identity of Clark Kent. Both are reporters and both names are similar when spoken in Japanese, Kenta Kuraaku sounds just like Kent Clark (Japanese put their family names first, and first names last).
  • The Japanese Hiragana on his chest す translates to Su, which means "Sour".

Gallery[]

References[]

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