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Beerus, the God of Destruction, has a surprisingly adorable origin story. From a miraculously healed sickly cat to a powerful character in the Dragon Ball series.
Let's delve into the tale of Beerus, the iconic God of Destruction from Dragon Ball Super. Who would have thought that behind that majestic appearance lies a much simpler and warmer origin?
Beerus began as an antagonist in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and later in Dragon Ball Super. However, it didn't take long for the Universe 7 God of Destruction to gain popularity among fans, always bringing humor and some amusing situations.
The resemblance to a Sphynx cat - the hairless Egyptian cat breed of Beerus, with sharp ears, actually hides a curious truth.
In an interview featured in V-Jump in 2013, Toriyama revealed some intriguing secrets. When asked if any character was inspired by real-life figures, the author provided a surprising answer. Beerus drew inspiration from Toriyama's own cat, a Cornish Rex, and ancient Egyptian deities. Hence, in terms of appearance, Beerus is no different from a cat in human clothing with large pointed ears, adorned in the attire and jewelry of ancient Egypt.
The story behind this is truly captivating. Imagine, a 14-year-old cat, despite being severely ill, miraculously recovering. The veterinarian even joked that the cat might be 'some kind of demon'. And thus, Beerus, the God of Destruction, was born!
Toriyama reveals: 'Beerus, the God of Destruction, finds inspiration from a 14-year-old cat currently living with us. It's called a Cornish Rex. It's a somewhat rare breed. I'm digressing here, but the other day, despite suffering from a serious illness and the vet stating that it wouldn't live much longer, it miraculously recovered. And the vet said it could be some kind of demonic ailment.'
Beerus has a personality that is both strong and lazy, very much like a cat. This deity adores fish and exhibits many characteristic traits of felines. Not stopping there, Toriyama also mentions that the appearance of Korin, another feline character, is based on his previous cat, Koge. That's why Korin always closes his eyes as if he's sleeping.
Furthermore, Dragon Ball has deep roots in Asian culture. The entire story draws inspiration from Journey to the West, a classic work of literature from China. Even the main character Goku is named after Sun Wukong from Journey to the West. Characters like Bulma, Oolong, and Yamcha also draw inspiration from this novel.
