Michael B. Jordan Is Proud of His Anime and Dragon Ball Z Fandom

Michael B. Jordan is having a moment in nerd culture, and many, many others. As the antagonist in the biggest movie on the planet right now, Black Panther, Jordan has returned to comic book media to play Marvel Studios’ very best villain, and one who digs into something much deeper and more real than can be found in almost any panel. Still, Jordan has respect for his first pop culture loves: anime like Dragon Ball Z and Naruto.

So while Coogler is no stranger to internet trolls trying to damage his calm, when one particularly nasty Twitter user misrepresented Jordan’s height, his independence from his parents, and especially his love for anime, Jordan didn’t miss the chance to fire back.

Below you can see the Twitter exchange that ends with, “aaaand goku and naruto are the real ones.”

Michael B Jordan Is A 5’9” Adult Man That Loves Anime & Lives With His Parents….Y’all Told Me All Of Those Things Were Unacceptable Though

— Chris (@chrisfrom_216) February 22, 2018

First of All I’m 6ft and they live with ME, put some respeck on my name. LOL…aaaand goku & naruto are real ones 🙌🏾 lol https://t.co/QspyHD2zwH

— Michael B. Jordan (@michaelb4jordan) February 23, 2018

Is there a Super Saiyan in the room? Because we just felt a scorched earth burn.

The amusing reveal shows good humor on the 31-year-old actor’s part. Like many in his generation, he would have grown up watching Dragon Ball Zand Gundam Wing reruns on Toonami, the channel that taught American children just what exactly the difference is between a Bulma and a Vegeta. Perhaps that might also explain why some of Jordan’s Killmonger design in Black Panther bears a faint familiarity (see image above).

However, it is also a reminder that Jordan knows how to deal with nerdy trolls and mean tweeters from fan culture. Consider that not so long ago, he received the undeserved ire of conservative, male prima donnas everywhere when he was well cast as Johnny Storm in the ill-fated Fantastic Four remake from 2015. Luckily, his star hasn’t wavered since, especially during his collaborations with filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who at only one-year-older directed Jordan in Black Panther, as well as the earlier and far more searing Fruitvale Station and the feel-good Creed.

Nevertheless, it is also a feel-good story to see love for the Goku family represented.