Michael B. Jordan says Killmonger’s armor might be inspired by Dragon Ball Z

Since Black Panther has been out, fans have wondered if Killmonger’s armor was based on Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z. Thankfully, Michale B. Jordan finally let fans know what’s up.

If you’re a fan of Michael B. Jordan, then you probably know that he is a pretty big anime fan. Earlier this year, the internet couldn’t get enough of the fact that heartthrob Michael B. Jordan loved anime. It’s safe to say that the internet was delighted by this fact and many memes and jokes about this were created.

When Black Panther came out in February, fans loved the film, and people especially loved the character of Killmonger. Michael B. Jordan was able to bring this character to life and show a villain who is complex and interesting. Also, let’s face it, Michael B. Jordan is gorgeous and a lovely, gracious human being, so it’s no wonder we all can’t get enough of him.

But, while fans of the MCU are always looking for hints and clues in the universe and making connections to the smallest details, there is one detail that connects both Marvel fans and anime fans. Many fans of Black Panther, as well as Dragon Ball Z, realized that there are many similarities between Killmonger’s armor and Vegeta’s outfit in Dragon Ball Z.

In the above tweet, it’s easy to see that the customers are quite similar. Both outfits feature blue long-sleeve shirts with vets on top with similar ribbing on the abs. Fans have also pointed out that there are similarities between the storylines of the two characters.

Fans love to speculate, but Michael B. Jordan himself has some comments about this connection.

While he was promoting his new movie Creed II, he was interviewed by Creed II co-star Tessa Thompson for IGN. They were asking each other questions and Thompson asked him about the Vegeta/Killmonger connection.

Jordan’s answer was a solid “maybe.” He said, “I’m not sure. Honestly, I really don’t know.” He points out that while there are definitely similarities, it wasn’t something he discussed with the filmmakers such as director Ryan Coogler. He continued saying, “But, I mean, Ryan likes anime, too. So maybe. Hopefully.”

While the design might not have been similar on purpose, we love that Jordan is such a big anime fan and that he took the time to answer this question. We also love that Tessa Thompson asked it, and hope that Ryan Coogler or the costume designer did make the connection.

You can watch the entire interview with Jordan and Thompson below.

Well, it looks like there’s nothing left to do but ask Ryan Coogler himself, or perhaps Black Panther’s costume designer. Because, honestly, we need answers.