On Sunday, Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh's 26-9 victory over the Ravens. Smith-Schuster, 20, is the youngest player in the NFL, but his TD celebration brought nostalgia to many fans watching the game... and some disagreement.
Fans couldn't seem to figure out what the rookie WR was referencing in his celebration.
Some people thought he was imitating a move from Street Fighter. But hold up...
So wait. Was it the Hadouken from Street Fighter or the Kamehameha from Dragon Ball Z? The two virtually identical moves are from two of the most successful Japanese media franchises, but there are some subtle differences.
The Hadouken -- which literally means "wave motion fist" -- is a special move used by many characters in Street Fighter, most notably Ryu and Ken. This attack first appeared in the original Street Fighter. When you successfully perform the Hadouken, a blue energy orb appears and attacks your opponent, resulting in the character's health meter taking a significant hit. Disclaimer: If you're playing with a friend, doing this repeatedly may result in a rage-quit.
Please note, for the record, that Street Fighter didn't invent "shooting energy balls from your palms" - that would be Dragon Ball, the mega-popular anime franchise, which debuted three years before the first Street Fighter game.
Now, if JuJu was referencing Dragon Ball Z, the move would not be a Hadouken, it would be called a Kamehameha. This is the signature move of the hero, Goku, and the students of the Turtle School.
What's a Turtle School? Glad you asked. It's the martial arts school where the Dragon Ball heroes learn how to perform special moves.
So, which was it? Was JuJu channelling Ryu or Goku?
Thank God he settled this before it led to a full-blown nerd war.
It's worth noting that Smith-Schuster was born on November 22, 1996, 10 months after the final episode of Dragon Ball Z's original run. Age ain't nothing but a number.
