LOS ANGELES — “Dragon Ball” may be a Japanese-born anime, but the series has become a major pop culture influencer for years. Rappers sprinkle references in their rhymes, athletes channel the character’s super powers when making big plays and the franchise’s star even made a towering appearance at November’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

That influence stateside is likely to grow Wednesday with the theatrical release of “Dragon Ball Super: Broly,” the 20th film in the “Dragon Ball” franchise that spans video games, six animated spinoffs and more than 500 television episodes. It all started in 1984 when Akira Toriyama created the best-selling comic book series, known as a manga in Japan.

“‘I’ve been a fan for so long, and I know a lot of others are too. It’s like a cult following,” said De’Aaron Fox, the 21-year-old Sacramento Kings guard who owns a pair of Dragon Ball Z-themed basketball shoes. Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen and Golden State Warriors player Jordan Bell are also fans of the anime who have worn custom Dragon Ball-themed shoes in games.

The franchise stars Goku, an alien who lands on Earth as a child and trains in martial arts through his adulthood, venturing across the globe to find seven orbs, known as Dragon Balls. He and other human-looking aliens, known as Saiyans, occasionally transform into Super Saiyans with enormous power that unleashes a glowing aura and random arcs of electricity around them. The transformation turns their black SPIKEY hair blonde.

“‘Dragon Ball’ really made an imprint on the world, particularly in entertainment,” Fox said. “You hear so many references in songs, mostly from hip-hop and rap. Athletes are coming out as fans as well. Like People are saying they want to become like Goku. It’s a big deal.”

Its crossover appeal was evident during the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade , when a 56-foot-tall, 70-foot-long Goku balloon floated above Manhattan, making the front page of The New York Times.

Many have followed “Dragon Ball” since they were kids, and the more famous fans incorporated it into their work, too.

Chris Brown posted an image on social media of a Dragon Ball tattooed on his leg and Goku’s face painted on a red Lamborghini. Chance the Rapper has mentioned the anime in two songs. Before a wrestling match, Ronda Rousey wore a shirt with her favorite character and “cartoon crush” Vegeta, the prince of the Saiyans who is an ally of Goku.

The Super Saiyan form is popular in the hip-hop community. Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball along with Big Sean, Lil Uzi Vert, The Weeknd and Childish Gambino has rapped about achieving Super Saiyan status in their songs.

After Cleveland Browns tight end Darren Fells scored a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders this season, he and David Njoku performed the fusion dance . In the anime, the fusion dance merges two or more bodies together to form a powerful entity.

The self-professed “Dragon Ball” experts practiced the dance during training camp on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”

“We worked on it in camp and we do it here and there in practice,” Njoku said. “If I score or he scores, we’ll do it. We put it all together in the Raiders game.”

When Fox reaches a higher level on the basketball court, he uses the phrase to compliment himself.

“When I’m ballin’ like crazy on the court, they say I’m going Super Saiyan,” he said.

Artist Jake Merten has created several murals dedicated to “Dragon Ball” characters in several cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Kansas City and Denver and plans to create a new one to celebrate “Dragon Ball: Broly” this week in LA.

“As a kid, I liked the good-versus-evil story, but I was drawn in through the different aesthetics that were used,” said Merten, 30. “It was completely different than American cartoons. Even as a child, I appreciated the art direction and the way the TV show took on a different form than other cartoons, animes or movies.”

The “Dragon Ball” franchise has been criticized for sometimes having flawed animations and story inconsistencies between its anime and manga.

But Sean Schemmel, who has voiced Goku in the English version since 1999, said “Dragon Ball” will stack up better than other anime. Other popular ones include “One Piece,” ”Naruto,” ”Case Closed” and “Golgo 13.”

“I believe a hundred years from now, there will be no anime bigger than ‘Dragon Ball,'” Schemmel said. “There’s a bunch of anime coming out of Japan, and we work on a lot of them. But in terms of the epic scope, and the crossover mass appeal, it’s going to be hard to beat ‘Dragon Ball.’ It’s a special show that inspires those who don’t have a voice.”

Story: Jonathan Landrum Jr.

HAIFA, Israel — An art exhibit in Israel featuring a crucified Ronald McDonald has sparked protests by the country’s Arab Christian minority.

Hundreds of Christians calling for the removal of the sculpture, entitled “McJesus,” demonstrated at the museum in the northern city of Haifa last week.

Israeli police say rioters hurled a firebomb at the museum and threw stones that wounded three police officers. Authorities dispersed the crowds with tear gas and stun grenades.

Church representatives brought their grievances to the district court Monday, demanding it order the removal of the exhibit’s most offensive items, including Barbie doll renditions of a bloodied Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

Museum director Nissim Tal said that he was shocked at the sudden uproar, especially because the exhibit — intended to criticize what many view as society’s cult-like worship of capitalism — had been on display for months. It has also been shown in other countries without incident.

The protests appear to have been sparked by visitors sharing photos of the exhibit on social media.

Christians make up a tiny percentage of Israel’s Arab minority and say they face unique challenges.

“We need to understand that freedom of expression is interpreted in different ways in different societies,” said Wadie Abu Nassar, an adviser to church leaders. “If this work was directed against non-Christians, the world would be turned upside down.”

Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev, who has been accused of censorship for pushing legislation mandating national “loyalty” in art, also called for the removal of the “disrespectful” artwork.

The museum has refused to remove the artwork, saying that doing so would infringe on freedom of expression. But following the protests it hung a curtain over the entrance to the exhibit and posted a sign saying the art was not intended to offend.

“This is the maximum that we can do,” Tal said. “If we take the art down, the next day we’ll have politicians demanding we take other things down and we’ll end up only with colorful pictures of flowers in the museum.”

But that did little to placate those who want the artwork removed. A protester remained camped out in a tent at the museum on Monday with a sign reading “Respect religions.” Police watched closely as local Christians complained to reporters in front of street signs spray-painted with crosses and windows still shattered from last week’s clashes.

“This is very offensive and I cannot consider this art,” Haifa artist and devout Christian Amir Ballan said. “We will continue through peaceful rallies and candle vigils… We won’t be quiet until we reach a solution.”

Jani Leinonen, the Finnish artist behind “McJesus,” has also asked that it be taken down — but for a different reason.

He says he supports Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions, or BDS, a Palestinian-led movement aimed at pressuring Israel to change its policies toward the Palestinians. The group has made significant gains in recent years, persuading a number of foreign artists to cancel performances in Israel.

Tal said the museum won’t bow to religious or political pressure.

“We will be defending freedom of speech, freedom of art, and freedom of culture, and will not take it down,” he said.

NAIROBI — Extremists stormed a luxury hotel in Kenya’s capital on Tuesday, setting off thunderous explosions and gunning down people at cafe tables in an attack claimed by Africa’s deadliest Islamic militant group. A police officer said at least 15 people had died.

“It is terrible. What I have seen is terrible,” said Charles Njenga, who ran from a scene of blood, broken glass, burning vehicles and pillars of black smoke.

Al-Shabab — the Somalia-based group that carried out the 2013 attack at the nearby Westgate Mall in Nairobi that left 67 people dead — claimed responsibility for the carnage at the DusitD2 hotel complex, which includes bars, restaurants, offices and banks and is in a well-to-do neighborhood with many American, European and Indian expatriates.

A Kenyan police officer said 15 bodies had been taken to the morgue. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. The U.S. State Department confirmed that an American citizen was among those killed, but did not release the victim’s identity. Al-Shabab asserted that 47 people were killed but its Shahada news agency post gave no details.

Authorities sent special forces into the hotel to flush out the gunmen. Late Tuesday night, about eight hours after the siege began, Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i said all of the buildings affected had been secured and that security forces were mopping up.

“I would like to reiterate that the situation is under control and the country is safe,” he said.

However, more gunfire was heard about an hour later, Kenyan broadcaster NTV reported. Some family members said they had been in touch with loved ones still hiding inside the complex, waiting to be rescued.

Early Wednesday, Kenya’s Interior Ministry said a tweet that all buildings had been secured and there was no further threat to the public.

“To God be the Glory. We have been rescued. Over 50 people in my group. No injuries Thank you all for the support and prayers. Thanks You KDF,” tweeted a Kenyan businesswoman, Aggie Asiimwe Konde. KDF stands for the Kenya Defense Forces.

Authorities did not say how many attackers there were — or what happened to them — though Kenya’s Citizen TV aired security-camera footage that showed at least four heavily armed men in dark-colored, paramilitary-style gear.

A police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media said bodies were seen in restaurants downstairs and in offices upstairs, but “there was no time to count the dead.”

A witness who gave his name only as Ken said he saw five bodies at the hotel entrance. Other people were shouting for help and “when we rushed back to try to rescue them, gunshots started coming from upstairs, and we had to duck because they were targeting us and we could see two guys shooting,” he said.

The coordinated assault began with an explosion that targeted three vehicles outside a bank, and a suicide bombing in the hotel lobby that severely wounded a number of guests, said Kenya’s national police chief, Joseph Boinnet.

Survivors reported hearing a shattering blast and saw people mowed down by gunmen as they sat in a cafe. Victims were left slumped on tables.

“We were changing our shifts, and that is when I heard a loud blast and people were screaming,” said Enoch Kibet, who works as a cleaner at the cafe and managed to crawl out a basement gate. “I couldn’t believe I was alive. The blast was so loud and shook the whole complex.”

Kenyan hospitals appealed for blood donations even as the number of wounded remained unclear.

Associated Press video from inside the hotel showed Kenyan security officers searching the building and scared workers emerging from hiding while gunfire could still be heard. Some climbed out a window by ladder. One man got up from the floor where he appeared to be trying to hide under a piece of wood paneling, then showed his ID.

As officers searched luxury fashion displays, wounded people were carried away on stretchers.

Like the attack at the Westgate Mall, this one appeared aimed at wealthy Kenyans and foreigners. It came a day after a magistrate ruled that three men must stand trial in connection with the Westgate Mall siege.

Al-Shabab has vowed retribution against Kenya for sending troops to Somalia to fight it since 2011. Tuesday’s violence came three years to the day after al-Shabab extremists attacked a Kenyan military base in Somalia, killing scores of people.

The al-Qaida-linked group has killed hundreds of people in Kenya. In the deadliest attack, al-Shabab claimed responsibility for an assault on Kenya’s Garissa University in 2015 that killed 147 people, mostly students.

The latest carnage demonstrated al-Shabab’s continued ability to carry out spectacular acts of bloodshed despite a dramatic increase in U.S. airstrikes against it under President Donald Trump.

Tourism — an important source of revenue in Kenya, East Africa’s largest economy — has suffered because of the violence.

Gunfire could be heard for hours after Tuesday’s attack began. Some people ducked behind cars, screaming, while others took cover behind fountains and other features at the lush complex. A bomb disposal unit was called in, and police blew up a car they said had explosives inside. A grenade was seen in a hallway.

Dozens of people were rushed to safety as plainclothes officers went from shop to shop in the complex. Some people held up their hands to show they were unarmed.

A Kenyan intelligence official said the country had been on high alert since November, with information about potential attacks on high-profile targets in Nairobi. The official was not authorized to talk to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Despite the repeated attacks, the Kenya-Somalia border remains porous, with al-Shabab extremists able to easily bribe their way across, according to a U.N. panel of experts.

The hotel complex, owned by Thailand’s Dusit International chain in Nairobi’s Westlands neighborhood, is about a mile (2 kilometers) from Westgate Mall on a relatively quiet, tree-lined road in what is considered one of the most secure parts of the city. The hotel’s website says it is “cocooned away from the hustle and bustle in a secure and peaceful haven.”

On Monday, the hotel promoted its spa by tweeting: “Is your new year off to a rough start?”