What If: Toriyama Retired?

[FortuneSSJ]

When Akira Toriyama retires, Dragon Ball will go on.
The main difference is that people may not insult Toriyama anymore when something they don't like happens.

[successoroffate]

Didn't he retire once already and we had that huge hiatus? I mean, he did step down at the time of GT...

[BlueBasilisk]

Didn't he retire once already and we had that huge hiatus? I mean, he did step down at the time of GT...

Wasn't he just working on other projects during that time?

[successoroffate]

Didn't he retire once already and we had that huge hiatus? I mean, he did step down at the time of GT...

Wasn't he just working on other projects during that time?

But then what's the difference between retiring and stepping down from DB? If he continues to do some other projects non related to DB, then that should count as retiring from DB...again.

[Dbzfan94]

Lately, I've been thinking that perhaps it's time that Shigeru Miyamoto step down. After the mess that was Star Fox Zero and with the move toward mobile gaming (an idea that I despise) among other things, I personally feel that his time is up.

He is the reason Paper Mario went from fantastic RPGs to whatever crap Sticker Star was supposed to be, so tbh I'd be for it if it means we can get the level of quality we used to have in that series at least.

[Hellspawn28]

He already did after 1995. The series was still popular after it was over and he wanted nothing to do with it for years until after DBE came out. He retires again, he will probably let Toyotaro take care of the series again.

[Basaku]

It isn't a malleable high concept a la, say, a Western superhero book.

Yes it is, particularly with ever expanding lore, worldbuilding, catalogue of races and forms/transformations. In fact it's more mellable than most of western superhero universes where it's all about 1 guy with 1 set of powers. ALso, western comics and 'high concept'? Let's not get hysterical, we're talking spider-themed high school teenagers, an OP superman alien, amazon trope woman with superpowers, rich guy who builts himself expensive suit etc.

Concerns are obvious and warranted, but I don't think DB is some holy grail of storytelling, usage of tropes or comedic peak that no one else but Toriyama can ever get right.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

To be honest, he pretty much has. Toei just won't leave him alone about Super, however.

Uh, no. He wrote the scripts for 2 movies, one Dragon Ball related manga, and has been providing stories for Super since then. If he wasn't interested in doing it, he wouldn't be. We know he's fairly wealthy after all, he doesn't have to do a thing he doesn't want to.

[emperior]

I will still watch Dragon Ball after Toriyama retires. However I will drop the serie if it became a blatant cash-cow, if it becomes way too childish or if I just will dislike the new serie. Though I will always give Dragon Ball a chance, may it be from Toriyama or not. Hell, I also read Dragon Ball fan-mangas so I would probably watch a official serie even if it won't be very good.

[Saikyo no Senshi]

If Toriyama leaving makes the production committee to change it's ways and hand over Dragon Ball to the young and good staff of Toei and let them experiment with it in their own way, I would love it. I would be totally down for it. I would like Dragon Ball to be told with a different perspective. Something which Toriyama can never ever imagine to tell and I think the good Toei staff has the potential.

But, yeah that's not going to happen. The producers would never let that happen. Their approach towards DBS is evident of them playing it safe and more or less with or without Toriyama, they're going to continue with the same approach.

I guess, I'll settle with I don't care.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

If Toriyama leaving makes the production committee to change it's ways and hand over Dragon Ball to the young and good staff of Toei and let them experiment with it in their own way, I would love it. I would be totally down for it. I would like Dragon Ball to be told with a different perspective. Something which Toriyama can never ever imagine to tell and I think the good Toei staff has the potential.

I'd love this too, but like you say, it probably won't happen. Maybe if we get DB movies in the style of the first 16 with fresh blood involved, I'd follow those. I think that'd be the extent of my interest, though.

[Captain Strawberry]

I'd trust Dragon Ball to be written by Togashi Yoshihiro.

But I would like Dragon ball go to an author who really likes adventure and fantasy because that's what Dragon ball started as.

[Saikyo no Senshi]

I'd love this too, but like you say, it probably won't happen. Maybe if we get DB movies in the style of the first 15 with fresh blood involved, I'd follow those. I think that'd be the extent of my interest, though.

For some reason, they've stopped making movies since Super started. I guess everyone's entirely focused on the TV series.

It would be so good if a movie, hell even an OVA would work came out every year. Totally under the control of whoever's directing it. Original work. No restrictions, no Toriyama outlines to follow and we would have been able to see the staff's potential. But, the producers are too afraid of experimentation.

[floofychan333]

I'd give the new stuff a fighting chance but if it's terrible I'll rant for the rest of my life about how my teenagerhood was ruined by some douche in Japan who took over Dragon Ball.

[keyz05]

I probably will NOT forget about all the fun I had from reading the DragonBall Z Manga.

[Doctor.]

I would actually stop watching Super.

I'm jumping off the ongoing Dragon Ball train when Toriyama does. That isn't a promise or a threat. It's just going to happen.

But what if Toriyama's son takes up the job?

Then you'd have new Dragon Ball associated with the Toriyama name for at least another 30 years. Remember: You're stuck here. Forever.

[FortuneSSJ]

I'd trust Dragon Ball to be written by Togashi Yoshihiro.

Let him finish HunterxHunter first.

[The gr]

I'd trust Dragon Ball to be written by Togashi Yoshihiro.

Let him finish HunterxHunter first.

Ouch, if he works in DB,it will also be on hiatus

if toriyama retired,is gonna be like gt,toei will be one with ideas and maybe Bardock will return

[Cipher]

Also, western comics and 'high concept'? Let's not get hysterical, we're talking spider-themed high school teenagers, an OP superman alien, amazon trope woman with superpowers, rich guy who builts himself expensive suit etc.

Oh no. How embarrassing for you.

[Basaku]

Also, western comics and 'high concept'? Let's not get hysterical, we're talking spider-themed high school teenagers, an OP superman alien, amazon trope woman with superpowers, rich guy who builts himself expensive suit etc.

Oh no. How embarrassing for you.

Nothing embarassing about not knowing an obscure industry term that to me, as non-native speaker, doesn't even read like a specific term and suggests the opposite of its meaning from the context, especially when you use an adjective prior. But going back to the topic which you of course avoided, neither western comics or Dragon Ball are complex pitches so why you even made the comparsion is puzzling. Similarly, mixing and utilizing tropes and entartainment stamples ain't unique to DB nor something that only Toriyama can get right. Giving other authors a chance to work within DB universe could provide a great deal of amazing stories and ideas as it did for many other fictional universes that allowed varied authors to pitch in. Especially with the recent expansion of the lore and worldbuilding that, ironically, makes DB more malleable than ever before.