WJ 2018 No. 33: Akira Toriyama x Takehiko Inoue Interview

[VegettoEX]

This interview — a joint chat with Akira Toriyama (Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, et al.) and Takehiko Inoue (Slam Dunk, Vagabond, et al.) — was originally published 14 July 2018 in the 2018 No. 33 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump in Japan.

This interview has been translated into English and made available within Viz's accompanying 2018 No. 33 digital Weekly Shonen Jump issue.

Facts are facts, and you are of course entitled to discuss the full breadth of the interview here, which includes the ability to cite specific areas directly.

As this was effectively made available right alongside the original Japanese publication, we will not be releasing our own independent translation on the website-proper... at least not right away. Maybe in 10ish years or so, per the completely arbitrary and inconsistent guidelines of things like our "Press Archive".

If you are interested in reading the interview in full, please consider at least purchasing the single issue of Jump, which is available for $1 on Viz's website at viz.com/shonenjump.

Complete republications (in text or image form) will be removed in this thread and account strikes issued if deemed appropriate.

(NOTE: A "translation" of this interview was previously conducted by an outside individual/group unaffiliated with Kanzenshuu in any way, and was quickly deemed insufficient. There is no need to further reference this work.)

[dbgtFO]

Is it ok to request a short summary or some bullet points about what they talked about?
I really just want to know, if something new and interesting about the story and characters was said.

[VegettoEX]

Honestly, it's just a lot of rehashing of stuff we already know from Toriyama: how he originally drew manga and submitted just for prize money, his limited work with assistants, a little bit on inking techniques, and the crushing workload of a weekly serialization.

While it's certainly a fun and charming read, there's nothing groundbreaking in there, especially if you've already poured over everything we've translated in the past!

[dbgtFO]

Honestly, it's just a lot of rehashing of stuff we already know from Toriyama: how he originally drew manga and submitted just for prize money, his limited work with assistants, a little bit on inking techniques, and the crushing workload of a weekly serialization.

While it's certainly a fun and charming read, there's nothing groundbreaking in there, especially if you've already poured over everything we've translated in the past!

I dreaded that might be the case, so thank you for clearing it up.

[Super Sonic]

While I still need to look at all of the interview, I did notice that in the pictures they had, Mr. Toriyama's face was cut off or had him hiding, while we see Slam Dunk's creator's face full on. Guess he didn't want to be photographed.

[sintzu]

Torishima-san said I had to do two chapters in one week or I’d be too late. I was exhausted, so I replied that I could barely move my hands due to inflamed tendons.

That's around 7 pages per day so does anyone still think Toriyama is "lazy" ? Say what you want about him now but the amount of work he put in DB back in the day and the results is nothing short of amazing. Toriyama and every other mangaka are truly an inspiration for any working person.

"He told me to try writing my name, Then he said, “If you can write your name, then you can draw manga!”

Despite that hardship he managed to draw 200+ chapters of Dr. Slump and 500+ chapters of DB. Over here in the west we're (very) lucky if we get 50 comic issues out of someone who has a month to draw each one yet Toriyama and other mangaka...Like I said, inspiration. These people don't get anywhere near the amount of credit they deserve but I'll be the first one to say that I've found a new appreciation of manga and respect for mangaka after reading this.

[dbgtFO]

Torishima-san said I had to do two chapters in one week or I’d be too late. I was exhausted, so I replied that I could barely move my hands due to inflamed tendons.

That's around 7 pages per day so does anyone still think Toriyama is "lazy" ?

1 chapter = 15 pages
2 chapters = 30 pages

1 week = 7 days

30 pages/7 days = 4.3

So 4.3 pages a day, where did you get 7? Or are you saying he took some days off and didn't work in the weekends? Even then that's 6 pages/day.

[sintzu]

1 chapter = 15 pages
2 chapters = 30 pages

So 4.3 pages a day, where did you get 7?

Aren't manga chapters close to 20 pages ? When I used to read Naruto that's how many there'd be so I just assumed DB was the same. Regardless, he still put in a lot of work. there's also an interview where he said he barely got any sleep.