What manga inspired and were inspired by Dragon Ball?

[Mewzard]

Dragon Ball is often called the father of shonen by some of it's fans. So, that got me wondering, what series were, in fact, inspired by it? And that question lead me to another one. What manga inspired Dragon Ball? Because Jump itself has been around for long before Dragon Ball ever started.

I was inspired to add the inspiring Dragon Ball portion after looking up the Dragon Ball volumes release dates. I noticed this (from Kanzentai):

Volume 27: The Legendary Super Saiyan
ISBN 4-08-851417-3 | Softcover | New Book Format (11 X 17 cm)

Released: August 12, 1991

It was released in 1991 in Japan, and that immediately made me look at a second series I enjoyed following, confirming what I knew by a 1991 release.

15 Deadly Battle
Kaitei Shinden! Nanahon no Hashira (海底神殿!七本の柱) March 1989

* 051. "The Gold-hued Bronze Cloth" (黄金色の青銅聖衣！, "Kin'iro no Buronzu Kurosu!"?)
* 052. "Death Match! The South Pacific Pillar" (死闘！南太平洋の柱, "Shitō! Saosu Pashifikku Pirā"?)
* 053. "The Golden Chains" (黄金色の鎖, "Kin'iro no Chēn"?)
* 054. "The Golden Lance vs. Excalibur" (黄金の槍V.S.聖剣, "Gōruden no Ransu bāsasu Ekusukaribā"?)

The first chapter in Volume 15 of Saint Seiya (Poseidon Arc) had Seiya push his cosmo to its maximum, awakening the Gold Saint blood in the cloth and turning it a golden hue.

That made me wonder...was Toriyama inspired by this scene? There may very well be an older occurrences, but it was the oldest I could think of right off the bat, as the series, I realized, ended before Goku went SSJ.

We know the start of the manga had some inspiration from Journey to the West, but what from other manga of the 70s/80s (if not even older)?

Also, Dragon Ball itself is one of the best selling Shonen Jump series of all time, and has surely inspired many manga-ka. For instance, in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, I've noticed that, several times, the series was referenced or re-created in some way, like with the fusions:



The Enhanced Fusion of Papapa-pa Pa-papatch, for instance.

These are just some brief examples I had to get the ball rolling on both sides. I don't know a large number of the references or possible series that could have been on either side, so I thought pooling the collective knowledge of the forums would be an excellent place to start.

[Herms]

Toriyama has said a few times that the Super Saiyans' golden hair was inspired by the fact that his assistant was getting tired of having to always black in Goku's hair, so this made it easier on him. So I don't think Saint Seiya was involved.

[Mewzard]

Toriyama has said a few times that the Super Saiyans' golden hair was inspired by the fact that his assistant was getting tired of having to always black in Goku's hair, so this made it easier on him. So I don't think Saint Seiya was involved.

Just a thought, I figured it might have been a possible reasoning beyond that. It just stuck out to me as interesting. It might be a coincidence (but, how often has the turning golden route been used pre-DB's use?) I picture Toriyama reading other jump series in his spare time, and might have liked the series.

I was just trying to think of what could have been examples of inspiration for, as, for the most part, I haven't read many manga series that are older than DB. The classic shonens are enjoyable though (JJBA, Hokuto no Ken, etc)

[JulieYBM]

Common fan theory is that Monkey D. Luffy's Gear Second technique was inspired by the Kaiô-ken. You can clearly see the that in the coloring Toei Animation employs in animating it. The power and speed boost are represented as similarly, too. What's more, Gear Second is very stressful on Luffy's body, just like the Kaiô-ken. Luffy explains that Gear Second allows him to fight at his utmost best, just like the Kaiô-ken allowed Gokû. Finally, I believe Gear Second has on occasion been assigned the Kaiô-ken's sound effects (possibly as a Toei in-joke of sorts).

[TonyTheTiger]

I can't think of any specific instance where yellow or gold color was used, but it was a common practice in video games (and still is to a point) for different colors to represent varying degrees of strength. And that trend hails back to traditional fantasy storytelling. The same thing could be said for anything shiny. If it's shiny it's better.

So it might be those common tropes that inspired the thought that if you want to make a bunch of black haired guys tougher and spectacular just make them bright and shiny.

[Fox666]

There are too many mangas that makes references to Dragon Ball.

In Naruto you have the old pervert master of the protagonist and the classic nose bleed.

In Bleach there are those kamikaze wolves which are sort of easier to figure. But there are minor inspirations, while I really did not liked the current arc, the Aizen fight was clear inspired in the Freeza battle

In Hunter x Hunter there is a misterious gift for playing a game called Greed Island. Beetween the public speculation, one guy says that a dragon that grant any wish would appear.

Etc, etc...

Common fan theory is that Monkey D. Luffy's Gear Second technique was inspired by the Kaiô-ken. You can clearly see the that in the coloring Toei Animation employs in animating it. The power and speed boost are represented as similarly, too. What's more, Gear Second is very stressful on Luffy's body, just like the Kaiô-ken. Luffy explains that Gear Second allows him to fight at his utmost best, just like the Kaiô-ken allowed Gokû. Finally, I believe Gear Second has on occasion been assigned the Kaiô-ken's sound effects (possibly as a Toei in-joke of sorts).

That's a clear reference to Dragon Ball.

And *SPOILER* after Luffy gain full control of his Haki now there are lightning bolts added to Gear 2 smoke effect *SPOILER*

[Herms]

I picture Toriyama reading other jump series in his spare time, and might have liked the series.

Toriyama's said a few times that he doesn't really read much manga. The only ones I can remember him mentioning reading are 8-Man and Tezuka's stuff.

[B]

In Bleach there are those kamikaze wolves which are sort of easier to figure. But there are minor inspirations, while I really did not liked the current arc, the Aizen fight was clear inspired in the Freeza battle

You're giving Toriyama far too much credit as a writer, methinks.

[Anonymous Friend]

Common fan theory is that Monkey D. Luffy's Gear Second technique was inspired by the Kaiô-ken. You can clearly see the that in the coloring Toei Animation employs in animating it. The power and speed boost are represented as similarly, too. What's more, Gear Second is very stressful on Luffy's body, just like the Kaiô-ken. Luffy explains that Gear Second allows him to fight at his utmost best, just like the Kaiô-ken allowed Gokû. Finally, I believe Gear Second has on occasion been assigned the Kaiô-ken's sound effects (possibly as a Toei in-joke of sorts).

Wouldn't be more of a case of over-exertion and having it take a toll on the user's body.

There was a movie out very long time ago called The Last Dragon with characters Bruce Leeroy and Shogun. In the final battle, their battle auras were visible with the villain's being red and the hero's being golden. Could this have been inspired by Dragon Ball?

[Hellspawn28]

Koichi's final Stand and appearance was made to mimic Super Saiyan 2 Gohan's in Part IV of JJBA. Both JJBA Part IV, and the Cell arc where released during the same time in Japan.

[Naughty Kinto Un]

Astro Boy's hair turns blond (or at least lighter) when he's powered up in The Greatest Robot in the World storyline. I don't know if that influenced the SSJ form, but it certainly says that Dragon Ball wasn't the first to employ that sort of spiky, blond "level up" hairdo.

[Sunlight & City Night]

I know it's not a manga but what about Super Sonic?
That character design is inspired by Dragonball isn't it?
I read somewhere once that Yuji Naka is a fan of the series.

[B]

I know it's not a manga but what about Super Sonic?
That character design is inspired by Dragonball isn't it?
I read somewhere once that Yuji Naka is a fan of the series.

Sonic in general is a re-imagining of Dragon Ball. Chaos Emeralds, Knuckles, Angel Island, Silver...

[DbzFanboy]

Naruto is dead on inspired by Dragon Ball. Look at the main character himself, he looks like Super Saiyajin Goku with whiskers. Kishimoto was dead on inspired by Toriyama's work.

[Piccolo Daimao]

I know it's not a manga but what about Super Sonic?
That character design is inspired by Dragonball isn't it?
I read somewhere once that Yuji Naka is a fan of the series.

Sonic in general is a re-imagining of Dragon Ball. Chaos Emeralds, Knuckles, Angel Island, Silver...

I wouldn't say that. The two series themselves are different, they just share some elements. Yuji Naka was a fan of the series, and based Sonic 3's Special Stages on Kaio's planet. The 7 Chaos Emeralds (only 6 in Sonic 1, before it was changed to 7 in Sonic 2) were based on the 7 Dragon Balls. And Super Sonic was blatantly inspired by Super Saiyan. People try to make other comparisons in the series, such characters like Knuckles and Piccolo, but I think that's stretching it (especially since there are a lot of character archetypes that aren't unique to just DB).

[B]

Special Stages? I'm fairly certain Angel Island was based on Kaio's planet(floating piece of land), thus giving some credibility to the Knuckles/Piccolo/God comparisons.

[Piccolo Daimao]

Special Stages? I'm fairly certain Angel Island was based on Kaio's planet(floating piece of land), thus giving some credibility to the Knuckles/Piccolo/God comparisons.

No, it's stated here (since the stupid link doesn't work, when you get to GHZ, click on "Museum" and go to Sonic 3; it's at the bottom of the page under "Miscellanea") that Sonic 3's Special Stages were inspired by Kaio's planet, what with the whole rotating aspect of it and all. I've seen it stated in other places too.

[ThunderPX]

Angel Island is totally inspired by Castle in the Sky anyway.

[Fin]

I've often wondered if the manga/anime trope of a protagonist with a comically voracious appetite was invented by Toriyama or if he was using a pre-existing trope. Anyone know?

[Chibi Mystic Gohan]

Astro Boy's hair turns blond (or at least lighter) when he's powered up in The Greatest Robot in the World storyline. I don't know if that influenced the SSJ form, but it certainly says that Dragon Ball wasn't the first to employ that sort of spiky, blond "level up" hairdo.

Did it really? I picked up that part of the manga after finishing Urasawa's Pluto (it should've been the other way around, since I'm kinda a Tezuka fan... I just don't care for his kid stories as much), and I don't remember that happening. Could just be my faulty memory...