Masakazu Katsura Did/Didn't Come Up With Fusion?

[Gyt Kaliba]

I'm honestly not sure that this merits a whole thread, as there might not be a lot to actually discuss on it, but having just run across this, I figured I'd share.

It's been a long-running...well, not really a rumor (though apparently it was), but it's been an accepted thing for a while now that the idea for fusion was given to Toriyama by Masakazu Katsura. Where exactly did this information come from, was it from Toriyama himself in an interview, or a guide book, or what?

The reason I ask is because, in a recent interview with Katsura, he claims it wasn't really his idea, but their discussion about a similar thing in tokusatsu shows that led to it.

SJA: Is it true that you came up with the concept of “Fusion” in Dragon Ball Z with Toriyama?

MK: [laughs] It wasn’t actually me who came up with the idea of Fusion. It’s actually true that after making the characters go Super Saiyan, Toriyama was having trouble thinking about new ways to power them up. One time on the phone, we were talking about tokusatsu (special effects) TV shows, and how in one series when the two main characters cross their arms, they turn into one superhero. I suggested, “What about something like that?” But in general, Toriyama never really listens to anybody else’s ideas. Then he came up with “Fusion.” I know for a fact that he wasn’t listening to my suggestion, but he ended up coming up with a similar idea anyway. It’s sort of a confusing story…so as time passed, it grew into that rumor, I guess.

http://www.sjalpha.com/katsura-nycc-interview

So...he kind of did lead to the inspiration for Fusion, but the full idea itself wasn't his, exactly? Or is Katsura just not wanting to take credit from Toriyama for this one?

[VegettoEX]

It comes from his interview in Daizenshuu 6 ("MOVIES & TV SPECIALS"), conducted in October 1995, which we do indeed have translated here on the site:

The concept of fusion is also a form of leveling up. How did that concept come to be?
If I remember correctly, I was talking about how, as a concept, "there's nothing stronger than a Super Saiyan", and Katsura-kun (Masakazu Katsura-sensei), who I usually just joke around and say idiotic things with, said, "There's no choice but for them to fuse, then." So I said, "Whoa, sometimes even you say something good. It's the first time you've ever made yourself useful." (laughs) That's how that plot point was born.

What about the concept of the Potara?
That was simply, since Fusion was already a plot point that had been used by one of the movies, I was wondering what I should do; I had always been drawing earrings [on Kaiōshin], so I thought, "perhaps I can use these"…

[Gyt Kaliba]

Thanks, I could have sworn I'd read it in an interview on the site but couldn't even begin to guess where, or if it was technically here, or back on Daizex, or Kanzentai, or what.

So it actually was a quote from Toriyama himself...huh. And it was from an interview from much further back, a lot sooner after their discussion than Katsura's latest interview. I'm conflicted now on which account is more accurate, between Toriyama's bad memory but closer to when it happened, versus Katsura's presumably better memory and it having been so long ago now.

[NeoKING]

What about the concept of the Potara?
That was simply, since Fusion was already a plot point that had been used by one of the movies, I was wondering what I should do; I had always been drawing earrings [on Kaiōshin], so I thought, "perhaps I can use these"…

Whoa, Gogeta was born before Vegeto / Vegerot?

[SaiyaJedi]

What about the concept of the Potara?
That was simply, since Fusion was already a plot point that had been used by one of the movies, I was wondering what I should do; I had always been drawing earrings [on Kaiōshin], so I thought, "perhaps I can use these"…

Whoa, Gogeta was born before Vegeto / Vegerot?

Well, the movie wasn't out yet at the time, but yeah. Toriyama was no doubt aware of what Toei Animation would be doing for the film, and didn't want to step on their toes. Hence the same thing, but different!

[Kingdom Heartless]

That's interesting... I never realized Gogeta was conceived first.