Cross Epoch

Cross Epoch
Original Print Digital Cross Epoch Title Page Spread
CROSS EPOCH クロス エポック Kurosu Epokku
Author	Akira Toriyama, Eiichirō Oda
Publisher	Shueisha (JP) Viz (EN)
Publication	Weekly Shōnen Jump
Demographic	Shōnen
Manga Series
Original Run	Weekly Shōnen Jump 2007 No. 4-5 (25 December 2006)
Chapters	1

Cross Epoch is a single-chapter ("one-shot") manga by Akira Toriyama and Eiichirō Oda spanning 14 pages (a two-page black-and-white title page, nine black-and-white content pages, and three full-color content pages) which originally ran in the 2007 No. 4-5 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump, released 25 December 2006 in Japan.

The story combines several characters from both the Dragon Ball and One Piece series by Toriyama and Oda, respectively, and while characters from the series had previously been included alongside each other in crossover video games like 2006's Battle Stadium D.O.N., it marks their first official team-up direct from Toriyama and Oda themselves.

Title

Cross Epoch's title is written fully capitalized in English, with accompanying katakana guiding the pronunciation in Japanese as クロス エポック (Kurosu Epokku).

Summary

Cover of the 2007 No. 4-5 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump featuring Cross Epoch

(Left to Right) Robin, Trunks, Vegeta, Usopp

Somehow, Mr. Satan has become king. Kuririn and Chopper are stumped as to how this happened. Just as they figure out how he probably accomplished it, the train passengers outside start getting rowdy about them not getting a move on. The train departs. Meanwhile, out in space, Bulma and Nami are stealing some loot from a space station, then take off.

The robbery is reported to Sanji and the Turtle Hermit, but Sanji replies that they are too busy right now — they were heading off to a place with some pretty hot babes, after all!

Aboard another ship, Vegeta snarls that they have no need to attend some sort of gathering. Robin replies that the event is definitely on, since the sky went black yesterday. Usopp says they would be able to eat anything they want, but Trunks says the battle against Dr. Gero's group is tonight. Vegeta figures it might be an annoyance to battle such weaklings, so maybe they should go. Usopp is incredibly excited!

Piccolo and Zoro appear to be lost out in the snow, and it is clear neither knew the correct way to go. They happen across the train with Kuririn and Chopper and think about stealing it.

Goku flies to catch up with Luffy; both of them are heading to the event. Goku asks if Luffy wants a lift, but Luffy figures he will just run. Luffy ends up running off a cliff, though, so Goku calls Kinto'un to pick him up.

On a special flying mega-weapon of their own (the Tettiri No. 55), Buggy and Pilaf are Hell-bent on world domination. The two villains are in the way, so Goku and Luffy use a combined Kamehameha and Gum-Gum Bazooka to smash their way through what turns out to be just papier-mâché covering a small bird-shaped vehicle. The two villains retreat, but Vegeta blasts their escape ship. The exploding wreckage is about to hit the train, so Piccolo and Zoro block it with the backs of their swords. Sanji and the Turtle Hermit drive right past the exhausted villains.

Mr. Satan is shown having used the Dragon Balls to summon Shenlong and wish to become king. The Dragon Balls cannot be used for another year, though.

A ways off from the rest of society, a certain someone is waiting for his friends. He only asks for one thing. As all of the Dragon Ball and One Piece characters show up to gorge themselves on the plethora of food available, it is revealed that Shenlong requests his friends all come visit him for a giant tea party at 3 p.m. the day after a wish is made!

Characters

While very few characters are actually named within dialog, various characters from the worlds of Dragon Ball and One Piece appear in Cross Epoch:

• Mr. Satan
• Pandaman
• Chopper
• Kuririn
• Bulma
• Nami
• Sanji
• Turtle Hermit
• Usopp
• Vegeta
• Trunks
• Robin
• Piccolo
• Zoro
• Luff
• Goku
• Kinto'un
• Pilaf
• Buggy
• Shenlong

Production

A "history" section included with Cross Epoch's original printing relays the story of it being in the works over a three-year period:

• Before talk of a joint work even began, Eiichirō Oda sat down with Akira Toriyama in 2001 for an interview published in the One Piece art book, Color Walk 1. Oda, who had admired Toriyama and his work since his childhood, found that Toriyama was a fan of his work as well, having been exposed to One Piece through his children.
• The topic of a joint work was first broached in autumn 2003 by Oda's then-editor, Takahiro Habuta. Habuta had also become Akira Toriyama[s editor for the Neko Majin series, and suggested to both artists that it might be fun for the two of them to collaborate on something. They agreed, and Oda set about coming up with a story, but because he was so busy with the serialization of One Piece, progress was slow.
• In autumn 2005 (two years from the initial suggestion), the storyboard was finally completed, with Oda placing an emphasis on things that fans of both series would enjoy. With Toriyama's approval, Oda set about drawing the draft chapter, which continued for roughly the next six months.
• In spring 2006, the draft (which Oda had drawn in between his various One Piece responsibilities) was completed, and the goal of having it run in Jump at the end of the year was officially set.
• In autumn, Oda handed off the manuscript to Toriyama, who inked in his own characters first, before getting it back to ink the rest of the chapter.
• Finally, in December 2006, with the completion of the color pages, the entire manuscript was ready for publication.

While not mentioned in this history section in Jump, Akira Toriyama and Eiiciro Oda had previously teamed up or the Genius PC Cram School book released by Shueisha in 2002, which came packaged with a version of Photoshop Elements on a CD-ROM insert along with various drawing and digital production tutorials.

Each issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump includes a comment from that issue's respective authors. Toriyama's and Oda's comments in the 2010 No. 50 issue are as follows:

尾田君ごくろうさま！久しぶりの漫画なので道具を探すのに半日。老眼で原稿はよく見えず。ガーン!!〈明〉

---

Oda-kun, thanks for all your hard work! This is my first comic in a while, so it took me half a day to find my tools. And I couldn't see the manuscript well with these tired old eyes. THUD!! (Akira)
— Akira Toriyama

両作品のファンに楽しんで貰わねばと細心の注意を払いながら描いたような。僕が一番楽しんだような。〈栄一郎〉

---

It feels like I drew this with meticulous attention to detail so that fans of both works would enjoy it. It also feels like I enjoyed this most of all. (Eiichirō)
— Eiichirō Oda

In addition to the regular comments alongside the rest of the authors that issue, Toriyama and Oda also received space for additional short comments in the aforementioned history section that same issue:

コラボといっても、話も含めてほとんど尾田君が描いてくれました。ボクは自分のキャラを描いただけ。いいなあ〜、こういう仕事。とても楽しく描けました。

---

Even though it's called a "collaboration," Oda-kun did almost everything, including the story. I just drew my own characters. This kind of work sure is nice~. I was able to really enjoy drawing it.
— Akira Toriyama

じっくり手をかけた為に、自分の原稿の首をしめた事を差し引いても、実に楽しい作業でした。何より鳥山先生の描く線の美しさに感動した。ホントに凄い。

---

I worked on this slowly and carefully, so even taking into account the fact that I caused myself lots of unnecessary hardship with my own manuscripts, it was truly enjoyable work. More than anything, I was moved at the beauty of Toriyama-sensei's linework. He really is amazing.
— Eiichirō Oda

Releases

Japanese

Sample panel from the original Weekly Shōnen Jump printing

Cross Epoch was originally printed in the 2007 No. 4-5 issue Weekly Shōnen Jump (spanning pages 132-151), released 25 December 2006 in Japan, with an introductory and history page printed earlier in the same magazine (spanning pages 28-29). Each manga chapter within any given Weekly Shōnen Jump is typically printed on paper of different color; Cross Epoch's original serialization is printed on standard off-white paper.

Cross Epoch was included later that same year in July in the One Piece 10th Treasures book released to celebrate the franchise's 10th anniversary.

Cross Epoch was included as a digital bonus item with the launch of digital releases for Weekly Shōnen Jump, starting with the 2013 #33 issue (which incidentally included the premiere of Akira Toriyama's Jaco the Galactic Patrolman).

English

Cover of the April 2011 issue of Viz's Shonen Jump print magazine featuring Cross Epoch

Viz's "One Piece Box Set 3" containing Cross Epoch as a bonus

Viz first included Cross Epoch with their 100th issue (cover dated for April 2011, but released that February) of the company's Shonen Jump print magazine, with a one-page introduction preceding it, and a one-page contest announcement for Goku and Luffy "Mallow" figures after it. The translation for Cross Epoch at Viz was handled by Christine Dashielle.

Alongside Taste of the Devil Fruit (the Toriko and One Piece crossover one-shot manga from 2011 which Viz had made available to "SJ Alpha" members in 2012), Cross Epoch was included in Viz's "One Piece Box Set 3" in October 2016.

An unofficial English "scanlation" by "NBST" was released in January 2007 based on its original Weekly Shōnen Jump printing.

Legacy

• Battle Stadium D.O.N. from 2006 that year going into further crossover games
• Anime crossover pre-Battle of Gods

Notes

• Despite being billed as a "crossover" between Dragon Ball and One Piece, this comic takes place in neither existing setting, instead creating an entirely separate world for the characters to inhabit alongside each other.
• Pandaman, an "easter-egg" character created by Eiichirō Oda, can be seen hiding in the lower left-hand corner of the first story page, squeezed between the narration box and the edge of the panel.
• The "K&S" license plate on the car driven by the Turtle Hermit and Sanji likely refers to Kame ("Turtle" as in Kame-sen'nin, the "Turtle Hermit") and "Sanji."
• The kanji on the brooch of Vegeta's cape is 菜 (sai or na), which means "greens" or "vegetables" — it is the "sai" in "yasai" ("vegetable"), the origin of the name of both the Saiyan race and Vegeta himself.
• The name of Buggy's and Pilaf's blowfish-shaped airship, the Tettiri No. 55, also refers to blowfish; specifically, it is blowfish (normally called "fugu") used in a hot-pot dish (てっちり鍋 tetchiri-nabe).
• The Chinese character seen on the hats worn by Buggy and Pilaf is 悪 (aku), meaning "evil."
• Goku and Luffy perform a combination attack of Goku's Kamehameha and Luffy's "Gum-Gum Bazooka": "Gum-Gum…" / "Kamehame"… "Bazoo-Ha!"
• Piccolo and Zoro yell mineuchi (峰打ち), which is a strike with the back of the blade. Among such practical advantages as taking an enemy by surprise or creating an opening for a proper strike with the blade edge, it is also used to clear a space without cutting.
• The team-up between Buggy and Pilaf is of particular note, as the two characters share the same voice actor (Shigeru Chiba) in their respective animated adaptations.
• Similar to Buggy and Pilaf above, Kuririn greets Luffy when he arrives at the tea party; both are voiced by Mayumi Tanaka. However, it is not clear in either of these cases whether Oda did this intentionally, or simply by coincidence.

External Links

• Kanzenshuu - Bonus Podcast: "Kintoki" Review
• Anime News Network - "Viz Media to Release Akira Toriyama's 'Kintoki' 1-Shot Manga Next Week"
• Viz - "REVIEW: This Week's Issue! - Jan 28, 2013"