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Published by 22 March 2024, 11:42 AM EDTComment

In conjunction with a new gameplay showcase stream this week, Bandai Namco has released a new “Power VS Speed” trailer — both in English and Japanese — for the forthcoming DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO video game:

In addition to the 40 character blocks previously revealed, the new trailer announced the following additional character inclusions:

  • Super Trunks [Super Saiyan Grade 3 Future Trunks]
  • Dispo
  • Kakunsa
  • Turtle Hermit (Max Power)
  • Nappa
  • Butta
  • Toppo
  • Jheese
  • Super Saiyan Kale (Berserk)
  • Super Saiyan Broli (Full Power) [Dragon Ball Super]
  • Hit

As part of the gameplay showcase, game producer Jun Furutani noted that in keeping with the series’ history and expectations, battle systems such as the Dragon Dash, Impact Action, and counters have been kept from previous entries. In terms of new mechanics, Furutani noted that overall character movement has been boosted, and that dashing has therefore been adjusted to be even faster and can be incorporated into offensive and defensive techniques. A new “Skill Count” builds up during battle, which comes into play with two other new mechanics: the “Revenge Counter” lets you strike back while absorbing an opponent’s attack, while “Super Perception” is a counter command that lets the player preemptively counterattack in anticipation of upcoming attacks, including ki blasts. A new ki action called “Vanishing Assaults” lets you swoop in and approach the opponent instantly.

Though a specific release date has not been announced, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is slated for release on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam).

As opposed to the completely separate Dragon Ball Z (“Budokai”) series developed by Dimps which came before it, the Sparking! series — developed instead by Spike — featured 3D arenas with an over-the-shoulder camera angle. The new game’s title of Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO falls more in line with the original trilogy’s naming scheme in Japanese. The three Sparking! games — the original, NEO!, and METEOR — hit the PlayStation 2 over the course of 2005 to 2007, with the Nintendo Wii also receiving ports of the second and third games. The game series was released numerically under the “Budokai Tenkaichi” moniker internationally. A fourth games — Tag Vs. in Japan / Tenkaichi Tag Team internationally — was released on the PlayStation Portable in 2010. Spike (as Spike Chunsoft) later went on to also develop the crossover fighting games J-Stars Victory VS in 2014 and Jump Force in 2019.

Published by 21 March 2024, 9:05 PM EDTComment

The expanded adaptation of Sand Land — originally a theatrical film that debuted in Japan last summer — formally hit streaming services worldwide yesterday (20 March 2024).

Spanning 13 total episodes, the expanded series covers the events of last year’s film (itself covering and expanding upon the events of the original 14-chapter manga series) over the course of the first six episodes in the “Demon Prince arc”, and then moves on to all-new content developed in conjunction with original author Akira Toriyama in the “Angelic Hero arc” for the remainder of the series.

For the series’ streaming debut, the first seven episodes — all six of the first arc, and the first of the brand-new arc — were all posted at once. Moving forward, one new episode will be posted each Wednesday. The series is largely being handled by Disney+ worldwide, with the United States in particular receiving the series via Hulu.

The series also received new opening and ending themes: the opening theme is “Water Carrier” by Kroi, while the ending theme is “Drive My Idea” by Tempalay. Both groups provided new comments alongside the series’ debut:

OPENING THEME
“Water Carrier” by Kroi
Lyrics: Leo Uchida
Composition & Arrangement: Kroi
(IRORI Records / PONY CANYON)

Comment from Kroi
We, Kroi, will be handling the opening theme of SAND LAND: The Series, based on the original work by Akira Toriyama-sensei, with our new single “Water Carrier”!

Actually, it’s actually close to two years ago that we received word of this and recorded the song, so we’re happy to finally be able to share this news with everyone!

The world where Beelzebub & co.’s adventure unfolds is one where what’s “good” and what’s “evil” isn’t clear, and real the truth seems to be something that doesn’t come neat and tidy. We think our song came out as something will allow you to get even more thrills and excitement out of that world!

Please enjoy our song “Water Carrier” alongside SAND LAND: The Series!

ENDING THEME
“Drive My Idea” by Tempalay
Lyrics & Composition: Ryōto Ohara
Arrangement: Tempalay
(unBORDE / Warner Music Japan)

Comment from Tempalay
We love the vehicles drawn by Akira Toriyama-san, and even in private we call them “Akira Toriyama-style”. We were in elementary school during Sand Land‘s original run. The big buzzwords of the time that impacted us as kids were Nostradamus’ Predictions and the Y2K Problem, and in the middle of all that, Sand Land‘s post-apocalyptic vibe left a lasting impression. I think it was an era that balanced excitement with a vague sense of dread.

We hope you’ll get that same double-faceted feeling from the song we’ve provided.

…Which is me trying to sound all cool, but the reality is, I’ve been a super-fan since I was little, so I’m seriously hyped! I hope my classmates stumble upon this comment and read it! KURIRIN!

—Ryōto Ohara (Tempalay)

The project’s official website also includes a lengthy comment from original author Akira Toriyama:

The SAND LAND project started out as a game, and then also got an animated series afterwards. I remember that when I first saw the character designs, I thought it was for a game, but then, as things moved forward, I started realizing it was an animated series after all, and as it moved forward still, I was surprised to realize it was actually both.

As kind of a counter-reaction to my flashy, serialized series Dragon Ball, for my short stories and one-shots, I stuck to what I like and drew nothing but plain, peaceful tales set in small-scale worlds with low-key main protagonists.

At its core, SAND LAND is also like that, but the staff working on the animated series probably thought that it was kind of hard to make that kind of story fit into what is essentially an action series, so they added in a lot of flashy set pieces to the production to add some more depth to it.

When I saw the outline they’d written for the continuation of the original story, the “Angel Hero” arc, it was also drenched in drama and fast-paced developments right from the start.

I then contributed the character designs for some new characters, like the angel Muniel and Ann, the background information for Muniel, as well as some story ideas. And with that, the continuation was completed.

Since the stories I like to draw are more on the plain side, you will likely be able to enjoy these fresh, dramatic story developments that I probably wouldn’t be able to come up with, as well as the new world-building and impactful action scenes.

Beelzebub, Rao, and Thief will embark on a new adventure and encounter these new characters. I hope you’ll all enjoy this exciting and thrilling story revolving around the terrifying power source, “Aquanium,” and would love it if you could all slowly feel a sense of peace welling up within you.

In addition to Toriyama’s comment, the official site had previously featured introductions to and comments from voice actors for characters in the new story arc, Mikako Komatsu (“Ann”) and Ayumu Murase (“Muniel”):

Comment from Mikako Komatsu (Ann):

What are your impressions of your character and the story as a whole?
I’ve been familiar with Toriyama-sensei’s works since I was little, and before I knew it, I got to work on one! This one has a nature theme, but it’s neither a full-on comedy nor a big action spectacle, and the setting is a desert!

There’s the main character, a teenage demon, a bunch of old men, tanks and robots! It’s pretty subdued! But still pretty cool! Before I knew it, I was completely immersed in its world.

Ann is a new character, but since she’s a mechanic, people rely on her a lot. Who knows what kind of part she will play in the story?… Her interactions with Beelz are so funny even I got to have fun recording them.

To the fans:

A fusion of traditional animation and CG! The meticulous depiction of the tanks and robots really shines in this desert world!

This sense of excitement should really resonate with people from all ages!

It also comes with themes that do not lose relevance, no matter how many years pass. Please enjoy it!

Comment from Ayumu Murase (Muniel):

What are your impressions of your character and the story as a whole?
Since it was for an adaptation of a work from Toriyama-sensei‘s, I went into the audition feeling super nervous.

Muniel is an angel, but despite his good-natured personality, he’s still pretty much an angel swindler, or an “angeler” if you will (laughs).

I think he’s a fun character that will be able to bring you tons of excitement!

To the fans:

I’m extremely honored to be able to take part in Sand Land.

I was able to bring some of my own ideas into the recording booth, and I think that Toriyama-sensei‘s worldview was portrayed with a lot of care!

I think it’s definitely something that will be worth watching, so I would be really happy if you’d anxiously wait for the release date.

Following Dragon Ball‘s completion, Akira Toriyama produced various one-shots and short works for Shueisha including Alien Peke and Tokimecha in 1996, and Bubul of Demon Village in 1997. Series with longer runs — serializations that would ultimately comprise a single tankōbon — were also produced, including COWA! in 1997, Kajika in 1998, and Sand Land in 2000.

Sand Land was originally serialized within the pages of Weekly Shōnen Jump in Japan from May to August 2000 spanning 14 chapters. The series was compiled into a single volume that November. A new kanzenban edition was released in Japan last August; that same month, a colorized version of the manga began in Shueisha’s Saikyō Jump magazine in the September 2023 issue.

Sand Land went on to act as a debut series within Viz’s Shonen Jump print magazine in America in 2003, both running to completion and receiving its own collected volume later that same year. The entire manga series is also available as part of Viz’s digital vault service.

The Sand Land theatrical film debuted 18 August 2023 in Japan with animation produced by Sunrise, Kamikaze Douga, and Anima. Its home video release in Japan is due out 29 May 2024.

A video game adaptation from Bandai Namco is out worldwide this April, as well.

Published by 21 March 2024, 2:07 PM EDTComment

Last July, Shueisha released an expanded collection of content from Kazuhiko Torishima originally printed within the company’s Saikyō Jump magazine: titled Dr. Mashirito’s Ultimate Manga Technique (Dr.マシリト 最強漫画術), the 196-page book includes a variety of career reflections, advice for upcoming artists, and interviews with colleagues.

New and exclusive to the book was an interview with Akira Toriyama himself, which is the latest addition to our ever-expanding “Translations” archive.

Though the entire early-career retrospective/chat is enlightening, one particular section may garner a little more attention than others:

Toriyama:
That’s the hardest thing about action manga. If you draw it on the same level as the previous fight, it’ll seem to the readers that the level has actually gone down. So I gradually came to believe that there’s a limit to making the characters stronger. In terms of having to take the level of action portrayals even higher, it got quite difficult from around the time the battle with Freeza ended.

Torishima:
That would have been the best place to stop, too. (laughs)

Toriyama:
That’s rich, coming from you. (laughs)

Torishima:
Well, when it got to have such runaway popularity, we couldn’t very well have that, now could we?

An exploration of this exchange — which to most casual readers would appear to be a throwaway comment and laugh between friends — has been added to the respective page in our “Intended Endings Guide” here on Kanzenshuu.

Published by 21 March 2024, 12:01 PM EDTComment

The official Dragon Ball games Twitter account — both in Japanese and in English (by way of Bandai Namco) — announced today that the 2020 video game Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is set to receive continued development support.

『ドラゴンボールZ KAKAROT』は今後も展開を予定しております。
どうぞ続報をお待ちください!”

Developed by CyberConnect2 for Bandai Namco, the action role-playing game released 16 January 2020 in Japan and 17 January 2020 internationally on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (via Steam). A Nintendo Switch edition came later in September 2021.

Two season passes worth of content — with six individual packs in total — have come out since the game’s release. In the first season pass, the Battle of Gods and Resurrection ‘F’ DLC entries were much shorter with a focus on boss fights and level increases, while the third entry — that of Trunks’ future timeline — told a comprehensive, multi-part story. The second season pass includes entries for the original 1990 Bardock television special, the 23rd Tenka’ichi Budōkai, and the 28th Tenka’ichi Budōkai.

In terms of mainline continuity content, the game now already effectively covers everything from the final battle with Demon King Piccolo up through an expanded epilogue of the manga.

Reviews of the base game, Trunks DLC, Bardock DLC, 23rd Tenka’ichi Budōkai DLC, and 28th Tenka’ichi Budōkai DLC can be found on episodes #0481, #0490, #0497, #0505, and #0509, respectively, of our podcast.

Published by 20 March 2024, 12:00 PM EDT3 Comments

Following up on previous chapters, Shueisha and Viz have added the official English translation of the Dragon Ball Super manga’s 103rd chapter to their respective Manga Plus and Shonen Jump services, continuing onward into the brand-new “Super Hero arc”. After three chapters worth of original prologue material, the manga version of the arc covered the full events of the respective film, and has now transitioned into even more original story content.

Alongside other initiatives including free chapters and a larger archive for paid subscribers, this release continues the companies’ schedule of not simply simultaneously publishing the series’ chapter alongside its Japanese debut to the release date, but to its local time in Japan alongside its serialization in today’s May 2024 issue of Shueisha’s V-Jump magazine.

The Dragon Ball Super “comicalization” began in June 2015, initially just ahead of the television series, and running both ahead and behind the series at various points. The manga runs in Shueisha’s V-Jump magazine, with the series’ one-hundred-third chapter hitting today in the magazine’s May 2024 issue.

UPDATE: Though Shueisha’s official Manga Plus website originally noted upon this chapter’s release that the Dragon Ball Super manga will be off next month in the magazine’s June 2024 issue and would return in the magazine’s July 2024 issue (set for release 21 May 2024), the site has been updated since this article’s original posting with the removal of this statement. Within the actual pages of V-Jump, splash text on the final page of the chapter notes “We will take a break starting next issue” (次号より休載いたします。), while promotional splashes for the next issue (June 2024, releasing in April) in the back of the magazine have tiny text that notes “Dragon Ball Super will be on break next issue” (次号の「ドラゴンボール超」は休載です。).

Illustrated by “Toyotarō” (in all likelihood, a second pen-name used by Dragon Ball AF fan manga author and illustrator “Toyble”), the Dragon Ball Super manga covered the Battle of Gods re-telling, skipped the Resurrection ‘F’ re-telling, and “charged ahead” to the Champa arc, “speeding up the excitement of the TV anime even more”. Though the television series has completed its run, the manga continues onward, moving into its own original “Galactic Patrol Prisoner”, “Granolla the Survivor”, and now “Super Hero” arcs.

Viz is currently releasing free digital chapters of the series, and began their own collected print edition back in 2017. The company’s twentieth collected volume was released last month.

The Dragon Ball Super television series concluded in March 2018 with 131 total episodes. Crunchyroll (by way of the merger with FUNimation) owns the American distribution license for the series, with the English dub having wrapped its broadcast on Cartoon Network, and the home video release reaching its tenth and final box set in 2020. A complete steelbook “Limited Edition” was released by Crunchyroll in 2022.

Published by 16 March 2024, 6:30 PM EDTComment

Kentarō Yabuki — now a modern mangaka legend in his own right — took to Twitter to reflect on the passing of Akira Toriyama, and in the process shared his original design for “Gohanks”: a fan contest submission that was later reimagined into a “real” character.

Yabuki initially shared:

This is going to be a bit long, but just for the sake of sorting out my feelings, allow me to write down some personal thoughts.

Back when I was a young boy, I used to change schools a lot, and so, being by myself was a common occurrence, but by using Dragon Ball as a talking point, I was able to make new friends wherever I went.

I copied a lot of Toriyama-sensei‘s illustrations, and through that, I was able to discover the enjoyment of drawing comics. I was also super addicted to both Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger.

The first time a picture of mine was ever published in Jump was with a fan-made character that I had mailed in by postcard. I think that became my source of confidence to, several years later, send a submission to a manga contest.

I was never blessed with the chance to meet him, but even if I had, I think I would have been so awestruck that I wouldn’t have been able to even approach him. That’s how much I admired him.

The picture I received from him for To Love-Ru‘s 10th Anniversary also came bundled with a comment that was filled with so much kindness that I will treasure it for the rest of my life.

Toriyama-sensei, I truly thank you for giving me… no, for giving all of us fun memories throughout all of our lives.

I pray that I might one day meet you, clad with a halo on top of your head.

From the bottom of my heart, I pray that your soul may rest in peace.

The image in question for To Love-Ru‘s 10th anniversary does indeed include a message from Toriyama, which states:

Yabuki-sensei, Hasemi-sensei,

Good afternoon! I have never drawn a young girl character that had this kind of feel to it, so this was a pretty fresh and fun experience!

– Akira Toriyama

Beyond the celebratory image from Toriyama, however, Yabuki refers here to his submission to a bona fide contest that Shueisha held, announced in the 1995 No. 13 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (published 28 February 1995 in Japan alongside chapter 508 of the original Dragon Ball manga): their first-ever reader-participation project soliciting fan designs for new fusions, with the potential to win a 500-card Carddass Dragon Ball Super Battle Series set and an autograph from Akira Toriyama himself! The original contest announcement is notable for its design concept from Toriyama: a fusion of Piccolo and Kuririn named “Piririn”.

After receiving 12,792 (!!!) entries, Shueisha was ready to reveal the winner(s). The Anime J-Wing column on pages 34-35 in the 1995 No. 19 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (published 11 April 1995 alongside chapter 514 of the original manga) showcased the grand-prize winner along with seven runners-up, each receiving their own specially-named prize title. In choosing the winners, the editorial team looked at both the combinations and the quality of the illustrations.

The “Cool Prize” [Kakko ii de Shō] was awarded to “Gohanks” (ゴハンクス Gohankusu) — a fusion of Son Gohan and the teenage Trunks — by Kentarō Yabuki (age 15) of Okayama prefecture:

[caption] GOTENKS: “Whoa! I wanna fight him!”

Although it’s Gohan and Trunks, the use of teenage Trunks in this one caught our eye. The costume, a fusion of both of their outfits, is also well-thought out. We have no complaints about his coolness!!

The same Kentarō Yabuki that won the fusion contest “Cool Prize” in 1995 at the young age of 15 would go on to publish manga in the same pages of Jump as his childhood idol, Akira Toriyama. Following his professional debut a few years earlier, Yabuki hit it big in 2000 with the series Black Cat (which ran until 2004 and received a television series adaptation). Yabuki continues working in manga illustration to this day, from 2006’s To Love-Ru, to the manga adaptation of the 2018 animated series Darling in the Franxx, to Ayakashi Triangle in 2020.

Over the course of 2002-2004, Shueisha released the kanzenban edition of the Dragon Ball manga: a larger-format print of the series on higher-quality paper, packing more chapters per volume resulting in a 34-volume run (down from the original 42), and with new cover artwork from Akira Toriyama. Every-other volume also came packed with a special pamphlet promoting various Shueisha series and products, as well as an original illustration from a popular Jump artist expressing their love for Dragon Ball. For the seventh volume in June 2003, Yabuki was selected to provide this illustration and comment:

“Do you remember me?”
“Of course I remember you! You’re Vegeta-Yabuki!!”

That was a conversation in my third year of junior high, between me and an elementary-school friend I hadn’t heard from in a few years. During elementary school and junior high, I changed schools three times due to my parents’ work, from Okayama to Kōchi, from there to Kita-Kyūshū, and then back to Okayama. He was a friend from when I was in Kōchi, and for whatever reason, his strongest impression of me was apparently that I was good at drawing Vegeta.

Ever since I was in elementary school, if I had free time, I’d spend it doing nothing but drawing. And, the things I’d draw would always be Goku, or Vegeta, or Freeza… Characters from Dragon Ball, which I loved. Once I was able to draw characters off the top of my head to an extent, I’d then draw an original Tenka’ichi Budōkai manga, and make Goku fight against a character of my own design. And, the winner would always be Goku. Come to think of it, everything I learned about how to draw manga, from the expressive techniques, to dividing up the panels, I learned from Dragon Ball. If not for Dragon Ball, I might never have wanted to become a manga artist. More than anything, Dragon Ball taught me “the joy of drawing manga”.

Speaking of which, my debut in Jump wasn’t with my own manga, but with Dragon Ball. Around the end of my third year in junior high, there was a “Fusion Contest” promotion in Jump, where you had to create an original character by making any two characters from Dragon Ball do Fusion. I fused together my favorite characters at the time, teenage Gohan and teenage Trunks, to create a character called “Gohanks”; I drew an illustration and sent it in. Then, I got an award called the “Cool Prize” (heh), and it ran, relatively large, in the color pages of Jump. That experience really moved me.

It’s been about eight years since then, but even now, where I work, I still have a bunch of figures of Goku and company that I collected back then on display. When I get tired from drawing my own manga, I’ll draw things like Cell and Freeza in Toriyama-style in the margins of my notebook. Doing that, I feel strangely excited, and I get more energy. Nothing has changed since elementary school. I believe I’ll keep on drawing manga.

This brings us to present day, with Yabuki continuing to reflect on the work of Toriyama. In a follow-up post on Twitter, Yabuki shared additional thoughts… as well as his original contest ideas:

Back in middle school, I submitted a postcard for the Dragon Ball Fusion Contest. You can certainly tell a lot from the ideas that I ultimately decided not to send out, but I will submit myself to public humiliation so that you can all laugh a bit at my expense.

I completely forgot that this embarrassing thing – which, somehow, does not have a single crease on it, even after 30 years – was not at my parents’ house, but actually in the archive at my own place.

At first I thought about submitting “Kameseroli.” but since Broli was a movie-only character, I gave up on it.

And given that Boo’s dog has since been named “Bee,” I would maybe rename him “Beoo” instead of “Boonu.”

Gohanks — though not exactly as originally designed by Yabuki — made a surprise appearance many years later.

The March 2016 issue of Shueisha’s V-Jump magazine revealed a new video game in development: code-named “Project Fusion” and developed by Ganbarion, the game would see different islands and cities merging together. The game — later revealed to be named Dragon Ball Fusions — included several references to the 1995 contest, including Piririn. Additionally, though not with his original design, a certain fusion would return twice over: as a cross-promotion for both Dragon Ball Fusions as well as the card-based arcade game Dragon Ball Heroes, the July 2016 issue of Shueisha’s V-Jump magazine introduced two new versions of “Gohanks”:

Learn more about the new versions of Gohanks — as well as a wealth of other fan fusion designs from the original 1995 contest and beyond — in our “Official Fan Fusion Designs: Part 1 (1995)” article!

Published by 15 March 2024, 12:58 PM EDTComment

Last week, the Chunichi Shimbun published an interview/article (both on the front page of the morning print issue on March 9, as well as paywalled on their website) with Hisashi Tanaka, Akira Toriyama’s first assistant, reflecting on the creator’s passing this month.

His First Assistant Bids Farewell

“The fact that I was able to continue as a cartoonist while living so far out here is largely thanks to him.” Hisashi Tanaka-san (age 66, of Ichinomiya, Aichi), a cartoonist who worked as Akira Toriyama-san‘s first assistant, and who now heads the Department of Art and Design at Ōgaki Women’s College in Gifu Prefecture, laments the sudden parting.

In 1980, he was working a company job while pursuing a career as a cartoonist, when he received a shock from Dr. Slump, which had started running in Weekly Shōnen Jump. “From facial expressions to movement, the human depictions were really solid. It wasn’t the kind of art you’d expect from an artist on his very first serial,” he reflects. Then, several weeks later in the same magazine, he learned that Toriyama-san was seeking an assistant in the vicinity of Nagoya. “I had thought you had to move to Tokyo if you wanted to become a cartoonist. I jumped at the opportunity without a second thought.” After sending in two test illustrations to the editorial department, he was hired without issue.

Work as an assistant started the morning before deadline, once Toriyama-san had finished penciling. As they worked, “We were constantly shooting the breeze about music, comics, current events, hobbies, you name it,” but Toriyama-san‘s hand would never stop moving. By the time they finished, it would already be night. They typically sent the manuscript out to Tokyo via plane from Nagoya Airport.

In the two years that Tanaka-san worked as an assistant, he says he was never once reprimanded. Even as Toriyama-san found himself busier than ever with the worldwide popularity of Dragon Ball and the megahit status of the Dragon Quest video games (for which he did the character designs), he would always entertain an idle conversation with a smile. That impression of him never changed, from the very first time they met. “He was like a good-natured big brother, four years my senior.”

(Article by Hiroshi Ōyama)

An interview with Toriyama’s second editor, Takashi Matsuyama, was published on page 32 of the same issue; the Matsuyama piece was previously translated and shared here on Kanzenshuu.

Both this Tanaka piece and the Matsuyama piece have been formally archived in our “Translations” section.

Toriyama’s search for an assistant was noted in his weekly author comment alongside the third chapter of Dr. Slump in the 1980 #7 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (released 14 January 1980) — only the second time the series had been printed thus far, as the first two chapters ran alongside each other for its series debut the prior issue:

Urgently seeking an assistant! Limited to persons living in the vicinity of Nagoya. Those interested, please contact my editor, Torishima.

The call was echoed two weeks later alongside the fifth chapter in the 1980 #9 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (released 29 January 1980):

Persons living in the vicinity of Nagoya, and capable of being my assistant. Please draw a cut of buildings and cars, and contact my editor Torishima!

Alongside the 10th chapter of Dr. Slump in the 1980 #14 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (released 04 March 1980), Toriyama announced the arrival of and camaraderie with Tanaka:

My assistant Tanaka-kun‘s skill at conversation is the greatest! He’s more interesting than a radio DJ!

In an interview with Monthly Starlog for the magazine’s 1980 #11 issue (released 01 October 1980), Toriyama touches on his reasons for submitting to Shueisha and his early work with Tanaka:

In that case, why did you choose Jump?
Because I could apply to them every month.

What about what weekly magazine your comics were suited for, that sort of thing?
I didn’t give it any thought at all. …Or rather, I didn’t know.

I think about that immediately. (laughs) Judging by those illustrations, you draw by yourself, don’t you, Toriyama-san?
Yes. My kid assistant only does the blacking. Really, I just want to draw my own things by myself.

Tanaka worked with Toriyama through the first phase of the Dr. Slump series under the pen-name “Hiswashi,” and even made cameo appearances by way of Toriyama’s end-of-chapter bonus comics:

Alongside chapter 162 of Dr. Slump in the 1983 #15 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (released 15 March 1983), Toriyama congratulated Hisashi on the launch of his own manga series (CAN☆Can Everyday, which debuted in Shueisha’s Fresh Jump in 1982, had a brief serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1983, and then moved back to Fresh Jump through to its completion in 1985):

My former assistant Hiswashi has started his own series. You won’t beat me that easy!!

Alongside chapter 301 of Dragon Ball in the 1990 #51 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (released 20 November 1990), Toriyama congratulated Tanaka on his marriage:

The other day, Hiswashi-kun, who was my assistant way back, got married. That’s great news. Congratulations!!

Published by 12 March 2024, 8:39 PM EDTComment

On the evening of Saturday, March 9, 2024, we kept up our usual weekly tradition of streaming Mario Kart… except this time we had something important on our mind that we needed to talk about.

You’ll see and hear us working out our feelings and thoughts on the passing of Akira Toriyama, just mere days after learning the terrible news. It’s a bit of decompression and group therapy all at the same time.

There’s a bit of humor (some of it even quite dark at times!), there’s some friendly razzing, and there’s a lot of genuine love and appreciation, particularly as the night goes on later and later and we start to come to grips with the reality of things.

It’s a really weird format. Totally. Yes, there will absolutely be a “real” podcast in the future. In the meantime, this is just the beginning of us working through the grief and feelings and how to approach it “more formally” going forward. Sit back, hang out, and soak in the conversation.

Thank you, Toriyama!

Published by 11 March 2024, 8:58 PM EDTComment

Earlier this week, the Chunichi Shimbun published an article/interview with Takashi Matsuyama, Akira Toriyama’s second assistant, reflecting on the creator’s passing this month. The article corroborates other reports of Toriyama apparently undergoing surgery for a brain tumor.

“Never gave an inch with his creations” — former assistant

Illustrator Takashi Matsuyama (66, pictured, of Seki, Gifu), who worked as an assistant on Dragon Ball, continued his close relationship with its creator even after the serialization ended. “His competitive streak was really something else,” he says.

Matsuyama-san, who was a master of military model-making, was scouted without warning by Toriyama-san, who had similar hobbies: “I want you to help me with the serial.” The next day, he quit his job at a design agency and moved near Toriyama-san‘s home, where he worked.

He would go to the studio in the evening, and leave the next day. Listening to programs they had recorded off the radio, the two laughed as they worked. In their free time, they would play video games for a breather. It was in that sort of free-spirited, at-home atmosphere that an adventure tale full of dreams was spun.

Toriyama-san never acted high-and-mighty, but he wouldn’t give an inch. He would go all-in against his tough editors when it came to his creations. He would face his desk with pride on full display. Matsuyama respected his professionalism, and was inspired by it. “Starting when I was a kid, I would draw pictures of all the things I wanted, like pets.” Through such statements by Toriyama-san, Matsuyama really felt his sheer power.

When Matsuyama-san, who remarried last fall, asked Toriyama-san to be his witness, he happily accepted. At that time, Toriyama told him that he would be undergoing surgery for a brain tumor in the new year: “It’s on the outside, so it’s not such a big deal.” He was nonchalant about it, but Matsuyama recalls him struggling with quitting smoking: “I need a cigarette,” he had groused.

Having promised to pay him a get-well visit once he was discharged from the hospital, the sudden news of his death came as an understandable shock to Matsuyama. “The experience of working with Toriyama-san was like a dream come true. I’m struck all over again by the fact that I had the privilege of doing something amazing. Everything I know, I learned from him.”

(Article by Atsushi Okamura)

This article has also been formally archived in our “Translations” section.

Akira Toriyama’s first assistant, Hisashi Tanaka, left working with Toriyama on Dr. Slump to work as a full-time cartoonist. Toriyama’s new assistant was Takashi Matsuyama, an illustrator and fellow model-builder who got to know Toriyama after he submitted a Dr. Slump-based piece to the Tamiya figure-modification contest.

Toriyama announced the arrival of Matsuyama in his author comment alongside chapter 155 of Dr. Slump in the 1983 #8 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (released 25 January 1983):

I’ve decided on Matsuyama-kun as my new assistant! He’s a country bumpkin from Gifu who’s a lot like me.

Matsuyama stayed with Toriyama through almost the very end of Dragon Ball. In his author comment for chapter 517 in the 1995 #23 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (released 09 May 1995), Toriyama noted:

I’m drawing without an assistant right now, so I’m really feeling the deadline crunch. Yeeeargh!

Toriyama drew at least the last three chapters of the series alone. Matsuyama was reunited with Toriyama once more in 2009 when he was tapped to assist Toriyama for the special comic published in the pamphlet “Biosphere”: Mr. U of the Delicious Island. Toriyama said at the time that he was contractually obligated not to draw comics or illustrations for entities other than Shueisha, had to receive special permission for this project, and that he was grateful both for the editorial team at Shueisha as well as Matsuyama for stepping in during such a busy time.

Published by 11 March 2024, 1:18 PM EDT1 Comment

Originally announced back in December, Akira Toriyama was selected for a Lifetime Achievement Award in conjunction with the 2024 Tokyo Anime Award Festival. Toriyama was honored with the award at the event held in Tokyo over the weekend, where volumes of his various manga as well as character designs were on display.

Though he unfortunately passed earlier this month and prior to the event, Toriyama had prepared a comment reflecting on the award, which has since been shared posthumously:

To give my honest thoughts about receiving this award, I had never had an especially great interest in animation, and even when my own work was animated — with apologies to the people on the staff — I didn’t watch it that much out of embarrassment.

About 10 years ago, I was unexpectedly asked to make revisions to an animated Dragon Ball film, and I suppose it was after doing some simple designs for characters and backgrounds that I found, to my surprise, that this work might actually be pretty fun and worthwhile — being able to leave the hard parts to the staff, of course (laughs).

For me, of all people, to be receiving a Lifetime Achievement award at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival is frankly embarrassing. Thank you so much.

What I remember most of my work in animation — and I doubt most people will know about it — is having met the late animator Toyo’o Ashida-san through the Shōnen Jump original animated production Kosuke & Rikimaru. This work wasn’t based on a comic, so it required consultation. He was quite an amiable guy, and we hit it off immediately. And every time I saw Ashida-san‘s art style, my heart was moved at his artistic touch, which was careful yet had a sense of speed.

“I see. If I use that kind of touch, I could give a sense of speed to Dragon Ball, and it’ll also increase the speed of my drawing.” And as things would have it, my pursuit of this art style was a huge success! The time it took me to draw was reduced to about two-thirds of what it had been, I suppose. I believe that time truly enriched my understanding. May Ashida-san rest in peace.

Apparently, Dragon Ball Daima, which will unfold starting in 2024, was originally supposed to be made as an anime-original series without my input, but as I gave advice here and there, I ended up getting majorly-involved. This time, I’ve created not only the story, but the world, the characters, the mechs, all sorts of things. It will be a smorgasbord of different things, and not just intense action, so I’ll be pleased if you can enjoy watching it.

Finally, thank you so much to all you fans who have supported me up until now!

Perhaps because of my lifestyle when I was younger, I have no real confidence in my health, and I don’t know how much more I’ll be able to do. But I’ll do my best aiming to make even more enjoyable work, so please keep supporting me from here on out!

— AKIRA TORIYAMA

The English translation of this comment from Akira Toriyama has been formally archived within our “Translations” section, as well.