The official Dragon Ball website’s thirty-first entry in “The Nearly Complete Works of Akira Toriyama” — an on-going series highlighting rare and important pieces of the author’s work over the years — is the character design for the male protagonist character from the 2015 video game Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below.

The artwork was recently included in the “Akira Toriyama Dragon Quest Illustrations” hardcover book released in 2016.

The character is named “Luceus” in the international English localization, while he is named “Akuto” (アクト) in Japanese. A female protagonist was also designed by Toriyama: “Aurura” in the English localization, “Meer” (メーア; Mēa) in the original Japanese. The website’s write-up also notes that Toriyama provided a design for the character Gagora.

Developed by Omega Force and originally released on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in Japan (later receiving an international PlayStation 4 and PC release, along with a Nintendo Switch port), The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below is an action game in the “Warriors” (or “Musou”) vein, akin to the developer’s Dynasty Warriors series.

A sequel — Dragon Quest Heroes II: Twin Kings and the Prophecy’s End — would see a release in Japan in 2016 and internationally in 2017.

As with prior games in the franchise — see previous citations in this series for Dragon Quest II, Dragon Quest III, Dragon Quest IV, and Dragon Quest VI — Toriyama provided a number of character designs for Dragon Quest Heroes.

The official Dragon Ball website’s thirtieth entry in “The Nearly Complete Works of Akira Toriyama” — an on-going series highlighting rare and important pieces of the author’s work over the years — is a fold-out feature from the 1986 No. 12 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (released 18 February 1986) entitled “Chasing the 7 Secrets of Anime Dragon Ball!!”, which includes an inside look at the then-upcoming animated series:

While Akira Toriyama did not provide the fold-out feature’s main illustration, which was early promotional art drawn for the animated series, he did draw this issue’s cover and fold-out poster illustrations.

The seven different “secrets” of the Dragon Ball TV series are spread across the backside of this fold-out poster and carry over onto the very first page as well. However, it should be noted that the official website’s image and write-up is missing the left-most section of the feature included on the issue’s first page, which includes part of item #4 and the entirety of items #5 thru #7. We have included those here for the sake of completeness.

#1: Is the animation drawn by Akira Toriyama-sensei?
The number one secret behind the Dragon Ball television series: it is not animated by Akira Toriyama, but rather dozens of animators! The animation is overseen by the animation supervisor, Minoru Maeda, and the background art and designs are developed by the art director, Tadanao Tsuji, both of whom consulted with Toriyama during the series’ planning and development. The animation cels, based on character designs from Minoru Maeda, are placed over the background art to create the animation. An example of this is provided, showing a clear cel of Yamcha swinging his sword before being placed over a stormy backdrop.

#2: What is the difference between an animated series and a comic?
As the second secret reveals, one main difference between animation and manga is that in animation there is sound. The characters have to speak, so voice actors are needed, and there is background music created to add an atmosphere. A scriptwriter is also necessary to write the character’s dialogue, otherwise the voice actors don’t know what to say. However, the main difference is that the manga is created by a single person, while an animated television series is created by bringing together numerous experts of different trades. Toriyama comments that “animation is seriously hard work”, and says he is glad he only has to draw manga.

#3: How many people does it take to make a single animated series?
In the lead-up to the television series’ debut, Akira Toriyama visited Toei Animation and learned what it takes to produce an animated series. Roughly needing 18 images per second, it takes approximately 27,000 cels to create a 25 minute episode. They note that to create this many cels for a single episode it takes on average roughly 16 key animators, 35 in-between animators, 32 finishing touches artists, and 5 photographers. This does not even include all the other staff involved, like assistant directors, production managers and their staff, producers, etc. In total it takes about 150 people to create a single episode.

While at Toei Animation, Akira Toriyama was able to draw his own key frame and watch the process involved in turning it into an animation cel. Toriyama’s finished colored cel of Son Goku is included near the bottom of the fold-out spread.

#4: Who will be performing the [character] voices?
Unlike with manga, where the reader can imagine the voices of the characters, a television series uses voice actors to bring a series’ characters to life with distinct, unique voices. During his visit to Toei Animation, Akira Toriyama was able to listen to the voice actor audition tapes, which included the late Hiromi Tsuru (Bulma), Masako Nozawa (Son Goku), and the late Kōhei Miyauchi (Kame-Sen’nin).

In the “Special Voice-Actor Roundtable” included in the TV Animation Part 3 supplemental Daizenshuu, the voice actors present discuss which of them actually auditioned for their role(s). Both Tōru Furuya (Yamcha) and Ryō Horikawa (Vegeta) note that they did not have to audition, and that outside of the initial auditions held at the beginning of the Dragon Ball series, very few voice actors actually had to audition. Masako Nozawa notes in her Dragon Ball Tenka’ichi Densetsu interview that she remembers her audition and hearing later that Akira Toriyama had listened to her audition tape and chose her, saying, “This person will play Goku.”

#5: What kind of songs will there be, and who is singing them?
The fifth secret unveils the series’ opening and ending theme songs, “Mystical Adventure!” and “I’ll Give You Romance“, respectively. The opening theme sung by Hiroki Takahashi is described as a song having a “cool rock arrangement”, while the ending theme sung by Ushio Hashimoto is described as a song from “Bulma’s heart”.

#6: When and where can I watch Dragon Ball?
With the Dragon Ball television series set to debut in just nearly a week from this issue’s publication date, this secret covers the various regions of Japan and their respective local Fuji TV affiliate stations that will carry the series, as well as stating that the nationwide network television broadcast will begin 26 February 1986.

#7: Where can I send my opinions on the anime?
The mailing addresses for Toei Animation planner Keizō Shichijō and Fuji TV producer Tokizō Tsuchiya are provided so that fans can send letters with their opinions, impressions, or concerns about the TV series.

Akira Toriyama’s corresponding author comment alongside chapter 62 of the manga in this issue referenced his hectic schedule, but also enthusiasm, for the upcoming animated television series debut:

The Dragon Ball television series debuted 32 years ago today, making this feature an appropriate choice for the website’s daily entry.

The official Dragon Ball website’s twenty-ninth entry in “The Nearly Complete Works of Akira Toriyama” — an on-going series highlighting rare and important pieces of the author’s work over the years — is page 138 from the 2003 anime guide book, Son Goku Densetsu, featuring Toriyama’s updated character designs for Bardock and his crew from the 1990 television special, as well as King Vegeta:

Most of these designs were originally seen in 1995’s sixth Daizenshuu, “Movies & TV Specials”. Alongside the designs, Toriyama provided brief notes with his thoughts on potential colors and names:

My personal thought is that Saiyan hair is black, but I also planned for them to have distinguishing features, so I changed them like this. But since it seems like you want the colors to be a little more varied, I won’t mind, even if it’s not black. (I’ve selfishly gone and changed the names, as well…)

The Son Goku Densetsu caption also notes that it seems Toriyama did not draw King Vegeta’s entire body or costume.

These designs are actually updated from original ones provided by character designer and animator Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, which are shared earlier on page 102 of Son Goku Densetsu. It was here that we — seemingly! — got our first glimpse at these original designs and names. While Jaga (who would become Totapo) remained relatively close to the design and name pun (jagaimo meaning “potato”), Tomah (Toma) received a haircut and a different syllable emphasis, Pumbkin (Panbukin) received a slightly rearranged name and much more width, and Korn (Selypa) received an entire overhaul.

These original designs may seem familiar: the eyecatches (and final shot that concludes the ending theme) to the 1990 television special showcase some of the original Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru character designs in the background behind their “updated” versions.

For even more information, check out our article on the history of Bardock which includes the full background on his creation for the television special, usage in the manga, and continued exploitation in video games.

The official Dragon Ball website’s twenty-eighth entry in “The Nearly Complete Works of Akira Toriyama” — an on-going series highlighting rare and important pieces of the author’s work over the years — is Toriyama’s contribution to the cover of the 1999 No. 37-38 double issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump (originally released 10 August 1999), selected for today to coincide with “Cat Day”:

The issue featured Toriyama’s second chapter in the Neko Majin series, Neko Majin Ga Iru 2 (“Neko Majin is Here 2”).

Toriyama’s corresponding author comment this issue lamented his increasing age:

A few years after completing Dragon Ball, and sporadically over the next few years in between his other projects, Akira Toriyama released chapters of Neko Majin, a series that increasingly became a Dragon Ball parody and spin-off as it went on.

Chapters were published between Weekly Shōnen Jump and (the now-defunct) Monthly Shōnen Jump, sometimes entire years apart from each other. The series consists of two chapters of Neko Majin ga Iru (“Neko Majin is Here”), one chapter of Neko Majin Mike, and five chapters of Neko Majin Z. The final two chapters of Neko Majin Z bucked the trend and were published back-to-back in consecutive issues of Monthly Shōnen Jump.

All eight chapters were collected into a single volume in April 2005. The volume was printed at the same size and quality level as the Kanzenban release of the Dragon Ball manga. They were later released in a newly-colorized version on 04 April 2013 (with no monochrome version available) for ¥450 plus tax via Shueisha and their digital offerings.

So far, the only chapter ever to be officially published and released in English has been Neko Majin Z 5, which was printed (without a chapter number) in the October 2007 issue of Viz’s (now-defunct) print version of Shonen Jump.