When one is asked to name the most legendary mangaka of all time, Akira Toriyama is a name that pops up in everyone’s subconscious, and why wouldn’t it? The man created Dragon Ball, a legendary series that reshaped the landscape of Shonen manga. Goku was a great protagonist, and the story only got better as it progressed, with Goku’s lineage being revealed and the universe expanding.
However, did you know that Toriyama only created Dragon Ball so that he could quit writing another hit series? The series in question is Dr. Slump, a story that pushed Toriyama to his limits. The only way he could escape it was to create a manga deemed “more interesting” by Shonen Jump’s editors. This sparked the creation of Dragon Ball, a series that would go on to become a global phenomenon.
Toriyama was burdened by the success of Dr. Slump
In case you didn’t know this, Dragon Ball wasn’t Akira Toriyama’s first major success. It was Dr. Slump, a series from 1980 to 1984 in Shonen Jump. It was a gag manga, centered on the misadventures of a robot girl named Arale (yep, the same Arale that appeared in that one Dragon Ball Super episode and violated Vegeta). Arale’s gags captivated readers.
The series was a huge success and was put on a weekly serialization schedule. This would have been a dream for any other mangaka, but for Toriyama, it became a nightmare. The serialization took a toll on Toriyama. As stated earlier, the manga was a gag manga, meaning that he had to think of a new episodic gag every week.
This constant need to produce fresh, episodic comedy pushed him beyond his limits, causing him to burn out several times. He was able to come up with new gags, sure, but it took a lot out of him. Toriyama’s editor, Torishima, would go on to state that Toriyama started to hate the series he created, and wanted to quit it as soon as he could.
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Toriyama reportedly pleaded with Shonen Jump’s deputy editor-in-chief to end Dr. Slump. He knew that his creativity and mental health would only continue to decline if he kept working on it. The editor’s response was firm: he could only quit Dr. Slump if he created a series that outshone it. This led him to experiment with a few one-shots, but they failed to capture the audience.
Torishima and Toriyama would regularly meet each other and discuss new ideas that could capture the audience. This was when Yoshimi Kato-san, Toriyama’s wife, would reveal Toriyama’s habit of inking his artwork while watching Jackie Chan’s movies. This prompted Torishima to suggest a kung-fu manga, and thus, Dragon Ball was born.
The birth of Dragon Ball: From Tangtong to Goku
Toriyama loved Jackie Chan’s films (relatable), and this inspired him to create Dragon Boy. Yes. Boy. Not Ball. That’s gonna come later. Dragon Ball was a one-shot story featuring Tangtong, a martial artist with dragon wings, protecting a bratty princess. This story was published in a special issue and ranked third in reader surveys. Torishima noted Toriyama’s passion for the project and asked him to refine the story.
The new freedom allowed Toriyama to refine Tangtong into Son Goku, a monkey-tailed martial artist. Thus, Dragon Ball was born (Find the Dragon Balls! Look out for ‘em all!). The series blended martial arts with gag elements, and this resonated with the audience (remake it right now!). Dragon Ball would then evolve into Dragon Ball Z, cementing its legacy as a cornerstone of Shonen manga.
The Dragon Ball franchise is one of the most successful franchises, and it has inspired generations. The story has come a long way today, but no one can forget the charm of the OG Dragon Ball series. The series may have begun as a reason for Toriyama to quit another manga, but it has now evolved into a global phenomenon, and we’re glad it did.
Dragon Ball, a series that began as a reason for Toriyama to escape a previous manga, has transformed into a global phenomenon. Toriyama’s experiences with Dr. Slump and his love for kung-fu films gave birth to an incredible series. Dragon Ball, today, stands as a testament to Toriyama’s legacy and struggles.
Dragon Ball DAIMA is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
