Summary
Dragon Ballis undoubtedly one of the most iconic series of all time, due in no small part to Akira Toriyama’s artwork, but apparently one wouldn’t really get that sense from the man himself.Dragon Ball Superartist Toyotarou gave his thoughts on Toriyama and how he regarded his own work.
Toyotarou recently revealed his cover for the “Dragon Ball Super Gallery"project, which has seen many prominent artists, includingJojo’s Bizarre Adventure’s Hirohiko Araki andBleach’s Tite Kubo, producing recreations of the classicDragon Ballmanga covers to celebrate the series' 40th anniversary. Toyotarou was responsible for volume 39, depicting Mr. Satan and Buu driving in a car, on the run from the ghosts of the Red Ribbon Army. Accompanying the cover reveal was a comment for Toyotarou, talking a bit about his interactions with Toriyama.
Toyotarou spoke about how Toriyama regarded his art, and it may surprise fans to find out how he felt about it.
Toriyama Wasn’t Particularly Proud of His Art
Toriyama’s Feelings Towards His Art Were Shaped by Culture
In the statement, Toyotarou says, “Come to think of it,Toriyama-sensei had said right along that out of the illustrations he drew, there were hardly any he really liked. ‘That can’t be true when he draws such amazing stuff!’ I thought, so one time I went ahead and asked him directly. His response was, ‘People of our generation don’t really do stuff like bragging about our own work.’ Judging from that, I think he probably did have a favorite illustration or two, but that wasn’t the sort of thing the creator himself should be going on about.”
Like many fans, Toyotarou was shocked at the idea that Toriyama didn’t really like his own artwork, especially when it’s so well regarded by the public. Toriyama’s response in the above statement seems to suggest that while he might have had some pieces he was proud of, he considered it impolite to speak about his own work in such a way. As he says, this is likely something of a generational issue; Toriyama’s generation focused on quietly creating quality work, and “bragging” would be seen as uncouth.Younger artists like Toyotarou, who’ve had a more individualistic sort of life, seem to feel differently about it.
It’s certainly interesting that Toriyama had “hardly any” artwork of his own that he enjoyed. He definitely worked very hard on his artwork, as evidenced by the work itself, and his own comments over the years. This goes far beyond justDragon Ball, as Toriyama was responsible for the creation of over 40 different manga series in his career. Still, there must have been some works closer to his heart than others, as even “hardly any” would suggest. It’s a shame that fans will never get to know what of his own art Toriyama most valued.
Toriyama’s feelings about his art may have been shaped by the culture he grew up with, but fortunately, the value of his art isn’t determined by him alone. It’s been clear throughout thisDragon BallSuper Gallery project that Toriyama’s artwork has touched the lives of many manga artists over the years, and that fact alone makes it incredibly precious.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
