Dragon Ball’s Future: Toriyama’s Legacy and Toyotaro’s Rise

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Summary

  • At some point, Toriyama may have wanted to distance himself from manga, leading to changes in his approach to storytelling.
  • Toriyama expressed gratitude to those who helped Dragon Ball succeed but may have grown detached from his art.
  • Toyotaro could potentially be Toriyama’s successor, indicating that new Dragon Ball stories will likely continue in the future.

After Toriyama passed away, fans have been speculating about the future of the popular series, Dragon Ball. Although it’s challenging to foresee the future, we can analyze Toriyama’s perspectives on the series and make educated guesses regarding its potential developments.

In a recent chat with Kosokoso, a Japanese podcast, I had the pleasure of listening to three editors of Dragon Ball – Kazuhiko Torishima, Yu Kondo, and Fuyuto Takeda – as they reminisced about their experiences working on this iconic series and shared their perspectives on its future. The key takeaways from this engaging conversation were translated for us by Enomis, or @Venixys.

It Seems Toriyama Wanted to Distance Himself From Manga

Torishima noted that when Toriyama switched roles from a manga artist to a scriptwriter, he found it challenging to polish his concepts as effectively as earlier, likely due to the absence of others providing feedback. Consequently, Toriyama began incorporating extra or non-essential elements into the narratives.

In the course of their conversation, Takeda found himself pondering whether Toriyama might have been serious when he occasionally joked about not wanting to work anymore – a sentiment that Takeda began to suspect had an element of truth to it over time.

It’s plausible that the editors concurred on a common observation about Toriyama appearing distant from his work. This might be due to his character, or it could stem from a point where he felt overwhelmed and considered stepping away from being a mangaka, given the likely heavy burden of work he was carrying.

He Was Still Grateful To Those Who Helped The Series To Succeed

Despite occasionally having a complex connection with his own work, Toriyama remained appreciative towards those who contributed significantly to the popularity of Dragon Ball, such as Masako Nozawa, the voice behind Goku, Gohan, and Goten in the anime. This gratitude, as stated by Kondo, was one of the key factors that kept him open to taking on new project proposals.

At a certain stage, instead of coming up with his own projects, he started approving suggestions brought to him by others, quite indirectly, as per Takeda’s account.

During the interview, the editors were critical of Shueisha’s response to Toriyama’s passing, stating it seemed too minimal and formal. They also mentioned that no official memorial event was organized, which could have been a means of respecting his privacy given Toriyama’s private nature. However, they felt that their handling of the situation lacked sensitivity.

He Could Be Preparing Toyotaro To Be “His Successor”

Takeda also mentions that Toriyama preferred others to take initiative without requiring his creative input. This approach seems to contrast slightly with what Akio Iyuko stated in a recent interview, where he noted that Toriyama became enthusiastic about Dragon Ball Daima and ended up writing much of it. However, these statements might be referring to different periods in Toriyama’s life, or perhaps Dragon Ball Daima was an exception to the rule.

It appears reasonable to assume that Toriyama may have allowed Toyotaro to write future sequel stories without needing to be deeply involved himself, given that Toyotaro has been responsible for both writing and illustrating Dragon Ball Super. Although Toriyama provided plotlines and reviewed storyboards prior to his passing, Toyotaro considered him a successor, suggesting that Super may have been a prelude to this arrangement.

I found myself quite inspired upon encountering Mr. Akira Toriyama. Not only did he offer words of encouragement about my creative efforts, likening them to delicacy and brimming with originality, but he also designated me as his potential successor. This recognition carries immense pride.

It’s likely that Toyotaro will play a role in any future series, given that he seems to have received extensive insights from Toriyama about the world and ideas for Dragon Ball.

What Will Happen From Now On?

It appears that the editors, along with Akio Iyuko, have expressed a sense of assurance that the series will keep producing fresh stories and new anime installments. This sentiment is shared by many, including the editorial team, suggesting a widespread belief that the series will persist (with most fans likely anticipating its continuation as well).

It’s also worth noting that Shueisha and Capsule Corporation Tokyo are currently embroiled in a legal battle over the ownership of the franchise. If this dispute resolves unfavorably for both parties, they may independently produce new series with minimal collaboration.

Iyuko, connected with CCT, has shared that they are currently developing new projects within the series. Moreover, there’s anticipation for Dragon Ball Super to resume its break, and it seems probable that an extension or sequel of the Dragon Ball Super anime will be given the go-ahead at a future date.

It seems that Shueisha didn’t participate in the production of the recent “Dragon Ball” anime titled “Dragon Ball Daimao”. Instead, Akio Iyuko was the one who oversaw this series as its producer.

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2025-04-06 19:04