I was debating whether or not to write something. Despite growing up on a healthy diet of Dragon Ball Z, I have no attachment to the franchise now. The show was overlong, poorly-paced and repetitive. And that’s only its most famous entry! However, it’d be a disservice to Toriyama’s legacy to end there.
Akira Toriyama, like Osamu Tezuka, was ahead of his time. Coming into Japanese comics around its boom, Toriyama imbued panache in his drawings. I’m not a big fan of Manga Iconography, I think it’s the equivalent of overacting, but Toriyama made it work because his characters were larger than life. This was especially true in making Saiyans human-like superheroes with names based on vegetables. Essentially, he made healthy foods cool.
This panache was prevalent in how Saiyans fought. They could attack in midair, they shouted over-the-top catchphrases, they even could power-up and turn into giant gorillas. Saiyans were powerful and terrifying, yet you couldn’t help loving them. Especially since they had a code of ethics, one they stuck to. Not many villainous races prior were known for that.
That aside, there was something unique about how the shows were structured that made them exciting as a kid. The arcs were long and overdrawn, but they were still entertaining. The pacing of each episode was exaggerated, with several minutes of content stretching to full length, but it was cool. It kept me wanting more, and that was complimented by the narration at the beginning and end of each episode. It made me feel like time hadn’t passed if I consistently watched episodes, yet out of the loop if I missed one or two for whatever reason.
There was also something charming about watching testosterone-laden supermen duking it out. Every punch was cathartic. Every scream echoed through my ears. Even every victory or loss was carefully constructed to feel like a big deal. It might’ve been “mindless junk food”, but I didn’t really care.
Yet stopping there would do Toriyama a disservice. Not only was he responsible for artwork outside of the Dragon Ball franchise, including Chrono Trigger on The SNES/Super Famicom, he also influenced many fans and animators. Even future Shonen like One Piece, Naruto and Bleach owe a debt to what Toriyama began in the 80’s and 90’s. I’d venture that Fullmetal Alchemist, my favourite action anime after Wolf’s Rain, wouldn’t have been as popular without coasting off of Toriyama’s imprint.
There was also something charming about watching testosterone-laden supermen duking it out. Every punch was cathartic. Every scream echoed through my ears. Even every victory or loss was carefully constructed to feel like a big deal. It might’ve been “mindless junk food”, but I didn’t really care.
Yet stopping there would do Toriyama a disservice. Not only was he responsible for artwork outside of the Dragon Ball franchise, including Chrono Trigger on The SNES/Super Famicom, he also influenced many fans and animators. Even future Shonen like One Piece, Naruto and Bleach owe a debt to what Toriyama began in the 80’s and 90’s. I’d venture that Fullmetal Alchemist, my favourite action anime after Wolf’s Rain, wouldn’t have been as popular without coasting off of Toriyama’s imprint.
Another area that set Toriyama’s Shonen apart from his contemporaries was that, being serialized, the cast of the Dragon Ball franchise was allowed to age. Goku started off as a little boy in Dragon Ball, grew up and fathered two sons in Dragon Ball Z and became a grandfather in Dragon Ball GT. Even with the latter retconned entirely in Dragon Ball Super, that didn’t change. If anything, it reemphasized the importance of not remaining stuck in a time loop, something some contemporary Shonen could learn from. (I’m looking at you, Pokémon!)
Really though, it’s this mark of Toriyama that transcends his most important work’s quality. Was the Dragon Ball series “good”? That remains in the eye of the beholder, but it’s irrelevant. Like it or not, it was the introduction to anime for many people, and it helped pave the way for other shows. Even in North America, where it caught on like it was going out of style, the various dubs and re-dubs made for interesting debates and memes online. Who could forget the infamous, “It’s over 9000!” translation error that became a running joke?
Therein lies the secret. A few years back I wrote an obituary about Isao Takahata. In it, I mentioned that while I wasn’t the biggest fan of his body of work, I nevertheless respected the impact he made. The same can be said of Akira Toriyama, perhaps even more so. Because while I might not currently connect with his work, I recognize it as important. Like Osamu Tezuka, he left an indelible mark on anime and Manga, one that may not be matched in the near future.
Really though, it’s this mark of Toriyama that transcends his most important work’s quality. Was the Dragon Ball series “good”? That remains in the eye of the beholder, but it’s irrelevant. Like it or not, it was the introduction to anime for many people, and it helped pave the way for other shows. Even in North America, where it caught on like it was going out of style, the various dubs and re-dubs made for interesting debates and memes online. Who could forget the infamous, “It’s over 9000!” translation error that became a running joke?
Therein lies the secret. A few years back I wrote an obituary about Isao Takahata. In it, I mentioned that while I wasn’t the biggest fan of his body of work, I nevertheless respected the impact he made. The same can be said of Akira Toriyama, perhaps even more so. Because while I might not currently connect with his work, I recognize it as important. Like Osamu Tezuka, he left an indelible mark on anime and Manga, one that may not be matched in the near future.
Life’s short and challenging, with many talented individuals dying early. Whether it’s Robin Williams, Fred Rogers or Stan Lee, the reality is that celebrities can have an impact on people, sometimes even through cultural osmosis. Akira Toriyama was one such a person, and his loss is felt more in The West than in Japan. That’s the kind of artist he was, irrespective of his work’s quality. It’s a legacy many people worldwide can’t achieve in their dreams, let alone reality!
Here's to you, Toriyama-san! And here’s to the endless inspiration your work has left on thousands of artists. 68 might be “too early”, but never forget the impact you left on so many people. You’ll definitely be missed, even by someone as stingy as myself!
Here's to you, Toriyama-san! And here’s to the endless inspiration your work has left on thousands of artists. 68 might be “too early”, but never forget the impact you left on so many people. You’ll definitely be missed, even by someone as stingy as myself!
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