Summary
Akira Toriyama’s reaction toDragonball Evolutionsecretly saved theDragon Ballfranchise by proving to the manga creator that he needed to be more directly involved with projects based on his beloved characters. Originally written and drawn by Toriyama,Dragon Ballwas serialized inWeekly Shōnen Jumpfrom 1984 to 1995 before being collected into manga volumes. By combining the classic Chinese novelJourney to the Westwith the marital arts stylings of Hong Kong cinema,Dragon Ballbecame incredibly popular in Japan — and, eventually, around the world. Even now,Toriyama’sDragon Ballis an enduring pop-cultural phenomenon.
Part of the franchise’s mega-success status stemmed from its anime adaptation, which was split into two series —Dragon Ball, which centered on Goku’s childhood adventures, andDragon Ball Z, which follows adult Goku and his friends. The anime spawned over 20Dragon Ballmoviesand several spin-off series, withDragon Ball Z, in particular, defining US-based viewers' perceptions of anime during the ’90s and early 2000s. Unfortunately,Dragon Ball’s success attracted the attention of Hollywood execs, leading to the creation of the universally maligned 2009 movieDragonball Evolution.
The Dragon Ball Creator Doesn’t Consider The 2009 Movie To Be Part Of The World He Created
Dragonball Evolution
Dragonball Evolution is a live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese manga and anime series Dragon Ball. Directed by James Wong, the film stars Justin Chatwin as Goku, who embarks on a quest to collect the seven Dragon Balls and prevent the evil Lord Piccolo from destroying the world. The movie diverges from its source material, offering a modernized take on the beloved franchise.
DespiteDragonball Evolutionbeing a pretty major live-action adaptation of theDragon Ballfranchise, Akira Toriyama had very little involvement in the film’s creation. Billed as a superhero movie that’s loosely — very loosely — based on Toriyama’s bestselling manga series,Dragonball Evolutionwas directed byX-Filesalum James Wong and produced by Hong Kong filmmaker Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer). From the movie’s terrible take on Toriyama’s story to Dragonball Evolution’s cast blatantly whitewashing the franchise’s characters, the project was an utter failure. A box office failure,Dragonball Evolutionwas absolutely hated by fans — and Akira Toriyama.
When Toriyama expressed that the “bland” movie didn’t capture his world, Hollywood execs dismissed his advice.
Although it follows Goku (Justin Chatwin) as hesearches for the Dragon Ballsand fights the alien warlord Piccolo (James Marsters, who was fooled into joiningDragonball Evolution), the movie isn’t faithful to the source material. That said, it’s really no surprise that Toriyama wasn’t involved in the film’s production. Before the movie’s premiere,Toriyama said that viewers should treatDragonball Evolutionas an alternate universe version of his series(viaKotaku). When Toriyama expressed that the “bland” movie didn’t capture his world, Hollywood execs dismissed his advice. “The result [is] a movie I cannot call Dragon Ball,” Toriyama lamented.
I Thought Nothing Could Be Worse Than Dragonball Evolution Until This 2023 Live-Action Movie Proved Me Wrong
Dragonball Evolution was the worst live-action anime adaptation of all time for over a decade, but a 2023 film was sadly just as bad, if not worse.
Toriyama’s Frustration Over Evolution Was Followed By A Similar Experience With Battle Of The Gods
Being Frustrated With Dragonball Evolution Renewed Toriyama’s Interested In Working On The Franchise
Reflecting on thelive-actionDragon Ballmovie, Toriyama noted that although he wanted to putDragon Ballbehind him, the live-action film angered him so much that he felt the need to step in during the production ofDragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, an animated film that was released in 2013. Toei, the company behind theDragon BallandDragon Ball Zanime shows, was already developingBattle of Godswhen Toriyama’s former editor,Kazuhiko Torishima, insisted Toriyama look at the film. Unimpressed withBattle of Gods' development, Toriyama knew he needed to step in.
[Before Battle of Gods, Toriyama had] been considering leaving the world ofDragon Ballin his rearview mirror.
It’s fair to say thatDragonball Evolution’s disastrous outcomepushed Toriyama to involve himself in the development ofDragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. Although Toriyama liked elements ofBattle of Gods' script, he rewrote a lot of it and even reworked Beerus' character design, changing him from a lizard to a being inspired by his own Cornish Rex cat. In a sense,the best thing to come ofDragonball Evolutionwas Toriyama’s renewed interest in being part of future franchise moviesand projects, especially since he’d been considering leaving the world ofDragon Ballin his rearview mirror.
Toriyama Created The Story & Character Designs For Dragon Ball Super
Dragon Ball Super
Dragon Ball Super is an anime series set after Majin Buu’s defeat. It follows Son Goku, now a radish farmer, as peace prevails until Beerus, the God of Destruction, appears. Seeking to challenge a legendary warrior, the series revisits events from two Dragon Ball Z films before exploring alternate universes.
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Godswas a hit when it premiered, and its success further inspired Toriyama to remain involved with theDragon Ballfranchise. Toriyama had previously complained about the quality of the anime series, so between that lingering feeling, his resentment towardDragonball Evolution, and his satisfaction withBattle of Gods,the franchise’s creator decided to be heavily involved in 2015’sDragon Ball Super, creating both the story and character design concepts. “It’s become a series I like too much to ever leave alone,” Toriyama admitted in30th Anniversary Dragon Ball Chōshishū - Super History Book.
Dragon Ball Superis streaming on Hulu;Dragonball Evolutionis streaming for free with a cable subscription on FXNOW.
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.
