Just Who Is
Akira Toriyama?
Most of us know our beloved Toriyama-sensei as Dragon Ball's able manga-ka. But our man's career spans farther than that. (To my knowledge) Akira Toriyama has had a hand in four mangas, five anime series, countless movies, and 33 video games! Wow!
Akira Toriyama started Dr. Slump, his first popular manga, in 1980. Dr. Slump told the story of a somewhat mad scientist, Dr. Slump, and his android daughter, Arale. Those who are familiar with Toriyama through Dragon Ball Z would be surprised at the humor and playfulness in Dr. Slump. Instead of the long, continuous stories of fighting and good vs. evil, Dr. Slump featured the many misadventures of the title character, Dr. Slump, Arale, and their friends. The playful drawings and humorous stories were so popular that a Dr. Slump television series was created, and ran from 1981 to 1986.
Dr. Slump ran for four years, long enough for Toriyama to achieve familiarity and a fan following. At the end of the series, he was prepared to launch what would become his defining work and a multimedia juggernaut. That year marked the beginning of Dragon Ball, to which Akira Toriyama applied his unique and charming touch.
Dragon Ball continued the spirit of cute characters, humor and fun, but this time infused a feeling of exploration and adventure, as well as a constant plot. The roving adventures, kawaii characters, and bathroom humor captured the attention and the hearts of the manga-loving public. Dragon Ball was the catalyst for Toriyama's career; hs was suddenly catapulted into the spotlight and became a manga celebrity. Soon his name was everywhere, as he took on a multitude of character-design jobs for video games and TV shows. His name on the box became the strongest selling point of a video game.
Toriyama became a celebrity character designer for RPG game companies Enix and Square Soft. He designed the characters for Enix's famous Dragon Quest RPG series and for Square Soft's 1995 Super Famicom smash hit, Chrono Trigger. The wacky characters in Square's most recent PlayStation release, Tobal No.1, are also from the fertile mind and pen of Dragon Ball's creator.
Toriyama character analyses coming soon!
Akira Toriyama's Projects
| Mangas | TV Series | Movies | Video Games |
| Go Go Ackman | Dr. Slump | Dragon Ball Movie 1: Wonderful Adventure | Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo |
| Dr. Slump | Dragon Ball | DB Movie 2: The Princess in the Magic Castle | Dragon Quest |
| Dragon Ball | Dragon Ball Z | DB Movie 3: The Curse of the Blood Rubies | Dragon Quest 2 |
| Majin Muro no Bubul | Dragon Quest | Dragon Ball Z Movie 1 | Dragon Ball:Daimao Fukatsu |
| Dragon Quest II | DBZ Movie 2: The Strongest Guy in the World | Dragon Quest 3 | |
| Dragon Ball GT | DBZ Movie 3: The Global Match | Dragon Ball: Gokuu Den | |
| DBZ Movie 4: Super Saiyajin Son Gokuu | Dragon Quest 4 | ||
| DBZ Movie 5: The Strongest Versus the Strongest | Dragon Ball Z: Kyosho!! Saiyajin | ||
| DBZ Movie 6: Attack! Ten Million Power Fighters | Dragon Ball Z 2: Gekishin Freeza | ||
| DBZ Movie 7: Ultimate Battle: The Three Super Saiyajin | Dragon Ball Z: Supasaiyajn Densetsu | ||
| DBZ Movie 8: Burn Up! | Dragon Ball Z 3: Resin ji Zo Ningen | ||
| DBZ Movie 9: Galaxy in Danger! The Strongest Guy in the Universe | Dragon Quest 5 | ||
| DBZ Movie 10: The Dangerous Pair! A Super Warrior Cannot Sleep! | Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Budokai | ||
| DBZ Movie 11: Super Fighter Shoot-out! I'm the One Who Will Win! | Dragon Ball Z: Supa Butoden 2 | ||
| DBZ Movie 12: The Fusion of Ressurection: Gokuu and Vegita | DBZ Gaiden: Saiyajin Setsu Metsu Keikaku | ||
| DBZ Movie 13: Dragonfist Explosion! If Gokuu Doesn't Do It, Who Will? | Dragon Ball Z: Supa Butoden 2 | ||
| DBZ TV Special 1: Bardock Vs. Freeza | Dragon Quest 1&2 | ||
| DNZ TV Special 2: The Origin of Trunks | Dragn Ball Z: Buu-Yu Retsuden | ||
| DB Movie 4: 10th Anniversary | Son Gokuu Densetsu | ||
| Supa Butoden 3 | |||
| Rival Tono Deai | |||
| DBZ Gaiden: Saiyajin Setsu Metsu Keikaku | |||
| Dragon Ball Z: Supa Son Gokuu Den | |||
| Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 | |||
| Dragon Ball Z: Supa Son Gokuu Den 2 | |||
| Dragon Ball Z: Shinbutoden | |||
| Chrono Trigger | |||
| Dragon Quest 6 | |||
| Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension | |||
| DBZ: Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu | |||
| Dragon Quest 3 | |||
| Tobal No.1 | |||
| Dragon Ball GT |
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