Dragon Ballis one of the most recognizable titles in anime and manga, boasting an iconic cast of characters whose heroic feats have inspired generations of fans. Its creator, the late Akira Toriyama, was a legend in the industry,and drew over 500 chapters ofDragon BallinWeekly Shōnen Jumpfrom 1984 to 1995. In the years since, the series has grown and expanded with a number of anime films and TV shows, the most recent of which,Dragon Ball Daima,reached its conclusionin February 2025.
Like other successful franchises, Toriyama’s contributions to his series didn’t end with his original manga. Often the artist would design characters or settings forDragon Ballprojects to follow, and eventually took over writing duties on the ongoingDragon Ball Supermanga, as well as its two films andDragon Ball Daima. Unlike other artists, however,Toriyama would never go on to do another full manga series followingDragon Ball’s completion. Thanks to an interview with three of Toriyama’s editors,translated by X user Venixys, the reason why has been revealed.
Toriyama’s Editors Reveal Why They Believe He Never Created Another Manga Series
The Legendary Artist Showed Little Desire to Continue Drawing
Kazuhiko Torishima, Yu Kondo, and Fuyuto Takeda, three ofDragon Ball’s original editors, recently sat down for an interview with Japanese podcast KosoKoso to discuss the series, Toriyama,Shueisha, and more. Takeda, who took over as editor after Kondo stepped down during the Cell Saga, shared that it was Toriyama’s decision aloneto stop proposing new projects following the completion ofDragon Ball, and the artist would jokingly say that he didn’t want to work anymore.
He also believes the artist seemingly lost motivationbecause he felt he couldn’t possibly topDragon Ballwith a new project. Torishima, who discovered Toriyama and helped bring him toShōnen Jumpwith 1980’sDr. Slump, expressed mixed feelings about Toriyama’s decision to step back from manga. He recalled the artist making thin excuses each time he asked him about drawing something new, and realized there was likely nothing that could convince him to continue.
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While Akira Toriyama never drew another full major manga series, he hadn’t fully stopped working. The artist did several illustrations for 1997’sDragon Ball GT, and heavily contributed to bothDragon Ball Zmovies, which were released just beforehe and Toyotarou began work on theDragon Ball Supermanga. He also drew four short stories, includingSand Land, all collected into single volumes,and revisited theDragon Balluniverse in 2013’sJaco the Galactic Patrolman.
Other Factors May Have Led to Toriyama Leaving Manga Behind
The Life of a Manga Artist Is Not Easy
While Toriyama’s feelings that he could never topDragon Ballmight be a major reason why the artist stepped away from manga,it likely isn’t the only one. A professional manga artist does not have an easy job, and as the editors revealed in the interview, that was no different for Toriyama. They recalled an instance when he was suffering from tendonitis and claimed he could no longer draw. Due toJump’s strict deadlines, Torishima challenged Toriyama to write his name, and when he did so successfully,he convinced him he could draw after all.
Though nothing has ever been explicitly confirmed, it isn’t a stretch to assume that Toriyama was burned out by the timeDragon Ballreached its conclusion, especially since the series was originallysupposed to end with the Cell Sagabefore editors and Shueisha convinced him to continue. After giving his all to the series for the better part of 11 years, the manga creator deserved to be able to walk away from the art form on his own terms.
Dragon Ballremains one of the most iconic, groundbreaking, and influential manga franchises40 years after its debutinShōnen Jump, and though its creator never worked on another major title,his contributions to the series have allowed it to survive long past its original ending. WithDragon Ball Daima, Toriyama’s final vision for his masterpiece series, officially in the books, it’s uncertain whereDragon Ballwill head next. Whichever direction it takes, however, any future developments will only be possible thanks to the hard work of its creator.
Source:KosoKoso (translated by Venixys on X)
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.
