DB30YEARS: Special Dragon Ball 30th Anniversary Magazine
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already know the series is great. The podcast gave us an excuse (as if we needed one!), however, to revisit the original comic with a more critical eye. With the knowledge we could now bring to the table, seeing events that are either purposefully or inadvertently foreshadowing future events would bring a whole new understanding to Toriyama’s writing style.
Perhaps the biggest payoff for the entire review was the quiz at the end. Fans of the series have so much—let’s face it, trivial—knowledge packed away that it can be hard to divorce ourselves from our own history with the franchise. What happens when someone who’s clearly enjoyed the series, but done so somewhat casually over a four year period, is presented with ten questions covering all 42 volumes?
The best thing about the manga review is that, like the actual comic itself, it will always be there. Any time you want to dive back into the source material and have some friendly commentary provided for you, it’s just a click away! It took us a little longer than anticipated to actually complete the darn thing, but thankfully it’s not going anywhere!
Manga Review Mini-Segments
As you listen through the archive, some of the recurring mini-segments you will hear include:
“Viz-isms”
Adaptations made in Viz’s English translation of the manga include name changes, speaking patterns, etc.
TV/Anime Comparisons
Beyond traditional “filler” material added to pad the TV series, how are certain scenes adapted differently from the manga to the anime?
Predictions
As a fresh reader becomes familiar with Toriyama’s writing style, is it possible to predict what will happen next? How accurate are those predictions?!
How can I listen to the podcast?
Despite its name, you do not need an iPod (wait, does anyone even use those anymore...?!) to listen to a podcast!
A “podcast” is simply an audio program delivered over the Internet. Files are traditionally distributed as MP3s, but can also be encoded into alternate formats or even produced as video. At Kanzenshuu, we produce a (usually!) weekly audio show as an MP3 that you can listen to directly on our website, download to your computer or phone, or—most importantly—subscribe to so you automatically receive new episodes as soon as they are released.
Our show opens with the week’s big news, transitions into an in-depth topical discussion or review, and wraps up with a recap on any upcoming releases and comments from the audience.
Listen to the entire “Manga Review of Awesomeness” archive on our website at: www.kanzenshuu.com/podcast/reviews/
Now if only we could get back on track with that “Dragon Ball GT Review of Awesomeness”...
MIKE (“VegettoEX”) is one of the co-founders of Kanzenshuu and is the main podcast host.
Cover Project
The evolution of Dragon Ball manga volume covers
The name up top is always the same, but the image representing it has slowly changed over time. Here’s a quick look at the three main types of covers the Dragon Ball manga has received over the years in Japan.
By Mike LaBrie
In 2009, the collected volumes of the manga received a facelift. While the actual artwork itself remained the same, the surrounding title and borders went through an overhaul. The full “Dragon Ball” title was replaced by neon green “D” and “B” letters on each side, while the Jump brand and Akira Toriyama’s name jumped up top.
As a part of the new revival for Dragon Ball, 2002-2004 saw the release of the kanzenban—the “complete” or “perfect” edition—of the manga. Akira Toriyama created all-new artwork for both the front and back covers of the series, which was condensed from 42 down to 34 total volumes. No content was cut from the series, but rather more chapters were combined into fewer volumes.
The kanzenban was printed on much higher-quality paper and sized up from 17cm tall to 21cm tall. No other print release of the manga has come close to this premium edition!
MIKE (“VegettoEX”) is one of the co-founders of Kanzenshuu. He has a lot of manga.
Tale of the One-Shots
Foundations for more than you think can be found in Toriyama’s pre-Dragon Ball stories.
By Julian Grybowski
While there are many obvious similarities between Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump, how much do you know about Toriyama’s one-shot comics? The one-off stories he produced in the years leading up to Dragon Ball’s debut were fertile ground for Toriyama to play with concepts that resurfaced in early (and sometimes not-so-early) Dragon Ball, especially as he started experimenting with ideas for a new series starting in 1983. Don’t believe me? Why don’t we take a look?
POLA & ROID
Released: 24 March 1981
In: Weekly Shonen Jump 1981 #17
Summary: Roid, an interplanetary taxi driver starved for adventure and women, is hired by Pola, a teenage girl fighting the evil Gagambo Empire on Planet Kongaragatta. Through a series of mishaps, the pair save the planet and depart for Earth, meeting some familiar faces from Dr. Slump along the way.
Other notes: This was Toriyama’s first entry in the Jump Readers’ Award competition, where the 10 most popular authors in Jump each drew a one-shot and readers selected their favorite. Toriyama won first place, netting a free trip to Europe. It’s also drawn entirely in felt-tip pen, rather than Toriyama’s usual “G-Pen” nib.
PINK: THE RAIN JACK STORY
Released: 23 October 1982
In: Fresh Jump December 1982 issue
Summary: Pink is a young girl living on her own in the middle of a long drought. She survives (and bathes) by stealing water from the corrupt Silver Company, which sells its mysteriously-obtained H2O at outrageous prices. When the company head calls in local sheriff Cobalt Blue to investigate this recent spate of robberies, the lawman befriends Pink, and she develops a youthful crush. Together, the two end up rescuing the imprisoned Thunder God from the company’s clutches, bringing rain back to the world.
Other notes: This story was later adapted as an animated feature shown alongside Dragon Ball Z Movie 3 in July 1990.
DRAGON BOY (Parts 1 & 2)
Released: 23 June 1983 (Part 1), 22 September 1983 (Part 2)
In: Fresh Jump August 1983 issue (Part 1), Fresh Jump October 1983 issue (Part 2)
Summary: Tangtong (唐童 tanton / tángtóng), a young martial-artist in the “Sage Country” (仙の国 sen no kuni), is assigned to escort the princess of the “Flower Country” (華の国 ka no kuni) back to her homeland. Together, the unusually strong boy and the sheltered girl must learn to work together and overcome the many obstacles in their path. Oh, and they’ve got something called a “Dragon Jewel” (竜宝 ronpao / lóngbǎo), which does... not a whole lot.
Other notes: Toriyama wrote this pair of one-shots in direct response to his editor, Kazuhiko Torishima, telling him to “draw a kung-fu comic” after learning that he liked the movies of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Reader response was favorable, which helped determine the path of his next series.
THE ADVENTURE OF TONGPOO
Released: 29 November 1983
In: Weekly Shonen Jump 1983 #52
Summary: Tongpoo, a young cyborg, crash-lands on an unfamiliar planet after his ship self-destructs. There, he encounters Plamo, the last remaining survivor after her ship was shot down and the other crewmembers murdered by a marauding alien. In order to escape the planet and return to Earth, the two must defeat the alien bandit who killed Plamo’s crewmates and find a ship...
Other notes: This was Toriyama’s last one-shot before he began Dragon Ball. While it takes place in a futuristic outer-space setting rather than an ersatz ancient China, it retains some of Dragon Boy’s kung-fu elements, and also introduces a vital piece of technology essential to the Dragon World.
JULIAN (“SaiyaJedi”) lives in Japan and provides translations for Kanzenshuu. He’s purchased Toriyama’s various manga more times than he would like to admit.
Dr. Dragon Slump
Akira Tor
iyama Revisits Ideas and Plot Points from Dr. Slump in Dragon Ball
By Julian Grybowski
Toriyama may be no stranger to reusing the concepts he’d first played with in one-shots, but he also borrowed more than a little from his previous smash hit, Dr. Slump. Let’s take a look at some of the concepts, characters, and even gags that resurfaced in Dragon Ball!
Spy Robots and Androids, Oh My!
Frustrated with the main character constantly destroying his creations, an evil mad scientist closely observes said main character with the use of spy robots, in order to create the perfect fighting machine....
Dr. Gero? No, I mean Dr. Mashirito, the evil inventor (and caricature of Toriyama’s first editor, Kazuhiko Torishima) who wants to use his robotic creations to take over the world. Unfortunately, his luck is about the same, as the “artificial human” result of these efforts is not only unimpeachably good, but actually falls for Arale and becomes a member of the main cast. A.I. is a crapshoot, indeed.
Mighty Majin
The dastardly Bisuna of the Chakabo Kingdom has kidnapped the Nanaba Kingdom’s Princess Cusmat as he prepares to invade. When Cusmat escapes, he pursues her to Penguin Village and accidentally “recaptures” her doppelgänger Akane Kimidori instead. Faced with the might of both Arale and an angry Tsun Tsukutsun, he attempts to secure his exit by threatening to unleash a malevolent spirit from a teapot. When Tsukutsun releases the creature anyway, it’s a...wait, have we met before? The no-holds-barred battle that ensues, including destruction of a decent chunk of the globe