Dragon Ballis one of the most iconic franchises in anime history. Breaking down barriers and delivering the art form to mass popularity in the West during the ’90s and early 2000s,Akira Toriyama’s masterpiece series has inspired countless generations of anime and manga fans. Following its initial run in the United States, however, which concluded in 2003, the series was largely dormant for the better part of a decade. And it was during that time the franchise experienced one of its biggest missteps ever.
Dragonball Evolution, the 2009 live-action American film directed by James Wong,released to audiences in theaters around the world with a thud. Though it ended its theatrical run profitably, fans and critics alikeexpressed a strong disdain for the film, questioning everything from its casting choices, acting, directing, and a story that entirely misunderstood the magic ofDragon Ball.
Perhaps more disappointed in the film than anyone else was the one person who truly understood the franchise,its creator, Akira Toriyama. The legendary artist put his final touches on the masterpiece manga in 1995, and though he remained somewhat involved in creations beyond that point, like the divisiveDragon Ball GTanime, he mostly stayed away from the franchise following its initial conclusion. However, Toriyama did step in to offer caution to the team behindDragonball Evolution.Unfortunately, his input was largely ignored.
Akira Toriyama Expressed Concern to the Creators of Dragonball Evolution
Dragon Ball’s Creator Tried to Salvage the Live-Action Adaptation
In an interviewwith Asahi Shimbun Digital following the release of 2013’sDragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, Akira Toriyama touched on the revival of the series and his involvement in the creation of the film. For the first time in well over a decade, the artist got fully hands-on with aDragon Ballproduct, and the movie would go on to spark the creation ofDragon Ball Superonly two years later. Though he listed a few reasons for his increased involvement in the creation ofBattle of Gods,a major one had to do withDragonball Evolution.
Toriyama stated, “At the time of the Hollywood movie, the live-action Dragon Ball, the script had too little of a grasp on the world and its characteristics, and on top of that, it had conventional content that I couldn’t find interesting.” He wasn’t the only viewer to not find the film very interesting, though he was likelythe one person the filmmakers should have wanted to impress. However, he continued, saying, “I cautioned them and suggested changes, but they seemed to have a strange confidence and didn’t really listen to me.”
The lack of concern for Toriyama’s advice is glaringly apparent inDragonball Evolution, whichfails to characterize the franchise’s most important cast memberproperly. Turning Goku into what Hollywood believed to be a relatable 2000s teen and having him take the time to fight some bullies at a high school party,the film comes off more as a parody ofDragon Ballthan a faithful adaptation. Fans might want to be thankful for its existence, though, as the film would play a major role in the franchise’s 2010s revival.
Dragonball Evolution Drove Akira Toriyama to Become Involved in Battle of Gods
The Legendary Artist Wanted to Make Up for the Movie’s Shortcomings
When asked what drove the series' creator to become so heavily involved inBattle of Gods,he brought upDragonball Evolution, and the problems he had with the film. Adding to his previous statements, he said, “What came out in the end was a movie I couldn’t really call aDragon Ballthat lived up to my expectations,” before adding, “that being the case, there were parts where I wanted to show some spine, with a world and story only the creator could draw.”
ThoughDragonball Evolutionwould go down in history as a failed live-action adaptation of one of anime’s most beloved properties, it directly inspired the franchise’s creator to reviveDragon Ball,leading to something of a renaissance for the series.Battle of Godsand the subsequentDragon Ball SuperTV animecatapulted the franchise back into the spotlightfor the first time in over a decade, and added several memorable characters to an already iconic cast.
Whether You Like It or Not, Dragon Ball Definitely Deserves Another Live-Action Adaptation
With the resurgence of anime and live-action popularity, it is Dragon Ball’s time to step into the spotlight and redeem itself.
In its own way,Dragonball Evolutionis a success if only for being the first missteptowards a prosperous future forDragon Ball. Without its creation and filmmakers being entirely dismissive towards the advice of the series' creator, there’s no telling whatBattle of Godsmight have become, or whether the film would kick-start the decade of success to follow. Though if Toriyama felt the need to rewrite nearly the entire script, chances are fans might not be as happy withBattle of Godsas they are today.
Dragon Ball Must Once Again Face a Future Without Its Creator at the Helm
The Future Is Uncertain for Dragon Ball Without Akira Toriyama
In March 2024, Akira Toriyama sadly passed away, and fans all over the world expressed their admiration and gratitude to the one-of-a-kind artist. Later in the year,Dragon Ball Daima, Toriyama’s final vision for his iconic series, premiered to a fan base eagerly looking forward to Goku’s latest adventure. The anime has been a simultaneously nostalgic yet fresh return to the franchise’s adventurous roots, and isset to conclude later in February 2025.
Moving forward, however,Dragon Ballwill have to continue without the watchful eye of its creator. The series has a rocky history without Toriyama at the wheel, highlighted most of all byDragonball Evolution’s frankly strange take on the universe and its characters.Dragon Ball Superhas been left in the hands of series illustrator, Toyotarou, and is set to return in 2025 with an all-new one-shot chapter. The latest entry will be the first look at the story without Toriyama’s involvement, and will likely give a short peek at its future direction.
Dragon Ballis arguably anime’s most recognizable franchise, but its live-action adaptation,Dragonball Evolution, is a notorious misstep in its overall timeline. The film might have turned out a bit better had the crew taken Toriyama’s warnings seriously, though the resultingBattle of Godsis afine enough consolation prize for the movie’s failures. The iconic series will now, once again, have to continue without its author at the helm into an uncertain future.
Source:Asahi Shimbun Digital(translated byKanzensuu)
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.
