Dragon Ballis home to some of the most iconic characters in anime history,both heroes and villains alike. While Goku has become the unofficial mascot of the art form in the years since his debut, other characters like Vegeta or Piccolo are finding their way into the mainstream consciousness as well. The series spans over 40 years of widely celebrated releases, and in popularizing anime during its ’90s and 2000s invasion of the west, its heroes have become immortalized.
However, for as iconic asDragon Ball’s heroes have become, its villains are just as popular, with theevil space tyrant Frieza leading the pack. Despite his notoriety, the main antagonist of the Namek Saga was only present for a small portion of Akira Toriyama’s original story. That is, until his return in 2015’sDragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’, which permanently altered the trajectory of the followingDragon Ball Super, where he remains a central presence. Surprisingly though,it was a song that inspired the evil ruler’s return.
Dragon Ball Brought Frieza Back Because of a Song
The Inspiration Behind Frieza’s Return Is Unexpected
WhenDragon Ballreturned for its 2010s revival, the series promised to take fans in a new direction, distancing itself from the divisiveDragon Ball GTin order to explore the path of gods and angels. The community was confused, however, when its follow-up to 2013’sBattle of Godsimmediately brought back an old, familiar villain, Frieza. Going back to the well so soon after setting off on a new path is somewhat of a strange decision, and the inspiration behind the development is even more surprising.
In a 2015 interviewpreviewing the upcomingResurrection ‘F’, Toei Animation producer Norihiro Hayashida fielded questions about the film. When asked about Frieza’s return, he said, “Apparently, when (Toriyama) heard the song “F” by Maximum the Hormone, he went ‘of course, Frieza!’ and hit on the idea of writing a storywhere the evil emperor Frieza was resurrected.”
Frieza Is the Ultimate Anime Villain, And a Clever Little Anime Trick Made It All Possible
Frieza may have started as the mastermind villain in Dragon Ball, but after all these years, he remains the most wicked antagonist across all media.
One song by Japanese hardcore punk band Maximum the Hormone inspired one ofDragon Ball’s most consequential developments, which is in line with Toriyama’s spontaneous writing style.The song uses Frieza and his evil partners like Zarbon and Dodoria as metaphorsfor oppressive rulers and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack conducted by the Aum Shinrikyo cult. Maximum the Hormone has been featured in several anime titles likeDeath NoteandChainsaw Man, and “F” eventually made its way into theResurrection ‘F’film.
Frieza Is Now One of Dragon Ball Super’s Most Important Characters
One Spontaneous Decision Changed the Trajectory of Dragon Ball Super
While the unexpected inspiration from Maximum the Hormone led to a seemingly spontaneous decision to bring Frieza back to life,the effects of that one narrative choice are still felt throughoutDragon Ball. Frieza has played a large role in the series ever since, contributing greatly to Universe 7’s victory in the Tournament of Power, and now looming over the unfinished story after the reveal ofhis latest Black Frieza transformation. Wherever the series goes next, the emperor is bound to play a major role.
This sort of on-the-fly writing style wasn’t anything new for Akira Toriyama, either. In fact, throughout the majority ofDragon Ball’s original serialization inWeekly Shōnen Jump, the legendary artist made it a point to never plan too far ahead, and often made decisions regarding his story on a week-to-week basis. When he felt something had become stale, he abandoned it, and when something exciting came along, he was sure to incorporate it in any way he could.Another recent interviewrevealed that not even he knew Trunks’ identity when the teenage hero first arrived.
The series' focus switched to action because his editor told himGoku was a plain protagonist, while the Cell and Buu Sagas went through constant twists and turns because the artist couldn’t quite make up his mind about where his story should go. And, as it turns out, Frieza only returned becauseAkira Toriyama heard a song inspired by his most iconic villain.Dragon Ballwas forever changed by Frieza’s reappearance, and fans can thank Maximum the Hormone for many ofDragon Ball Super’s story lines. “F” by Maximum the Hormone can befound on YouTube here.
Source:Flying Postman Press April 2015 Issue (translation by Kanzenshuu)
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.
