There are very few anime and manga franchises capable of boasting the sort of success enjoyed byDragon Ballover the past four decades and counting.Goku and company have ushered multiple generations of fans into the anime community, and continue to do so through new shows, movies, games, and other forms of media. Not many IPs have been more important to their respective mediums thanDragon Ball, and with plenty of high-octane fights to come down to road, that likely won’t ever change.
High-stakes combat, flashy transformations, and undeniably stylish attacks have defined the series ever since the sudden time skip led to the arrival of the Saiyans 37 years ago. As long as there is someone stronger out there, Goku will be around to put up a fight. However, though fighting might be central toDragon Ball’s ongoing success,it isn’t the only ingredient vital to the creation process.Dragon Ballis so much more than strong characters fighting even stronger characters, and there’s a large portion of the series' fan base that still doesn’t quite understand that.
Dragon Ball Is More Than Its Best Fights
Well-Written Characters, Friendship, Wonder, Whimsy, and More Have Allowed Dragon Ball to Survive
Fights against Piccolo, Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, Buu, and countless other villains are celebrated among the very best in anime history, and will forever beDragon Ball’s main draw for viewers getting ready to step into its universe.However, between those fights is a long-running story directly responsible for the weight they hold. If fans didn’t care about Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Gohan, Krillin, and the rest of the series' iconic cast, none of the action would mean much at all beyond the screams of Kamehamehas and Final Flashes.
Dragon Ballis a simple story, but that doesn’t make it void of some masterful writing on the part of creator Akira Toriyama. Goku is one of anime’s most popular heroes ever,but he isn’t a perfect one. He has his flaws; he’s selfish and puts fighting ahead of other pressing responsibilities, but those flaws help to get the viewer on his side.Well-written characters lead to stakes, ensuring everything that occurs within the story matters.
It’s become popular to criticizeDragon Ballfor the titular orbs taking the weight out of deaths in the series. And while it’s true that death might not stick in theDragon Balluniverse, it’s almost more impressive the series can pack in as much intensity as it does without that threat looming over its battles. The audience cares enough about its characters that even harm coming to those who can’t defend themselves is something viewers never want to see.
It isn’t just the heroes, but the likes of Bulma and the Son Family have found their way into the hearts of fans,and the series' most important fighters find their safety placed directly in their hands. These characters, and the world of wonder and whimsy in which they reside, are what’s at stake inDragon Ball’s biggest fights. The current biggest anime hit,Solo Leveling, is all but void of those characteristics which makeDragon Ballso special, and it’s felt in the series' style over substance approach.
Dragon Ball May Not Get Too Deep, But Its Writing Is Fantastic
Akira Toriyama Was Able to Get the Most Out of His Long Weekly Serialization
Anyone familiar withDragon Ballis likely to know that they will probablynever see a series like it again. Week to week for over a decade, Akira Toriyama wrote his story with minimal planning for what was to come later down the road,and the finished product became a series adored by fans all over the world. In the modern world of anime and manga, artists typically have all the intricacies of stories down before a single drawing is completed, yet Toriyama was able to craft the iconic world ofDragon Ballby the seat of his pants.
And that doesn’t mean the series lacks underlying themes, either. While the big fights might steal the focus, there isimportant and expertly written character development happening all throughoutDragon Ball. Goku is largely a static character, but Gohan’s growth plays a large part in the Saiyan and Namek Sagas, and eventually comes to a head during the fight with Cell. Vegeta’s character arc takes a bit more time to develop, but sees him change from villain to beloved hero. Before him, Piccolo went through similar development.
The series' leading Saiyan,the immortalized Son Goku, drives home the theme that sharedstrength found through friends and loved ones will always overcome the strength of a single being. Throughout all of it, characters come to love a world and people they once tried to destroy, while others continue turning others' strength into their own. There may not be any complex, difficult message or burning social commentary at the heart ofDragon Ball, but its writing is tight and tells a story that can connect with viewers around the world.
Goku is one of anime’s most popular heroes ever, but he isn’t a perfect one. He has his flaws; he’s selfish and puts fighting ahead of other pressing responsibilities, but those flaws help to get the viewer on his side.
Akira Toriyama Is No Longer Here, But His Legacy Lives On Through Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball’s Success Will Continue Thanks to the Foundation Toriyama Left Behind
The future ofDragon Ballis uncertain following Akira Toriyama’s passing in March 2024,but fans haven’t seen the last of Goku and friends just yet. Toriyama’s final vision for his long-running series,the recently completedDragon Ball Daima, packed in all of its creator’s tendencies as an artist. Its comedy was top-notch, with the slower moments helping to build new characters like Glorio and Panzy, while the action was just what fans would expect from a newDragon Ballanime.
Now, the series is left in the hands of those who helped him create it, and they have decades of successful storytelling to use as reference. Producer Akio Iyoku, Toriyama’s trusted friend and business partner, will be overseeing the anime side of the franchise, and has promised thathe and others are diligently planning where to go next. Fans can expect plenty of flashy action to come,but shouldn’t forget about the careful writing that makes the series what it is.
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.
