The Dragon Ball franchise has become one of the most popular anime franchises worldwide, with every person having heard the names Son Goku and Vegeta. Akira Toriyama’s brilliant creation is not only a generational anime, but it has also helped other anime get inspired from it. It paved the road so that the other anime franchises could have a smoother journey.
Even though the Dragon Ball franchise has earned worldwide fame, there was a point when its creator was under the pressure of shutting down his manga. But thankfully, Toriyama had a wise idea, which ultimately helped the anime get back on its feet and win over the hearts of the fans. Fans will find it shocking when they find the true reason behind the manga shutting down.
Akira Toriyama’s Son Goku Was Too Bland For The Fans
The Dragon Ball franchise began in 1984 after Akira Toriyama started to write the manga. A couple of years later, the manga was adapted into an anime. But the process was not entirely smooth. During that time, Kazuhiko Torishima was Toriyama’s editor. After having a look at Goku, he said Goku was not popular because he was too bland.
Toriyama purposely made his protagonist in that manner and was annoyed after the honest review. During an interview in 1995, Akira Toriyama revealed the conversation between his editor and him. Thus, to make his magnum opus more popular, he introduced the 21st Tenka’ichi Budōkai. It was the first tournament of the series.
Most of the previous characters were removed and Master Roshi was brought back, and Goku’s future best friend, Krillin, was introduced in that arc. Even though Goku lost to Jackie Chun, the tournament became a massive hit, and fans found their lost interest in the anime.
Akira Toriyama got the idea of hosting a tournament from his previous manga, Dr. Slump. The arc also featured Goku and Chi Chi’s relationship, Yamcha and Oolong had better interactions, Goku and Krillin developed a bond under Master Roshi’s martial arts training, etc.
Moreover, fans were not a big fan of Emperor Pilaf. After the 21st Tenka’ichi Budōkai, Goku’s character showed improvement, with him becoming a better fighter and unknowingly embracing his Saiyan roots.
Goku’s Character Development Has Been Iconic
Son Goku was purposely created as a plain protagonist. As a result, the fans were not convinced that Dragon Ball had the potential to be a world-class anime. But Akira Toriyama is a genius mangaka, and he singlehandedly changed the course of the story with a tournament arc. At that point, anime was not mainstream, so everything was riding on the 21st Tenka’ichi Budōkai.
After the 21st Tenka’ichi Budōkai, there was no looking back for Toriyama and Goku. Toriyama became the progenitor of a $23 Billion franchise, while Son Goku’s name reached heaven. Goku established himself as one of the most beloved characters in anime history. His progress has been an adventure in itself. From learning Kamehameha to breaking his limit through Ultra Instinct and rivaling Gods from different universes.
Whenever someone asks about the strongest anime characters, the first two names that come to mind are Son Goku and Vegeta. Both of them belong to the Dragon Ball franchise and are Akira Toriyama’s creations. Unfortunately, Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1, 2024. Even though he left us all, he gifted us one of the greatest stories ever told.
