Dragon Ball is one of the biggest manga and anime series in the history of anime. The series has held the top position since its beginning and has built a giant fanbase. All the credit for this goes to the brilliant manga artist and the creator of the series, Akira Toriyama. He has created epic characters like Goku and Vegeta, who are not only fan favorites but also hold the title of some of the strongest characters in the entire anime verse. These characters are inspirations for not only their fans but also other mangakas and writers.
Despite being the protagonists and the fan favorite, Goku and Vegeta are not the favorite characters of creator Toriyama. His favorite character is entirely different from these two and maybe the most underrated character of the series.
Read More: “It’s really hard to…”: Dragon Ball Super Had One Problem Due to Goku and Vegeta’s Ultra-Popularity
Akira Toriyama’s Favorite Character
In an interview published in the Dragon Ball Daizenshuu 2: Story Guide guidebook in 1995 and translated by Kanzenshuu, Akira Toriyama was asked about his writing process and his favorite character he created. Akira Toriyama discussed his favorite character and how it influenced the creation of this new story set in the world of the Z-Fighters. He responds that rather than Goku or Vegeta, his favorite Dragon Ball character is Piccolo. He said:
“Yeah, I guess I like Piccolo the most after all. Out of all the enemies, Demon King Piccolo is the one I like most, and even after that, I like Piccolo the most. I like Piccolo about the same as I like Goku. With Vegeta, well, I don’t like him all that much, but he was extremely helpful to have around. For the recent stuff, it was fun drawing Satan. When I first brought him out, I didn’t think that I would end up making Satan that important of a character. I thought he’d just be a one-shot character.”
Piccolo has been a part of the Dragon Ball series since the beginning. He has gone through epic character development and has become one of the most important characters of the series.
Piccolo’s Importance as a Character
Piccolo has never been as popular with fans as Goku and Vegeta, but he is still one of the most essential characters in the franchise. He has stayed significant throughout the franchise, earning astonishing new powers and abilities such as the recently revealed Orange Piccolo. His growth throughout the series has been incredible, and his role as Gohan’s instructor has been well-received by many fans. Whether it’s his character growth, design, or terrible history, there’s something about Piccolo that appeals to both Toriyama and Dragon Ball fans in general.
In the entire series, Piccolo is the underrated character, who although is not the most powerful, is brave enough to tackle any enemy that comes in his path.
Read More: Lesser Known Connection Between Jackie Chan and Goku – How Did Akira Toriyama Create Dragon Ball Z?
Source: Kazenshuu, ScreenRant
