Dragon Ball has reappeared Weekly Shonen Jump Color page drawn by Akira Toriyama, highlighting Goku’s confident side and drawing attention to one of the franchise creator’s far rarer and lesser-known manga titles.
About the official Dragon Ball English website, a Weekly Shonen Jump Color page starring Kid Goku resurfaced as part of the Toriyama Archives. As the name suggests, the Toriyama Archives showcase rare and iconic art by franchise creator Akira Toriyama for only 24 hours before the image is returned to the vault. This current image first appeared on December 18, 1987 in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #5 from 1988. Toriyama was highly regarded for his vehicle design; this latest image, seen below, parodies Japanese car manufacturer Suzuki, featuring Goku in a confident pose.
Recently revealed official Dragon Ball artwork parodies Japanese carmaker Suzuki
Shonen Jump‘S Dragon Ball Color page came with the official description: “This illustration features Goku posing on a compact SUV! The composition and design of this page bears undeniable similarities to the cover of Akira Toriyama’s one-shot manga.SONCHOH‘, which was published in the same issue. And if you look closely, you can even see the pencil notes Toriyama left above the chapter number of this amazing piece!”
Although the vehicle has the number 158 on it, this color page actually coincided with the release of Chapter 155. As the description points out, Toriyama’s note at the top left reads: “Dragon Ball – Son Goku’s Counterattack” – the title of chapter 155 (translated by Viz as “Guess Who’s Back”). Goku’s confidence in the color page is also evident in the chapter itself. In the “King Piccolo Saga”, Goku effortlessly defeats Piccolo’s son Drum, surprising not only the Namekian but even former rival and current ally Tien. Goku then dominates him throughout the chapter, ending with Piccolo speechless at the difference in their strengths.
“SONCHOH” by the Dragon Ball creator is a much lesser-known manga about a chase
The Dragon Ball The official website also provides more information about SONCHOHfrom which the Kid Goku cover is clearly inspired. Toriyama wrote this one-shot in the same Shonen Jump issue, drawn to commemorate the magazine’s circulation of 4.85 million copies. The manga tells the story of how the elder of the village of Pon-Pon, Tetsunoshin Kataiwa, pursues a man who left garbage in his car. The site adds that the story “gave Toriyama the opportunity to draw something he loves: cars.” The Dragon Ball The color page originally came from Volume 13, which can be purchased directly from VIZ and other major retailers.
Dragon Ball
Son Goku, a fighter with a monkey tail, goes with a collection of strange characters in search of the Dragon Balls, a set of crystals that can give their wearer everything he desires.
- author
- Akira Toriyama
- artist
- Akira Toriyama
- Release date
- 20 November 1984
- genre
- Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Martial Arts
- Chapter
- 519
- Volumes
- 42
- Adjustment
- Dragon Ball (1986)
- editor
- Shueisha, Madman Entertainment, Viz Media
Source: Official Dragon Ball English website
