was a Japanese manga artist and character designer. He first achieved mainstream recognition for creating the popular manga series Dr. Slump (1980–1984), before going on to create Dragon Ball (1984–1995); his most famous work.
Following its conclusion, Toriyama continued drawing manga, predominantly one-shots and short (100–200-page) serials, including Cowa! (1997–1998), Kajika (1998), and Sand Land (2000). 2013's Jaco the Galactic Patrolman was the last manga he wrote and illustrated entirely by himself. Toriyama also collaborated with other manga artists, such as Masakazu Katsura and Eiichiro Oda, to produce one-shots and crossover shorts. He began Dragon Ball Super with illustrator Toyotarou in 2015, and continued to work on the manga until his death in 2024.
Toriyama also created numerous character designs for various video games such as the Dragon Quest series (1986–2024), Chrono Trigger (1995), Blue Dragon (2006), and some Dragon Ball video games. He also designed several characters and mascots for Shueisha's, his career-long employer and Japan's largest publishing company, various manga magazines.
Besides manga-related works, Toriyama also created various illustrations, album covers, book covers, mascots and logos.
Works
Manga NameYearNotes1977Unpublished, submission for Monthly Young Jump Award. Printed in 1983 in Toriyama's fan club newsletter, Bird Land Press # 5 & 6.1978Unpublished, submission for Monthly Young Jump Award. Printed in 1982 in Toriyama's fan club newsletter, Bird Land Press # 3 & 4.1978One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1978 #521978One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump January 1979 Special Issue 1979One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump April Special Issue 1979One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump August Special Issue 1980–1984236 chapters in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1980 #5/6 – 1984 #39, assembled into 18 , reassembled into 9 aizoban in 1990, 9 bunkoban in 1995, and 15 kanzenban in 2006Pola & Roid1981One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1981 #17; Toriyama's winning entry in the 1981 Reader's Choice competitionEscape1981One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump January 1982 Special Issue Mad Matic1982One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1982 #12; Toriyama's entry in the 1982 Reader's Choice competitionPink1982One-shot in Fresh Jump December 1982 issueHetappi Manga Kenkyūjo1982–19841 tankōbon originally serialized in Fresh Jump, drawing lesson co-authored with Akira SakumaChobit1983One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump; Toriyama's entry in the 1983 Reader's Choice competition Chobit 21983One-shot in Fresh Jump June 1983 issue19832 one-shots in Fresh Jump August and October 1983 issues1983One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump Akira Toriyama's Manga Theater Vol. 119831 tankōbon, collects previously published one-shots Dragon Ball1984–1995519 chapters and one extra chapter in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1984 #51 – 1995 #25, compiled into 42 tankōbon, reassembled into 34 kanzenban in 2002 with an altered ending, and 18 sōshūhen in 20161986One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1986 #49 Lady Red1987One-shot in Super Jump #2 1987One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1987 #381987One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1988 #51988One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump Akira Toriyama's Manga Theater Vol. 219881 tankōbon, collects previously published one-shots1989One-shot in Weekly Shōnen JumpRocky1989Four-page one-shot in , a doujinshi by manga artist Neko Jyu Jisha that collects works by different artists.Wolf1990One-shot, published in the art book Akira Toriyama: The World1990–19913 one-shots in V JumpDub & Peter 11992–19934 one-shots in V JumpGo! Go! Ackman1993–199411 one-shots in V Jump1996Two chapters in Weekly Shōnen JumpTokimecha1996–1997Three chapters in Weekly Shōnen Jump1997One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1997 #22/23; Toriyama's winning entry in the revived Jump Readers' Cup '97 competitionAkira Toriyama's Manga Theater Vol. 319971 tankōbon, collects previously published one-shotsCowa!1997–199814 chapters serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump, collected in 1 tankōbonKajika199812 chapters serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump, collected in 1 tankōbon1999One-shot in Weekly Shōnen JumpNeko Majin1999–20053 one-shots in Weekly Shōnen Jump and 5 one-shots in Monthly Shōnen Jump, collected into 1 kanzenban 2000One-shot drawn entirely on a computer for E-Jump, a special edition of Weekly Shōnen Jump focusing on electronics.Sand Land200014 chapters serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump, collected into 1 tankōbon20061 chapter of , Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo and Dragon Ball crossover with Osamu Akimoto for 30th anniversary of Kochikame.Cross Epoch2006One-shot in Weekly Shōnen Jump, Dragon Ball and One Piece crossover with Eiichiro Oda2007One-shot in Monthly Shōnen Jump2008One-shot in Jump SQ, art by Masakazu KatsuraAkira Toriyama Mankanzenseki Vol. 120081 bunkoban, collects previously published one-shots Akira Toriyama Mankanzenseki Vol. 220081 bunkoban, collects previously published one-shots2009One-shot in the pamphlet for the NPO Rural Society Project's "Project 2030" initiative; notable for being Toriyama's only officially released manga not published by Shueisha. Assisted by former assistant Takashi Matsuyama.2009–20103 chapters in Weekly Young Jump, art by Masakazu Katsura2010One-shot in Weekly Shōnen JumpJaco the Galactic Patrolman201311 chapters serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump, collected into 1 tankōbon20141 volume, art by Masakazu Katsura, collects previously published one-shots Dragon Ball Super2015–2024Original concept and story outline, with some storyboards and dialogue. Currently serialized in V Jump, art and dialogue by Toyotarou, collected into 24 tankōbon
Art books
. .
Anime
Crusher Joe (1983, film) – designed the MAX 310 space station – original concept, script, and character designs Imagination Science World Gulliver Boy (1995, television series) – mechanical designs Dragon Ball GT (1996–1997, television series) – character designs, title, and logo Dragon Ball: Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return!! (2008, short film) – original concept and story concept Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (2013, film) – original concept, story, and character designs Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' (2015, film) – original concept, screenplay, character designs, and title Dragon Ball Super (2015–2018, television series) – original concept, story, character designs, and title Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018, film) – original concept, screenplay, and character designs Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022, film) – original concept, screenplay, and character designs Sand Land: The Series (2024, original net animation) – original concept, "Tenshi no Yūsha" story arc, and designed the characters Anne and Muniel Dragon Ball Daima (2024–2025, television series) – original concept, story, and character designs
Video games
Dragon Quest series (1986–TBA) – character designs, package illustrations Dragon Ball: Shenlong no Nazo (1986) – designed several characters including Famicom Jump II: Saikyō no Shichinin (1991) – designed the character Dragon Ball Z (1993) – designed the game's cabinet Dragon Ball Z: V.R.V.S. (1994) – designed the character Chrono Trigger (1995) – character and setting designs. Alongside Toei Animation, he and his studio also created the animated cutscenes for the 1999 PlayStation port. Super Momotaro Dentetsu DX (1995) – designed the character Tobal No. 1 (1996) – character designs Tobal 2 (1997) – character designs Blue Dragon (2006) – character designs, and voices the character Blue Dragon Plus (2008) – character designs Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow (2009) – character designs and voices the character Toripo Dragon Ball Heroes (2010) – supervised the design and setting, and designed the three Freeza clan characters Chōsoku Henkei Gyrozetter (2012) – designed the Beeman 500SS character Dragon Ball FighterZ (2018) – designed the character Android 21 Dragon Ball Legends (2018) – designed the characters and Jump Force (2019) – designed several original characters Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot (2020) – designed the character Bonyū Fantasian (2021) – designed a diorama used to create a level
Shueisha
Weekly Shōnen Jump (1988) – designed the magazine's 20th anniversary character , who later appeared in the video game Famicom Jump: Hero Retsuden V Jump (1990) – designed the magazine's character, who later appeared in the video games Dragon Quest X (2012), Gaist Crusher (2013), and Monster Strike (2014). Weekly Jump F-1 Club (1990) – designed the Weekly Shōnen Jump column's mascot character V-Net (1994) – designed the Weekly Shōnen Jump column's mascot characters and Souvenirs entomologiques (Jean-Henri Fabre book, 1996) – cover illustrations for the Shueisha Bunko edition of the Japanese translation Shueisha (2002) – designed the character for the 25th anniversary of Shueisha Bunko – designed the V Jump column's logo Jump Shop (2005) – designed the Weekly Shōnen Jump online shop's character Weekly Shōnen Jump (2009) – designed the magazine's website's character My Jump (2016) – designed the mobile app's and characters
Other works
Apache (1977) – designed the jeans store's mascot Fuel Album (George Tokoro album, 1981) – insert illustration Polkadot Magic (Mami Koyama album, 1984) – album cover and lyrics to "Crilla" and "Helicopter" Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens (1984) – designed the logo for the zoo's koala exhibit Fine Molds (1985) – illustrated packaging, instructions, and design of the German Infantry Woman Lisa model kit – cover illustration Fine Molds (1991) – designed the model maker's mascot Super Sense Story (Honda road safety brochure, 1991) – character designs Fine Molds (1994) – designed seven of their World Fighter Collection line of models kits, including packaging and instructions WWII German Waffen-SS Soldier WWII U.S. Army Infantryman -The China Incident- Imperial Japanese Army Infantryman First Class Private Ohshimizu WWII U.S.S.R. Army Infantry Woman The Gulf War U.S. Army Infantry Woman Sandy WWII German Army Infantryman Meyer Japan Ground Self Defense Force Member Infantryman Sergeant Unoya Bitch's Life Illustration File (art book, 2001) – illustration – wrote and illustrated the book QVOLT (electric car, 2005) – designed the automobile "Rule/Sparkle" (Ayumi Hamasaki single, 2006) – an illustration of Ayumi Hamasaki as Son Goku printed on the single's CD and DVD – an illustration of Chiaki for the cover Invade (Jealkb album, 2011) – album cover Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2014) – an illustration of Sun Wukong for a poster for the film's Japanese release Dr. Mashirito's Ultimate Manga Techniques (Kazuhiko Torishima book, 2023) – book cover Kiyosu (2024) – designed the logo for the city's 20th anniversary
References