Beyond Dragon Ball: Exploring Akira Toriyama’s Short Story Gems
Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball series isn’t just a global phenomenon; it’s a monument to his storytelling and artistic genius. While Goku’s adventures are widely celebrated, Toriyama’s lesser-known short stories offer a fascinating glimpse into the breadth of his creativity. These tales, often quirky and always imaginative, reveal the diversity of his narratives. Let’s delve into some of these hidden treasures, including one that almost changed the Dragon Ball saga forever!
1. Ken no Sukesama (Lord Swordsman)
Imagine a kindergarten prodigy with sword skills that rival seasoned warriors. That’s Shinnosuke, the protagonist of Ken no Sukesama. This delightful short manga, adapted into an animated work in 1990, follows Shinnosuke’s elaborate preparations for a date with a girl named Afin. He meticulously plans every detail, but fate throws a wrench in his plans when his car takes an unexpected plunge into a river. Afin is left waiting, a comedic end to a tale of meticulous planning gone awry.
2. Mr. Ho
Set in the aftermath of a civil war in a fictional land, Mr. Ho introduces us to a former Northern soldier who stumbles into a Southern town simmering with resentment. Investigating the unrest, Mr. Ho discovers that a rogue Northern soldier named Qi Yiwei and his gang have been terrorizing the locals. Mr. Ho, with his Yamcha-like appearance, takes matters into his own hands, liberating the town and, unexpectedly, finding love. This similarity to Yamcha has led to speculation that Mr. Ho might have been a prototype for the Dragon Ball character.
3. PINK
In a parched and desperate town where water is a precious commodity ruthlessly controlled by the “Silver Silver Company,” we meet Pink, a water thief fighting for the survival of her community. Blue, a security officer tasked with stopping her, finds himself drawn into Pink’s cause. His investigation uncovers a shocking secret: the Silver Silver Company has imprisoned the rain god, causing the devastating drought. Justice prevails as Blue frees the rain god, bringing much-needed relief to the town, and finds love with Pink. The story aptly names each character after a color, highlighting the central theme.
4. Pola & Roid
Roid, a space taxi driver, answers a call from Pola, only to find himself in a heap of trouble. Attacked by local patrolmen, his ship crashes, leading him to Pola. She explains that the tyrannical ruler, Gangber, wants their spaceship. To escape, they must confront his army. Initially hesitant, Roid’s confidence grows upon realizing he is physically stronger than the planet’s inhabitants. He defeats Gangber, rescues two stranded apes, and takes them back to Earth! On their journey, Toriyama throws in humorous encounters:
- They encounter the hilarious space pirates from Dr. Slump who are easily scared away when someone impersonates Arale.
- Upon arriving on Earth, the time-travel function is accidentally activated, sending them to prehistoric times, where the apes decide stay becoming know as Adam and Eve.
5. COWA!
Set in Bat Cape, a village populated by monsters, COWA! tells a tale of friendship and courage. When a deadly “monster flu” threatens to decimate the population, a mischievous boy named Paifu decides to find a cure by visiting a witch on Owl Mountain. He enlists the help of Maruyama Makoto, a sumo wrestler, leading to a warmhearted journey of friendship.
6. Sand Land
In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by human folly and natural disasters, Sand Land introduces us to the gritty reality of survival in a vast desert. Humans and demons coexist in a world where water is scarce. The demon prince Beelzebub, a monster named Thief, and the human security officer Rao team up find “Phantom Spring,” a legendary water source. They soon discover that a dam built by the greedy king is the reason for the drought. The heroes destroy the dam and restore the water supply.
7. Kajika
Kajika, a powerful member of a tribe, is cursed into a fox-human hybrid state. To break the curse, he must save 1000 lives. While attempting to help a girl, Kajika seeks to anger the bandit leader, Ginbachi, who seeks to have the dinosaur egg in Haya’s possession. Ginbachi hires Elon, another tribe member for the Kawa’s, to stop Kajika. After hatching the dinosaur egg hatches the dinosaur and Haya fall in Ginbachi’s hands. Ginbachi becomes incredibly powerful after drinking dinosaur blood. Just one life away from becoming uncured, he rushes to save it. And after saving it, Kajika’s power surges.
8. Neko Majin Z
Neko Majin Z is a hilarious parody of Dragon Ball. Majin Z is the stories protagonist, and he resembles a cat. He also possess great strength, including the ability to transform into a Super Saiyan. All planetary travelers are often tricked into have a photo taken of them usually by members of Frieza’s army even.
9. Jaco the Galactic Patrolman
Set in the Dragon Ball Universe, Jaco the Galactic Patrolman introduces us to Tights who is Bulma’s older sister. In accidental crash landing, Jaco is in need of large piles of money. He prepares to eliminate that alien to stop the Earth from destruction. That alien is none other than everyone’s favorite character, Goku. If the spaceship was detected things would have been different.
Toriyama’s short stories are further testament to how much talent that Toriyama possessed.