This was the last interview given by Akira Toriyama, who remembered his colleague and reflected on the success he had with Dragonball.
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| Dragon Ball |
A few days ago, the world had to learn the news of the passing of Akira Toriyama, author of Dragon Ball. After his passing, fans wondered what the future of the work would be and mourned the iconic artist who marked the childhood and growth of millions of people. Akira Toriyama: “One of my most unforgettable memories in animation work is when I met the late animator Toyo Ashida” His last lifetime achievement award was awarded to Akira Toriyama in December 2023. The artist was supposed to collect the award but, given his passing, the award body published an interview with Toriyama before the event.
“To be honest, I've never had much interest in anime, and even when my work has been made in animated format, I feel embarrassed to admit that I haven't watched much of it. Apologies to the staff. About 10 years ago, some blue came out, I was asked to review the script for the Dragon Ball animated film, and I drew some simple drawings for the characters and backgrounds. I thought: 'I can leave the difficult parts to the staff' (laughs).
“One of my most unforgettable memories in animation work is when I met the late animator Toyo Ashida for an anime project called “Kosuke-sama Rikimaru-sama”, produced for Shonen Jump Original. This project didn't have a manga, so a meeting was held. He was a lovely person and we bonded immediately, and every time I saw his drawing style, I was moved by his careful and quick touch.”
I thought, “Okay, I think I need this kind of touch to speed up the drawing process and make Dragon Ball a lot smoother.” Drawing time has been reduced to about two-thirds of what it was before. We influenced each other in many ways and I think it was a really fulfilling time. I pray for Ashida-san's soul. This was the last interview given by Akira Toriyama, who remembered his colleague and reflected on the success he had with Dragonball, before his passing.
Source: Comicbook
