An illustration bursting from the past gives Dragon Ball fans a huge dose of nostalgia. In a now archived post, it was revealed that Akira Toriyama had created special promotional artwork for 1985's The NeverEnding Story.
Those who visited the official Dragon Ball website on April 8 may have seen a rare gem from Toriyama Archives, a trivia site dedicated to old and rare images related to the franchise commercial. The page is refreshed with a new discovery every 24 hours, making April 8's featured post even more special. “Released on February 5, 1985,” the website reads. “This illustration was created for a feature article about the hit 1985 film The NeverEnding Story. This image of Goku riding a dragon was posted alongside a photo of one of the main characters riding a white dragon.” The caption immediately made sense to fans of The NeverEnding Story, a lasting tale of the friendship between Atreyu and Falkor the Luck Dragon.
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Dragon Ball's Akira Toriyama is a fan of the 1984 never-ending saga
The archive image features original artwork by Akira Toriyama, whose body of work continues to inspire anime fans and creators. A young Goku rides an orange dragon in the illustration, which, it is noted, was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump 1985 issue 10. As reported on Kanzenshuu, that issue featured a five-page spread about The Never Ending Story with Toriyama. Self-portraits and comments on the film. “I was impressed by how they translated such a seemingly difficult story to the screen,” he wrote. “It's a bit leisurely but I think that fits perfectly with the fantasy genre. I really enjoyed the movie!” The page also has a sensational headline that reads “From movies to comics, dragons are taking over the stage!”
This image also appeared in the first Daizenshuu (Complete Illustration) in 1995 and Dragon Ball Chogashu: Super Art Collection. Both publications noted that the illustration was used in a feature article discussing the popularity of dragons in manga and movies. Dictionary.com offers an exhaustive list of pop culture references to the subject, including Smaug from The Hobbit, Mushu from Mulan, Godzilla's King Ghidorah, Falkor and of course, Shenron from the series Dragon Ball movie. Toriyama himself has left a lasting legacy in the field with contributions that extend far beyond manga, anime, and JRPGs.
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Dragon Ball is widely celebrated as one of the most successful media franchises of all time. It debuted as a manga serial in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1985, followed by anime adaptations (Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z) that ran from 1986 to 1996. The franchise continues to earn has attracted international attention since the series was first released; The manga is currently sold in about 40 countries, while the anime has been broadcast in more than 80 countries.
Hulu and Crunchyroll stream Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball Super in major regions, while VIZ Media publishes the manga in English. The NeverEnding Story is available to stream on Prime Video and Apple TV+.
Dragon ball
Son Gokû, a warrior with a monkey's tail, goes on a quest with a host of oddball characters to find the Dragon Balls, a set of crystals that can grant its bearer anything they desire.
Author Akira Toriyama
Artist Akira Toriyama
Release date November 20, 1984 Category Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Martial Arts
chap 519
practice 42
Adaptation Dragon ball
Publishing company Shueisha, Madman Entertainment, Viz Media
Source: Dragon Ball official website, Kanzenshuu