Dragon Ball's eccentric genius Bulma has been given new life thanks to a newly revealed mid-80s illustration that features two of creator Akira Toriyama's greatest passions: adventure and mecha design.
A nearly 40-year-old color illustration of Goku and Bulma has resurfaced as part of the ongoing Toriyama Archives series on the official Dragon Ball website, which revealed old and rare Toriyama artwork for just 24 hours before the images were returned to the archives. This recent version is the title page of Dragon Ball Chapter 93, which was published in Weekly Shonen Jump 1986 Issue 43 on September 23, 1986. Goku and Bulma have set off on their latest adventure, with the former riding the Kinto'un (thr Flying Nimbus) and the latter riding her “unique” creation—what looks like a fighter jet, now converted into a motorized scooter. Readers can check it out below.
Dragon Ball and Sand Land Both Reveal Akira Toriyama's Passion for Mecha Design
The Dragon Ball website gave this description along with the illustration: “In a previous interview, Akira Toriyama has said that he has the most fun creating original mech designs! Highlighting his passion and creativity, this detailed illustration shows Bulma riding a unique weapon that transforms into a plane!” Toriyama’s love of mechs was most recently seen again in V Jump’s recent “SAND LAND MASTER MECHANICAL PLAN” — a collection of concept art and references for the Sand Land anime and game, some of which can be seen above. The book also features Toriyama’s notes and other work published for the first time.
Despite the bigger battles and bigger risks in the later Dragon Ball arc, Bulma's ingenuity, showcased in color illustrations, is central to the series as a whole. CBR's 10 Times Bulma Was the Smartest Dragon Ball Character explores her genius in detail, with notable highlights including not only designing her own mechs but also helping save the world via Trunks' Time Machine—not to mention her Dragon Radar, to which much of the cast owes their lives.
This color illustration appears in Dragon Ball Volume 8, available in North America via VIZ Media. It takes place during the Red Ribbon Army Arc and is described as follows: “Tired of losing their best agents to Son Goku, the commanders of the Red Ribbon Army hire Taopaipai, the world’s greatest assassin, to “take care” of him for good! To stand a chance at defeating this new rival, Goku must climb the mile-high Karin Tower, where a mysterious hermit guards a potion of magical water that will grant its drinker superhuman strength. And as Goku struggles to obtain the magical water, time is running out… because Commander Red only needs two more Dragon Balls to make his deepest, darkest wishes come true!”
Dragon Ball
Son Goku, a monkey-tailed warrior, along with a group of other strange characters, set out on a quest to find the Dragon Balls, a set of crystals that can grant the owner anything they desire.
Author Akira Toriyama
Artist Akira Toriyama
Release date November 20, 1984 Category Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Martial Arts
Chapter 519
Book 42
Adaptation Dragon Ball
Publishing house Shueisha, Madman Entertainment, Viz Media
Extend
Source: Dragon Ball Official Website
