Saikyo Jump magazine has revealed an impressive new entry for the ongoing Dragon Ball Super Gallery project. Takehiko Inoue, the creator of the popular basketball manga Slam Dunk, recently submitted an illustration inspired by the sports manga cover of Dragon Ball Volume 17.
First launched in September 2021, the Dragon Ball 40th Anniversary Super Gallery is a commemorative exhibition featuring artwork from over 40 renowned manga artists from across Japan. Unofficial X (formerly Twitter) news outlet Shonen Jump News recently shared Inoue's entry, which depicts Goku riding on the back of a motorcycle. Notably, Goku's facial features are drawn in an alternate style that evokes the realistic quality of Inoue's manga work. As you can see below, the back of Goku's biker jacket mirrors its official version, displaying the title of Dragon Ball alongside the words “Bird Studio” — a reference to the famous manga production company founded by Akira Toriyama in 1983.
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Inoue also modified the original design to include a poignant secret message to Dragon Ball creator Toriyama, who passed away earlier this year after suffering from an acute subdural hematoma. On Goku’s jacket sleeve, the words “Capsule Corp” are now clearly written as “Thank You.” While the change was a little hard to spot, an X-Men user named @DB_Kringer2 pointed it out to other viewers in an emotional response post.
Slam Dunk's Takehiko Inoue Shows Similar Emotions to Dragon Ball Super's Toyotarou
Inoue's “thank you” message reflects the profound impact Toriyama's death has had on a generation of modern Japanese manga artists, many of whom cite Toriyama as an inspiration for their career choices. Shortly after Toriyama's death, Dragon Ball Super illustrator Toyotarou posted a heartfelt farewell to his colleague, saying that he started drawing manga because he “wanted to be praised by Toriyama-sensei.” Toyotarou is currently working on the Dragon Ball Super “Interval Special” — a project designed to help fans pass the time until Dragon Ball Super's long-awaited return to the pages of V-Jump magazine.
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Slam Dunk remains one of the most popular sports-focused Anime & Manga
Takehiko Inoue has cemented his legacy as one of Japan’s most famous sports manga artists. Originally released in 1990, Slam Dunk follows 17-year-old Hanamichi Sakuragi, an unpopular delinquent who is constantly rejected by the girls in his class. His life changes forever when Haruko Akagi, a member of the Shohoku High School basketball team, invites him to try out for the team. Although Sakuragi believes basketball is a game for “losers,” his feelings for Haruko motivate him to try out. Once Sakuragi steps onto the court, Haruko and the other members immediately realize that he is a natural talent. With their new MVP, the team realizes that they now have a real chance to win the national championship. Toei Animation (Dragon Ball, One Piece) eventually adapted the manga into a television series, which aired from October 1993 to March 1996. Additionally, 2022 saw the release of the hugely successful film adaptation The First Slam Dunk, which grossed a total of over $279 million worldwide.
The Dragon Ball manga series is available in English on VIZ Media. The series' respective anime adaptations, Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super by Toei Animation, are available to stream on Hulu and Crunchyroll.
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
Suitability Dragon Ball (1986)
Publishing company Shueisha, Madman Entertainment, Viz Media
Extend
Slam dunk
About Sakuragi Hanamichi, a first-year student at Shohoku High School who joined the basketball team because of the girl he has a crush on, Haruko. Although he is new to the sport, he is not an ordinary basketball player.
Author Inoue Takehiko
Artist Inoue Takehiko
Release date October 1, 1990
Category Comedy, Sports
Chapter 276
Book thirty first
Publishing company Shueisha, Madman Entertainment, Viz Media, Gutsoon! Entertainment (formerly), Chuang Yi
Extend
Source: X (formerly Twitter)