Few can question the title seven dragon pearls when it premiered in North America, but according to the series’ author, the Z in the title could have a darker meaning, which confirms a controversial theory. The Dragon Ball franchise is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary, and that might come as a surprise to series creator Akira Toriyama, who never planned for it to grow into a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. world as it has become.
Although Toriyama was not heavily involved in the production of the Dragon Ball Z anime, he still serves as a consultant, advisor, and critic. He’s still called in from time to time during movie production, such as when introducing new characters or storylines that aren’t in the manga. Apparently, Toriyama’s quest for the manga and his additional quest for the anime added to his desire to end Dragon Ball. This was most evident when he chose to add the letter “Z” to the title of the second anime series designed to adapt the Second Part of the manga.
Z represents how Toriyama completed Dragon Ball
In a 2003 interview with the main illustrator Katsuyoshi Nakatsuri of the Dragon Ball anime, Toriyama was asked why he wanted to add the letter “Z”. He replied: “’Z’ is the last letter of the alphabet, isn’t it? Anyway, from that moment on, I really wanted to end the manga so I named the title “Z” which means “that’s all, everyone”. In retrospect, Toriyama’s statement about the meaning of the letter “Z” is fascinating. When Dragon Ball Z came out in April 1989, the manga was at Chapter #195. It would continue for another six years and 324 chapters. Furthermore, in addition to the Dragon Ball Z anime, the manga also featured many movies, TV specials, and two sequels in Dragon Ball GT and later Dragon Ball Super.
Fans have long theorized that Toriyama has lost interest in Dragon Ball, and this quote almost confirms it. While Toriyama may not be as passionate about Dragon Ball’s success as his fan base, it’s important to note Toriyama’s sense of humour. No matter how much Toriyama jokes about the Z signifying finiteness, it is clear that the famous creator still has some respect for his most famous series. Toriyama was so angry with Dragon Ball: Evolution that he eventually gave the green light to Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods and has since helped craft the story of Dragon Ball Super.
Still, Toriyama’s desire for “Z” is a signal that the Dragon Ball franchise is entering a twilight phase with Shenron clearly over everyone’s head. In the end, Dragon Ball Z was just the beginning of a media empire that is still going strong to this day. Consider the level of influence seven dragon pearls turned out to be in the expansion of the franchise, even Toriyama must accept the immense irony of the title.
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Source: Dragon Ball Z Son Goku Dessitu