An incredible fan art from 2021 has resurfaced on X (formally Twitter) and other social media following the unfortunate passing of Akira Toriyama, the creator of the Dragon Ball franchise. This piece of art beautifully and humorously depicts the influence that the series has had on modern anime and manga, and how much it changed the landscape of the industry forever.
Originally made by Italian artist Luciano Damiano three years ago, many users took to social media to share this art, with many of them gaining millions of views.
This wholesome illustration couldn’t be more true, as Dragon Ball has inspired countless series and is still doing so to this day. From video games to anime, the influence that the franchise has had on the entertainment industry is unmatched.
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Dragon Ball Inspired Countless Series
The illustration is set at a bonfire in front of the Kame House, with Goku in the middle telling stories to younger versions of different characters. The artist also perfectly captured the personality of each iconic character, with Bakugo bullying Usopp, Sanji gushing over the women and Ichigo stopping him, Naruto, Luffy and Midoriya being excited about the story, and Saitama not paying attention to anything happening. Vegeta is in the background with Sasuke, depicting the two introverts hanging out together and avoiding the crowd.
The series included in the fan art are Naruto, One Piece, Hunter X Hunter, Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Fairy Tail, One-Punch Man, and Seven Deadly Sins. These are some of the biggest series that Dragon Ball influenced, but there are many, many more creators who took up the pen because of Toriyama. From hilarious manga like Gintama to the action-packed Yu Yu Hakusho, the influence of Dragon Ball spans many genres and touched many creators who still reference the series in the manga.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Dragon Ball, many big-name mangaka such as Masashi Kishimoto, Hirohiko Araki, Tite Kubo, and others participated in a monthly challenge to recreate volume covers of the manga. This shows just how much he is revered and respected in the industry, and Luciano Damiano accurately portrayed that in one beautiful image. With the franchise still going strong, the next generation of manga will no doubt hold many references to one of the most influential series of all time.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- First Episode Air Date
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April 26, 1989
- Cast
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Sean Schemmel
, Laura Bailey
, Brian Drummond
, Christopher Sabat
, Scott McNeil
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