Rewatching the DBS panel, there’s a few things I want to note about the subtitles. They’re fine overall but there’s a few things I think are oversimplified or left out. Going through roughly in order of importance…
When discussing the artwork for New Character 1 and 2, in Japanese Hayashida says how it’s Toriyama’s original artwork, unlike the Piccolo/Pan/etc images that have been developed into full-fledged anime designs. The subtitles instead say it was made before movie production began
Now, it might indeed be true that Toriyama would’ve made the initial artwork before movie production began, but that’s not really what Hayashida is talking about. He’s contrasting this image with the earlier ones shown of Piccolo and co, which weren’t Toriyama’s original artwork
While making this point, Hayashida and the interviewer refer back to the Piccolo and co designs a few times, but this always gets left out in the subtitles, leaving it unclear that those are examples of the “anime designs” based on Toriyama’s original art.
Again, the designs for Piccolo and co (and Piccolo’s house) were all based on Toriyama’s original designs of course, but it’s only for the new characters that we’re shown Toriyama’s untouched original artwork. That’s what Hayashida is saying here.
A related mistake (or oversimplification) occurs when describing the design of Piccolo’s house. Hayashida says how this is an image board made by remaking Toriyama’s design for anime use. The subtitles instead say Toriyama sent them the image board, which was then redesigned.
In other words: Toriyama doesn’t make image boards. The anime staff makes image boards based on what Toriyama sends them. Also, the term in question is 美術ボード (art board), if that makes a difference for the production-minded among you.
Speaking of this scenery image, when the interviewer tries guessing where it is, he notes it looks like the sort of place where battles are often fought in the series. In Japanese Hayashida says “let me tell you the answer” then reveals it’s the area around Piccolo’s house…
…The subtitles have Hayashida’s answer as “you’re close”, making it sound like a battle will indeed happen there in the movie, which I wouldn’t really say is implied by Hayashida’s Japanese answer (or at least not nearly as much).
When they discuss Kuririn’s eyes being de-skinned, Hayashida says it was Iyoku who requested during the development process to fix the eye coloring to match Toriyama’s. This gets glossed over in the subs.
Iyoku says that the most important thing Toriyama did for the movie was make the script. The subtitles have this as "creating a story is the most important part of making a movie", without specifying that this is what Toriyama did.
Still, Toriyama writing the script gets mentioned again later on anyway, so it’s not like the subtitles omit this aspect entirely. But it still seems odd to make the initial statement so vague.
On that note: Iyoku says Toriyama began the new movie’s script while DBS: Broly’s production was still ongoing. The subtitles say he was “on the set” of DBS: Broly, but his physical presence isn’t really implied by the Japanese (and do animated films really have “sets”…?)
I mean, I’m sure Toriyama visited the Toei studies at some point during DBS: Broly’s production, but I think most of his script-writing was does at home (and again, they don’t mention him being “on set” in Japanese)
When talking about how Pan plays an “integral part” in the movie, the word used is 活躍, the same word Toriyama uses to describe the “unexpected”character in his comment. Maybe a sign that Pan is indeed who Toriyama meant? But not hard proof, of course.
There’s various other minor stuff, but those are the only things I noticed that seem worth mentioning.
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Toyotaro’s postscript for DBS vol.24 details the creation process of the ch.104 one-shot: originally this was a text prologue he got from Toriyama, which he revised and put into manga form. And now the Super Hero arc is really, truly done: “Look forward to future developments!”
Toriyama also designed the Red Pharmaceutical Company air truck for the Super Hero arc epilogue:
Toyotaro’s vol.24 author’s comment explains how Toriyama’s corrections were typically about how manga ought to be, rather than simply how DB should be. He was a manga artist above all. “I will never forget the approach to manga which sensei taught me, and continue to do my best!”
Dragon Ball Daima, ep.20: it’s the end, but the moment has been prepared for. The fight with Gomah is samey but looks amazing and is over soon enough for Kuu to ascend the Iron Throne, plus other fun wrap-up stuff. Thanks for everything Toriyama, and farewell. #DAIMA #ep20
Since Daima airs at 11:40 PM in Japan, the final episode on February 28th ended right as the date ticked over into March 1st, marking the one year anniversary of Toriyama’s death. So far there’s no word on if this was intentional on the part of the production team, though.
The title ゼンカイ/Zenkai comes from 全開, meaning “full power”, hence the translation “Maximun” (see also the DBZ ending theme ZENKAI Power). I’ll give it another week, but if there’s no further clues on the red letters, I’ll assume it was just about using all 20 dakuten letters
Executive producer Akio Iyoku discusses Daima’s origin: 6 years ago during DBS: Super Hero’s production, they decided to do a new TV series. At first Toriyama’s involvement was going to be minimal, but he really got into it, creating most of it in the end. mantan-web.jp/article/202502…
Iyoku says Daima was intended as a show that parents could watch with their children, so it was made to appeal both to kids and adults in their 30s who were kids back when DBGT first aired. So yes, making Goku and co kids was specifically done to appeal to the GT generation.
While making Goku a kid was seen as making the series accessible to a wider audience, it was Toriyama’s idea to turn the entire main cast into kids too. Toriyama was also concerned many people wouldn’t know DB’s story, hence the general overview at the start of each Daima episode
It’s already November 20th in Japan, which means Dragon Ball has officially reached its 40th anniversary. In case you weren’t paying attention and/or born at the time, here are some highlights from the first 40 years of DB history… #DragonBall40th
1984: gag manga superstar Akira Toriyama concludes megahit Dr. Slump, and in November debuts its follow-up in Weekly Jump. This Journey to the West-inspired kung-fu adventure kicks off as inventor girl Bulma recruits monkey boy Goku to track down the titular dragon balls.
1985: after last year’s tail-end teaser, things begin in earnest. The initial “quest for the dragon balls” arc wraps up in May, and Toriyama shifts gears to a tournament arc (always a fan favorite in his Dr. Slump days) with the lecherous Roshi and Goku’s new cueball-esque BFF.
According to Bunshun Online, Dragon Room head honcho Akio Iyoku has stepped down from Shueisha and established his own company, Capsule Corporation Tokyo. Supposedly he wants Shueisha to keep DB’s manga publishing rights but for CC Tokyo to handle DB games/anime/etc.
As you might imagine, Shueisha is reluctant to part with DB to any extent, and negotiations are still ongoing. According to this article, anyway. Shueisha has apparently confirmed that Iyoku is stepping down, but not confirmed any of the particulars so far.
Bunshun Online reached out to Toriyama and asked if he would be working with Iyoku in future, but Toriyama said he couldn’t comment publicly, only through Shueisha. He also said the company name “Capsule Corporation Tokyo” was Iyoku’s idea, not his own.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai ep.41: Pissed Myst’s great and the logistics of Dai’s sword are interesting, while the castle’s just there to be knocked down. But it knocks down well. 4/5 #DragonQuest#ep41