Summary
Dragon Ball Supermay be nominally written by Akira Toriyama, but the series' artist, Toyotarou, has actually had a surprising impact on the series in a way that most artists rarely do. In fact, Toyotarou was responsible for one of the most hype moments of the series, from the Future Trunks arc.
Dragon Ball Super’sFuture Trunks arcrevolved around the mysterious appearance of a figure who looked exactly like Goku, but whose actions were so evil as to make it clear that this definitely wasn’t Goku. Named Goku Black, he set about destroying Future Trunks' world, and it was eventually revealed that Goku Black was actually a Kai in training from Universe 10, Zamasu, who had stolen Goku’s body. Zamasu’s goal was to purge the universe of mortals, aiming to create a perfect world free of the barbarism that mortals put on display.
With divine power on his side, Zamasu and Goku Black posed an incredible threat, not only to Future Trunks' world, but to the greater universe.
The Future Trunks Arc’s Best Moment Was Toyotarou’s Idea
Zamasu Was Originally Defeated Without Fusion
In an interview fromDragon Ball Supervolume 4,as translated by the fan site Kanzenshuu, Toriyama and Toyotarou were asked about any difficult points in the writing of the Future Trunks arc. Toyotarou explained, “[Merged] Zamasu actually wasn’t all that strong of a character in the original draft I received from Toriyama-sensei. Though immortal, his strength was such that two Super Saiyan Blues were more than enough to take him on. It’s precisely because of this that in the original draft things unfolded so that his ‘immortality’ and ‘Potara time limit’ became key, and Goku and Vegeta took turns fighting him.Goku and Vegeta didn’t fuse in the original draft.”
As a fan himself, Toyotarou wanted to deliver on what fans wanted to see, and suggested that Zamasu be much stronger–so much so that it would essentially forceGoku and Vegeta to fuse into Vegitofor the first time since the Buu saga. Toriyama was supportive of the changes, and so Toyotarou elaborated on the scenes surrounding Merged Zamasu, ultimately giving fans the version that they know today. Goku and Vegeta fusing once again was certainly an exciting moment, and what better enemy to force such a fusion than one who is literally an immortal god?
The original version, as described by Toyotarou, certainly would’ve been less interesting than seeing Vegito once again, and it fits so naturally into the story, what with its connection to the Potara Earrings, that it’s hard to imagine a completed version without seeing the pair of Saiyans fuse. If this is the kind of story that Toyotarou was already telling based on Akira Toriyama’s original, then it seems like Toyotarou had already become a key player in developing the story even at this relatively early stage in the manga. With Toriyama now gone and a need for someone to carry the torch, Toyotarou seems more than ready to take overDragon Ball Super.
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.
