Dragon Ball Super Is a Great Manga, But Akira Toriyama's Original Editor Admits It Is Missing Something

Toyotaro, the artist who worked with the late Akira Toriyama in the Dragon Ball Super manga, has a unique and rare talent. His drawings have helped the adventures of Goku feel exciting, with millions of fans worldwide praising his work. Despite a small portion of the fandom saying otherwise, he has proven to be an incredible successor to Kakarot’s beloved creator.

Nonetheless, according to Kazuhiko Torishima, Toriyama’s original and trusted editor, his work is still missing an important detail to be as good as the original. Torisihima recently revised Toyotaro’s work and gave his honest impressions, letting the current artist know that he could still improve.

Toriyama’s Original Editor Gives His Opinions on Toyotaro’s Work

During Jump Festa 2025, Torishima, who worked for years as the main editor of the Dragon Ball franchise, and before that for Dr. Slump, studied the work of Toyotaro as the main artist in the series. Toriyama’s confidant revised the drawing of chapter #103 of the Super manga, the battle between Gohan's latest and most powerful form, Beast, and Goku in particular. After analyzing the work, Torishima commented that Toyotaro’s pages were missing the most vital cut of all. While fans are not quite sure what he might mean, many speculate that his comments could be referring to the lack of panels explaining the position of the characters.

Another portion of the fandom speculates that the editor refers to Toyotaro’s fast-paced battles, which often do not depict the characters preparing to attack. Torishima continued by stating that he wanted to give his opinions directly, implying that he respects the artist enough to be frank. Lastly, he stated that the lack of these important moments was a shame, letting fans know that this crucial detail is one of the only flaws he can find in the manga. The post made by the editor was translated by the user @Herms98 on X.

Torishima Is a Huge Part of Dragon Ball's (and Shonen Jump's) Success

He Was Far More Than Toriyama’s Trusted Editor

Torishima is one of the most celebrated figures in the world of manga, having worked in the industry since 1976. His career did not begin by editing for Toriyama, as he was already involved in this world long before the beloved author became famous. Nonetheless, his rise to fame did initiate in 1978, when he read one of Toriyama’s first one-shots, which was submitted for a Weekly Shonen Jump contest. After noticing the talent Toriyama had, he began working with him, with the two successfully creating the Dr. Slump manga series in 1980.

The editor was also vital for the publication of the beloved Dragon Ball series, considered one of the best manga in the world. He worked tirelessly with Toriyama to convince the executives in charge of Shonen Jump magazine to approve the story. He remained a close friend and confidant of Toriyama for many years after that, despite not continuing his work on the manga series after 1992. His contributions to this world-famous manga should always be celebrated, as Goku’s adventure would not be the same without him guiding the author.

Torishima’s words, while harsh, are likely to inspire Toyotaro to continue improving while he works on the return of Dragon Ball Super. His advice might be perceived once the series resumes its publication with the upcoming special one-shot. Overall, while Torishima has become infamous for his blunt and controversial opinions on the industry, he is still a fundamental piece of Dragon Ball's iconic legacy.

Sources: @KosoKoso_hoso (X)