Few Hollywood adaptations of anime or manga are as reviled as 2009’sDragonball Evolution, and now, some of the original editors who worked directly with Akira Toriyama have revealed their explanation for why the movie was such a flop.
In an interview withDragon Balleditors Kazuhiko Torishima, Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, and Kazuo Enomoto, summarized by X user@Venixys, Torishima reflected thatthe real root cause ofEvolution’spoor quality is that Shueisha wouldn’t pay money to have final say over the script. The editor estimated that if Shueisha had put up about $50 million, they could have had much more influence over the final product. He goes on to say that, in his view, it is the greatest failure in Shonen Jump’s history and that he couldn’t think of a worse movie.
Dragon Ball Editor Claims Evolution To Be The Worst Mistake In Shonen Jump History
Shueisha’s Refusal To Pay For More Say Over The Movie Hurt It In The End
In terms of authorities onDragon Ball, few are as definitive as Kazuhiko Torishima. Torishima was the Shonen Jump editor who essentially discovered Toriyama, working closely with the acclaimed mangaka onDr. SlumpandDragon Ball’sfirst half. Torishima is the editor who suggested Toriyama’s manga afterDr. Slumpfocus on martial arts, so he is second only to Toriyama himself in terms ofDragon Ball’screation.
Torishima speaks with regret about the experience of the Dragon Ball Hollywood movie, explaining that the production slipped out of Japanese control because Shueisha didn’t invest enough to secure the rights to the final cut. In his view, if they had put up five billion Yen (about 50 million dollars at the time), they could have had a say in the script and the final outcome.
However, for Shueisha, such an investment was unthinkable, partly due to the failure of the film “Daijobu, My Friend”, which they had produced years earlier and which performed poorly. That experience made the film industry something of a taboo for the company at the time.
Even though it was clear that a live-action adaptation would be a complex challenge, they went ahead with it anyway, hoping Hollywood could spread Dragon Ball to a global audience. At the same time, the American edition of Shonen Jump was launched, but neither project was successful.
Torishima recalls consulting several lawyers in the U.S., who told him plainly that without investing in final cut rights, they would have no power to change anything. And that, he concludes, was the mistake.
To him, it represents the greatest failure in Shonen Jump’s history and he bluntly states that he doesn’t believe a worse film exists. He sincerely hopes the same mistake won’t be repeated with the Dragon Ball theme park in Saudi Arabia.
Given his close ties to the franchise and his attachment to maintaining Toriyama’s legacy, it makes sense that Torishima would be so incensed by Shueisha’s short-sighted decision to not invest in influencingDragonballEvolution’sfinal cut. Torishima, in general, seems to have a bone to pick with Shueisha. In the same interview, Torishima revealed that he foundShueisha’s response to Toriyama’s death disrespectful.
Despite Dragonball Evolution’s Poor Quality, It Did Have One Positive Effect
The Film’s Disastrous Reception Lit A Fire Under Toriyama
There is no doubt thatDragonball Evolutionwas an absolute disaster, both critically and financially. Despite the movie’s poor reputation, though, it may have kickstarted theDragon Ballrenaissance fans are currently enjoying. Akira Toriyama himself was so unhappy withDragonball Evolutionthat he wanted to ensure that wasn’t his franchise’s final legacy. As a result, Akira Toriyama greenlit and helped work onDragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, which in turn led toSuperand nowDaima. In a roundabout way,Dragonball EvolutionmadeDragon Ballbigger than ever.
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Despite that silver lining, though, it’s hard not to see why Torishima (and Toriyama) would be so displeased withDragonball Evolution. The film makes many changes to the source material and just doesn’t capture the goofy fun that isDragon Ball’sreal heart. The movie also fails to capture the visual appeal and style that makes the franchise so iconic. Given this, it’s no wonder that Torishima would callDragonball EvolutionShonen Jump’s worst mistake.
