Dragon Ballis one of Japan’s most successful anime and manga franchises. With over 260 million manga copies sold worldwide and a massively popular anime spanning decades, it seems unstoppable. And yet,there was a time whenDragon Ballstumbled badly on the global stage. The 2009 movieDragonball Evolution, starring Justin Chatwin as Goku and James Marsters as Piccolo, was a colossal failure with fans, critics, and at the box office. Even worse, it reinforced the perception that live-action adaptations of anime could not be done well—a sentiment that only began to shift with Netflix’s successfulOne Pieceseries in 2023.
Now, ina new video interviewwith Kazuhiko Torishima, former editor-in-chief ofShonen Jumpand founding editor for landmark Akira Toriyama series likeDr. SlumpandDragon Ball, we finally get a sense ofhow theDragonball Evolutiondisaster looked from the inside—and the damage control efforts that followed.
Torishima’s Regret: “One of My Biggest Mistakes”
A Past Failure Casts a Long Shadow
In this candid interview,Torishima expressed deep regret over the Hollywood adaptation ofDragon Ball, describing it as one of the most significant professional missteps of his career. According to him, the project quickly spun out of Japan’s control because the publisher, Shueisha, failed to invest enough money to retain final cut authority. Had the company committed around five billion yen—approximately $50 million at the time—they could have had meaningful input on the script and final product.
However, Torishima notes that such a financial commitment was seen as out of the question for Shueisha. He attributes this hesitancy to the lingering trauma ofDaijoubu, My Friend—a strange 1983 Japanese film inspired byE.T.that flopped badly. That failure left a lasting stigma around film production within the company.
Chasing Global Reach Despite the Risks
The Legal Warning That Went Unheeded
Despite understanding the risks of adaptingDragon Ballinto live action, they proceeded, hoping that a Hollywood release could introduce the franchise to a wider global audience. Around the same period, Shueisha also launched the U.S. version ofShonen Jump, another ambitious move aimed at reaching Western fans.
Torishima recalls seeking legal advice in the U.S., only to be warned that without final cut rights,Shueisha would have no real say in how the film turned out. That, he reflects, was the fatal error that led toDragonball Evolution’s spectacular artistic and financial failure.
A Box Office Miss in Disguise
A Painful Legacy and a Hopeful Future
Dragonball Evolutionhad a production budget of around $30 million and made about $58.2 million at the global box office. But despite technically earning more than it cost to make, it’s still seen as a box office flop. That’s because the budget doesn’t include marketing and distribution costs. In the end,the film likely didn’t even break evenand ended up losing money, not to mention disappointing a lot of fans.
Yoko Kawanami, a Classic Dragon Ball Z Actress, Dies at 67
Yoko Kawanami, a beloved actor from Dragon Ball’s classic era, has passed away.
Looking back, Torishima calls the Hollywood adaptationthe greatest failure inShonen Jump’s history, even saying he doesn’t believe a worse film exists. The lack of creative control and failure to honor the source material left a lasting mark. With new projects like theDragon Balltheme park in Saudi Arabiamoving forward, he hopes those lessons won’t be forgotten.
The recent success of Netflix’s live-actionOne Piece—which stayed true to the original thanks to the creator’s involvement—shows that respectful, well-crafted adaptations are possible. For Torishima, it’s an encouraging sign that the industry may at last be figuring out how to adapt cherished stories without losing what made them special.
