Dragon Ball

AKIRA TORIYAMA (Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, 1955–2024).
DRAGON BALL. “Chaozu”.
Anime cel mounted on paper.
Measurements: 23 x 26.5 cm.
Dragon Ball is a Japanese manga series created by Akira Toriyama in 1984. The original manga, written and illustrated by Toriyama, was serialized in Weekly Sh?nen Jump from 1984 to 1995, comprising 519 individual chapters. Dragon Ball was originally inspired by the 16th-century Chinese classic novel Journey to the West, combined with elements from Hong Kong martial arts films. The series follows the adventures of the protagonist Son Goku from childhood to adulthood as he trains in martial arts. He spends his childhood far from civilization until he meets a teenage girl named Bulma, who encourages him to join her quest to explore the world in search of the seven orbs known as Dragon Balls, which summon a wish-granting dragon when gathered together. Throughout his journey, Goku makes several more friends, becomes a family man, discovers his alien heritage, and battles a wide variety of villains, many of whom are also searching for the Dragon Balls.