There's no denying that Dragon Ball is Akira Toriyama's greatest legacy, a work that will always be associated with his life as an artist, but there's much more to the manga artist's legacy than that. Video His influence in the world of gaming is as significant as his career is tied to Dragon Quest, one of the most important role-playing series in the history of this medium . In the mid-'80s, Yuji Horii teamed up with his studio, Chunsoft, to create unique versions of his games, Western role-playing games that would excite even the most specialized players; I was working on developing a title like this. At the time, Nintendo's Famicom was on the rise and the user base interested in Japanese video games was greatly expanding, and Horii believed that if he could make those games more accessible and approachable, it would be a big hit. I correctly interpreted that it would be acceptable among a large number of users. To a wider audience.
As part of his idea to create something designed for the majority of Japanese readers, he contacted a young artist who had made a name for himself in manga serials. Author: Akira Toriyama, work: Dragon Ball, which at that time did not yet have an international presence, but was a triumph in its home country. During the development of Dragon Quest 9, Mr. Toriyama recalled the time when he said something like this.
“I was very satisfied with taking on the role of character designer for “Dragon Quest.'' What exactly is a role-playing game?“I thought. That was the era we lived in. Honestly, I don't think I would have taken the job if I had known I would be moving on after 30 years. To be honest, if I had known how long it would last, I would have politely declined. I don't like repeating the same thing over and over again. “Character design for Dragon Quest is a fun but difficult job.'' Furthermore, the author describes one of his most distinctive traits in this story: his overflowing imagination when creating monsters. is talking about. I used to make a lot of designs that were scrapped, but I was able to draw countless minor monsters, which I love and sometimes make me feel nostalgic. ”
Without his art, this series would not have been possible.
Toriyama's Character and creature design was an integral part of Dragon Quest's commercial success. And they form an unavoidable part of Dragon Quest's personality and aesthetic. His vision permeated the entire adventure, from his art on the cover to the instructions. This was essential for understanding the mechanics and ideas of what was being played at the time, especially in a situation where very few people, like Toriyama himself, knew what an RPG was. Most of us are accustomed to action games, platformers, and arcade experiences. Although many visual details were not available due to the memory limitations of the original NES, Toriyama's monster design was the most distinctive, as combat was a key part of the experience and the screen switched to a first-person perspective. now appears as a prominent graphic element in He also chose a unique design that had little to do with anything found in Western role-playing games. His work was therefore essential as a way to localize the Western concept of role-playing and make it more accessible to the Japanese public.
Dragon Quest was a huge success in its home country, launching a series that would become highly influential in the 8-bit and 16-bit generations. The author combined this with the development of Dragon Ball, which had already become a phenomenon. The two properties have grown non-stop, and it's not uncommon to even see winks and cross-references between the two. Toriyama-sensei has participated in every episode of the series, which is unimaginable without his unique aesthetic.. This role alone gives the author a privileged position in the world of video games, but his place in the history of this medium extends beyond his role-playing saga.
Chrono Trigger, another of his greatest legacies.
When Square and Enix decided to join forces and form a “dream team” to create a first-of-its-kind RPG, the directors of the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest sagas decided that their project, Chrono Trigger, would Toriyama will be responsible for designing the characters and creatures. The main pillars of that project were Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yuji Horii, and Akira Toriyama. And it's the most recognizable face on a team full of incredible talent. Artists will be welcome to participate in projects with more diverse settings than Dragon Quest's traditional medieval fantasy world. In the development interview, Mr. Horii talked about his involvement in the project and its importance as follows: The picture he showed me was really bad (lol). But Toriyama said it was actually for the best. The lack of detail and sophistication meant that Toriyama was not limited to other people's designs. Doing so gave me more freedom (lol). “The frog character was created this way, with Mr. Horii giving the sketch to Mr. Toriyama.” The result of all that effort is one of his pinnacles in Japanese RPGs. Super His is considered to be one of his most important games for the NES and the entire media.
Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger are Toriyama's most visible faces through video games, but they don't form a complete scene. The success of Dragon Ball is not a phenomenon limited to manga and anime, it is one of the most prolific series in video games, has enjoyed mixed success in various formats, and continues to this day, and is one of the manga artists in the manga world. form an unavoidable part of the weight of world. half. Other works he created include: doctor slump and Go Go Ackman!, which also had its own video game. I also can't forget other, more specific works, like when I was persuaded by Sakaguchi to participate. blue Dragon, his unique stamp is also engraved on the designs of characters and creatures.Or his work in fighting games Tubal No1, he participated by designing a fighter jet. All this forms a monumental complex that becomes part of the history of video games and remains in the memory of the author beyond the adventures of Goku.
