If we talk about the legends who paved the way for the success and recognition of the manga and anime industry today, we cannot forget Akira Toriyama, the mastermind behind Dragon Ball.
Toriyama-sensei is terribly missed, and the anime world will not be the same without him. However, during his prime, Toriyama was forced to go through hectic schedules and deadlines without proper rest.
Once, even when he had tendinitis and said that he could not draw, his editor pressurized him to finish his work, which was a double chapter. This uncaring attitude with no concern and respect for such a creator shows the harshness and toxicity of the manga industry.
Toriyama’s struggles despite being a successful mangaka
Toriyama continued his work for over four decades, catering to the fans and making them happy for generations. Even in his last days, he gave it his all and worked on Dragon Ball DAIMA, showcasing his determination and love for the fans.
While the fans of the franchise continued to rejoice as they got newer content, many are not aware that the legendary author endured immense pressure during his time at Shonen Jump.
It is normal for even the healthiest of people to fall sick, not to mention it is known how brutal the manga industry is on the bodies and minds of the mangaka.
Many suffer from chronic back pain and over-exertion, leading to permanent ailments. Toriyama once suffered from tendinitis (it is one of the health hazards of being a mangaka) from the repetitive and massive workload he had.
Individuals with tendinitis experience severe swelling and pain, rendering them unable to properly utilize their limbs. Once you are afflicted with tendinitis, it is advised that you avoid exerting your affected joint and give it some rest.
The toxic work culture in the manga industry
Drawing a manga takes precision; each stroke needs to be just right or the image being depicted could lose the intent behind it. That is why Toriyama spoke to Kondo (who was working with him as his editor).
He complained that he could not draw, but the fact was that Toriyama and Dragon Ball had two chapters due. So they went to Torishima for advice (he was the original editor of Dragon Ball).
Toriyama’s tendinitis and the double deadline
🧵2/n pic.twitter.com/qUExP9egBG
— Enomis (@Venixys) March 24, 2025
Torishima, instead of showing concern for the plight of Toriyama and telling him to rest and get better, gave him a pen and asked him to write his name. Toriyama struggled but managed to write his name on the piece of paper.
Seeing this, Torishima said, “See? You can draw”. Later, Torishima said he helped push Toriyama. Toriyama had difficulty refusing the work and had to draw two consecutive chapters at the same time with an extremely painful arm.
Man really said writing your name and drawing is the same thing
— Zero (@ZgBoost) March 26, 2025
Torishima should never work around any artist ever after this. Holy shit.
— Daniel Burton (@SciFyWriter) March 27, 2025
Dragon Ball can be said to be the ancestor of many anime. If a mangaka of such a popular manga was being treated so harshly, one can only imagine how it is for the amateurs who are trying to gain some fame.
The toxic work culture of the manga industry is not something that is recently being talked about, and many great mangaka have been affected by their toil during their younger days.
The Dragon Ball series can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
