Akira Toriyama’s Struggle With Tendinitis During Dragon Ball, Revealed by Former Editor

Akira Toriyama, legendary creator of Dragon Ball, faced serious health challenges while working on the iconic series. One of his former editors recently revealed that Toriyama battled painful tendinitis, making every stroke a true challenge.

The information surfaced on the Japanese podcast KosoKoso, where former editors Kazuhiko Torishima, Yu Kondo, and Fuyuto Takeda shared behind-the-scenes details about the creation of Dragon Ball.

According to them, during a particularly intense period, Toriyama had to deal with tight deadlines and the requirement to submit colored chapters in advance. The issue was worsened by an inflammation in his tendons, making it difficult for him to even hold a pencil.

In a controversial moment, Torishima challenged Toriyama to write his name with a pencil. Seeing that he could, he said, “See? You can still draw.” Despite the pain and exhaustion, Toriyama kept working, delivering his work on time.

The revelation sparked mixed reactions among fans. Many criticized the way the editor handled the situation, especially considering the challenges faced by other Shonen Jump authors like Eiichiro Oda (One Piece) and Yoshihiro Togashi (Hunter x Hunter), who have had to pause their works due to health issues.

It’s worth noting that the first major villain in Dragon Ball was Piccolo Daimao, and Akira Toriyama used Torishima as inspiration for this villain.

Fans also recalled comments Toriyama made when he was still drawing the manga. For instance, he once ignored a dental problem because of his manga deadlines. On another occasion, he had to undergo surgery on one of his buttocks due to inflammation and had to draw the manga while sitting on the other side.

However, what saddened many fans the most were Toriyama’s messages from 1994, in which he expressed his wish to have some free time for himself. At the time, he barely had any, as he was drawing Dragon Ball, working on video games, other projects for V Jump, and much more.

Despite all the hardships, Toriyama never gave up on his passion and continued creating until the end of his life. His determination remains an inspiration for fans and artists around the world.

via KosoKoso