Dragonball Creator Tells Fans to Chill on Evolution
Dragonball: Evolution (2009) Movie — By Nix on February 10, 2009
So how does Akira Toriyama, the creator of the original Dragonball manga, feel about the upcoming James Wong movie “Dragonball: Evolution” based on his creation? Dragonball fanboys have no doubt been wondering if their King and God would boycott the movie, or come out and slap it silly like the sad little biotch they believe the movie to be. Not so much, it would appear. According to Akira Toriyama himself, he’s actually looking forward to the movie, and would like everyone to just approach the movie as a Dragonball creation from, er, “a different dimension”.
The Anime News Network reports as such:
The Oricon entertainment news source posted a promotional video for James Wong and 20th Century Fox’s live-action adaptation of Akira Toriyama’s Dragonball manga, and Toriyama prefaced the video with a written comment:
As the original creator, I had a feeling of “Huh?” upon seeing the screenplay and the character designs, but the director, all the actors, the staff, and the rest are nothing but “ultra” high-caliber people. Maybe the right way for me and all the fans to appreciate it is as a New Dragonball of a different dimension. Perhaps, this might become a great masterpiece of power! Hey, I look forward to it!!
Interesting comments. Obviously as he’s got a lot invested in the movie (CHA-CHING, anyone?), Toriyama would like to see the movie actually, you know, make money, so it’s not in his best interest to bag on it relentlessly and in public. But how much of this is selling out and how much of it is accepting the practical realities that a movie based on one’s creation, regardless of who makes it, will never be just like the original? I’m guessing more of the latter.
“Dragonball: Evolution” opens in Japan first on March 13 before arriving Stateside April 8.
Below: “Is that a glowing ball in your hand or are you just happy to see me?”
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27 Comments
so in other words he himself doesn’t like it but is trying to justify it heh but that’s cool, I like Toriyama.
He didn’t say he didn’t like it! where are you seeing that at? Basically he wants everyone to go see it with an open mind, and that it is a little different. He didn’t say he didn’t like it, don’t put words in people’s mouths!
……….it was a mix of sarcasme and truth…
“As the original creator, I had a feeling of “Huh?” upon seeing the screenplay and the character designs, but the director, all the actors, the staff, and the rest are nothing but “ultra” high-caliber people. Maybe the right way for me and all the fans to appreciate it is as a New Dragonball of a different dimension. Perhaps, this might become a great masterpiece of power! Hey, I look forward to it!!”
That statement right there shows that he didn’t get the screenplay or how the characters look. He wasn’t sure about it and now has a new way of looking at it. Calm down.
I wasn’t upset. Lol I was just saying don’t put words in other people mouths, and not getting something doesn’t mean that he doesn’t like something. You are just making your own thoughts on the situation.
If Toriyama likes it maybe the fans will.
It’s perfectly possible to create a good (just watch “20th Century Boys” to see how its done) film from a Manga – IF you understand the source material, the culture and the audience. Score for Foz on all three of those points… ZERO
actually, fox does score on all three, they understand the original material would be ridiculous in live action, understood the culture and modernized it, and thought of the majority audience, which wont be the otakus but normal people who want to enjoy a movie.
it’s the same director for “DOOM” i have a feeling it’s gonna be another “Fobiden Kingdom” with some whitedude in HIGH school taking a very FEW kungfu lesson to protect the world from Evil, and the ” i dont know if i can do this crap”. And how hard can it be to find a perverted Ball OLD dude wearing shade dress him up with turtle shield in his back in hollywood ? funny if this movie is gonna be worth than the “dragon ball: the magic being” made in 1988 , since they already spend 100 mil on this .
Xericho’s right.
Seem like many of our European/American friends here have trouble understanding Asian irony.
Just go to some Asian board, and you’ll see that basically everyone’s saying that Toriyama’s dissing this movie as crap without actually saying the word.
He’s lying?