The visual style of key characters and other important elements in the series hasn’t always been consistent. There have been differences in coloring and design across Akira Toriyama’s initial artwork, the published Dragon Ball manga, the different Dragon Ball anime series, and other related projects featuring Goku and his companions.
A recently colored piece of original artwork from the early days of Dragon Ball has been released on the official website. This is exciting news for fans, especially those who enjoy the original Dragon Ball series before DBZ introduced transformations like the Super Saiyan.
Rare Dragon Ball Art Reveal Returns Akira Toriyama Draft to Its Original Form
Issue number 46 of the Japanese magazine Weekly Shonen Jump was released on October 14, 1986. It included a chapter from the third story arc of Dragon Ball, called the Red Ribbon Army Saga. This chapter, number 96 and titled “The Triumph!”, focuses on Staff Officer Black.
The cover of the Wall Street Journal features artwork of the main characters from Dragon Ball – including Goku, Krillin, Bulma, Master Roshi, and Oolong, along with Puar and Launch – playing a game of baseball.
Goku, looking incredibly cute, strikes a Dragon Ball with his Power Pole, surprising Krillin who’s dressed as a baseball catcher. Master Roshi acts as the umpire behind him, and Bulma and Oolong cheer Goku on from the sidelines. The artwork is charming overall, but it has one odd detail: the Dragon Ball Goku hits is colored pink with red stars instead of the usual orange with red stars.
According to the official Dragon Ball website, this artwork uses bold lines and bright colors, creating a pop-art style. While the final cover art features even more intense colors – like pink Dragon Balls – this earlier draft allows viewers to appreciate the original color scheme as it was initially envisioned.
We can now see this Dragon Ball artwork with its correct colors thanks to the ongoing work of the official Dragon Ball website to restore and share it. However, these featured images are only available for 24 hours, meaning fans will have to wait a long time to see this beautiful illustration in its full glory again.
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2026-02-21 07:41