With unusual candour for a top mangaka, on the eve of the release of the first animated Dragon Ball movie in over a decade series creator Akira Toriyama has taken some time out to bash the notoriously bad Hollywood adaptation he authorised.
A recent interview with Akira Toriyama about the new (2D) Dragon Ball Z movie, which for the first time he is helping to script, includes the admission that he was less than pleased with the Hollywood version:
With the Hollywood live action version, the script didn’t contain much evidence of the distinctive Dragon Ball world, and wasn’t even that interesting, and despite me warning them and suggesting changes they were so sure of themselves that they ignored me.
What they came out with in the end was a movie I can’t really call on par with the usual Dragon Ball.
Prior to the movie’s release he esteemed “the super talent of the production staff and actors” and enthused that “thanks to their power this may become a major masterpiece!”, and since its release has generally kept quiet about it.
One thing to say to Hollywood Dragonball.
In 2 day the new Dragonball Z Battle of Gods movie have already earned 7.2 million dollars(683,925,000yen) in just 2 freaking days! Beat that.
Standard-issue Japanese mindset: this thing I’ve allowed to exist is s♥♥t, but I’m going to support it in the hopes that it isn’t entirely s♥♥t.
It’s out? It’s still s♥♥t? And people agree that it’s s♥♥t?
I’m not gonna talk about it for a few years. Maybe I’ll admit that I didn’t really like the idea at all.
Bonus points if you’re the creator but refuse to put your foot down and insist on making sure this thing THAT EVERYONE IS SAYING YOU HAVE GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD FOR AND THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR NAME AND BRAND doesn’t play out like a bad AU fanfiction.
“Geeko”. Jesus tapdancing mother of fuckin’ H Christ.
Can’t say I blame him for saying those things. I mean I would feel the same way if those people did the same thing to my work. Its like making a Marvel Super Hero Movie without involving the input of Stan Lee.
Ya don’t say…
Well maybe if Toriyama himself is involved in the production, it wouldn’t suck.