Dragon Ball isn’t a mere word, but it’s an emotion. The series began its journey in the 80s and has since then cemented itself as a paragon of excellence. Its impact on the Shonen space is evident with the rise of the Big 3.
Be it fights or characters, Akira Toriyama set a cornerstone with his work. It also connects well with his unique art style, which is well-detailed and defined. But what makes it even better is this rare sketch that has resurfaced recently.
This drawing is almost 30 years old, yet it underlines one of the overlooked aspects of the series. All the more reason why Toriyama’s work is abundant and rich when it comes to storytelling and lore. How? Let’s unpack this.
Dragon Ball website reveals a rare 30-year-old sketch
It was in the 80s that Dragon Ball started its journey and slowly gained worldwide popularity. It is a cult classic, to say the least. The fights, stakes, and tropes influenced and inspired other series as well, but that’s not all.
They don’t call the series The Father of Big 3 for nothing. After all, it redefined storytelling with its elements. No one does aura and intensity better than Toriyama’s series. Then there’s the impeccable voice acting that takes the cake.
However, the series often doesn’t get enough praise for its worldbuilding. Now, some may disagree, and that’s fine. It’s been erratic on most occasions, but this rare sketch from the ’90s might change your mind, and here’s how.
The official DB website shared this sketch in May 2025 for a brief time. It dates back to 1995 and shows the cosmology and components of the Universe 7. What makes this stand out is how immaculate it truly is, but there’s more.
The Universe 7 takes the centrestage in Toriyama’s series. It might seem a bit of a stretch, but this drawing gives us a glimpse of heaven, hell, and the in-between. This has the potential to be expanded on in the future series.
Because there are 12 universes, this seems to be a mere fraction of them. This is also one of the main criticisms of DB. However, fans often overlook that the lore and worldbuilding have so much potential.
Lore and worldbuilding in Akira Toriyama’s series
Akira Toriyama has set a benchmark in anime through his characters, fights, and significant storytelling. The series, however, holds so much potential when it comes to the rich lore and worldbuilding, which is often overlooked.
DAIMA’s attempt to expand on the Makai (Demon Realm) made one thing clear. The franchise has endless possibilities to make the most of its worldbuilding aspect. It might have been erratic, but it can be fixed.
So far, the series has charted Universe 7, and there’s so much more left to be discovered. DB Super did give us a peek into Universe 6, but the problem persists. There’s a vast ocean out there that is yet to be mapped.
From Demon Realm to Glind’s origins, Toriyama’s last project adds conclusiveness to the world-building aspect. No wonder it is highly praised despite its underwhelming ending. It leaves room for more exploration.
To sum it up, the ’90s draft is quite symbolic, come to think of it. It opens up a portal of possibilities, more adventure, and richer storytelling. Not to mention, there is still so much the series has yet to uncover, and we’re here for it!
Dragon Ball is currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
