One Piece's Eiichiro Oda Just Gifted Dragon Ball's Late Creator With the Greatest Tribute Possible: Read Now

While Dragon Ball's Goku and One Piece's Monkey D. Luffy may be fierce competitors for the hearts and minds of manga and anime-loving audiences, their creators, Akira Toriyama and Eiichiro Oda, were anything but. They were not only contemporaries, but also colleagues, peers, and, most importantly, friends.

Twenty years his junior, Eiichiro Oda grew up reading Akira Toriyama's iconic manga, Dragon Ball. Toriyama's influence was a significant force that facilitated Oda's decision to pursue a career as a manga creator. After becoming a mangaka, Oda continued to draw inspiration from Toriyama, who became a supportive mentor. During their relationship, Oda never stopped praising Toriyama, admiring his work ethic, artistic skill, and tireless efforts to globalize manga and anime. Never hesitant to express his admiration, Oda has long been one of Toriyama's most ardent fans.

Oda's Most Recent Tribute To Toriyama Illustrates the Bond Between Two of the Greatest Mangaka

The Final Entry in the Dragon Ball Super Gallery Series Comes From Eiichiro Oda

Oda Eiichiro's Super Dragon Ball Gallery tribute to Akira Toriyama

Unsurprisingly, after Toriyama’s sudden passing on March 1, 2024, Oda was among the first to express his thoughts on Toriyama, as well as his sympathies and support for Toriyama’s family and staff. While praise from fans or critics is validating, it carries a different weight when it comes from an insider — someone who truly understands the complexities and hardships of the industry yet recognizes exceptional talent and skill. In the weeks and months following Toriyama’s passing, Oda has shared several heartfelt tributes, but none have been more poignant than his most recent - a redrawn cover image of the 42nd volume of the Dragon Ball manga.

In the original artwork, Toriyama depicts Goku flying off while saying "thank you" and "goodbye." Given that no one knew an all-new Dragon Ball Super series would emerge a few years later, the cover is remarkably fitting for what was then considered the iconic series' final volume. To emphasize closure, Toriyama cleverly included Majin Buu flying a spaceship in the background. As the series' final villain, Buu's inclusion provides a subtle nod that effectively signifies the series' conclusion.

In Oda's redraw, he updates the cover to reflect Toriyama’s passing. Oda’s illustration follows the original by featuring Goku flying off, but with a few key, albeit subtle, changes. First, the only text included in the image is a simple “Thank You,” signifying Oda’s —and the world’s— deep appreciation for all that Toriyama contributed and the countless hearts he touched, whether personally or through his work. Second, instead of Goku’s original closed-finger, open-hand gesture —a form commonly associated with fighting or saluting— Oda’s version shows Goku giving an open-palm, spread-finger wave, a gesture often used to convey a heartfelt farewell.

Last, and most profoundly, Oda substitutes Majin Buu with Robo-Toriyama. Robo-Toriyama, or "Akira" as he's alternatively known, was a character Toriyama occasionally used to represent himself within the story – such as his appearance in Dragon Ball Chapter #3 clinging to a tree while observing Bulma and Goku on the beach, or his appearance in Dragon Ball Z Chapter #480 where he is noticed as a spectator in the crowd by Krillin. These appearances are strikingly rare but memorable if you know who he was. Oda's inclusion of Robo-Toriyama not only reveals his deep-seated fandom for Dragon Ball but also, like Buu in the original image, serves as a poignant symbol of Toriyama's passing.

Oda Didn't Just Draw His Tribute, He Also Wrote Eloquently of His Mentor

In addition to the redrawn cover, Oda included a brief message alongside the image. In it, as revealed by the @pewpiece X account, he reminisces about how, as a child in elementary school, he first became a fan of Dragon Ball and how it has remained a lifelong passion. He also touches on an experience many manga and comic fans deeply relate to — the unique excitement of reading weekly or monthly chapters in serialized magazines compared to the collected bound volumes.

I thank you for giving me this opportunity to redraw it! And now, I wish I could buy this volume while Toriyama-sensei is still alive. - Eiichiro Oda

Despite this, Oda admits he missed the chance to purchase the series' final volume as a way to commemorate his journey through the Dragon Ball universe. This makes his opportunity to redraw the cover of the 42nd volume especially meaningful, both as a tribute to the series and a reflection of his personal connection to its legacy.

Oda's Tribute to Toriyama Was Part of a Bigger Dragon Ball Commemoration

Goku and Vegeta throw punches at each other in Super Saiyan mode in Dragon Ball Z. — Goku vs Vegeta fight from Dragon Ball Z

November 20, 2024, marked the 40th anniversary of Dragon Ball's premiere issue. In the run-up to that day, Saikyo Jump – a sister publication of Shōnen Jump, which has historically been one of the main publishers of Dragon Ball content – organized a commemoration in which 40 mangaka were asked to redraw, in their own style, one of the cover images that graced the original Dragon Ball bound volumes.

Known as theDragon Ball Super Gallery series, the project began in August 2021 and concluded this month – January 2025. The 40-month project featured a who's who of stellar mangaka talent, culminating with none other than the final participant – Eiichiro Oda. Indeed, in the project's 40th and final entry, Oda reimagined the cover of the 42nd and final volume of the Dragon Ball series.

Unlike some other artists, such as Demon Slayer's Koyoharu Gotouge or Jujutsu Kaisen's Gege Akutami, who completely reimagined their chosen covers, Oda redrew the cover most closely resembling Toriyama's original. However, he incorporated several awesome and resonant changes that eloquently demonstrate his respect for Toriyama, his appreciation of their friendship, and his recognition of Toriyama's significant contributions to the world of manga and anime.

This is not the first time Oda has paid tribute to his friend, mentor, and inspiration. In fact, for a similar project commemorating Dragon Ball’s 30th anniversary, Oda was the first — rather than the last — contributor. However, with Toriyama’s passing, this tribute carries a much deeper and more poignant significance. It serves not only as Eiichiro Oda’s heartfelt homage to Toriyama’s enduring legacy but also as a personal way for the One Piece creator to engage with the final volume of Dragon Ball in his own unique and meaningful way.

Source: @pewpiece

Dragon Ball

Created by: Akira Toriyama
First Film: Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies

From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku's never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.