So legendary of Akira Toriyama, having guided titles such as DRAGON BALL and WINGMAN towards the path of success, shares her expertise and observations at Japan Expo 2025.
Japan Expo is pleased to invite the publisher to the genesis of DRAGON BALL.
Kazuhiko Torishima began his career at Shueisha in 1976. This dipped personality, initially perceived as an atypical character alien to the manga world, will mark the story of the Weekly Shonen Jump and become one of the most important figures in publishing and manga.
He worked from the beginning of his career with Buronson (Ken the Survivor’s screenwriter) by handing over Doberman Deka on track as the title was about to be unpublished for lack of success.
Kazuhiko Torishima immediately distinguished himself by his sense of observation and chose to publish many talented artists including Akira Toriyama (DRAGON BALL, Dr. SLUMP), Masakazu Katsura (WINGMAN, Video Girl Ai, I’S, ‘etman, etc.) and Kôji Inada (Dragon Quest: The Quest of ).
Having a strong temperament and a refined taste for literature, Kazuhiko Torishima is intimately linked to the trajectory of Akira Toriyama as an author and artist.
He was the first to trust Toriyama’s unique style, his humor, ideas and peculiarities borrowed from Western comics, having allowed the manga to emerge from anonymity.
Between a friend and torturer, it is the collaboration between the creative spirit of Akira Toriyama and the sometimes harsh analyses of the publisher that give rise to these pop-culture monuments that are now DRAGON BALL and Dr. SLUMP.
Kazuhiko Torishima was involved in the drafting of Toriyama’s works.
For example, he was at the origin of Arale’s choice as the main character of Dr.SLUMP. He was ruthlessly rigorous in ensuring the success of the series, going so far as to refuse 500 boards for Dr.SLUMP.
Later in the series, Torishima became the inspiration for its most famous antagonist: Dr. Mashirito, who, in addition to physically resembling the publisher, has the same name that he was spelled upside down.
Its decisions and directions led to the forging DRAGON BALL on its entire publication. From its bases of influence wuxia and kung fu, to the inclusion of Krillin or to the appearance of great villains more evil than the previous ones such as Piccolo or Cell.
Kazuhiko Torishima is a multimedia manager. He is one of the few publishers to have a major role in the anime adaptation, calling for a producer replacement from Dragon Ball to Dragon Ball.
Passionate about digital and video game programs, he held the Weekly Shonen Jump pages dedicated to video games, establishing an address book with the developers who later, at the instigation of Mr. Torishima, will make the first installments of the Dragon Quest saga, with a graphic universe by Akira Toriyama.
After launching the magazine V JUMP and bringing DRAGON BALL to the summit of the Weekly Shonen JUMP, Kazuhiko Torishima became its editor-in-chief.
It contributes to the establishment of the annual JUMP FESTA event and paves the way for serialization of ONE PIECE, NARUTO and HUNTER and HUNTER.
He then became executive director, supervising all Shueisha magazines, before being appointed president of Hakusensha Ltd.
He currently works as an independent manga publisher and also holds the position of external administrator at Bushiroad Inc. and Amtasu Inc.
