Akira Toriyama is one of the most famous mangaka in the world, being the creator ofDragon Ball, amedia giant that has been going strongsince the ’80s.Dragon Ball Zin particular has been extremely influential in anime’s huge swell in popularity during the 2000s.
AlthoughDragon Ballis Akira Toriyama’s most famous work, Toriyama is an industry veteran who has been working since the ’70s, and he has a huge body of work that most of his fans might not be familiar with. Whether it’s manga, video games, anime, or anything else, Toriyama’s art and creative sense can be felt all over.
Updated July 16, 2025, by Danny Guan:With Akira Toriyama’s recent passing, it’s become more important than ever to remember and celebrate his works and legacy. While many fondly remember Toriyama’s work on the legendaryDragon Ball, it’s important to also recognize his many works outside of his particular landmark series. While not much of his work is recognized by the public at large, Toriyama’s career has lasted decades and has touched a variety of entertainment media.
11Kajika
A Cursed Child On The Path To Redemption
Kajikais a short, one-volume story following the adventures of Kajika, a villainous young boy who killed a fox with a rock. As punishment, Kajika was transformed into a fox boy and kicked out of his village. to break the curse and recover his original body, Kajika must save the lives of one thousand souls.
Kajikais a simple story with a fascinating premise of a journey of repentance. While it may not be a very long story, fans of Toriyama’s work should check the series out if the concept appeals to them.
10Neko Majin
A Cat-Centered Comedy Full Of Silly Hijinks
Neko Majincenters around the titular creatures,who are anthropomorphic catscapable of feats like flying and using a technique known as the “Nekohameha.” The series was published as a scattered collection of one-shots before being collected into a single volume.
Though initially only loosely connected to the world ofDragon Ball,Neko Majineventually reveals that it takes place in the same universe, with the character Neko Majin Z being a disciple of Goku himself. The manga is fun, lighthearted comedy, and a good representation of Akira Toriyama’s brand of humor.
9Go! Go! Ackman
A Dark And Demonic Comedy Series
This is another collection of short tales, this time about a demon child named Ackman collecting souls for the Great Demon King. He specifically searches for pure young maidens, as their souls are more valuable, only to relent when he learns that the women he targets are far from pristine.
While the humor ofGo! Go! Ackmancertainly hasn’t aged well, it’s a short example of the kind of humor Toriyama is known for. Because of its short length, it was never collected in a volume untilAkira Toriyama’s Manga Theaterwas released.
8Cowa!
A Supernatural Kids' Comedy Manga
Cowa!is one of Akira Toriyama’s first works after finishingDragon Ball, and it is one of his many short series. Only fourteen chapters long, the story follows a trio of monsters as they journey to get medicine in order to save their fellow monsters. It is a series that is packed with child-like humor and whimsy.
WhileCowa!is quite childish in comparison to something likeDragon Ball, it has a fairytale-like charm that keeps it compelling. It is not a masterpiece, but it is a pleasant read thatanyone of any age can enjoy.
7Sand Land
A Sci-fi Journey Through A World Of Sand
Another one of Toriyama’s many short works,Sand Landtakes place in a world where water is scarce and controlled by the tyrannical king. As water prices soar, the common folk are forced to steal water in order to survive. Demon prince Beelzebub, one such thief, is asked by Rao to join him in his quest to find a new water supply.
UnlikeCowa!,Sand Landis a much more mature adventure that explores the effects of the environment while also showing off Toriyama’s trademark charm. The character designs are distinctive, and though the story is more serious, there’s still more than enough room for humor.
6Tobal (No. 1 & 2)
An Unconventional 3D Fighting Game
Dragon Ball’s immense popularity brought Akira Toriyama’s style to the attention of the masses. As a result, many flocked to have him also do art for their own projects, whether it be an album cover or a video game.Tobal No. 1is one such game, featuring characters designed by Toriyama.
Tobal No. 1was Square Enix’s first foray into fighting games, and it had a sequel inTobal 2. However, unlikeanother fighting game Toriyama was involved with, it never managed to take off competitively. Nowadays, it is mostly known for being one of many games to feature Akira Toriyama’s art style.
5Blue Dragon
A Traditional JRPG From Industry Legends
Blue Dragonis a role-playing game created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the famed creator ofFinal Fantasy. While the game is a fairly traditional JRPG, it is distinctive in that it features Akira Toriyama once again as a character designer. His unique art style became one of the game’s main selling points.
InBlue Dragon, players play as five young children who have the ability to turn their shadows into powerful monsters. The shadows can become stronger by equipping classes and learning more skills. The game also has a manga adaptation, although it focuses on different characters and is not drawn by Akira Toriyama.
4Jaco the Galactic Patrolman
A Sci-fi Comedy With A Surprising Connection
Another short manga series,Jaco the Galactic Patrolmanfollows Jaco, who has come to Earth in order to protect it from alien attacks. He soon befriends Omori, a retired scientist, and Tights, a young girl who joins their adventures out of curiosity.
At the end ofJaco the Galactic Patrolman, it is eventually revealed that the entire manga happens years before the events ofDragon Balltake place, with the alien attack Jaco was expecting being Goku’sarrival on Earth as a baby. Jaco eventually reappears again inDragon Ball Superas a minor character.
3Dr. Slum
The Hit Comedy That Put Toriyama On The Map
WhileDragon Ballis Akira Toriyama’smost famous work, he first found fame withDr. Slump. The manga follows the adventures of Arale Norimaki, a robot with the appearance of a young girl, and her creator, Senbei Norimaki. Arale’s naivety and Senbei’s unscrupulousness cause a variety of problems and headaches for the people they live by.
Dr. Slumpis a pure comedy series, with a massive cast of bizarre characters that inhabit the quaint little Penguin Village. The ludicrous situations and shenanigans that the characters ofDr. Slumpget up to have to be seen to be believed, and the series is a staple of Toriyama-brand humor.
2Chrono Trigger
A JRPG Crafted By The Dream Team
In 1995, a collaboration occurred between the creators ofFinal FantasyandDragon Questin order to create a role-playing game that would eventually be calledChrono Trigger. Many stars in the JRPG industry worked on this game, including Akira Toriyama, who once again provided the character designs.
Chrono Triggeris consideredone of the greatest video games of all time, and Toriyama’s character designs are part of the reason why. Every main character has an intensely unique design, and the monster designs show Toriyama at his most grotesque.
