Death Note's Takeshi Obata has put a new spin on some classic Dragon Ball artwork featuring Gohan and Piccolo.
A Dragon Ball-centric X (formerly Twitter) account called Shonen Jump News (or @WSJ manga) recently showcased Obata's contribution to Dragon Ball's 40th Anniversary Gallery project. This piece was directly inspired by the original 1992 cover of Dragon Ball Volume 29, which depicts Gohan and Piccolo driving together. Amusingly, Obata's version showcases a version of the car that has apparently broken down. Gohan is shown inspecting the engine while Piccolo sits nearby.
Dragon Ball Cover Redraws Have Featured Art From Creators of JJK, Naruto and More
Dragon Ball's 40th Anniversary Super Gallery project is an ongoing collaboration featuring artwork from dozens of prominent manga artists across Japan. Most submissions feature a well-known Dragon Ball cover redrawn in the artist's signature style. The publication, Saikyo Jump, launched the event in 2021 with a submission from Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto, who chose to redraw the cover of Dragon Ball's 11th volume. Subsequent issues of the magazine have featured pieces by Tite Kubo (Bleach), Koyoharu Gotouge (Demon Slayer), Gege Akutami (Jujutsu Kaisen) and Tatsuya Endo (Spy x Family).
Last month, Undead Unluck creator Yoshifumi Tozuka submitted the Gallery's first entry of 2024 -- a comedic spin on the cover of Dragon Ball Volume 21. Incidentally, the original artwork also includes Gohan, who is shown flying alongside Krillin while Bulma follows close behind; the Super Gallery version has Bulma angrily scolding the pair for going too fast. Tozuka's choice reflects his innate sense of humor, which is often at the forefront of his manga. Undead Unluck, which is arguably his most popular work, is a supernatural comedy starring a perpetually unfortunate young woman named Fuko Izumo and a man named Andy who is unable to die. Recognizing that their bizarre attributes can make them an effective team, the pair join forces to complete missions outlined in an ancient artifact called the Book of Revelations.
In 2003, Takeshi Obata collaborated with writer Tsugumi Ohba to create the original Death Note manga. Written as a supernatural thriller, this series revolves around a genius high school student named Light Yagami. One day, he discovers the titular Death Note; a notebook that can be used to kill someone simply by writing down their name. Immediately, Yagami becomes obsessed with the notion of cleansing the world of all evil and ruling as its God. Eventually, his deranged plan ends up attracting the attention of a world-famous detective known as L. In 2006, the manga was adapted into an anime series by Madhouse (Black Lagoon, Hunter x Hunter).
The Dragon Ball manga is available in English from VIZ Media.
Source: X (formerly Twitter)
