Quotes from Akira Toriyama

I guess that if I was a normal cartoonist who did things properly, I'd think up the background information first and then come up with the story. Saying that, you'd think that I don't really think through anything.

I'm personally not terribly interested in designing wholesome characters, so I don't have many variations to offer.

I'm not very good at depicting the characters' psychology on the page.

I like efficient people. I'm pretty impatient, so I can't stand people who putter around.

Do you remember 'Super Saiyan 3?' I forgot about it, and I thought that was 'Super Saiyan 2,' even though I created those characters.

I've been really frugal with money since way back, so I can't buy something if it's too expensive. I'm not that brave.

I don't like music that much... I put on the TV. But I often play things like fast-tempo disco or Queen. I've liked those since way back when.

It was very easy to convince me to take on the job of character designer for 'Dragon Quest.'

Designing characters for 'Dragon Quest' is fun but difficult work.

There have been times when I didn't quite make my deadline.

I love girls, whether they wear glasses or not!

The women I draw all have the same sort of personality. I can't draw gentle girls; I only know how to draw ones who are strong-willed.

Since I'm a contrarian, I don't want to go along with what everyone else thinks.

There was a manga boom, so I read 'Astro Boy,' 'Osomatsu-kun,' and such. But what influenced me the most were things like 'Popeye' and Disney animation.

After graduating from high school, I worked at an advertising agency as a designer. After I left, I spent a year doing nothing in particular. At age 23, I drew my first comic.

I use a G-Pen from Zebra. Different people have different preferred pen nibs. I don't put much force on it when I draw, so I'll generally use a single nib for about three chapters.

When I draw, I always recall my mindset when I was a child.

The setting of 'Dragon Ball' has a sort of Chinese feel to it, but it's not necessarily limited to China. For the time period as well, exactly when it takes place is indeterminate.

I use Pilot's document ink, but their drawing ink is OK, too. It's just that I don't like the impression that clings to the pen tip.

If I had moved to Tokyo, I might even have become a completely different person... although, ever since the start, I've never wanted to move to Tokyo. I just can't handle there being so many people.

What I regret most after becoming a cartoonist is having used my real name. At first, I figured there was no way I'd sell anyhow, so I didn't even consider using a pen name.

I'm a lazy person, but if I'm not absent-mindedly doing something, I can't really relax. I can't just veg out.

Lumped in as a hobby, I don't really like drawing pictures all that much, but thinking of it as work, it's the greatest.

For characters where, in a comic, I'd avoid using screen tone because it's such a bother, I'd deliberately use it in animation in order to highlight their individual characteristics.