The ‘Dragon Ball’ Watch Parties That Japan Tried To Cancel

First published in 1984, Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has always drawn swaths of passionate fans. It always will; Toriyama's contributions and creations changed the stylistic game, influencing practically every subsequent shōnen manga and anime (with Naruto, a powerhouse all its own, as a prime example). Serving as both writer and artist for the Dragon Ball manga and the majority of its spinoffs — Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super, primarily, the latter drawn by lifelong fan Toyotarou — Toriyama's mesmeric battle scenes and sprawling cast of varied characters captivated thousands. Once Dragon Ball Kamehameha'd its way from page to screen, that number increased exponentially. Since the original manga alone has sold over 260 million copies to date, it's safe to assume that devotees of these Super Saiyan-sized stories number in the millions.