The Dragon Ball x One Piece Crossover Has Landed (And Its Heartwrenching)

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As an observer with a deep appreciation for anime and manga, I find myself deeply moved by the recent tribute paid to Akira Toriyama by Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece. Having grown up reading both Dragon Ball and One Piece, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia and reverence for these two iconic franchises. The crossover episode between the Z-Fighters and Straw Hat Pirates was a dream come true for many fans like myself, and it serves as a poignant reminder of the influence Toriyama had on not only Oda but an entire generation of artists and creators.

In a unique anime episode, the Z-Fighters crossed paths with the Straw Hat Pirates, an encounter that delighted fans of both Dragon Ball and One Piece. After the sad demise of creator Akira Toriyama earlier this year, Eiichiro Oda generously expressed his feelings about the mangaka who had been a source of inspiration during his career. As the Dragon Ball Super Gallery Project kicked off, numerous manga artists were given an opportunity to contribute their skills to the enduring shonen universe that remains one of the most iconic today. It seems fitting that Oda would bring this project to its conclusion by creating his own poignant depiction of Son Goku.

If you haven’t had the chance to watch this legendary crossover take place in an anime adaptation, the meeting of the Straw Hats and the Saiyans took place in the 590th episode of One Piece. Titled “History’s Strongest Collaboration Vs. Glutton of The Sea”, the installment imagines that Goku and Luffy’s worlds have somehow co-existed, refraining from introducing a multiverse meeting of these universes. Luckily, you can watch this episode on Netflix in both the original Japanese iteration and the English Dub to see one of the biggest anime crossovers of all time.

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[RELATED: Netflix Is Now Streaming Anime’s Biggest Crossover Ever]

The Dragon Ball Super Gallery Project Ends

The Dragon Ball Super Gallery project started as a way to honor the 40th anniversary of the shonen series, and over the years, it produced some incredible homages to Goku and his companions. Eiichiro Oda wrapped up the project with an emotional tribute, leaving many more covers to explore from renowned figures in the anime industry. Artists behind popular shows like Naruto, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Bleach, Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer, Spy x Family, Black Clover, and Jujutsu Kaisen were just a few of the numerous contributors. It feels right that One Piece’s creator would provide the final tribute to Toriyama in this collection.

DRAGON BALL Volume 42 by Eiichiro Oda (ONE PIECE).

This is part of the DRAGON BALL Super Gallery Project to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the series. The project is now finished.

— Shonen Jump News (@WSJ_manga) December 26, 2024

Oda’s Dragon Ball Tribute

This year, upon the demise of Akira Toriyama, not only did anime artists and fans express their grief, but many countries honored his memory as the creator of Dragon Ball. It was well-known that Oda drew inspiration from the character Son Goku’s story when crafting his own manga. Here is Eiichiro Oda’s heartfelt message shared following Akira’s passing earlier this year:

It’s still too soon. The hole left by your absence is immense, and it brings me great sadness to imagine a life without you. I’ve always held you in high regard since my childhood, and I vividly recall the day when you addressed me personally for the first time. He was one of those who inherited the torch from an era where reading manga was deemed unproductive, and transformed it into a period when both children and adults could appreciate and enjoy it. He demonstrated that manga has the potential to achieve great things and inspire us to dream of reaching new worlds. He passed this vision on to me.

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Oda’s homage persisted, “It felt like observing a legend advance. The joy and exhilaration he felt when he published Dragon Ball likely stemmed from creators across all fields who share roots in childhood, not just manga artists. That existence is a towering tree. For my generation of manga artists who have shared the same stage, as I got closer to Toriyama’s works, the more I recognized their immense impact. It was terrifying. But I’m simply glad to see the casual man himself again. Because we admire Toriyama-sensei deeply, on a fundamental level. I wish to express my admiration and gratitude for the creative world that Professor Toriyama has left behind, and pray for his peaceful rest. May heaven be as delightful as you imagined it to be.

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2024-12-26 19:10