Hunter x Hunter Creator Honors Dragon Ball With New Cover, Special Letter

When fans call Dragon Ball one of the most influential stories of all time, they mean it. Decades ago, artist Akira Toriyama brought Son Goku to life, and the shonen genre changed before long. These days, the franchise has earned tributes from the best manga artists in the game, and now the creator of Hunter x Hunter is joining in.

Today, the Dragon Ball Super Gallery project posted its latest installment, and it features artwork by Yoshihiro Togashi. The artist of Hunter x Hunter was recruited to makeover a classic Dragon Ball cover, and Yoshihiro gave volume five a spin.

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As you can see above, the Dragon Ball artwork is pretty much perfect. We are given a peek at Goku in a green gi as he navigates on Burma’s red motorbike. This image was featured in the original cover for volume five, but Yoshihiro added his own flair. After all, this updated cover adds Gon Freeces to the image, and that is pretty fitting everything considered.

Dragon Ball got its start decades ago, and Toriyama published alongside Yoshihiro for a long time. The artist, who sadly passed in March 2024, began his career in manga in 1978. Yoshihiro came in a few years later in 1986, and he began his hit manga Yu Yu Hakusho in 1990 a year after Dragon Ball began. There is no denying the bond between Toriyama and Yoshihiro, so this tribute means a lot. The latter detailed as much in a note to fans, so you can read his letter below:

“Drawing this was so enjoyable that it felt like I was back in those days! Once I was done, I snapped back to reality and nearly cried, so I quickly read Dragon Ball volume five that was in front of me. Yeah, I’m not lonely. Toriyama-sensei is right here!!”

If you are not familiar with Yoshihiro, the beloved artist is still working on Hunter x Hunter these days between hiatuses. You can find the manga in English courtesy of Viz Media. So for more info on Hunter x Hunter, you can read its official synopsis below:

“Gon might be a country boy, but he has high aspirations. Despite his Aunt Mito’s protests, Gon decides to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a legendary Hunter. The Hunter hopefuls begin their journey by storm-tossed ship, where Gon meets Leorio and Kurapika, the only other applicants who aren’t devastated by bouts of seasickness. Having survived the terrors of the high seas, Gon and his companions now have to prove their worth in a variety of tests in order to find the elusive Exam Hall. And once they get there, will they ever leave alive…?”

What do you think about Yoshihiro’s tribute to Dragon Ball? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!