November 20th, 2024 will mark 40 years since Dragon Ball first began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump!
In honor of this momentous occasion, we'll be exploring the illustrations Toriyama drew for the franchise's previous anniversaries, along with messages from the man himself! Please join us in celebrating the 40th anniversary of this amazing series!

Weekly Shonen Jump Covers Celebrating the Series' Milestones!

Dragon Ball was serialized for around ten and a half years in Weekly Shonen Jump and it consistently placed in the top rankings of the magazine's surveys, so naturally, Goku and pals regularly adorned the front covers. Let's have a look at some of the illustrations that were drawn over the years to celebrate the series' milestones!

Weekly Shonen Jump 1989 No. 1/2 Double Issue

Our first illustration was created in honor of the manga's 200th installment, which depicts Goku enjoying a sleigh ride through the snow with his family.
Things were hardly peaceful for the Son family in the main story, however, as around this time the battle with Raditz reached its climax, with Goku being mortally wounded. Fans who were reading the story at the time must have been dying to know what would become of Goku!

Weekly Shonen Jump 1990 No. 3/4 Double Issue

To celebrate reaching 250 installments, we have this cover once again depicting Goku's family, only this time they're sporting Santa outfits! As you can probably imagine, this issue went on sale right around Christmas, and Toriyama's playful nature can be seen in this drawing as the presents are wrapped with care in Dragon Ball-themed wrapping paper!

Weekly Shonen Jump 1992 No. 8

When you think of Dragon Ball, the lucky number seven comes to mind, so it's no wonder this special piece was drawn for the series' seventh anniversary! All the characters are dressed in their best and are clearly having a great time celebrating. There's even a cake with all the Dragon Balls on it, giving new meaning to the expression "Make a wish!"

Weekly Shonen Jump 1993 No. 2

After the 400th installment dropped, we got this illustration of Goku taking up most of the page with his smiling face. He's also seen in two other forms: as a kid from when the series first began and as a Super Saiyan! It really shows how much the Saiyan warrior has grown up along his journey. The actual story at this time had entered the final stage of the Cell Games, when it was finally time for Gohan to face off against the cruel android known as Cell! It was an intense development that readers couldn't take their eyes from!

Weekly Shonen Jump 1995 No. 7

*The giveaway detailed on this page has ended

Last but certainly not least, we have an impressive, huge piece of artwork that was drawn in celebration of the series' 500th installment! So huge in fact, it was the magazine's first deluxe fold-out spread! It represents the intense battle that unfolded between Goku and his two sons against multiple forms of Majin Buu and it is a work of art befitting such an epic battle!
As if that wasn't enough, the same issue also marked the series' tenth anniversary! To commemorate such a miraculous occasion, the inside pages also had a huge special feature, in full color no less!

Important Anniversary Illustrations & Messages!

Even after the manga ended, the world of Dragon Ball continued to grow thanks to the games, anime and movies, and Toriyama also continued to provide artwork and messages for Dragon Ball fans to enjoy. In this section, we'll highlight some of the more notable illustrations and messages from him!

V Jump 2005 October Edition

Our first piece is a commemorative illustration that was drawn for Dragon Ball's 20th anniversary. In celebration of the series' roots, this piece features the very first characters to make their appearance: Goku as a kid, Bulma, Yamcha, and more! They all look just as lively as ever!

30th ANNIVERSARY Dragon Ball Super History Collection
- SUPER HISTORY BOOK -

Toriyama contributed both a self-portrait and some thoughts to the "30th ANNIVERSARY Dragon Ball Super History Collection - SUPER HISTORY BOOK -". As the title suggests, this book was released to celebrate the series' 30th anniversary, and Toriyama's message to fans was full of his heartfelt appreciation. This book even contains a special 30th anniversary "behind the scenes" manga drawn by the man himself!

With that, we've arrived at 40 years of Dragon Ball, and there's lots of things in the works to celebrate going forward! For now, don't forget to tune in to the new anime series Dragon Ball DAIMA, airing now!

The Dragon Ball 40th Anniversary Site is also live!
Check it out below!

Japanese
https://dragon-ball-official.com/specials/dragonball40th/
English
https://en.dragon-ball-official.com/specials/dragonball40th/