Kazuhiko Torishima, the legendary editor behind *Dragon Ball* and long-time collaborator with Akira Toriyama, recently dropped some bombshell criticisms on the modern manga and anime industry during an interview at Comicon Napoli 2026. He didn't hold back, specifically calling out smash hits like *One Piece*, *Jujutsu Kaisen*, *Demon Slayer*, and *Chainsaw Man*, sparking a massive debate across anime and manga communities.
According to overseas reports and a summary of the interview compiled by users on the Kanzenshuu forum, Torishima believes one of the biggest problems with contemporary manga is its over-reliance on text, narration, and explanations. He argues that this trend is causing manga to lose its inherent intuitive reading rhythm.
He emphasized that a truly great manga page should be understood quickly, echoing Osamu Tezuka's philosophy of visual storytelling. Torishima also criticized how many modern works no longer consider the impact of two-page spreads in physical books, instead being influenced by smartphone reading habits.
Beyond his critiques of current titles, Torishima also looked back at several pivotal moments in *Dragon Ball*'s development. According to the user summary, Torishima strongly opposed Goku growing into an adult, fearing it would severely impact *Dragon Ball*'s sales.
He also admitted his dissatisfaction with how Toei Animation handled the King Piccolo saga, believing the team, which had previously worked on the comedic *Dr. Slump*, excelled at comedy but struggled with battle scenes. This, he noted, became one of the series' low points. It was this setback that led the production team to rebrand the series as *Dragon Ball Z* and bring in the team behind *Saint Seiya*.
The forum user also mentioned Torishima considered Goku's adulthood and the animation team change as the two most challenging moments in *Dragon Ball*'s history. As for the "Z" in the title, Torishima claimed the real reason was that Akira Toriyama thought Z was the last letter of the alphabet, symbolizing that there would be no more sequels.
Furthermore, he stated that the manga industry was hit hard after *Dragon Ball* concluded, and *Dragon Ball GT* was created because half the industry might have lost their jobs if the series didn't continue.
When discussing *One Piece*, Torishima's assessment was blunt. He believes the series has become too text-heavy, making it a burdensome read and no longer genuinely accessible to children.
Torishima even directly stated he thinks *One Piece* is "bad" precisely because it's no longer as easy for kids to read as a shonen manga should be. In contrast, he pointed out that *Dragon Ball*'s enduring classic status comes from Akira Toriyama's efforts to condense the narrative as much as possible, making it easily understandable for readers of all ages and backgrounds.
However, Torishima didn't completely dismiss Eiichiro Oda's work. He acknowledged that *One Piece*'s popularity stems from Luffy being an incredibly relatable protagonist, and he praised the excellent character development of Zoro, Nami, and Usopp, especially highlighting Usopp's strong appeal as the character closest to an ordinary person. He described Oda as a creator who genuinely loves the manga medium but suggested this passion might have made the work overly expansive.
Torishima also criticized *Jujutsu Kaisen*, *Demon Slayer*, and *Chainsaw Man*, reportedly using quite strong language to describe these works, stating he doesn't believe many modern manga can reach the heights of past classics.
The user summary also noted that Torishima dislikes *Blue Lock* but still approves of *Hirayasumi*. He considers *Touch* one of the greatest manga of all time and praised early *Naruto*, though he felt the Pain arc was its last truly outstanding chapter.
Torishima was equally forceful when discussing recent *Dragon Ball* projects. According to the user summary, *Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods* came about from a promise he made to a dying friend. He found the initial draft of the movie unsatisfactory, leading Toei to bring in Akira Toriyama to rewrite it into its current version.
As for *Dragon Ball Daima*, Torishima made no secret of his displeasure, criticizing its slow pacing and "stupid" content, even calling it a betrayal of *Dragon Ball*.
Torishima further elaborated that contemporary manga faces two fundamental issues: manga is increasingly being written by adults for adults, leading to more text and less appeal for children; simultaneously, the price of manga makes it harder for kids to afford. He warned that if today's children stop reading manga, there will be no new manga artists in the future. While sharp, these remarks have reignited discussions about whether shonen manga is drifting away from its younger audience and how modern works should balance complex narratives with reading accessibility.
via： Screenrant Kanzenshuu