| Meeting Akira Toriyama | ||
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(originally posted 6/29/03. Written by Umino)
"The Shonen Jump is not an event I can forget. One day I got home and checked my e-mail, and I got a message. It was from the Dragon Ball Z CCG site, and it was saying something about a Shonen Jump Launch Party in NYC. So I scrolled down, and looked if anyone good guests were coming. After I saw that Laura Bailey, and Chris Sabat were coming I was not that excited. Then I saw the name Akira Toriyama, I was like “EH?” I thought they just put his name their, until I found out he was really going to be there! Now since I’m around 45 minutes away from NYC, my mom took me. I had told a friend and since he’s a big DBZ fan (I’m over DBZ now, but I LOVE Dragonball) he begged his mom to take him. Now it was on a weekday, and I tried to convince my mom to let me skip school, but instead she was going to pick me up early (sigh). So after a couple of weeks, that holy day was finally here! My mom and I finally got to NYC. There we saw a huge sign saying SHONEN JUMP in front of a tent, I was going nuts! As soon as my mom parked the car, I ran to the tent. There my friend greeted me, and showed me everything. There were cards (They giving out a Jewel promo card), PS2 hooked up with Budokai, uncut Yu Yu Hakusho playing, and Four people dressed up as Kuririn, SS Son Goku, SS Son Gohan, and Piccolo. Now even though I hate some of Chris Sabat’s roles I ran to get his autograph. (Btw, Laura is hot) So after I got my stuff signed, I heard an announcement that Akira Toriyama had entered the tent! I ran up to the stage where he was. There he was looking different from the few (VERY few) pictures I had seen of him. He had a black, stripped shirt, and a hat with the American Shonen Jump logo. A little after he arrived, he started to draw a picture of Son Goku (Eh? Come on draw Chibi Goku, or Trunks!), now at first the picture looked weird, but then like out of the blue it turned into this awesome picture of Son Goku flying pass the Empire State building! The picture, I think, was donated to a NYC school too.
It was so cool, seeing how he drew Son Goku! Then shortly after that he asked kids (Yeah I was 12 at the time, so shoot me) to come up to the stage for questions. I felt so lucky I was the third person to go up. I couldn’t stand the questions the kids before me asked, “Where he get his ideas? Why did you become an artist?” Anyways, when I got up I was so nervous! I almost couldn’t talk I was saying it so shaky. The question I asked was “What ever happened to Lunch” (My question is in a Shonen Jump issue) He then replied with (Well a woman translated for him...)
Speaking of which, I remember one site had a mini comic of Muten Roshi dressed up as Santa, Puar and Oolong playing cards, Bulma (on Namek) playing a racing game, The Z soldiers playing hide N seek with Kaiosama (LOL!), and finally Evil Lunch on a mountain eating onigari, saying “Tenshinhan, Bastard!” Well after getting to ask him a question I was just amazed, and stunned. My Friend was right after me, now I was hoping he was going to ask a good question. Instead of a serious question he asked about Akira Toriyama’s favorite character. Then the next four had personal questions, only one I thought was a good one. A kid asked if what part of NYC Mr.Toriyama likes. Then shortly after that Chris Sabat announced the winner of a contest (It was a kind of draw to win FUNI’s crappy DragonBallZ DVDs), and to NOT everyone’s surprise a little kid won. After he won, he got to ask Mr.Toriyama a question. And his question was, “What was the point of the dragon balls?” My jaw dropped. “What a dumbass!” Those were the words that came out of my head. (And almost out of mouth.) Soon after that my Mom and I started to head back home. Before we left my Mom and I got as much free stuff as we could get. I got five Jewel promo cards, lots of stuff autographed by Laura and Chris, and a Shonen Jump T-shirt signed by the roller bladders Eito and Takeshi Yasutoko. Overall the Shonen Jump party was good, but I wish they'd have just took focus to the other manga. There were posters for all the series up, but Dragon Ball Z was the main focus. Also speaking of manga, Shonen Jump had ripped me off! I subscribed to Shonen Jump, and I have YET to get an issue! I’ve called them and everything! Oh well, I always borrow the latest Shonen Jump from my doctor…"
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