Kazuhiko Torishima

Torishima recruited Akira Toriyama after spotting his potential in the final round of the 1978 Monthly Young Jump Award, impressed by Toriyama's unique lettering and onomatopoeia inspired by Western comics. As Toriyama's first editor, Torishima guided both Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball through their serialization, playing a crucial role in shaping two of manga's most influential works. According to Toriyama himself, Torishima is a refreshingly blunt communicator who says exactly what he thinks, a quality that helped them work together effectively. Notably, when Toriyama proposed that Goku grow up in Dragon Ball, Torishima was initially alarmed but ultimately approved the creative direction.

After his years as Toriyama's editor, Torishima ascended the ranks at Shueisha, becoming head editor of V-Jump in 1993 and editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Jump in 1996. Under his leadership, the magazine published Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, and Naruto. He served on Shueisha's board of directors starting in 2004 and produced the 2011 anime special Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock.