Michiru Shimada

Michiru Shimada wrote 23 episodes of the original Dragon Ball anime, contributing substantially to the narrative voice and dialogue of the series. Screenwriters shape how stories are told visually, structuring scenes and writing the exchanges between characters. Shimada's work across multiple sagas established much of the comedic timing and emotional beats that made early Dragon Ball beloved. Her scripts had to balance humor, action, and character development while adapting Akira Toriyama's manga source material into episodic television.

Shimada was a prolific screenwriter across numerous anime and films. She provided series composition and scripts for Little Witch Academia and Little Busters!, served as a scenario writer for Uta no Prince-sama, and contributed scripts to One Piece, Rurouni Kenshin, and the Dr. Slump television series. Her work on theatrical films and OVAs demonstrated her versatility across formats. She passed away on December 15, 2017, leaving behind a legacy of hundreds of episodes across multiple franchises.