Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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Akira Toriyama is one of the most influential artists in the history of Japanese media. From Dragon Ball to Dragon Quest, his work helped shape an entire generation of developers and illustrators. The surprise is that you might not know that this includes the creators of many fighting games.

In this video, we explore how Toriyama’s art, character design, and visual language influenced franchises like Street Fighter, Tekken, Guilty Gear, Melty Blood, and ultimately Dragon Ball FighterZ. This is the hidden connection between Dragon Ball and the evolution of fighting games.

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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro and Akira Toriyama's Influence on the Street Fighter Series
05:11 How Toriyama's Art Gave Form to Guilty Gear and Melty Blood

#FightingGames #FGC #fightinggamecommunity #DragonBall #AkiraToriyama #StreetFighter #Tekken #GuiltyGear #DragonBallFighterZ #FGC #GamingHistory #VideoEssay #Anime #DragonQuest #MeltyBlood #gaming

Sources
Interview About Origins of the Hadouken
- web.archive.org/web/20150627184119/http://www.1up.com/features/the-man-who-created-street-fighter?pager.offset=1

Harada Quote
- gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/10/20/developers-and-others-share-their-appreciation-for-the-dragon-ball-franchise.aspx

Daisuke Quotes
- otakunews.com/Article/1630/interview-with-daisuke-ishiwatari-and-toshimichi-mori-the-creators-of-the-guilty?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- tech-gaming.com/daisuke-ishiwatari_interview/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Melty Blood Creator Quote
- tohya.net/translations/melty-blood-archives-interview-kinoko-nasu.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Books:
- Capcom Design Works
- GAMEST Mook Vol. 17
- Street Fighter Eternal Challenge
- Street Fighter II Eternal Challenge
- Street Fighter Memorial Archive (Beyond The World)