Over the last couple of years, theAttack on Titanseries has become increasingly popular among audiences, with millions of fans worldwide enjoying this amazing story. However, not all members of the industry agree with its success, as proven by one ofDragon Ball’s oldest and most trusted editors: Kazuhiko Torishima.
When asked for his opinions on the series during this year’s Japan Expo, which recently took place in Paris, the man claimed that the series failed by becoming too complex for it to be truly enjoyable. According to him, thebest manga of all timehas gained this title by keeping readers entertained and providing them with a fun experience.
Dragon Ball Editor Goes After Attack on Titan’s World Building
Torishima Claims Eren’s Story Is Not Fun
During 2025’s Japan Expo, Torishima and other members of theDragon Ballteam gave aninteresting interview concerning Akira Toriyama’s seriesand the manga industry at large. At one point, the editor was questioned about a past comment about there being nothing important to learn from Goku’s story, to see if his views had changed at all.
In Dragon Ball and Naruto, fans experience the world through the characters. It’s not as much about the story itself. Rather, it is the fact the reader is taken on a journey through the characters.
- Kazuhiko Torishima.
Torishima not only remained firm in his belief, explaining that Toriyama and he did not work onDragon Ballto teach audiences, but also implied that manga made to share a message are doomed to fail. He used the beloved seriesAttack on Titanas an example, a series many fans consideredone of the greatest anime of all time.
The editor believes that Eren’s story, while engaging at first, failed to capture fans’ attention once the anime ended because it is not as fun to read as other series. Torishima believes that characters are not enough for a series to become successful, as even children are able to accomplish this task.
A Successful Story Must Be Simple and Fun
Torishima Believes Dragon Ball’s Lack of a Message Helped the Series
While the comments made by Torishima about theAttack on Titanseries might seem harsh, his philosophy on manga creation explains why he reached that conclusion. During the interview, the editor revealed that one of the main inspirations behindDragon Ballwas classic cartoons such asTom and Jerry, shows with simple premises and no character development.
Instead of building a complex world around the iconic cat and mouse, the creators decided to focus their efforts on making the series as fun as possible for children. Still, an argument can be made thatDragon Ballhas gone beyond this idea, with Goku’s story inspiringseveral lessons that fans have taken to heart.
