The Title That Almost Was: Gohans Great Adventure
Whats in a Letter?
Originally, we called it Gohans Great Adventure for the longest time, Shimizu said, laughing.
Morishita added, Thats right; because we thought it would go with Gohan as the main character.
However, series creator Akira Toriyama ultimately shifted the direction.
Toriyama-sensei said things like, No, the protagonist is really Goku, Shimizu recalled.
Then we asked, Is that so?
Custom Image by Brian Colucci
Then what should we do about the title?
and he replied, Wouldnt it be cool with just a Z?
The team agreedand with a burst of laughterthe now-iconic titleDragon Ball Zwas born.
Custom Image by Rodrigo Sandoval Lahut.
At first, the title felt strange, even to the creators themselves.
But after about a year, those questions went away.
It really does grow on you.
It would have a negative sense, like this is the end, he explained.
We really obsessed over that.
What started as a spur-of-the-moment idea quickly evolved into one of the most recognizable titles in anime history.
In the end, what could have beenGohans Great AdventurebecameDragon Ball Za simple title with a lasting legacy.
Sometimes, the smallest choices leave the biggest impact.
