One of the most amazing yet often overlooked aspects of the Dragon Ball franchise has given fans a chance to revisit one of the most memorable cover images featuring Bulma.
A Time-Travel Journey from Toriyama’s Archives
In the June 1 update of the Toriyama Archive on the official Dragon Ball website, fans were treated to a classic piece of art created by the legendary late artist Akira Toriyama. The artwork depicts a mischievous young Goku leaping into the air, while Bulma stands in front with a bright smile, holding a fully loaded gun.
This piece was first published in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 3 (1985) and later became the official cover for Volume 10 of the original manga series.
According to the archive notes, this painting is richly imaginative, skillfully blending bright tones with the distinctive 1980s aesthetic. Through this rare draft, viewers can fully appreciate the vividness and brilliance of the creator’s color vision.
Bulma Is More Than Just a Comic Relief Character
Bulma has been part of the Dragon Ball universe since the very beginning, debuting in Chapter 1 titled “Bloomers and the Monkey King.” Initially, Akira Toriyama designed her based on the model of a Princess from the Land of Flowers, with some inspiration drawn from the character Plamo in his earlier one-shot stories Dragon Boy and The Adventures of Tongpoo.
Beyond being the heiress of the renowned Capsule Corporation, Bulma is a brilliant technological genius.
While early on she often brought humor to readers with her flirtatious and attention-seeking personality, her role was never overshadowed. Bulma consistently held key positions in numerous main story arcs. In fact, the success of Goku and the Z Fighters’ world-saving missions owes much to her intelligence.
The reappearance of this classic artwork after 42 years is not only a tribute to longtime fans but also rekindles affection for the series’ original duo. Fans can look forward to seeing the tech genius Bulma continue to shine and support her team in the highly anticipated anime project Dragon Ball Super 2: Galactic Patrol, expected to premiere next year.