It's now officially been confirmed that the late Akira Toriyama intended to end Dragon Ball Z with the "Cell Saga." Three former Dragon Ball editors — Kazuhiko Torishima, Yu Kondo, and Fuyuto Takeda — recently appeared on an episode of KosoKoso, a podcast hosted by Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest) and Torishima, where they discussed the original plans for Dragon Ball.
Social media user @Venixys translated the interview, during which it was revealed that Toriyama repeatedly expressed his desire to end the Dragon Ball manga with the "Cell Saga," a decision that confused some who believed that the series could continue in another way, possibly through a spin-off or sequel series. However, Toriyama was pressured by the editorial team at Shonen Jump to continue with the manga, likely due to the series' massive success.
Toriyama ultimately continued Dragon Ball Z, although Takeda found ways to ease his workload. The two came to an agreement that the story should conclude with the "Majin Buu" Saga.
The editors went on to explain that as it got closer to the end of the Cell Saga, Toriyama has probably wanted to conclude Dragon Ball within a few weeks. However, the series continued for two and a half years longer before finally ending with the Majin Buu Saga. It was explained that to keep Toriyama engaged, they would find ways to make the work more enjoyable for him by finding "something fun" to add to an arc.
The interview puts the rest years of speculation from fans who have often debated this very subject. It has been commonly known that Toriyama was pressured to continue the manga for longer than he intended, although no one was quite sure when he originally wanted it to end. Fans were split between theorizing that the original conclusion was the "Frieza" saga or the "Cell Saga." But now we know the answer for certain.
The Cell Saga is a fan-favorite storyline that introduces iconic characters such as Cell, the androids, and Future Trunks. The Cell Saga is filled with memorable moments, epic fights, and features some amazing character growth arcs.
Akira Toriyama passed away in March of last year at 68 years old. His death was caused by an acute subdural hematoma, a condition where blood collects between the skull and the surface of the brain. Toriyama's tragic passing sent shockwaves through the industry as he was considered a legend for his work.
After his passing, the Dragon Ball Super manga went on hiatus for nearly a year. A one-shot chapter, which had been written by Toriyama and serves as a prequel to Super Hero, was released this month and will be included in Volume 24 ahead of the continuation of the manga. Meanwhile, the Dragon Ball Daima anime, Toriyma's last major contribution to the Dragon Ball franchise, premiered last year.