A nearly 40-year-old Dragon Ball calendar has been unearthed, letting fans turn back the clock on three of the original characters from one of the most iconic manga series to date.
The official Dragon Ball website recently posted the "1986 Jump Dragon Ball Original Calendar" in a now-deleted entry for its Toriyama Archives section. The calendar was first released on Dec. 20, 1985. It features a young Son Goku riding Kinto'un/Flying Nimbus and focuses on the adventures of Yamcha and Puar. Readers can check out the calendar and official description below.
Akira Toriyama Was Known Not Just for Dragon Ball But Also His Iconic Mech & Vehicle Designs
The calendar spread was described: "This bonus pull-out Dragon Ball calendar took up six whole full-color pages in Weekly Shonen Jump. The page for November and December features an illustration of Yamcha and Puar on the warpath. Although the car is battle-ready and mounted with machine guns, the design is understated, giving the vehicle a retro, stylish feel."
Akira Toriyama's vehicle design was among his most praised talents, with some of the legendary creator's never-before-seen designs just released in V Jump Books' new "SAND LAND MASTER MECHANICAL PLAN." The book dropped alongside the Sand Land game and was teased, "If you're into Toriyama mechs, this book can't be beat!" Toriyama's art more generally continues to be honored through the Toriyama Archives series online, which recently rolled out rare concept art of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero's Cell Max vs. Gamma 2 fight and the early draft art work for old Dragon Ball manga spines.
Weekly Shonen Jump's Old Dragon Ball Calendar Will Be Usable Once More in 6 Years
According to the site "When Can I Reuse This Calendar?" Toriyama's 1986 spread will sadly only become usable again in 2030 and 2041. Fortunately for fans, however, the official Dragon Ball account began a calendar series that will span the whole of 2024 at the minimum, debuting with two variants: Goku vs. Vegeta and the Saibamen. Dragon Ball anime studio Toei Animation also released a new calendar featuring the upcoming Daima series, which provoked some annoyance from fans over perceived lackluster promotion for the anime.
VIZ licenses the Dragon Ball manga, describing Volume 1: "Meet a naive young monkey-tailed boy named Goku, whose quiet life changes when he meets Bulma, a girl who is on a quest to collect seven "Dragon Balls." If she gathers them all, an incredibly powerful dragon will appear and grant her one wish. But the precious orbs are scattered all over the world, and Bulma needs Goku's help (and his super-strength)! With a magic staff for a weapon and a flying cloud for a ride, Goku sets out on the adventure of a lifetime..."
Source: Dragon Ball official website
