Dragon Ball is known for its important fights with many iconic techniques shouting powerful names. However, there's a curious detail about these techniques: Akira Toriyama , the series' creator, never liked the idea.
Why didn't Akira Toriyama like the attack names in Dragon Ball?
In a 1995 interview, Toriyama revealed his opinion on famous techniques like the Kamehameha , Final Flash , and Galick Gun . According to him, in a real fight, no one would stop to shout the name of the move—after all, that would be a waste of time and dangerous. He said: " I don't really like naming moves. In a life-or-death battle, you wouldn't be able to shout the name of the move (laughs). You'd be defeated while shouting. "
Fun fact: The name Kamehameha was suggested by Toriyama's wife, and it ended up becoming the anime's most iconic move.
Despite this, his editor insisted that the names helped readers better follow the fights. So, despite his reluctance, Toriyama began naming almost all the techniques—especially the famous Kamehameha, created at his wife's suggestion. And, surprisingly, these techniques became essential elements of the franchise.
Spontaneous creation marked Toriyama's style
Toriyama had a very spontaneous writing style. He often created weekly chapters without much planning. This allowed decisions made on the spot to become iconic elements of the series—including attacks, fusions, and transformations. Nowadays, this process is rare. Modern manga artists tend to map out the story much further in advance. This is why Dragon Ball became a unique work.
Although he himself wasn't a fan of the attack names, Toriyama was amazed at how fans embraced them. After all, it's practically impossible to imagine Goku facing Frieza or Cell without that "Kamehameha" shout echoing through the air.
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