‘Dragon Ball Z’: Frieza attempts to mimic Toriyama in a little-known and bizarre illustration
The official Dragon Ball website resurfaces a quirky drawing from 34 years ago featuring the villain in an unexpected role.
Among the many highlights of Dragon Ball are its memorable characters—especially its villains. From Piccolo Daimaoh to Majin Buu, the franchise is packed with iconic enemies. But few are as beloved and feared as Frieza, the tyrant of the Namek arc. And now, thanks to the official Dragon Ball website’s “Toriyama Archives,” fans can enjoy a rare gem: a peculiar illustration drawn by Akira Toriyama himself, where Frieza picks up a pen and tries to draw like his creator.
Frieza as a mangaka? Toriyama approved it
Ever since his first appearance, Frieza fascinated fans with his cold personality—completely opposed to Goku’s radiant nature. But this illustration from 1991 gives the villain a humorous twist: Frieza sitting at a desk, pen in hand, struggling to draw characters from the very universe he terrorizes. His annoyed expression and signature Toriyama-style sweat drop say it all—art might not be his strong suit.
The drawing originally appeared in Dragon Ball Z: Anime Special Vol. 2, a limited-edition volume published by Jump Gold Selection, filled with exclusive art from Toriyama. The piece was titled:
“Frieza learns to easily draw Dragon Ball characters with Akira Toriyama.”
It’s a humorous, self-aware piece of art that playfully puts one of Dragon Ball Z’s most ruthless villains into the shoes of his creator—and shows that maybe destroying planets is easier than mastering ink strokes.
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