Akira Toriyama's Favorite Dragon Ball Character Was Actually A Massive Headache For Him

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Published May 29, 2026, 6:01 PM EDT

Zach joined the ScreenRant Anime team as a contributor in June 2024, before taking on a Senior Writer role in November. Since then, he has covered breaking news and produced features and lists about the most popular anime titles.

There's little left to be said about Dragon Ball that hasn't already been said. Since the series' relatively quiet debut in Weekly Shōnen Jump more than 40 years ago, Goku and Earth's strongest fighters have continued to inspire generations of fans. With each new release or continuation, countless devoted followers flock back to the series and take any chance to show their undying support.

Dragon Ball's creator, the late Akira Toriyama, on the other hand, left behind endless interviews, soundbites, and comments about his work and creative process that fans continue to discuss two years on from his sudden passing in March 2024. An artist like Toriyama, who so masterfully drew Dragon Ball weekly for over a decade with little planning, all while confessing himself somewhat lazy, is rare, and those who have found themselves enchanted by his work can't help but seek answers from the man himself.

Akira Toriyama made it known on a number of occasions that his favorite character was Piccolo, though in the companion pamphlet given to moviegoers during Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero's theatrical run, he revealed that he, along with the rest of the Namekians, were actually a major "headache" for him.

One of Dragon Ball's Most Iconic Characters Was a Headache for Akira Toriyama

Piccolo and the Namekians Have Complicated Backstories

In 2022, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero released in theaters, and helped bring both Piccolo and Gohan back into the spotlight as incredibly powerful fighters on the level of Goku and Vegeta. Akira Toriyama claimed to have wanted to "give birth to some new superheroes", returning Dragon Ball's dynamic duo to their former glory. He also dove into Piccolo's backstory, and when covering the character's history, seemed to realize how complex it all was. In the pamphlet translated by X-user Herms98, he said:

"Piccolo is a rather complex character. Originally, he was the Demon King Piccolo, who split off from the god who created Earth's Dragon Balls. But then he was defeated by Goku, and the child (or rather doppelgänger of himself) entered the Tenkaichi Budokai under the name "Ma Junior", to hide his identity. Then, during the battle against Frieza, he powered up by merging with a Namekian named Nail, and even later on, he recombined with Kami.

It's such a complicated past that even I have trouble remembering it (laughs). Most Namekians are sage types, and fighting types like Piccolo are rare. They're still a mysterious race, so they can be a bit of a headache even for me, the original creator."

When it's all laid out in such a straightforward way, it can't really be denied that Piccolo has an absurdly complex backstory, and as Toriyama alluded to, the vague details surrounding Namekians can make it difficult to piece it all together. However, it's exactly that complex past which makes Piccolo such an interesting character.

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Before Vegeta stole the title of Dragon Ball's number one villain-turned hero, Piccolo went through a similar character arc, and his current relationship with Gohan, Videl, and Pan is made all the better when his backstory is taken into account.

Piccolo Should Play a Major Role in Dragon Ball's Future

Orange Piccolo as seen in Dragon Ball Super anime

Since Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero introduced Beast Gohan and Orange Piccolo, the series has found itself a new sort of superteam of fighters, consisting of Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, and Broly, each boasting relatively similar levels of power. With Dragon Ball Super's return on the horizon, there's no better time to shift focus towards this team, rather than once again placing Goku leagues ahead of the rest.

Dragon Ball · Character Profile Which Dragon Ball Character Are You? “Power comes in response to a need, not a desire.”

👊 Goku The Fighter

👑 Vegeta The Prince

🧘 Piccolo The Mentor

POWER UP →

A powerful new enemy appears. What’s your first reaction?

AThis is amazing! I can’t wait to fight them and see how strong they are! BI’ll defeat them myself. No one else is worthy of the challenge. CWe need a plan. Rushing in blindly is how people get killed.

How do you train for an upcoming battle?

AFind the strongest sparring partner I can and push myself past my limits every day BTrain alone in isolation — I don’t need anyone holding me back CMeditate, study the enemy’s weaknesses, and train the younger fighters so they’re ready too

Your team is losing a fight. What do you do?

AJump in front of everyone — I’ll take the hits so my friends can regroup BGet angry. I refuse to lose — my pride won’t allow it. I’ll surpass my limits right here. CFall back and coordinate — someone needs to think clearly while everyone else is panicking

A rival challenges you to a one-on-one fight. How do you respond?

AAbsolutely! Let’s go right now — no holding back! BFinally, a chance to prove I am the strongest. I accept — and I will crush you. CIf it serves a purpose, fine. But pointless fighting is a waste of energy.

An old enemy offers to join your side. What do you do?

AI don’t trust them — once an enemy, always an enemy. They’ll betray us. BSure! Everyone deserves a second chance. The more friends the better! CI’ll allow it, but I’m watching them closely. Trust is earned, not given.

What’s your biggest weakness?

AI’m too trusting and sometimes let enemies power up just for the thrill of the fight BMy pride — I’d rather die than accept help from someone else CI keep everyone at arm’s length — caring about people is a liability I struggle with

You sense a massive power level approaching Earth. What’s your move?

AFly straight toward it — I want to meet them first and see what they’re made of BPrepare myself — if this threat is real, I’ll be the one to destroy it CGather the fighters, assess the threat, and make sure the people I protect are safe first

What drives you more than anything?

AProtecting those who can’t protect themselves — someone has to be the responsible one BThe thrill of getting stronger — there’s always a new level to reach, a new challenge to find CProving my worth — I am the Prince of all Saiyans, and I will surpass everyone

REVEAL MY CHARACTER →

Power Level Scanned Your Dragon Ball Identity

👊

Goku

“I am the hope of the universe. I am the answer to all living things that cry out for peace.” You’re a pure-hearted warrior who lives for the thrill of the fight. Every challenge is an opportunity, every enemy a potential friend, and every defeat just fuel to come back stronger. People are drawn to your infectious optimism and unbreakable spirit, even when your naivety drives them crazy. You’d give your last Senzu Bean to a stranger and charge headfirst into a battle you can’t win — not because you’re reckless, but because you genuinely believe that pushing past your limits is the only way to grow. Like Goku, your greatest power isn’t your ki — it’s your ability to inspire everyone around you to be better.

Pure-Hearted Fearless Limitless Inspiring

👑

Vegeta

“I do not fear this new challenge. Rather like a true warrior, I will rise to meet it.” You carry yourself with the pride of royalty and the ferocity of a born warrior. Second place is not in your vocabulary, and you’d rather break your body than your spirit. People might call you arrogant, but beneath that iron exterior lies someone who has learned to fight not just for themselves, but for the people they’ve quietly grown to love. Your journey is one of evolution — from cold-blooded conqueror to Earth’s fiercest protector — and every scar you carry is proof that pride and love can coexist. Like Vegeta, you don’t just want to be the strongest — you need to earn it on your own terms.

Proud Relentless Fierce Evolving

🧘

Piccolo

“Sometimes, we have to look beyond what we want and do what’s best.” You’re the one everyone depends on when things fall apart — the calm center in the middle of chaos. While others charge in recklessly or let their ego do the talking, you see the bigger picture and make the hard calls that need making. You didn’t choose to care about people, but somewhere along the way it happened, and now you’d sacrifice everything for those you’ve taken under your wing. Stoic on the surface, deeply loyal underneath, you’re the mentor, the strategist, and the last line of defense all in one. Like Piccolo, your true strength is wisdom — and the courage to do what’s right even when no one is watching.

Wise Tactical Protective Stoic

↻ PLAY AGAIN

Piccolo was Akira Toriyama's favorite character, and yet Dragon Ball's creator himself admitted that he and the Namekians were a major headache for him. At the same time, it's Piccolo's complex character that has allowed him to remain so popular all these years later.

Release Date 2015 - 2018

Network Fuji TV

Directors Ryota Nakamura, Masanori Sato, Kenichi Takeshita, Takao Iwai, Hideki Hiroshima, Masato Mitsuka, Kazuya Karasawa, Ayumu Ono, Takahiro Imamura, Tatsuya Nagamine, Kôjiro Kawasaki, Kouji Ogawa

Writers Ryu King, Hiroshi Yamaguchi