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Dragon Ball Unveils Rare Artwork For One of Goku’s Earliest Enemies

August 11, 2024 4 Mins Read


During Dragon Ball‘s early sagas, Goku faced off against many memorable villains that tested his mettle as a warrior. This week, staff of the official Akira Toriyama Archive shone a spotlight on Mercenary Tao — otherwise known as Tao Pai Pai — the ruthless assassin who served as a major antagonist during the series’ “Red Ribbon Saga.”




Every other day, Dragon Ball‘s official site showcases rare artwork from the franchise’s past, including (but not limited to) early concept sketches and elusive illustrations from the series’ original Shonen Jump run. In August, the Akira Toriyama Archive spotlighted a cover illustration of Tao that was used for Volume 6 of Dragon Ball: The Complete Edition, which was initially published on Feb. 4, 2003. As shown below, the cover highlights a dynamic scene from Goku and Tao’s first fight, during which the latter’s incredible strength and agility are put on full display.

Goku, Bulma, and Gohan from Dragon Ball with a F1 racing car by Akira Toriyama

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Dragon Ball’s Mercenary Tao Was One of Goku’s First Major Enemies

Mercenary Tao balancing on a stone pillar in Dragon Ball

Mercenary Tao is an elite assassin-for-hire famous for his exorbitant 10-billion Zeni price tag. After suffering several devastating losses against Goku, Red Ribon, the commander of the infamous Red Ribbon Army, hires Tao to destroy Goku once and for all. Despite only being human, Tao quickly proves himself to be a formidable opponent, confidently dodging and countering Goku’s initial strikes. However, he ends up suffering a karmic defeat after attempting to use a weapon on Goku in the middle of the battle. During Dragon Ball‘s “Piccolo Jr Saga,” Tao shows up again to compete in the World Martial Arts Tournament. At this point, the majority of his organic body has been replaced with cybernetic enhancements, making him even more dangerous.


Another character featured in the same cover art for Volume 6 is Korin, a feline martial arts expert who serves as a mentor and teacher to Goku. During the “Red Ribbon Army Saga,” Korin uses a clever placebo to build up Goku’s strength and speed for his new opponents. He also maintains a supporting role in later sagas by growing the Senzu beans that can rapidly heal serious wounds and injuries. The archived illustration tributes the scene where Korin urges Goku to “catch” him, thereby attaining the sacred water that will allow him to become stronger.

Dragon Ball Z's Frieza with SH Figuarts anime replica toy figure

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Dragon Ball Continues to Dominate the World of Shonen Anime & Manga

Four decades after its debut, Dragon Ball continues to be a dominating force in the world of shonen. Dragon Ball Daima — Toei Animation’s upcoming anime installment — is rapidly approaching its October premiere window. While the Dragon Ball Super manga is still on hiatus, series illustrator Toyotarou is regularly producing new content for the franchise via his “Dragon Ball Super Interval Special” series, which frequently spotlights popular characters and storylines. The Dragon Ball community is also anxiously awaiting the launch of Dragon Ball Sparking!Zero, the official revival of the popular Dragon Ball Budokai Tenkaichi video game series. This title is slated for release on Oct 11, 2024. However, those who purchase the deluxe edition will have access to the game starting Oct. 8.


The Dragon Ball manga series, which includes Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super, are available in English from VIZ Media. The series’ respective anime adaptations are available on Hulu and Crunchyroll.

Source: Dragon Ball official website



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