[Article] Ayu Goku to Grace New Single - Page 4

Maxker · #1 3rd February 2009, 02:16 PM

Image courtesy of Sankei Sports

Popular manga-ka Toriyama Akira has been commissioned to draw an illustration of J-pop queen Hamasaki Ayumi (30, profile) for her latest single.

The connection of course is that "Rule" is the theme song for the global release of "Dragonball," the Hollywood adaptation of Toriyama's mega-popular manga.

The first pressing of the single will be printed with the image of Hamasaki as the character Goku on both the CD and an accompanying DVD. It is the first time for Toriyama to create an original illustration for a recording artist. He said, "Actually I'm really not good at caricatures, and for a while I regretted taking on this job.

"Hamasaki-san has so many fans and I hope they don't get angry that the image doesn't resemble her!"

Called "Dragonball Evolution" for its Japan release, the movie opens in Japan on March 13. The double-A side single "Rule/Sparkle" goes on sale February 25.

Source: Japan Zone Entertainment News
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Akira Toriyama draws Ayumi Hamasaki
Tue, February 3, 2009 (2:15am EST)

Pop star Ayumi Hamasaki is teaming up with mangaka Akira Toriyama for her upcoming single "Rule / Sparkle." Toriyama has drawn a likeness of Hamasaki that will be printed on the first press CDs and DVDs of the single. This is his first time doing an illustration for a music artist, as well as his first time drawing a real person for a commercial product.

The collaboration is a result of Hamasaki's "Rule" being used as the theme song for the worldwide release of the live-action "Dragonball" movie, which is based on Toriyama's popular manga. "Rule / Sparkle" goes on sale on February 25, ahead of the movie's March 13 release date.

Source: tokyograph.com

Quote:

Originally Posted by miskiq

Dragon Ball manga creator Akira Toriyama has sketched a portrait of singer Ayumi Hamasaki for the CD single of "Rule," the theme song for James Wong and 20th Century Fox's live-action film adaptation of the manga. The sketch puts Hamasaki in the trademark orange outfit of Son Goku, the main character of Dragon Ball. This the first time that Toriyama has done something similar for a release by a musical artist. It is also the first time that a portrait that Toriyama drew of an actual person has been made into a product.

According to Sankei News, Hamasaki is a big Toriyama fan who has all of the Dragon Ball anime DVDs. Toriyama was worried about making the portrait's likeness close enough to satisfy fans, while Hamasaki complimented and thanked Toriyama on the sketch. As a fan who listened to all of Hamasaki's music, Wong had personally requested her for the film's theme song.

The first pressing of the CD/DVD set will include picture labels with the sketch for both discs. The set goes on sale on February 25, while the actual film opens in Japan on March 13 and in the United States on April 8. "Rule's" music video has Hamasaki and her dancers performing one particular piece of choreography that is patterned after Goku's Kamehameha attack.

Source: Sankei News

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