Dragonball is a very popular manga and anime created by Akira Toriyama. He has also created work outside of his Dragonball universe and his latest work is Jaco the Galactic Patrolman. The story follows a galactic patrolman named Jaco who has crash-landed on a planet that he was sent to protect. The story employs comedy and a simple plot that provides a relaxing manga to read and can be purchased here.
The manga differs from Akira Toriyama’s style in Dragonball as it focuses on comedy, puns, and a free flowing narrative rather than a structured story. The manga immediately sets the stage as Jaco, an alien sent to save earth, crashes and is stranded. He meets an unlikely ally, a person who hates humans and is attempting to build a time machine, which goes against intergalactic law according to Jaco. This puts the two at odds yet they need each other as Jaco needs his ship fixed while Omori wants Jaco to save earth. At the same time a corporation has decided to launch a pop star, named Tights, into space so she can gain popularity. The story continues as fuel for Jaco’s ship becomes a problem causing him to look for fuel, giving him the image of a criminal. This becomes ironic as the police track down Jaco to Omori’s island, right as the pop star’s rocket ship begins to malfunction. Tights can only be saved through the combined efforts of the now criminal Jaco and the illegal time machine built by Omori. Eventually, Tights is saved, Jaco is not viewed as a criminal, and Omori’s time machine is not in violation of intergalactic law.
Akira Toriyama further creates irony as he ties this work with his most successful work, Dragonball. Jaco’s mission was to help earth deal with the approaching alien. This alien is none other than Goku who landed and was taken in by Gohan. With no alien threats approaching, the earth is not in danger and Jaco turns his interests to returning home and his fuel dilemma. Having saved Tights, the pop star who’s father is Dr. Briefs, Jaco turns to him only to have Bulma point out that the fuel source can be substituted for a cheaper metal. As a result Jaco gets his fuel, Omori stays and lives on his island, and Bulma begins her quest to look for the 7 Dragonballs in the manga Dragonball, which can be purchased here. Akira Toriyama is introducing irony in the last part of the story as Dragonball, one of the most recognizable animes ever, would not exist if an alien was informed of Goku’s approaching.
In conclusion, Jaco is responsible for Goku being alive and indirectly responsible for everything he and his next of kin have accomplished in the Dragonball saga.
