Responsible for introducing generations of western audiences to anime, the Dragon Ball franchise enjoyed incredible amounts of domestic and overseas success in its heyday. Based on Akira Toriyama's highly acclaimed Dragon Ball manga, the eponymous first adaptation by Toei Animation, followed by its sequel, Dragon Ball Z, inspired many subsequent manga and anime franchises, such as Weekly Shonen Jump's "Big Three" of Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach.