Dr. Slump Special: Dr. Mashirito and Abale-chan

Dr. Slump Special: Dr. Mashirito and Abale-chan is a one-shot manga chapter authored by Akira Toriyama, published in 2007. It emerged from Toriyama's long-standing connection to his earlier hit series, Dr. Slump, and was created as a promotional tie-in for a theatrical film screening. The story centers on the return of the series' primary antagonist, Dr. Mashirito, who creates an android companion named Abale-chan to challenge Arale Norimaki, leaning into the slapstick, absurd humor that defined the original Penguin Village narratives.

The character design reflects Toriyama's signature style, characterized by clean lines and an emphasis on expressive, comedic proportions. Mashirito’s design, in particular, remains consistent with his established appearance as the diminutive, megalomaniacal scientist, while Abale-chan is designed as a direct, slightly more mischievous mirror to Arale. The work was received by fans as a nostalgic return to the playful, high-energy tone of 1980s gag manga, highlighting Toriyama’s ability to revisit his early career work with technical maturity.