Preference of Art Style?

Discussion regarding the entirety of the franchise in a general (meta) sense, including such aspects as: production, trends, merchandise, fan culture, and more.

Moderators: General Help, Kanzenshuu Staff

User avatar
GamerSkull
Regular
Posts: 520
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:45 pm
Location: United States

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by GamerSkull » Thu Mar 15, 2018 8:32 pm

Firebolt wrote:Yamamuro's designs for Z movie 8-13 are easily my favourite, it's truly a shame he regressed so much afterwards.
Yeah, now that you mention it, those movies had great designs. I have to go re-watch those sometime soon.
"Roga Fu-Fu Ken!"

User avatar
Lord Beerus
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 21389
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 5:20 pm
Location: A temple on a giant tree
Contact:

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by Lord Beerus » Fri Mar 16, 2018 7:41 am

I find the art-style from the Red Ribbon Army arc to the early Freeza arc as where Dragon Ball was at it's most appealing in a visceral fashion. The anatomy of the characters felt very well proportioned, with the characters not feeling too round or too angular.

kemuri07
Advanced Regular
Posts: 1005
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:09 am

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by kemuri07 » Sat Mar 17, 2018 3:50 am

I've been reading through Dragonball (I'm at the Ma Junior arc) and yeah, I absolutely love how DB looked from R&R saga to Freeza.

User avatar
Soppa Saia People
I Live Here
Posts: 3062
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 11:26 pm
Location: Minnesota

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by Soppa Saia People » Sat Mar 17, 2018 5:12 am

I prefer the round art style easily. It's simpler, works for the series, is visually appealing, and there's no issues with out. It's just a good looking art style. The pointy art style, much like that part of the series, I really don't like. I suppose it's not bad, but it's just not for me at all.
I have borderline personality disorder, if my posts ever come off as aggressive or word vomit-y to you, please let me know.

🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

User avatar
Super_Divine_Genki
Beyond-the-Beyond Newbie
Posts: 304
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2017 11:19 am

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by Super_Divine_Genki » Sat Mar 17, 2018 1:40 pm

Attitudefan wrote:From about the end of the 22nd TB to the beginning of Namek [...]
I've been exposed mainly to the anime, and I was just going to say exactly this for my preferred art style of DB/Z. I think that it was at some point starting with the fight against Freeza that the characters began to show "beaks" for noses, and other pointy/blocky features in many episodes from around that time on through to the end of the series. I would love to see all of the "beaks" episodes re-done to more closely match with late Saiya-jin/early Namek general art style and choreography. My favorite arc in the series (the Cyborg/Cell arc) has some incredible looking art/animation in some episodes, but it's in dire need of beak removal in many others.

Or, whichever studio is responsible for DBZ Episodes #7, #14, #21, #28,etc. (edit: looks to be Studio Junio)

User avatar
ZeroNeonix
Advanced Regular
Posts: 1394
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:35 pm

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by ZeroNeonix » Sun Mar 18, 2018 11:44 am

I like all of Toriyama's work. I have a book full of his illustrations. But I think he improved with time, especially after he changed his coloring techiniques.

Image

This one is one of my favorites.

User avatar
TrunksTrevelyan0064
Patreon Supporter
Posts: 702
Joined: Sat May 20, 2006 9:55 am
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by TrunksTrevelyan0064 » Sun Mar 18, 2018 11:50 am

Yeah, the entire manga is a frickin' goldmine to me, but my favorite artwork is probably from around the 23rd Budôkai - Saiyan arc:

Image

I can usually spot little imperfections in Toriyama's art here and there (and completely forgive him for it), but this stuff just looks flawless, if you ask me.
Usually goes by "Kevtrev" elsewhere online.
Draws comics that may or may not have been inspired by Akira Toriyama's amazing manga-making skills.

User avatar
JulieYBM
Patreon Supporter
Posts: 16503
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:25 pm

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by JulieYBM » Sun Mar 18, 2018 11:54 am

Tate Naoki's style is the best. His ability to use so few lines to create such realistic body posture blows my mind.

[spoiler]Image
Image[/spoiler]
She/Her💕 💜 💙
progesterone princess, estradiol empress
Lucifer's bimbo daughter

User avatar
Attitudefan
I Live Here
Posts: 2963
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:51 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by Attitudefan » Sun Mar 18, 2018 6:16 pm

Super_Divine_Genki wrote:
Attitudefan wrote:From about the end of the 22nd TB to the beginning of Namek [...]
I've been exposed mainly to the anime, and I was just going to say exactly this for my preferred art style of DB/Z. I think that it was at some point starting with the fight against Freeza that the characters began to show "beaks" for noses, and other pointy/blocky features in many episodes from around that time on through to the end of the series. I would love to see all of the "beaks" episodes re-done to more closely match with late Saiya-jin/early Namek general art style and choreography. My favorite arc in the series (the Cyborg/Cell arc) has some incredible looking art/animation in some episodes, but it's in dire need of beak removal in many others.

Or, whichever studio is responsible for DBZ Episodes #7, #14, #21, #28,etc. (edit: looks to be Studio Junio)
You and I have the same tastes and the same criticisms for why the later stuff is not as good. The huge noses is something I dislike, but it also began around the end of the Freeza arc the giant chins. By the end of the Cell arc, the jawline doesn't even exist; particularly, when you see the face from a low angle. The jawline is gone and instead it is just a giant chin.

The 22nd-early Namek style had features with style and aesthetic that, despite it's simpler approach, comes off more realistic or pleasing to me. It's the case of "less is more".

That's my problem with Yamamuro, he has "too much detail" (I'm not sure if this is the right phrase, I love the style in Fist of the North Star and 80s Jojo) in the line art that it comes across stiff. I guess it is how the line art is used that it is awkward to work with.

Aoshima's episodes had that sketchy look to it but it works very well with animation, allowing the characters to flow with their movement. You will notice that the animation becomes a lot more rigid in the Cell arc (long after Aoshima is gone). Depending on the artists skill level, those that can work with rigid designs can make it flow in animation or in still artwork. Those that are not as skilled, struggle and the art and animation comes off worse for it. However, I find even Toriyama's art looks wonky and disproportionate towards the end of the Freeza fight and beyond.

Image

To me, Toriyama looks to be struggling with the art style here. Trunks' face looks strange with weird placement of the face. Goku's eyes are so far apart. The posing just looks rigid and stiff.

In his earlier work, he worked with angles and poses so much better than he did later on. The panels of Tenshinhan and Goku's tournament fight look very nicely posed, with the fight itself having great staging and choreography. But he really peaks in 1989, with every panel looking fantastic, and reading it I can see the movement so clearly. Most of his drawings just look picture perfect every time. I cannot say that for late-Namek till the end (the anime too).
My favourite art style (and animation) outside Toriyama who worked on Dragon Ball: Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, Masaki Satō, Minoru Maeda, Takeo Ide, Hisashi Eguchi, Katsumi Aoshima, Tomekichi Takeuchi, Masahiro Shimanuki, Kazuya Hisada

User avatar
KBABZ
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 5180
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:38 pm
Location: The tallest tower in West City

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by KBABZ » Sun Mar 18, 2018 6:22 pm

Isn't it that the angular style came in because it was faster to draw, and it just sort of osmosis'd itself over time?

User avatar
Bruma rabu
Regular
Posts: 517
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:12 pm

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by Bruma rabu » Sun Mar 18, 2018 7:49 pm

For me it's Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru. The dudes artwork is crazy good.
Bulma is awesome... but chi-chi is best waifu :wink:

DragonBallKing
Regular
Posts: 604
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2017 6:44 pm
Location: Oklahoma, USA

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by DragonBallKing » Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:20 pm

I always wondered how characters from the Z portion(Freeza,Cell,Buu) would have looked if Toriyama retained his 23rd budokai art style for the rest of the series. Also would the art style have changed the way it did in the Z portion(Big muscles/sharp angles) without the interference of Tori's editor.
Check out my MAL page: https://myanimelist.net/profile/RapeHorse


Original Dragon Ball arcs ranking: 23rd Budokai, Saiyan, 21st Budokai, Red Ribbon, Freeza, Piccolo Daimao, 22nd Budokai, DB Hunt, Cell, Buu

User avatar
Attitudefan
I Live Here
Posts: 2963
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:51 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Preference of Art Style?

Post by Attitudefan » Sun Mar 18, 2018 9:05 pm

DragonBallKing wrote:I always wondered how characters from the Z portion(Freeza,Cell,Buu) would have looked if Toriyama retained his 23rd budokai art style for the rest of the series. Also would the art style have changed the way it did in the Z portion(Big muscles/sharp angles) without the interference of Tori's editor.
Well, Freeza's 1st form in the early parts of Namek have that 23rd TB arc style. You can really see his eyes are more rounded and even has the sketchy lines under the eyes missing. Around mid-way through the Namek arc, Freeza's 1st form adopts those little sketches under the eyes and starts to have sharper facial features.

In the anime, the episode where Gohan and Krillin first see Freeza, Dodoria, and Zarbon, by Seigasha (headed by Tomekichi Takeuchi) is a perfect example of the 23rd TB arc style during the Namek portion. The manga is still similar, of course. It's around the Ginyu arc things start to really change in style. The big noses, sharp details, and large muscles start being the norm during the fight with Freeza and essentially become the default look when Freeza is about to be chopped into pieces. The definition of the muscles take the biggest change during that part.

Example of early DB/Z style in the Namek arc. One of the last times we really see this style. Unsurprisingly Takeuchi left right around the Ginyu portion and the bigger sharper look starts to trickle into the anime. Once Maeda is gone, the early DB era is truly over.
Image

Same studio, but Takeuchi is gone:
Image
The Cyborg/Buu style starts to slowly trickle in at this point in the Namek arc and the old rounded style is starting to be fully phased out. The manga is actually pretty similar in this regard. Vegeta and Piccolo are good examples of seeing this change. The chubby, tiny Vegeta is starting to look slimmer and his eyes much sharper. Piccolo's traps started to become massive and his face looks less.... demonic. Their mouths start to shrink and don't grow too huge when shouting. By the Cyborg arc, the mouths don't really get all crazy big and exaggerated anymore.

Now that I recall, it is interesting that the 23rd-Early Namek style showed up in the anime as early as the filler that precedes the 22nd TB. Aoshima and Studio Junio's episodes start really showing that late 80s artwork that had yet to really show up in the manga. See Tenshinhan as an example of this: Toriyama was still drawing his eyes as half circles yet Aoshima and Studio Junio had moments where he had his more almond shaped eyes that were more open; the collar bones were well more defined in the anime but the manga was still transitioning over from the Slump-cartoon style.

Example of the 1989 style starting to show up a lot in the 22nd TB arc in the anime. The manga wasn't quite there yet (such as how Toriyama even drew Ten's abs as only 2 blobs on top of each other):
Image
My favourite art style (and animation) outside Toriyama who worked on Dragon Ball: Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, Masaki Satō, Minoru Maeda, Takeo Ide, Hisashi Eguchi, Katsumi Aoshima, Tomekichi Takeuchi, Masahiro Shimanuki, Kazuya Hisada

Post Reply