The different animation styles in the DBZ series

[Grandmaster J]

It's something I've noticed since I first started watching the anime. We all know that there's two different animation styles in the Dragon Ball Z series. One is highly detailed and looks fantastic, and the other is completely different. The characters don't look so hot in the other. But, the action is still lightning fast and crazy (in other words, enjoyable). So the less detailed-looking style still has it's benefits. It never really bothered me how almost each episode kept changing, looking different and all, because the action always stayed the same.

I'd like to know the name of the other animator(s), besides Akira Toriyama, who worked on the series. And which of the two animation styles was Toriyama's?


Thanks.

[desirecampbell]

Yeah, this is a question that's brought up from time to time. Noone really seems to know who or where the episodes where animated. Most people seem to catagorise animation quality into three castes: one guy who's even better than Toriyama, one guy who's pretty bad, and 'triangle guy'. Obviously, there's more than just one guy animating each episode, but we just don't know any more information - so we generalise and, basically, just bitch about it.

Though, one could concieveable connect certain Art Directors to animation styles. Daimo's summaries list these notes on every episode. Perhaps someone could start there?

Producer: Daisuke Nishio
Writer: Takao Koyama
Director: Masayuki Uchiyama
Art Director: Yuji Ikeda

[Domon]

I'd like to know the name of the other animator(s), besides Akira Toriyama, who worked on the series. And which of the two animation styles was Toriyama's?

This statement implies that Toriyama did actual animation work on the series, which never happened. Hopefully, I'm reading that wrong, but that's sure what it sounds like...

[Mr. Announcer]

People always say like 3 but I'm pretty sure there was a rotation of about 7 groups. maybe one that had two spots in the rotation but there were definitely more than three.

[Mike D]

I don't think the rotation is consistent because there is one kind of animation that I can spot with ease. I would always try to find how many episodes until it was used again, but I would always get confused because it would change.

[Grandmaster J]

I'd like to know the name of the other animator(s), besides Akira Toriyama, who worked on the series. And which of the two animation styles was Toriyama's?

This statement implies that Toriyama did actual animation work on the series, which never happened. Hopefully, I'm reading that wrong, but that's sure what it sounds like...

No kidding? Wow. That's a first for me. I always thought that because of him creating the manga, he also created the animation for the series. Well, you learn something new everyday. Boy do I feel like a dumb ass.

[desirecampbell]

No kidding? Wow. That's a first for me. I always thought that because of him creating the manga, he also created the animation for the series. Well, you learn something new everyday. Boy do I feel like a dumb ass.

Toriyama actually comments on this in one of daizenshuu, I believe. He says how he's amazed at how much work goes into the anime. He mentions how when he wants a character to display some motion he only has to draw a couple squiggly lines - while the animators must draw each and every frame of movement.

Well, it seems more common for the manga's author to have a bit of input in the anime adaptations, but I've never heard of any "manga-ka" actually animating anything. Katsuhiro Otomo had the most involvement I've ever heard of, being the director and writer of the Akira movie.

[Duo]

I shudder everytime the best animator is referred to as "Better than Toriyama". I've seen some fricken awesome animation in the movies and some select episodes, but outright supreme to the Manga counterpart images? Um...not really. That makes no sense because it's trying to MATCH the image, not "surpass" it.

End rant.

I'm suprised you only spotted "two" animation styles, Grandmaster J. You can find at least 5 different kinds in the Cell Game alone.

Though, you may be referring to the contrast between the general art style of the early series compared to the end of the series...which would be attributed to Toriyama, because the Anime artwork was based on the way his art style evolved and changed over time.

[Tatsunoboshi Horoko]

These notable differences are usually on part of the Animation Directors. (You'll find them at the end or even the beginning of episodes under 作画監督.) I wish I still had some of my DVD's so I could check names though. (Or, I could just Google it.)

[desirecampbell]

These notable differences are usually on part of the Animation Directors. (You'll find them at the end or even the beginning of episodes under 作画監督.) I wish I still had some of my DVD's so I could check names though. (Or, I could just Google it.)

You could check Diamo's summaries, if you're that motivated.

[Tsukento]

Two animation groups? Try THREE. >__>



Though, granted, the second best group does a fairly okay job and hardly noticable.

[The Tori-bot]

Two animation groups? Try THREE. >__>



Though, granted, the second best group does a fairly okay job and hardly noticable.

1st image: Nice attention to detail, mostly in proportion...

2nd image: Meh. Okay, I guess; but the lips are WAY overdone. His chest looks really large in proportion to his head.

3rd image: Now that's... below average. Not even any lighting on his horns! His face is also really lacking a lot of detail.

Now you know how I feel about these three particular animation groups!

[Saiyan]

Those lsat two images are probably the best those animation teams have done. If you look at some of the other stuff they've done...it looks horrible.

[The Tori-bot]

Those lsat two images are probably the best those animation teams have done. If you look at some of the other stuff they've done...it looks horrible.

Wow. I don't even want to imagine that.

If anyone has any screencaps that look like diarrhoea on a bad day, send 'em in!

[Tatsunoboshi Horoko]

These notable differences are usually on part of the Animation Directors. (You'll find them at the end or even the beginning of episodes under 作画監督.) I wish I still had some of my DVD's so I could check names though. (Or, I could just Google it.)

You could check Diamo's summaries, if you're that motivated.

The Animation Director usually varies episode by episode. I don't think their names would be there. Thanks for the help anyway.

EDIT: I think I found a place listing all of them. If anyone wants to, I can translate their names for you all.

[desirecampbell]

The Animation Director usually varies episode by episode. I don't think their names would be there. Thanks for the help anyway.

EDIT: I think I found a place listing all of them. If anyone wants to, I can translate their names for you all.

Come on man, now you're just trying to do it the hard way. Did you check the link I've given twice?! Every episode, lists the producer, writer, director, art director, original brodcsat date...

But hey - if you want to translate the names again, fine.

[LegendarySSJ7]

Select images shown in this thread really aren't the best examples as most of the animation during the period of the Freeza Saga Arc was quite horrid.

These are what I see to be far better examples...











...of TOEI's greatest work on the franchise from an animation standpoint (even more amazing in motion, obviously). I'd think these Cell Game screen captures are all from the same animation group, but I really wouldn't know such.

[Tatsunoboshi Horoko]

Come on man, now you're just trying to do it the hard way. Did you check the link I've given twice?! Every episode, lists the producer, writer, director, art director, original brodcsat date...

But hey - if you want to translate the names again, fine.

Ah, you're right. I'm sorry. I should have checked that. I'm not used to having information right in front of me since I'm usually the one providing it where I freqent the most.

[The Tori-bot]

I'll post some images as soon as I can upload to frickin' Imageshack.

[Tsukento]

The selected images shown in this thread really aren't the best examples as most of the animation during the period of the Freeza Saga Arc was quite horrid.

Hence why I was using three images as comparison between the three animation groups, dur. Wasn't using those three to show off better animation. Though if you wish..