Best and Worst designs of characters

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Melee_Sovereign
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Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Melee_Sovereign » Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:36 am

Mainly talking about visual design, but if you think it's important to mention personality and demeanor, then go for it. Which characters do you think have the best and worst design? Which do you think are good and bad? You can name individual forms as well (or really anything that's an identifiable character design, like Great Saiyaman).

Dragon Ball has some of my favorite visual designs for characters of any franchise. Most of the designs that I dislike are in a lot of non-canon things like Heroes and GT.

Best:

Perfect Cell: One of my favorite designs in the series. It's a very strange combination of a buggy alien look, mixed with a sophisticated demeanor (I know this is kind of personality, but it just shows in his face), an oddly handsome face.

Imperfect Cell: Truly terrifying. Again, a buggy alien look, but more monstrous looking, and almost Xenomorph like. It's like a Xenomorph impregnated a grasshopper. Toriyama really knows how to design creatures and monsters. I wish he would do it more.

Beerus: His design is flawless. I like how Toriyama adopted his typical scheme of a seemingly unimposing look for an immensely powerful character. I love the whole Egyptian/Anubis look (I know Anubis is a Jackal and not a Cat, but still).

All of Frieza's original forms (not Golden): It would be too much to list all these individually, so I'll just put them in one paragraph. His 1st form, he's deceptively harmless looking, just going by stature. But his facial expression is the look of the devil. You can just tell he's a truly cold and scary mf. I love how in his 2nd form, it's similar to his first, but he's far larger and his horns bend upwards, giving him a more demonic look. His 3rd form, he has the whole Xenomorph look, but he makes it work. And the thing I like about his Final Form is how it's a result of basically shedding his previous forms. It's a similar trope to the 1st form, where he's deceptively harmless looking (somewhat) but also a ghostly white. Still very alien looking, but more closer to a typical Grey, but with reptilian features.

Goku (adult/base): He has the whole martial arts look with his gi, but the colors and his physique also give him somewhat of a superhero look. And his unkept hair is iconic.

There's many more I like, but I'll just stop there for now.

Worst:

Semi-Perfect Cell: He just looks goofy. No particular motif stands out in this form like his other two. He loses his wings in this form for no particular reason, which takes away from his bug look.

Golden Frieza: I don't really hate this form, but I rather it not exist. I think it takes away from the uniqueness of his Final Form.

Super Buu/Buuhan/Buutanks: Least favorite Buu forms. Fat Buu was unique from the other villains, and Kid Buu is a solid monster-type villain with an, again, deceptively unimposing look. Super Buu is all that minus the unique qualities.

Anilaza: This has to be the worst visual design in all of canon Dragon Ball. It looks like something straight out of GT or Heroes. Nothing special about this design at all. It's just a random giant humanoid with random patterns and colors.

I deliberately stuck with mentioning canon designs, but feel free to mention whatever you want.
Last edited by Melee_Sovereign on Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Vijay » Wed Jun 19, 2019 2:20 am

Best: pretty much every design of Toriyama in DB & Z

Personal favs: Goku, Muten Roshi, Bulma, Krillin, Yamcha...sigh...list goes..basically entire DB & Z leads, supporting characters, villains, etc

Worst: Most of GT & Super's villain designs.

Personal hates: Omega Shenron. Gawd...I hate everythin abt this guy...right frm his design to his voice to his trash talks to his useless feats....goddamn...never has a villain grated on my nerves as this guy did...

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by SupremeKai25 » Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:32 am

I'll only talk about antagonists, Fused Zamasu for me has the best design by far. He looks regal, elegant, and beautiful like he is meant to, while at the same standing out thanks to his signature Halo technique as well as the simple fact that he is a Kai with Saiyan hair. Behind him I put Goku Black in Super Saiyan Rosé. Rosé imho is not nearly as generic as Blue, in fact I think that that transformation looks really good on Black. Especially with the pink and red aura that is truly unique to him, plus I also love the symbolism about death that is behind that form.

Worst design is Jiren by far, he is so boring, mainly because there are 9 other people with his exact outfit so that takes away a lot of the charm that he might have for some people (certainly not for me because his concept is so generic and dull). And he literally has no unique technique, all he does is launch generic red ki blasts and that's it. Compare that to Fused Zamasu who can summon a giant bird of lightning or Goku Black who can tear a rift into reality with his scythe. I'm actually not sure what makes Jiren stand out from literally every other antagonist, is it his backstory that lasted a total amount of two minutes? Or the fact that he has incredible strength like... pretty much every new antagonist? I would have much preferred an Evil Grand Priest asspull to be honest.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Dbzfan94 » Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:50 am

Best:
Imperfect Cell
Perfect Cell
Freeza (excluding Golden)
Super Baby Vegeta 2
Piccolo
Adult Goku
Vegeta (Saiyan/Namek armor)
Gotenks
Super Saiyan 1-3
Super Saiyan 4
Super Buu
Omega Shenron
General Rildo
Super Janemba
Bojack

Worst:
Jiren
Super Saiyan Bluer (aka Evolution)
Golden Freeza
Dolltaki
Ultra Instinct Mastered
Lots of the fodder from the ToP

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by omegacwa » Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:53 pm

Best:
Future Trunks Movie 9

Worst:
Vegeta's initial design in GT with mustache. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING????
I personally don't like any Buu form except Fat Buu. I even like Android 21's normal design better than her "Buu" design.
Universe 6 Saiyans being Pencils. Caulifla parachute pants.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by omegacwa » Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:59 pm

Dbzfan94 wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:50 am
Super Saiyan Bluer (aka Evolution)
It looks more different than SSJ1 to SSJ2 to be fair. I personally like the design.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Tai Lung » Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:17 pm

Best
Goku ssj/ssj3/ssg/ssb/uio
caulifla/kefla
frieza all forms, no golden
perfect cell
hit
super 17
baby first and second form
goten gt
toppo god
some U9
uub/majuub
janemba
buu kid/fat
beerus
android 21
zamasu/black and zamasu fusion
king piccolo/piccolo
bojack team
broly all forms, no bio
dr paparoni
some angels

Worst

trunks gt
All evil dragons
some U10
golden frieza
chichi Z and after
baby final form and ozaru (Alf are you)
vegeta potafu?
goku jr and vegeta jr ... ugh
dodoria
super android 13
android 14
pikkon
lezick
ssj rage
kale berserker

passable

goku uim neh I like it more UIO
goku ssj4
vegeta ssbe
cabba aka canary legs
majin android 21
kale base and ssj controlled
anilaza
maji kayo
hildegarm
saonel and pirina

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by DestructoDisc » Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:04 pm

worst is definitely Prum and Hermila from Dragon Ball Super. You probably don't even remember who these guys were since they were so forgettable, but they actually got an episode for themselves. Prum was a pink fat blob monster with no clothes on, and Hermila was a green bird in a speedo.

I liked most of the designs so it's hard to choose a favorite, but Freeza is my favorite character so I think i'm going with him. I liked all of his forms, especially his final one. Second favorite is Bulma after the saiyan saga (before they went to Namek) because she looks great with long hair.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Omniboy » Wed Jun 19, 2019 10:41 pm

Some of my favorites that are my favorites that aren't much talked about are Bojack and his henchmen with their gypsy pirate look. I do prefer Bojack before he transforms. Super 17 I think looks nice as well, although I could never really pinpoint what it is that I like about it so much. His clothing choice is weird but still works for me. That and he looks cool.

The worst for me however has to be Turles' henchmen. I have no issue with Turles at all, but my god. What the hell were they going for with his henchmen. It just all the weirdest choices that make no sense. There's krang inside some ugly chrome skeleton trying to resemble Shredder. Some creepy dude with an hideous mullet, no eyebrows and pink legwear that contrast his grey armor. A gigantic buff red dude with a ponytail, mismatching arm wear, and some red cloth covering his pants. And just two incredibly ugly twins.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Dbzfan94 » Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:30 am

omegacwa wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:59 pm
Dbzfan94 wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:50 am
Super Saiyan Bluer (aka Evolution)
It looks more different than SSJ1 to SSJ2 to be fair. I personally like the design.
Good for you, I hate it lol.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by sintzu » Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:32 am

Best :

Namek arc Ssj Goku
Majin Vegeta
Piccolo with his cape
100% power Freeza
Perfect Cell
Kid Buu
Beerus

Worst :

Raditz
3rd form Freeza (even Toriyama thinks he should've just given him 2 transformations)
Semi-Perfect Cell
Two-Face fused Zamasu
The majority of TOP characters, including Jiren
July 9th 2018 will be remembered as the day Broly became canon.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Tai Lung » Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:57 am

Although this is just "opinion" I would not consider bad designs to characters that are "ugly" intentionally in general is to complement their strange abilities guldo, prum and Shantza
omegacwa wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:53 pm Universe 6 Saiyans being Pencils.
only cabba
omegacwa wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:59 pm
Dbzfan94 wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:50 am
Super Saiyan Bluer (aka Evolution)
It looks more different than SSJ1 to SSJ2 to be fair. I personally like the design.
true, but it's nostalgia ... few accept it
Last edited by Tai Lung on Thu Jun 20, 2019 1:21 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Melee_Sovereign » Thu Jun 20, 2019 1:18 am

DestructoDisc wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:04 pm worst is definitely Prum and Hermila from Dragon Ball Super. You probably don't even remember who these guys were since they were so forgettable, but they actually got an episode for themselves. Prum was a pink fat blob monster with no clothes on, and Hermila was a green bird in a speedo.
I actually liked the way Hermila looked, somewhat. And I did recognize the names when you said them. Prum's design was forgettable.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Soppa Saia People » Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:10 am

super boo's design is really lame too me. i don't know he's just not very intresting in any way, as much as i love the gotenks fight. i love fat boo's design and kid boo's is decent enough.

one of my favorites is yamcha's in dragon ball after he cuts his hair but before he just wears a orange gi. he just looks really cool and i really like his hair for some reason...

bulma's outfit when she first shows up in Z i also really love.

also pink shirt vegeta <3<3<3<3<3<3
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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Melee_Sovereign » Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:58 pm

omegacwa wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:59 pm
Dbzfan94 wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:50 am
Super Saiyan Bluer (aka Evolution)
It looks more different than SSJ1 to SSJ2 to be fair. I personally like the design.
That depends how you evaluate it. If you take Gohan's SSJ1 and SSJ2 as an example, the look might not be that different. But his whole demeanor changes completely. His facial expression also changes. It's just as much a mental transformation as it is a physical one, and that can add to it feeling way different.

Ultra Instinct is another example. Technically, it doesn't look all that different from base Goku. But the mental transformation is dramatic as he enters a trance-like state, and it affects his demeanor and body language as well.

SSBE, as far as anyone can tell, is just a physical change. It's a power boost and nothing else, and that's probably why it feels generic to people. Personally, I agree that the look is fine. But I wish it had some special attribute that's more than just a sheer power-up.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Lord Beerus » Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:15 pm

Best:

- Final Form Cooler
- Imperfect Cell
- Janemba
- Perfect Cell
- Final Form Freeza.

Worst:

- Semi Perfect Cell
- The Evil Dragons

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by omegacwa » Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:20 pm

Melee_Sovereign wrote: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:58 pm
omegacwa wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:59 pm
Dbzfan94 wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:50 am
Super Saiyan Bluer (aka Evolution)
It looks more different than SSJ1 to SSJ2 to be fair. I personally like the design.
That depends how you evaluate it. If you take Gohan's SSJ1 and SSJ2 as an example, the look might not be that different. But his whole demeanor changes completely. His facial expression also changes. It's just as much a mental transformation as it is a physical one, and that can add to it feeling way different.

Ultra Instinct is another example. Technically, it doesn't look all that different from base Goku. But the mental transformation is dramatic as he enters a trance-like state, and it affects his demeanor and body language as well.

SSBE, as far as anyone can tell, is just a physical change. It's a power boost and nothing else, and that's probably why it feels generic to people. Personally, I agree that the look is fine. But I wish it had some special attribute that's more than just a sheer power-up.
That SSJ2 "mental transformation" is Gohan only. No such thing exists for Goku, Trunks, or Vegeta. I would argue it was more so Gohan gaining confidence because of the power up more than anything else. Is it stated anywhere that SSJ2 has any effect on one's attitude?

I personally don't think Ultra Instinct looks that cool either. I prefer Omen as I think it better reflects the concept of UI than MUI does. MUI just looks like SSJ Silver. I understand his hair isn't full SSJ spikes but the fact that he transforms into it is what I meant, and his hair color changes inexplicably.

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Melee_Sovereign » Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:51 pm

omegacwa wrote: Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:20 pm
That SSJ2 "mental transformation" is Gohan only. No such thing exists for Goku, Trunks, or Vegeta. I would argue it was more so Gohan gaining confidence because of the power up more than anything else. Is it stated anywhere that SSJ2 has any effect on one's attitude?

I personally don't think Ultra Instinct looks that cool either. I prefer Omen as I think it better reflects the concept of UI than MUI does. MUI just looks like SSJ Silver. I understand his hair isn't full SSJ spikes but the fact that he transforms into it is what I meant, and his hair color changes inexplicably.
Well I would say that Gohan has the best SSJ2 transformation for that reason. Everyone else's isn't that unique. Though I am a fan of the electrical sparks (I tend to like eletrical powers in general like Storm, Thor and Shazam). That means I do like Super Perfect Cell as well (who also seemed to go through a mental change).

As for SSJ2 having an effect on mental state, I always assumed that it's like the SSJ transformation. If you're not use to it, it will make you more prone to aggression or emotions, and less likely to use rationale. Vegeta and Goku probably just knew better ahead of time that they need to train their emotions to be able to handle the form. Cell, when he went SPC, seemed to become more deranged and unhinged.

And I was talking about Omen (except I don't like calling it that lol). I don't like the white hair for Master UI either. To me, there's no reason a non-saiyan transformation should change the hair color of a Saiyan. At the very least, they could have saved the white hair look for if and/or when Goku learns to combine UI with SSJ or SSJB (I wouldn't really prefer this either, but at least it would make more sense in this case).

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Tai Lung » Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:33 pm

Melee_Sovereign wrote: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:58 pm
omegacwa wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:59 pm
Dbzfan94 wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:50 am
Super Saiyan Bluer (aka Evolution)
It looks more different than SSJ1 to SSJ2 to be fair. I personally like the design.
That depends how you evaluate it. If you take Gohan's SSJ1 and SSJ2 as an example, the look might not be that different. But his whole demeanor changes completely. His facial expression also changes. It's just as much a mental transformation as it is a physical one, and that can add to it feeling way different.

Ultra Instinct is another example. Technically, it doesn't look all that different from base Goku. But the mental transformation is dramatic as he enters a trance-like state, and it affects his demeanor and body language as well.

SSBE, as far as anyone can tell, is just a physical change. It's a power boost and nothing else, and that's probably why it feels generic to people. Personally, I agree that the look is fine. But I wish it had some special attribute that's more than just a sheer power-up.
SSJ2 did not start as "transformation" it was simply the potential of gohan liberated when it ceased to contain itself and abandon its desires not to "fight" was gohan's personal advance as a warrior but later it became a transformation more.

SSJBE is the "natural" evolution of the power of "vegeta" he follow its own path to become stronger without having to abandon its conviction unlike toppo god, this transformation unlike the ssj2 is unique for vegeta and also is more a mental transformation and physical

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Re: Best and Worst designs of characters

Post by Melee_Sovereign » Thu Jun 20, 2019 11:37 pm

Tai Lung wrote: Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:33 pm
SSJ2 did not start as "transformation" it was simply the potential of gohan liberated when it ceased to contain itself and abandon its desires not to "fight" was gohan's personal advance as a warrior but later it became a transformation more.

SSJBE is the "natural" evolution of the power of "vegeta" he follow its own path to become stronger without having to abandon its conviction unlike toppo god, this transformation unlike the ssj2 is unique for vegeta and also is more a mental transformation and physical
You make a good point, actually. Suddenly I like SSJBE a bit more now. And also, now I wish SSJ2 was exclusive to Gohan.

I hope SSJBE gets more development though.

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