Other Toriyama-related games

[BernardoCairo]

Dragon Quest XII has just got its first gameplay trailer after many years. Apparently, they had to restart development at some point. But so far, I think it's looking really good, almost like an interactive illustration by Toriyama.
Speaking of which, Toriyama apparently worked on the designs for this game. That's why I wanted to share it here for those interested (even though it's not a Dragon Ball game). As shown in the video, I think his illustrations match those of Super Hero (less skinny, with slightly more defined muscles).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsYz_CVdowA Take a look at the protagonist at 6:17.

[VegettoEX]

I think it's particularly notable that they did not have a splash on screen saying that the design they showed — not just the character model in-game, but the actual design illustration — was by Toriyama.



It DOES have the Bird Studio text down in the copyright... but that's not EXACTLY the same. That could mean a variety of things, up through and including that it's an evolution/redesign of what might have been something designed prior that WAS by Toriyama.

I need to check the Japanese phrasing, but it's ALSO notable that Horii said the game will have "Toriyama's characters" rather than "Toriyama's character designs [for new characters like the protagonist]."



When you consider that the game restarted development, I'm a little wary about confidently saying that we're actually looking at true, from-his-pen, Toriyama character designs here*.

(That's when it comes to the main party characters, anyway. Obviously old monsters will still be based on his designs, and we might even still have NEW monster designs from him, up through and including a final antagonist.)

[kiarasuraru]

Gotta take all the By Toriyama™ with a massive grain of salt, as always. It'll be 2050 and they'll somehow still have Toriyama™ designs they magically found on some random cabinet.

The situation is looking real dire though. I never thought DQ would get hit by the SE special. Well, to be fair, we all knew the development was troubled with all these years with no news at all whatsoever but that they straight-up trashed everything and had to start development from zero again is a big gigayikes.

Really mixed reactions on the MC all around, and I can't blame them. Dude has no fit, and the fr fr no cap bussin' zoomer hairstyle is horrendous. Good lord, when are we ever escaping that hairstyle?

I'm slightly bummed out since I was hoping that for once we'd be able to pick a FemMC again. Alas.

I actually like that he looks tired and the eyebags are a very nice detail. Thinking about it more, I like the basic idea of the MC, but I find the execution very lacking. A messy hairstyle and more gladiator-y looking clothes, since that feels like the vibe it's giving, of a rough and tumble warrior, would have done wonders. But the clothes have simply no sauce.

What I'm finding it funny is the coping about how this design is so bad it couldn't possibly be a Toriyama design. Like, dude, anyone who's not blind and is familiar with late-stage Toriyama designs can see it's 110% one of his designs. At the very minimum, it's a touched up concept art. It's full on lanky skinny Toriyama Daima 2.0 which already was Sandland 2.0 which he loved doing in his later years.

This... deification? Putting on a pedestal? Of Toriyama just because the man died, and even before that really, is really getting annoying. It's perfectly fine to admit that he could miss. Seen plenty of people going about how you cannot criticize the design because it is Toriyama's last design (again!) so that automatically means you must like it. Like, c'mon.

[VegettoEX]

I think I pretty clearly and directly outlined, right above you, why I think it’s fine to be curious about whether this design is exactly what Toriyama might have delivered…?

Adding onto that, if the subtitle of the game has changed in line with its vision, it’s possible that whatever protagonist design was first delivered would no longer be directly in line with / applicable to / best suited for whatever new direction they took.

This, as I’ve explained it, all feels very reasonable to me. I’m the one who’s saying it, though, so I guess I WOULD think it’s reasonable…?

[JulieYBM]

I like the protagonist's design because I, too, am perpetually burned out to the point of suicide and have the death stare of a retail worker who wants to tell my manager to shove a rusted buzz saw up their ass.

The total restart of production and the fact that Toriyama is not credited directed as the character designer is definitely some food for thought. If the production team decided to not use Toriyama's main designs for this new take on the game and instead asked someone else, I think that means that we're in for an interesting new era where a Toriyama-look will be used, but has a scope beyond just "what would Toriyama do."

If Nakatsuru is involved, I'm curious if he would ever be promoted as such. I know that he's not technically a big name but it feels like he's well known enough for fans to get excited.

[Chuquita]

DQ XII protagonist's exhausted, sleep-deprived expression fits this era very well. Can't say I'm a fan of the design, but it is relatable.

I'm still curious about what was scrapped from the abandoned version of XII. It would be nice if some of that now unused design work ends up in a future art book. I was partly interested in what a darker DQ would've been like--but I can see why they dropped the idea.

I'm more disappointed that there was no word on a 2D HD of DQ IV-VII. That had been something I was hoping for after how much I enjoyed the 2D HD of I-III.

[BernardoCairo]

When you consider that the game restarted development, I'm a little wary about confidently saying that we're actually looking at true, from-his-pen, Toriyama character designs here*.

(That's when it comes to the main party characters, anyway. Obviously old monsters will still be based on his designs, and we might even still have NEW monster designs from him, up through and including a final antagonist.)

That's actually a great observation that I hadn't considered. It's true, he was quite broad in his comments about Toriyama and Sugiyama. It may be that they simply continue using Toriyama's classic art style and continue working with his company, not with him directly.
But I would like to point out that this design is very characteristic of Toriyama, particularly from his post-Super Hero phase. There's a drawing of kid Goku that he did before he passed away that reminds me a lot of the style we see here. And we also don't know exactly when the game was rebooted. I imagine that creating character designs like this is one of the first things you do when developing a game. So, I can see it being his work, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

If Nakatsuru is involved, I'm curious if he would ever be promoted as such. I know that he's not technically a big name but it feels like he's well known enough for fans to get excited.

It could be him, yes. If I'm not mistaken, Toriyama considered him excellent at replicating his style. I think he even worked on some Dr. Slump manga for Toriyama at some point.
But I agree, it's great to see the style continuing to live on through new artists and their ideas!