Android #18: One of Toriyama's best designs?

[Mr. Piccolo]

I have recently been watching parts of the Android Saga and I have concluded that Android #18 must be one of Akira Toriyama’s most visually striking designs. She does not really look similar to Toriyama’s other females in that she does not have the large, round-eyed, “cute” design of most of his women (for example, Bulma, Chi-Chi, etc.). Instead, #18 's slanted blue eyes give her a unique and coldly menacing look.



#18’s design also works well in action sequences. Toriyama’s choice of relatively short blond hair does not distract from #18’s movements but still shows “action” when she flies or rushes an opponent or when she just moves her head. Again, #18’s hairdo is rather unique and does not seem similar to that of Toriyama’s other female characters.



While #18’s image in not as iconic as some of the other characters in the series, I would say she is probably my favorite late Dragon Ball design. I tend to like earlier Dragon Ball art but Toriyama really hit it out of the ballpark with the #18 design.

[Herms]

Toriyama does say in Daizenshuu 4 that she was one of his favorite android/machine designs. But apparently she could never hold a candle to his personal favorite...second form Cell.

[Kid Buu]

Her design is legendary in the sense that it proves if you take an entirely dull character like Android #17 and add some boobs and blonde hair; the fans will nerdgasm all over her.

(Sorry, but I just had to make that joke)

[Mr. Piccolo]

Toriyama does say in Daizenshuu 4 that she was one of his favorite android/machine designs. But apparently she could never hold a candle to his personal favorite...second form Cell.

Really, second form Cell? Second form Cell is a good design but I don't find him to be visually striking. I didn't say "wow" when I first saw him. The only other character I can think of with a design as striking as #18 would be Piccolo/Ma Junior with his great turban/cape combination.

Toriyama should indeed be proud of his work on #18 since she is perhaps his most stylish design and I am sure the animators on the television show loved working with her design since it offered them a lot of opportunities to animate some great sequences. The animation on her hair alone worked really well when it came to conveying movement and emotion, especially in her fight with Vegeta.

[Mr. Piccolo]

Her design is legendary in the sense that it proves if you take an entirely dull character like Android #17 and add some boobs and blonde hair; the fans will nerdgasm all over her.

(Sorry, but I just had to make that joke)

Hahaha! Well, there is a lot of truth to what you say, #18 being an attractive female design does not hurt! I would say design and character are two different things. I think Muten Roshi is a great character but he does not have an especially great design, at least not in my opinion. Ideally you want to have a really great character with a great design, for example, Goku and Piccolo just to name two.

But since Dragon Ball is a visual work I think design is pretty important, and Toriyama produced a lot of really attractive, visually appealing designs. #18 is one of his best, I think.

[Kid Buu]

Toriyama does say in Daizenshuu 4 that she was one of his favorite android/machine designs. But apparently she could never hold a candle to his personal favorite...second form Cell.

Really, second form Cell? Second form Cell is a good design but I don't find him to be visually striking. I didn't say "wow" when I first saw him. The only other character I can think of with a design as striking as #18 would be Piccolo/Ma Junior with his great turban/cape combination.

I've never actually met or heard of anyone being really fond of second form Cell's design outside of Toriyama design.

[kei17]

Though I personally love Android 18's design, I don't think that she's one of the best. She is basically just a female human and nothing but a patchwork of typical Toriyama-style human body parts. Design-wise, I prefer more non-human looking characters/things that call for more creativity.

But apparently she could never hold a candle to his personal favorite...second form Cell.

I always think that the second form looks the best among his forms, but it seems that I'm in a minority.

[JulieYBM]

I always think that the second form looks the best among his forms, but it seems that I'm in a minority.

It's my favorite, too. The facial expressions Toriyama drew are priceless. The full body panels are drawn with such a strong sense of anatomy and proportion, too. The second form really is very gorgeous.

[Polyphase Avatron]

I actually think Beerus' design is one of the best.

[Codarik]

One of Toriyama's best designs? Hell yeah! She is as sexy as an animated woman can get.

[The Monkey King]

Imo I think Final Form Freeza (not 100%) is Toriyama's best design.

[DBZAOTA482]

I always think that the second form looks the best among his forms, but it seems that I'm in a minority.

It's my favorite, too. The facial expressions Toriyama drew are priceless. The full body panels are drawn with such a strong sense of anatomy and proportion, too. The second form really is very gorgeous.

Ditto to the N!gg@ Cell party.

[hleV]

#18 definitely comes out on top IMHO, or at least next to Bulma & Chi-Chi.

Also this always puts a smile on my face:

And then you were really awful, Kondō-san. “This time, doesn’t he look like a moron? Hurry up and make him into his perfect-form.”, you said.

But he really did look like a moron. (laughs)

With second-form Cell as well, I liked him well enough. Actually, I had wanted him to play a more active role. But since I was told he looked stupid, I had no choice but to change him. (laughs)

[Mr. Piccolo]

#18 definitely comes out on top IMHO, or at least next to Bulma & Chi-Chi.

Toriyama is great at drawing females. I feel #18 is probably his most stylish design, though. Bulma and Chi-Chi are great too, but I feel #18 has a more distinctive look. Her origins as a villain probably account for this difference.

[Flame Dragon]

I think her design is so well liked because she embodies the "femme fatale" (also her clothes are great, i kinda get a punk/metal feel out of them)
She looks deadly, cold, deceptive and sexy all at the same time!

[Mr. Piccolo]

I think her design is so well liked because she embodies the "femme fatale" (also her clothes are great, i kinda get a punk/metal feel out of them)
She looks deadly, cold, deceptive and sexy all at the same time!

Yes, I agree! The jean jacket/jean skirt combo is probably her best outfit in my opinion. Did her clothes reflect early '90s fashion trends? I wonder where Toriyama got the inspiration for #18’s outfits, fashion magazines perhaps?

[hleV]

Scarz doesn't draw enough of #18.

[Flame Dragon]

Spoiler:

There are some pretty great cosplays out there of her too!

[Mr. Piccolo]

There are some pretty great cosplays out there of her too!

The great thing is that #18's clothes aren't really outlandish. Perhaps they are dated, but retro looks are always coming back.

[Gyt Kaliba]

I dunno about being one of his 'best' designs, but I do find her to be one of his most attractive female characters (though I like Videl the most in the long run). And didn't Toriyama claim somewhere that he didn't feel like he drew very attractive females or something? If I'm remembering that right, I call BS.

As far as one of his best designs period goes though...hmm...I'd have to say first form Cell myself, honestly. There's just something immensely creepy looking about the thing.