Akira Toriyama influenced by Peanuts?

[eledoremassis02]

I'm reading the manga and I noticed there are some similar styles to Akira Toriyama's art style and that of the late Charles M. Schulz

Both offer a very simple, non overly detailed approach to their art as well as some similar gestures (such as squiggly marks in front of a character to show frustration *at least in early Dragon Ball). The humor, in a way can be similar at times as well.

This is just something that came to my attention while reading. Anyone else think about this as well?

Who were some of Akira Toriyama's influences?

[DarkPrince_92]

I always did associate his Dr. Slump and early Dragon Ball with a simple newspaper comic style. It's even weirder with that side by side comparison.

[ss4songoku]

I never thought of it before . It's probably a coincidence though since Krillin is the only decent example I can see.

[Gyt Kaliba]

I can't see this thread and not instantly think of Little Saiyalings. Good times.

Hmm...I'unno. I can kinda sorta see it, in a really vague way I guess, but...did Japan even get Peanuts? I would assume they did, but...

[Herms]

Hmm...I'unno. I can kinda sorta see it, in a really vague way I guess, but...did Japan even get Peanuts? I would assume they did, but...

Peanuts is pretty well-known in Japan. Or at least Snoopy is. I don't think Toriyama has ever mentioned Peanuts as a specific inspiration though.

[eledoremassis02]

I never thought of it before . It's probably a coincidence though since Krillin is the only decent example I can see.

Could be a coincidence. I found that the way he used to draw his child characters are similar in shape and a bit in proportion as well as some of the facial expressions.

Hmm...I'unno. I can kinda sorta see it, in a really vague way I guess, but...did Japan even get Peanuts? I would assume they did, but...

Didn't Akira Toriyama do some traveling (atleast to the Hawaii) it's possible he saw it there..all speculation ofcourse lol

[ss4songoku]

I kinda see it now. The proportions are similar but Charles Schulz (he's the creater of Peanuts for those who don't know) uses a lot more squiggly lines and has an even simpler style than Toriyama so IMO it's quite different. Not to mention Toriyama's characters actually have hair and a lot of it aside from poor Krillin lol.

[Kid Buu]

Akira Toriyama said "I drew Dr. Slump in an American-like style and am writing Dragon Ball in a Chinese-like style" so I don't think Peanuts influenced Dragon Ball artwork.

[shinmaru]

Majin Buu made me always think of Barpapapa and the house resembles Buu's house a little. Maybe Mr Tori got the influence from Barpapapa?
He's gummy like, and can transform into stuff.

[DarkPrince_92]

Barpapapa sounds like Babidi's spell lol. Toriyama's slickness is decreasing by the year.

[Herms]

Barpapapa sounds like Babidi's spell lol. Toriyama's slickness is decreasing by the year.

A little bit, but odds are that Babidi's spell is a reference to a different Western cartoon:

So I was wandering around Japanese Wikipedia when I found something interesting: in the Japanese version of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Shazzan (called "Daimao Shazzan, with daimao in this case meaning "great magical king" instead of "great demon king"), the titular genie says the phrase "Paparapah!" whenever he uses his magic, which became a popular phrase among kids at the time (Toriyama would have been 12 at the time). Apparently this "Paparapah!" chant was only in the Japanese dub of the show. Since this is basically the same thing as Babidi's magical phrase, "Papparapah", I'm betting that's the source for it. Shazzan is a genie and the whole show is based on the Arabian Nights, so this would be another bit of Arabian Nights influence on the Buu arc.

[Attitudefan]

Barpapapa sounds like Babidi's spell lol. Toriyama's slickness is decreasing by the year.

I disagree. Even when I make stories or characters and whatnot, I always beg, borrow, and steal things that influenced me greatly. For example, I created a character based on a wrestler, and even my own friends. Is it wrong? Not at all, there is art and stories in everything and by creating a story, it's a part of me in there, a part of my life in the art I create.

[ImmaDeker]

Shazzan was fucking awesome, so this makes me happy.

[Kingdom Heartless]

I remember there was a picture of Piccolo as a child that looked very Peanuts-y.

[dougo13]

All artists crib. You have to learn by looking at what has gone on before you. Did you know that the face of Etrigan The Demon in Jack Kirby's Demon comics is cribbed from a mask on the wall of a panel from Hal Foster's Prince Valiant? And how much ripped from (or paid homage to) from every other artist who ever existed? So, everyone does it...

[dougo13]

Just a note. Most of the old HB cartoons are on Boomerang or else on MOD discs from the Warner's Archive. I have all of Shazzan, Space Ghost, Birdman, Frankenstein Jr., The Impossibles, etc. Nice to know Toriyama also saw the same cartoons. Yeah, the phrase must have been unique to Japan as Shazzan only laughs in the English version (Ho, Ho Ho, Ho!) before he does something magical.

[DBZAOTA482]

Could be a coincidence. I found that the way he used to draw his child characters are similar in shape and a bit in proportion as well as some of the facial expressions.

I honestly wanna see a page of Kid Kuririn trying to kick a steel football with Kid Goku or Teen Bulma (who's very much like Lucy except not as much as a physical bully) holding it then pulling it away.

[Adamant]

Peanuts is pretty well-known in Japan. Or at least Snoopy is. I don't think Toriyama has ever mentioned Peanuts as a specific inspiration though.

I swear he actually has, but I can't for the life of me remember where.

[ultimateemail5000]

I'm pretty sure in the Funimation dub in one of first tournament saga, there was a shot where the gang was looking for Goku and Krillin says He was pretty sure he saw Goku in a certain radius. The dub voice of young Krillin says the line in a very Charlie Brown tone of voice, slow, depressing. I don't remember the episode, or how the line goes word by word, but it's in the first Tournament. The shot of Krillin also looks like Charlie Brown a bit too. So maybe that was the inspiration behind the line?

Or I could just be wrong, but I have thought this for years.

[DBZAOTA482]