Which of the 3 shows had the best animation?

DBZAOTA482 · Post by **DBZAOTA482** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 1:23 pm

I got into a debate over the animation of the series, and one guy contented that DB had the best animation of the three. I disagree but now I wanna know what you guys think.

Dragon Ball

Probably the most consistent of the three in terms of overall quality though it's obviously a product of it's time for the larger parts. It does, however, show improvement later on in the show with some episodes looking amazing (like most of the 23rd Budokai fights).

Dragon Ball Z

This one is probably the most varied of the three in terms of overall quality, which is expected since it's almost twice as long as the original DB. When it's good, it's really good but the poorly done bits stick out much more than the ones in DB. There was also a clear Art Evolution within the anime where the character designs generally start to become more refined in detail since the late Saiyan Saga.

Dragon Ball GT

This one is the most "modern" looking and probably the most on-model of the three, but it also had the least "stand-out" scenes of the three and the Uchiyama episodes really take a turn for the worst. Not only the art unappealing but the animation was sloppy shit (Baby Vegeta's "Big Bang Attack", SSJ4 Goku's fucked up torse during a still frame, Chi-Chi having no chichis during her monster pose, would-be Goku vs. Vegeta having almost no animation etc.).

What's the best for you? My money's on DBZ, I really like the semi-realistic proportions and cartoon style mixture though I like how DB looks more in the manga.

Vijay · Post by **Vijay** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 1:44 pm

Obviously DBZ, specifically Cell & Buu Saga animations

DB is just...its embarassing to recommend due to its poor drawings.

GT has less than 10 solid, high-quality feel episode.

Z has time-less animation.

1. Gohan's SS2 transformation

2. Goku vs Majin Vegeta fight, specifically episode 232.

JulieYBM · Post by **JulieYBM** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 1:55 pm

Probably Dragon Ball Z. I can't remember anything good in Dragon Ball GT, but Dragon Ball did have some occasionally nice scenes thanks to Obara Tai'ichirou and Shida Naotoshi. Dragon Ball Z was where Seigasha began to bloom and Studio Cockpit joined in the fray.

YouTube · Post by **Ajay** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 2:31 pm

Oh, definitely Z. Dragon Ball had some nice moments but on the whole, it's not that spectacular.

Studio Cockpit's work is fantastic. Heck, even some of the earlier work, though not technically amazing, is still pretty cool.

Dragon Ball's nicest moments were during its tournaments, and I don't even remember anything outstanding in GT.

Tatakae!!Ramenman · Post by **Tatakae!!Ramenman** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 5:10 pm

I thought that the animation for GT was beautiful and had a really good choice of camera angles, but they were cheap on how much action that they would show. And I remember thinking that SSJ1 hair looked really good in GT. I'm voting for GT.

FortuneSSJ · Post by **FortuneSSJ** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 5:22 pm

Dragon Ball Z by far.

InfernalVegito · Post by **InfernalVegito** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 7:20 pm

GT for me. Lots of vibrant colors, beautiful backgrounds and locations.

Lord Beerus · Post by **Lord Beerus** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:21 pm

Z had the best animation hands down. But it was also widely inconsistent.

TheBlackPaladin · Post by **TheBlackPaladin** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:37 pm

In terms of consistency, I would say GT. However there are sections (and movies) of Z that surpass it. As others noted, the quality could be inconsistent with Z.

YouTube · Post by **Ajay** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:43 pm

Could someone post some examples of good animation in GT? I get the feeling people are mistaking good animation with modern character designs, but I'm happy to be proved wrong.

Lord Beerus · Post by **Lord Beerus** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:58 pm

AjayLikesGaming wrote:Could someone post some examples of good animation in GT? I get the feeling people are mistaking good animation with modern character designs, but I'm happy to be proved wrong.

Spoiler:

Gaffer Tape · Post by **Gaffer Tape** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:25 pm

I guess I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be weighing in one which show had examples of animation better than any of the other shows, or which show overall had the best animation. Because of it's the latter, I just can't say Z because so much of it looked terrible. Well, at least a concentrated area of it did. The late Freeza arc was a nadir for the show in many areas, and animation was certainly one of them. SSJ Goku versus Freeza, more often than not, looked like ass. But if we're talking about the former, then I agree that Z had some of the best-looking moments. The Boo arc in the anime looks so much better than the Boo arc in the manga, and there's really no other point in the series where you can say that.

TJVY · Post by **TJVY** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:40 pm

I feel as though people wouldn't give GT such a hard time if that animation hadn't been so bad, I think it's better than Dragon Ball but not by a large margin. The fight scenes are the main example I'll use here, they often look like they're moving too fast or too slow. I don't know how to explain it really, the GIFs Lord Beerus posted below show that there is some good animation at times though.

My favorite animation style would have to be DBZ, Seasons 7-9.

YouTube · Post by **Ajay** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:41 pm

Gaffer Tape wrote:I guess I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be weighing in one which show had examples of animation better than any of the other shows, or which show overall had the best animation.

I went with the former (though I guess the wording in my post suggests otherwise) since the latter would be pretty unfair to judge based on the huge variation in episode count between each series. While Z was certainly filled with garbage looking episodes, it also had the greatest looking ones of any of the three series. You just don't get animation of this quality in any of the other outings. I'd never knock Dragon Ball's most beautiful moments, but they don't stand up to Z at its best. Same goes for GT - a few great moments here and there, and an overall aesthetic that certainly looks like quality, but the animation isn't that great.

I'd love for JulieYBM to chime in a bit more in this topic. His knowledge of the animators and their work on the series is far beyond mine. Really interested in a proper look at GT's cuts outside of some short gifs where only two I consider 'good'. I really don't fancy rewatching that show any time soon.

FoolsGil · Post by **FoolsGil** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:10 pm

For everything that GT has done wrong, when it came to animation, everyone looked their best. Gonna go ahead and say Dragonball is next, in a primitive, earthy kind of way. The colors stand out, the direction of the scenes really stand out too. I'm not saying Z is bad, but someone has to be the bottom in a best category. Z is definitely that middle ground: Loses the primitive look of Dragonball, and becomes the template for the better looking (and that's practically it) GT

bleed0range · Post by **bleed0range** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:29 pm

GT had some great animation... so did Dragon Ball...

But even though DBZ had animation of varying quality. When it was at it's best it trumps animation in BOTH of the other series.

I think the very best looking episodes of the ENTIRE anime... out of all three of those series... is from the SSJ2 Gohan Cell fight as it wound down. Just look at this animation... Better then the new movies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t22NEpftU2k

JulieYBM · Post by **JulieYBM** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:58 pm

I've been so long since I watched either of the first three shows it is hard to add anything to the discussion. From what I remember I do feel like Hisada Kazuya began to wane near the end of Dragon Ball Z. His timing didn't have that snappiness that made it so good earlier on.

Just about everyone slowed down around that point from what I remember. Layouts especially were not their best, although the above cut of Super Saiyan 4 Gokuu seeing is reflection in the glass was a nice idea. Studio Cockpit left the franchise after working with Yama'uchi Shigeyasu on Dragon Ball Z Episode #279 and it wasn't too long after they became the main sub-contractor for OLM on Pocket Monster. I've tried telling who did what in Episode #279 but I'm not quite sure. Iwane Masa'aki might have done a lot of the action cuts, but I can't saw for sure. I'm surprised nobody has asked him about it on his BBS since revealed what he did in the episode where Mister Satan fights Artificial Human #18...hmm...

Studio Cockpit did Episode #191, by the way.

Pliskin Femto · Post by **Pliskin Femto** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 4:34 pm

Technically I'd say DBZ(post-NamekSaga)>DBGT>DB. If we rate it as a whole experience including choreography and overall scene accomplishments then it's DBZ>DB>DBGT.

sangofe · Post by **sangofe** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 4:53 pm

The problem with GT is that it makes everyone, especially SSJ 4 look so damn weak!

LuckyCat · Post by **LuckyCat** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 5:06 pm

There's a reason why only DBZ is getting the Kai treatment, Scenes like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNikxTlkjoc

Really stand the test of time. Incidentally that scene looks great (if a little dark) even in the original DBZ. Another of my favorites is Goku vs. Cell but I doubt I'll find a long enough clip to do it justice.

Kanzenshuu

Which of the 3 shows had the best animation?

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