Why Toriyama-sensei's art style changed so much...

[Periskir]

Just WHY? It was personal choice, boredom or editor's pressure??

[Kamiccolo9]

Just WHY? It was personal choice, boredom or editor's pressure??

Artists' styles change over time. It's not particularly uncommon.

[Theophrastus]

Yeah, it's mostly just a thing that happens naturally over time as an artist's style evolves and becomes more streamlined.

Examples from other series:
One Piece:
http://i.imgur.com/YUpRwVw.jpg

Bleach:
http://i.imgur.com/uwCbOnt.jpg

[Chuquita]

I second. It's definitely a normal, subconscious kind of thing. There is an active element of "bored with this, try it this way" in there too.

[JulieYBM]

Just WHY? It was personal choice, boredom or editor's pressure??

It is a combination of boredom and trying to draw fifteen pages a week for nearly twenty years straight.

[fadeddreams5]

Yeah, it's mostly just a thing that happens naturally over time as an artist's style evolves and becomes more streamlined.

Examples from other series:
One Piece:
http://i.imgur.com/YUpRwVw.jpg

Bleach:
http://i.imgur.com/uwCbOnt.jpg

Those images seem consistent though, as did Toriyama's style when he drew the manga. Sure, it changed, but it wasn't too much of a departure.

Toriyama's modern art style, however, is DRAMATICALLY different, to the point that it feels like it's someone else drawing these characters...

[Kamiccolo9]

Yeah, it's mostly just a thing that happens naturally over time as an artist's style evolves and becomes more streamlined.

Examples from other series:
One Piece:
http://i.imgur.com/YUpRwVw.jpg

Bleach:
http://i.imgur.com/uwCbOnt.jpg

Those images seem consistent though, as did Toriyama's style when he drew the manga. Sure, it changed, but it wasn't too much of a departure.

Toriyama's modern art style, however, is DRAMATICALLY different, to the point that it feels like it's someone else drawing these characters...

Neither of them have a 30 year-old series, though.

[Periskir]

Modern style???

[KentalSSJ6]

Here is Rurouni Kenshin during it's first volume -

Spoiler:

And here it is now -



Things just change.

[Kamiccolo9]

BUTOHMYGODWATSUKI'SARTISSTILLSOOOOOOOOSEXYOHMYGOD

DROOLS
...
...
...
...
....

Ahem. Sorry about that. Moving on.

[Periskir]

I used to believe that last style chang of Toriyama-sensei occured around the end of the Cell Games.

[emperior]

It's been 20 years he hasn't drawn Dragon Ball characters.
I just hope not everyone is going to look skinny on Super.

[Mewzard]

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure debut cover in WSJ (1987):



Debut of Part 8: Jojolion in Ultra Jump:



Hell, here's a modern cover for a reprint of the 80s Material:



Art styles can change, but honestly, Toriyama's hasn't changed as much as some artists.

[Dyno]

I don't think Toriyama's art changed so much, he just can't make the characters "normal" anymore, his art skills now is to make them skinny. Toriyama's art can still be pretty well acknowledge in anywhere you see it.

[Periskir]

What do you mean "normal" Always Toriyama-sensei's style was "personal" cartoon-like in some cases.

[B]

I would be interested in seeing Toriyama draw Slump characters these days if anyone ever bothered to ask him to do that. Now that is change in style, even to something as early as the Saiyan arc.

[Lord Beerus]

The style of an artist always change over the years. It's nothing out of the ordinary, especially for a long running series like Dragon Ball.

[TheDevilsCorpse]

I would be interested in seeing Toriyama draw Slump characters these days if anyone ever bothered to ask him to do that. Now that is change in style, even to something as early as the Saiyan arc.

He did draw Arale with Goku in 2011 in support of Japan after the devastating tsunami.

[Dayspring]

Not wanting style changes over time? Have you people not seen pics of his earliest works? I love me some Toriyama, but that stuff's just horribad.

[Flame Dragon]

I don't like when he makes everyone look anorexic. Thankfully it looks like he's backtracking a bit on that with the RoF manga.