Artists of the Dragonball Anime

Detective X · Post by **Detective X** » Sat Sep 18, 2004 11:21 pm

Dragonball undoubtedly has some of the most drastic changes in art from episode to episode. The questions in this post is after I try to explain the backgrounds of them. I offer some references for certain episodes which carried these artists/styles.

In early Dragonball, the art started out fluid, then some artists became far better than others. So as the end of Dragonball came, the art began to noticably differ.

Dragonball Z came along and went through three different art styles in the Saiyan and early Freeza sagas (as dubbed by me):

- Toriyama quality
- Psuedo quality
- Triangle crap *everything he drew had a triangular theme!* (Krillin, Gohan, and Bulma are captured by the guys in that spaceship in one of these)

"Toriyama quality" best mirrored the mangas look, and was used often. "Psuedo quality" was used the most and was used for semi-important episodes and filler. "Triangle crap" was used in episodes, I assume, that no one cared for.

The Cell saga began and ran through 5 different art styles:

- Super amazingly detailed but not really Toriyama (ie when Cell destroys the ring against Goku, Super Gotenks Buu vs. Gohan, Pikkon and Goku vs. Cell, Freeza, Ginyu Force)
- Better than Toriyama, while keeping his style (ie when Vegeta admits Goku is far stronger, entrance to last tournament of Z)
- Almost better than Toriyama (ie Goku defeats Buu with Genki Dama)
- Let's forget shading! (ie everyone throws a party and Goku is late because of the pterodactyls)
- Triangle crap (ie second to last episode of Z, Trunks vs. King Cold)

The Buu saga also carried these 5 styles.

Dragonball GT began and they FINALLY fired "Triangle crap" man, and the roster became:
- Better than Toriyama (ie first episode of Super Saiyan 4 Goku)
- Almost better than Toriyama (ie Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta)
- Let's forget shading! (ie Goku is blinded, gains power from Gohan, Goten, and Trunks)
- Worse than Triangle crap (ie Goku vs. Cell and Freeza)

So, now having briefly explained things to the best of my ability, here are my questions.

- Who were the artists behind Dragonball and are they doing anything else now?

- Why was "Triangle-crap" kept around for so long? Didn't they have a good enough budget to keep him off the project?

I know this may seem like flame bait, but I'm really not intending to put down this series. For the most part, I enjoyed the art, but for others... I couldn't stand it.

Tenken · Post by **Tenken** » Sat Sep 18, 2004 11:27 pm

I don't know as much about dbz, but I know a lot about the animation in naruto, so it probably applies here.

It's the same situation, some of the animation is friggin spectacular while most of it is mediocre at best. Studio Pierrot outsources a lot of its animation grunt work to taiwan/china, while saving the awesome episodes to be done in house (i.e.: Naruto episode 48, my favorite ep). This is probably the same thing that happened to dbz. Remember, 1 ep a week. x_x

Mugenmidget · Post by **Mugenmidget** » Sat Sep 18, 2004 11:40 pm

Another good show to do this with is the Megaman American Cartoon.

I mean it never looked spectacular as far as character designs, but some episodes have insane shading and animation while some are absolutely pitiful.

Pretty funny thing, that cartoon.

Deus ex Machina · Post by **Deus ex Machina** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 12:00 am

I think you already know the answer: "Triangle crap" was a result of budget, and probably time restraints. They were easy and quick to draw, and the colors weren't used very well either. The only thing I hated was that this art style would pop up at some of the worst times. IE. After Goku transforms into a SSJ against Freeza, or SSJ2 against Cell.

IncredibleGuy · Post by **IncredibleGuy** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 12:54 am

God, I HATED Triangle crap guy. So many potentially good episodes were ruined because of his insanely bad art style. Even worse was the fact that his guy was awful at painting and would also color certain things differently for absolutely no reason at all (Cell' blood color).

Sun_Wukong · Post by **Sun_Wukong** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 10:55 am

Somebody had a feature on this awhile back. I wanna say Ginga Giri Giri but I'm not positive.

Dayspring · Post by **Dayspring** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 12:47 pm

Tenken wrote: It's the same situation, some of the animation is friggin spectacular while most of it is mediocre at best.

Like Naruto ep 101. WTF was that? Even that damn crow thought the whole episode was trash! When we first see the crow it says "Waarst ehpishode Evar! Evar!" Then every 2 mins the crow circles above again and repeats "Evar! EVAR!"

I was so looking forward to that episode since it was LOOSELY based on the Ichiyaku Ramen mini-manga, but that part ended 5-10 mins in.

Back on topic: That's why the manga's artowork is always superior! Trash anime! Blaaargh, etc!

Zackarotto · Post by **Zackarotto** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 5:59 pm

Yeah, I loved that little Naruto manga thing, but the episode did a poor job. Some of the new things in that episode were funny, but for the most part, it was lame. That crow pissed me off, and that Haze trio or whatever they were? Boring.

SonGokuGT · Post by **SonGokuGT** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 9:44 pm

If he isn't already dead... Triangle crap guy needs to die...

*clears throat*...anyways... "The shifting art styles in the Dragonball Anime" would make an awesome addition to Daizenshuu EX!~

koden · Post by **koden** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 6:09 am

yep, Dragonball sure did have a lot of shifting art styles... ... the inconsistency was quite distracting, but that's still one of the things I love about DB/Z's animation style. It was always evolving, and ended up looking completely different from its early days.
Plus I just like that old timeless look... much more than the new modern style of today's anime.

I can only agree with yall about that triangle crap style, though.
Now that was fugly.... psha, I'll take the manga any day over that.

SuperFusion · Post by **SuperFusion** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 8:24 pm

Hey! Can someone show me a picture that was drawn by the three artist and put there next to it? Please!?!?

Zackarotto · Post by **Zackarotto** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:13 pm

I guess I'd also like a comparison image, assuming that's what SuperFusion asked for. I remember some low quality stuff in DBZ, but I don't recall a bunch of triangles. Poor memory and all.

So post a comparison image, and I'll let you see a cute picture of The Cheat wearing a top hat.

...There, you've seen it. YOU OWE ME A COMPARISON NOW.

(By the way, do you guys have any idea how much a top hat costs? $200! I NEED A FUCKING TOP HAT)

Detective X · Post by **Detective X** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:47 pm

Saiyan Saga(-ish)
Saiyan Saga example of Toriyama-Quality
Saiyan Saga example of Psuedo-Quality
Saiyan Saga example of Triangle-crap

Rest of Z
Super amazingly detailed but not really Toriyama
Better than Toriyama, while keeping his style
Almost better than Toriyama
Let's forget shading!
Triangle crap

GT
Better than Toriyama
Almost better than Toriyama
Let's forget shading!
Worse than Triangle crap

Hope that helps!

For Triangle crap under "Rest of Z", I think I chose the prime example to explain what I meant by "Triangle". Also, the "Let's forget shading!" are by the artist I was talking about, but I couldn't find one where he doesn't use shading, but I know he seldom uses it.[/url]

Tanooki Kuribo · Post by **Tanooki Kuribo** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 10:00 pm

I think "triangle guy" is better then "lets forget shading" guy, I remeber an episode in the Cell Games saga, In the begining of the episode it looked like children drew it, especially Vegeta. I forget wich episode it is but it was all "Lets forget shadowing" guy! Grrr Indeed.

SuperFusion · Post by **SuperFusion** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 4:32 pm

That "better then toriyama" thing better be a joke.. because I'm watchin my DBZ episodes and Akira blows that bulls*** away.

PsyLiam · Post by **PsyLiam** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 8:46 pm

Akira does really hate bullskin, though.

BTW, I agree that this would make a great addition to Daizenshuu EX. I'm not sure how though.

Kanzenshuu

Artists of the Dragonball Anime

Artists of the Dragonball Anime

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