Akira Toriyama’s Best Character Designs

Summary

• Toriyama’s character designs from Dragon Ball and other series have left an indelible mark on anime and gaming.
• Arale Norimaki, Android 18, and Magus are notable examples showcasing Toriyama’s diverse character design capabilities.
• Simple yet iconic designs like the slime from Dragon Quest and recognizability of characters like Bulma and Goku define Toriyama’s legacy.

The greatest accomplishment for an artist is when their work transcends their identity. Japanese mangaka Akira Toriyama achieved that many times over. Even if someone doesn’t know who Akira Toriyama is, anyone with even a basic recognition of anime will know his art style.

Toriyama left an incredible footprint on the worlds of anime and gaming: mainstream media would be completely different without him. Under his pen, Dragon Ball and Dragon Quest become bona fide cultural phenomena that helped Japanese art break through in the West. Here is a rundown of the best character designs by this legendary artist: often imitated, never outdrawn.

8

Arale Norimaki

Dr. Slump

Akira Toriyama may be best-known today for his big, beefy fighters from the Dragon Ball series, but before conceiving that manga he created Dr. Slump, a lighthearted series starring a mischievous robot girl.

Arale Norimaki embodied the design principles that Akira Toriyama would always fall back on when he needed cuteness: chibi proportions, round glasses, and a winning smile. Though not as famous as her Dragon Ball counterpart, Arale’s influence can easily be seen in Chronon Trigger’s Lucca.

7

Android 18

Dragon Ball Z

Dragon Ball is an ’80s series that truly came into its own in the ’90s. Android 18 represents that change: her grunge-inspired clothing, replete with denim and stripes, was in stark contrast to the sci-fi and martial arts-inspired outfits of the series so far.

Toriyama also gifted Android 18 a cold, piercing gaze that made the character intimidating. Goku and his friends are just lucky she decided to marry Krillin and settle down rather than wreak havoc on the world, as she would in an alternate timeline.

6

Magus

Chrono Trigger

Before Sephiroth, Magus was the symbol of JRPG bad boys. Dark and gothic in his appearance, stoic in his demeanour and boasting long silver hair, Magus was the epitome of cool and remains one of the most beloved Chrono Trigger characters to this day.

Even with the limited 16-bit capabilities of the SNES, Magus’ design stood out. His widow’s peak lent him the harshness he needed to keep from feeling soft, while his cape and earrings brought him a certain edginess.

5

Slime

Dragon Quest

Sometimes the simplest design is the best one, particularly when creating the mascot. Think about characters like Mario and Sonic: you can recognize them from their colour scheme alone. One of the most popular Japanese mascots, the Dragon Quest slime, takes that philosophy and strips it down to its bare essentials.

The slime is just a teardrop-shaped piece of goo with a couple of googly eyes and a wide smile. That’s it. What else do you need to represent your brand? Its status as the first enemy you come across just makes it even more memorable and iconic.

4

Bulma

Dragon Ball

Though Goku is the face of the Dragon Ball series, Bulma is its heart. Her pursuit of the seven legendary Dragon Balls is what kickstarts the entire saga, and she serves as Goku’s guide and greatest ally in his younger years.

Bulma’s design would shift across her time in the series, with the character often opting for new haircuts and fashion choices. However, her original design with the bright pink jumpsuit and braid is the most memorable one, so much so that Toriyama brought it back in Dragon Ball Z.

3

Raditz

Dragon Ball Z

Dragon Ball Z’s first villain has long since been overshadowed: first by Vegeta, then by Frieza, and then the countless antagonists since. However, his design embodies the principles all Saiyans would follow.

Raditz debuts wearing the sleek, durable Saiyan armour that would pad Vegeta and the others later on. His hair looks like it used up an entire can of hairspray, and he wears the Scouter, which lets him see others’ power level. His hulking muscles also made him more intimidating than Vegeta. Raditz is an underrated character design that served as a basis for many others to follow.

2

Hero

Dragon Quest 8

With its unnamed hero, Dragon Quest 8 marks a shift in the entire series and remains one of its most popular character designs today. He was the first mainline protagonist the series showed in 3D, and his game was the one that finally broke Dragon Quest through in the West.

The Hero also marked a departure from the same-y designs of previous DQ protagonists. For far too long, Dragon Quest protagonists had served as little more than minor redesigns of Goku or mishmashes of Dragon Ball design philosophies. With his pirate-like outfit, bandana and brown hair, the DQ8 hero was a breath of fresh air.

1

Son Goku

Dragon Ball

Goku is a cultural icon. He is the quintessential shounen hero: determined, altruistic and fierce. His design was fully refined towards the end of Dragon Ball and the beginning of Dragon Ball Z: Goku grew up and became the instantly recognizable hero he is today.

Goku’s spiky hair has influenced more shounen protagonists than any mangaka would care to admit: he has main character hair. His expressive face gives rise to a multitude of instantly recognizable emotions: Goku doesn’t hide his feelings. His trademark carrot-coloured gi shows his continuous pursuit of martial arts excellence.