Key Takeaways:
– Eiichiro Oda is in awe of Akira Toriyama’s unique art style.
– Toriyama confesses he regrets not studying muscle models before creating Dragon Ball.
– Toriyama admires the accurate depiction of muscles in Oda’s One Piece series.
– Oda reveals his fascination with Toriyama’s illustration of armpits and hands.
The Artistic Bond Between Two Manga Legends
Legendary mangaka, Akira Toriyama, known as the face behind Dragon Ball, and Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, recently had an insightful conversation. This legendary interaction took place during an interview published in the One Piece Artbook, Color Walk 1. However, instead of a formal interview, it was more of a friendly chat about each other’s works, inspirations, and artistic techniques.
Eiichiro Oda’s Admiration for Akira Toriyama’s Art
Eiichiro Oda didn’t hold back his admiration for Akira Toriyama’s art during the conversation. He referred to Toriyama’s drawing style as god-like, placing him in an entirely different dimension from himself. He confessed that when he first discovered Dragon Ball while still a novice, he instantly fell in love with Toriyama’s art. He even stated Toriyama surpassed his admiration for Disney’s style.
Oda’s Fondness for Armpits and Hands Art
Oda particularly mentioned a minor Dragon Ball character, Ranfan, who competes in the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. The One Piece author expressed his admiration for the meticulous way Toriyama drew Ranfan’s armpits. This observation might seem strange, but Oda explained that he was really fond of drawing armpits during that time.
Oda continued to express his admiration for Toriyama’s artistic skills with another Dragon Ball character, Taopaipai, an assassin. He was deeply impressed by the precision of the hand illustrations. Toriyama’s unique way of drawing hands and armpits left a lasting impression on Oda.
Akira Toriyama’s Unanticipated Regret
Despite the widespread adoration of his art, Toriyama admitted one significant regret. He confessed that he wished he’d studied muscle models before creating Dragon Ball, as his characters became increasingly muscular. He regretted focusing so much on stylistic muscles rather than on how real muscles actually appear.
Surprised by this confession, Oda quickly stated that Dragon Ball’s muscular characters were incredibly impressive. To this, Toriyama clarified that even though his characters looked aesthetically pleasing, they were not anatomically correct.
Why Muscular Female Characters in Dragon Ball?
Interestingly enough, Toriyama also admitted that muscular female characters were incorporated in Dragon Ball as he was unsure how to draw women. And even though Toriyama confessed some flaws in his drawing style, it’s important to remember that fans still consider him a highly talented mangaka.
To conclude, this conversation was a delightful insight into the minds of two great manga artists, their mutual admiration for each other, and the inspirations behind their unique art styles. It shows that even legends like Akira Toriyama continuously strive to improve their craft, serving a valuable lesson for aspiring mangakas worldwide.
You can enjoy Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball at Viz Media, while the anime is currently available on Crunchyroll.
