‘Dragon Ball’ Animator Wows With Eye-Popping Goku Sketch

Yuya Takahashi is a fan-favorite animator for the Dragon Ball franchise because of his wildly angular, cool takes on Akira Toriyama’s designs and creations. This is especially true every time Takahashi draws Son Goku.

Takahashi shared his latest sketch to Twitter showing off a fierce Goku making a stand against what is most likely a powerful foe.

Goku’s design has gone through many changes throughout the years, and has since been developed through many hands as well. Takahashi’s work on the franchise resulted in some of the best looking episodes of the most recent Dragon Ball Super as well. Takahashi was one of the many talented artists who helped with the final episode of the series, and you can certainly see his influence on the final battle.

Soon fans will be able to see more of his work as Takahashi is one of many of the skilled talents brought on to work on the big Dragon Ball Super movie, Dragon Ball Super: Broly. This is already evident by the trailer, which not only features the softer and rounder character designs for the new film but incredibly angular faces and reactions.

For many reasons, Takahashi’s work feels like a nostalgic throwback to the kinds of fights fan look back on as some of their favorite moments in the entire series. This all comes through his sketches as well, as now fans can imagine this new fierce look at Goku mid-battle as well.

As for the upcoming film, where fans can see more of Takahashi’s work, Dragon Ball Super: Broly opens this December in Japan. Funimation will be bringing the film to theaters in the United States in January as well. The film’s translated synopsis reads as such:

“This is the story of a new Saiyan. Earth is peaceful following the Tournament of Power. Realizing that the universes still hold many more strong people yet to see, Goku spends all his days training to reach even greater heights. Then one day, Goku and Vegeta are faced by a Saiyan called ‘Broly’ who they’ve never seen before. The Saiyans were supposed to have been almost completely wiped out in the destruction of Planet Vegeta, so what’s this one doing on Earth? This encounter between the three Saiyans who have followed completely different destinies turns into a stupendous battle, with even Freeza (back from Hell) getting caught up in the mix.”