This year, Toei allied with the Jump magazine did it again!
Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock!!
But instead of making up some new content, this time it is actually an adaptation of a "doujin" follow-up to the old "Father of Goku" Bardock TV Special.This manga was a sequel of sorts made for V-Jump by the mangaka Naho Ooishi.
Ooishi's got a pretty similar style to the master Akira Toriyama. Not quite the same though, the differences are there particularly on the faces and expression (and the over-use of gradients/shades in the backgrounds). But similar enough, she surely captured the rhythm, panels breakdown/angles and the narration narrowed down.
Anyway, her story was popular enough to get the animated treatment for this year's Christmas!
This all-new TV special was done by a branch of Toei purposely titled the "Dragon Ball Force Project".
(so...huh.. does that mean more original new DB content coming up...?)
This anime was made in a very similar art style to Toriyama's own instead of closely following the manga version. Some changes were made here and there.
It will air today December 17 actually, for Jump Festa 2012 (and will be available online later on Toei's official website).
And here's a clip from it:
For those who want to know, Ooishi is currently making a DB parody/tribute/summary called Dragon Ball SD.
and it looks sort of like this
It's not ground breaking work either, just simple fun tribute with chibi characters.
Not as hilarious as some actual DBZ parodies out there, but from a fan of Toriyama's work, to other fans.
Also, Chilled, the big baddie in this new story related to Freezer/Freeza/Frieza (pick your fav, according to where you live) was actually designed by Toriyama himself!
Check this piece of art:
This definitively looks like an easy winner!
As a long time fan (who kinda forgot and lost touch with mangas they years going by), I'm happy to see some brand new Dragon Ball stuff coming out!
And it seems to be a true work of love for the series rather than some cashing in as usual *cough*theamericanlivemovieadaptation*cough*.
