The world of Dragon Ball is populated by overpowered characters of unimaginable skill and might, and now in a new piece of fan art, two of its most popular, Goku and Frieza, have been given a redesign that harkens back to Japanese paintings depicting the rich mythology and folklore of the country.
Posted on Twitter by username @Justin96636, this account specializes in the Ukiyo-e style of Japanese painting made popular in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, only repurposed for nerd content. Drawing all kinds of Dragon Ball characters as well as other pop-culture heroes like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Naruto, Ultraman, and more, @Justin96636 impresses with this Dragon Ball Z fan art as his a dedication to the Ukiyo-e craft translates into something that needs to be seen to be believed.
Choosing to make Goku and Frieza the focus of this particular piece, @Justin96636 picks a moment from their rivalry that fans know well: their epic battle on an exploding Planet Namek. A fight where Goku finally ascends to the Super Saiyan level, this scuffle also sees Frieza at peak performance as the duo duke it out on a planet that continually spews fire and debris in every direction, giving @Justin96636 a perfect jumping-off point for his unique take on this Goku vs Frieza battle.
Showing a very oni-esque Frieza crouched in a fighting pose on the left side of the image, a fully-charged Super Saiyan Goku is depicted on the right as he attacks Frieza with lethal purpose. Adding in the background a few chunks of floating Namekian rock debris and a swirling lightning storm that signals the end of the planet, @Justin96636 successfully replicates a moment in Dragon Ball history that reflects the epic and thrilling nature of this battle perfectly.
A piece of art that focuses more so on the mythical properties of a Super Saiyan Goku and the then-final form of Frieza, @Justin96636 gives these Dragon Ball characters the redesign they deserve as he enhances the already folkloric elements of beings who are more god-like than anything else. Throw in the fact that @Justin96636 colors the piece with the perfect amount of eye-popping yet lightly faded hues (especially where Goku’s gi is concerned), and you have a distinct piece of jaw-dropping fan art that is only a taste of what @Justin96636 has to offer.
Goku and Frieza’s brawl on Namek was an iconic fight that fans still talk about to this day, and now they can thank @Justin96636 for putting a new spin on an old favorite. Dragon Ball is still going strong in both anime and manga form, so it’s good to see Goku and Frieza’s endless struggle transcend into true art.
