Did Akira Toriyama really invent the 'chibi' style?

Summary

• The popularity of the chibi style is partly due to Toriyama's early work, but it was influenced by many others before and after him.

• Chibi refers to small, cute figures; Toriyama's chibi-like characters in Dr. Slumpa were inspired by S. D. Gundam and the concept of “SD”.

• Chibi's origins can even be traced back to the 1300s in Japan, slowly making their way into otaku and then into pop culture around the world.

Akira Toriyama's legacy can be felt far beyond anime and manga. Hollywood blockbusters, comics, web cartoons; chances are good that any popular story you're currently consuming owes something to the work of Akira Toriyama. After his death in 2024, even more debate focused on the extent of Toriyama's contribution to the art world. One of the most controversial points of discussion was the question of Toriyama's responsibility for popularizing and even creating “chibi”.

Even before Dragon Ball, Toriyama created classics like Dr. Slump, and it was in this story that his chibi-like designs really took off. But was this really the beginning of the chibi style, or was Toriyama just working on his own inspiration? Let's take a look at the history of chibi in manga, anime, and more to see just how significant Toriyama's contribution is.

What does chibi mean anyway?

There may be more to the term “chibi” than you think

While the term chibi can refer to a certain type of style, are there clear parameters that define an art style as “chibi”? Well, the term itself simply refers to the small or short stature of what it is directed at (similar to a cherub). While it's often used in a positive way in manga and anime to declare something cute, it can have a negative connotation in real life. The term itself originally comes from the term Chibiru, which means to wear out in Japanese. This relates to the current meaning of chibi, because when something wears down, it usually becomes rounded and flattened (think of something like a sharp pencil that gets softer and rounder as you use it). Now in more modern usage it represents a rather small rounded person or thing.

In terms of the rules of what constitutes a chibi image, the exact specifications can vary, but generally a character's head should be the same size as their body, or much larger. Although this is not an official rule, following these guidelines usually results in a chibi-like figure.

The thing is, Toriyama invented chibi

Toriyama's early work bears many signs of the chibi style

With the solidification of the idea of ​​”Chibi”, you can definitely see the emergence of this style in Toriyama's work. Dr. Slump features many characters that can be considered “chibi” and around the time it was released, you can also expect similar images to appear in other popular media. Although these characters were not called “chibi” at the time, they soon began to be called something else, in the style of SD or Super Deformed.

Since the style soon became more widespread in Japan, the suggestion that Toriyama's SD characters may have been the genesis of the Chibi style makes sense. But the reason SD and chibi became famous in otaku and wider pop culture is because of another iconic series.

SD Gundam and “Super Deformed”

While Toriyama drew in a chibi style, the term SD “Super Deformed” and even chibi were not initially associated with his art. However, his Doctor Slump characters, especially his depictions of Godzilla and Ultraman, would lead to the creation of the “SD” line of toys, which would grow in popularity and ignite a chain of events that would lead to the popularization of chibi in otaku circles and beyond. Koji Yokoi, a student during the serialization of Dr. Slumps but still active as an artist, has lent his talent to Bandai as the artist for the new Gundam mini-toy collection. Yokoi was inspired by Toriyama and his mini-Dr. Character decline, and this new line of Gundam toys will be called SD Gundam World, where the term originates from the Chibi styles.

Not only did Yokoi's designs contribute to this toy line, but they became so popular that he even published a manga featuring “SD” Gundam characters.

To SD and Toriyama

Toriyama certainly had his own inspirations

Toriyama is often heralded as possibly the most influential mangaka, if not the most influential artist/author of all time, but he may share that title with another prominent artist in his field. Rightfully called the father or godfather of manga, Osamu Tezuka is certainly responsible for many notable things in modern manga and anime, and the chibi style may be one of them.

Among Tezuka's notable creations, Astro Boy perhaps stands out as his most famous. And if you look at its design, you can notice some characteristics that are very similar to the modern “chibi” style. The small, round character with exaggerated eye proportions and features isn't exactly chibi, but can be credited for the chibi design inspiration that comes later. Pinocchio, a character from his Black Jack TV series, may be even more in line with the Chibi style.

Sanrio and Hello Kitty

If a chibi creator has the best claim to fame, as it stands today, it might be a character who is well-known but not often suspected. Hello Kitty, now a popular character worldwide, was created in 1974 and meets many of the standards that define chibi style today. While many people may see Chibi as a deformation of an existing character thanks to the popularization of the “chibification” series, Hello Kitty has always maintained this look.

Chibi's term may be older than you think

It's hard to pinpoint exactly where Chibi started

Although the characters and style of chibi may have become popular in the 70s and 80s, there is some evidence to suggest that the earliest use of the term dates back to the 1300s. And although it did not gain popularity from there, over the following centuries it gradually made its way into the Japanese language and popular culture.

Nowadays, chibi toys and chibi series are popular all over the world. Anime and manga titles that are already hits sometimes get an additional “chibi” version, such as Attack on Titan. You might see a chibi version of your favorite manga in your bookstore. Funko Pops are some of the most famous toys in the world and are famous for their chibi-like style. While Toriyama may not be credited with “creating” the chibi style, his place in its history is certainly cemented. And like everything else included in his works, his chibi-like characters have inspired many others.