Created by the late manga artist Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball, which celebrates its 40th serialization anniversary this year, is undoubtedly a classic for many. Both the manga and anime hold countless memories for fans and continue to enjoy immense popularity.
Recently, Japanese engineer job platform "Findy" (ファインディ) teamed up with Dragon Ball for a new TV commercial starring Bulma from "Dragon Ball Z." The ad's release sent a jolt of nostalgia through veteran fans, and the biggest reason? The art style. It perfectly recreates the animation style of the "Dragon Ball Z" era, looking almost like it was pulled straight from 90s anime!
This TV commercial, a collaboration with the engineer job platform, carries the slogan "Let creators make the world more interesting." It began airing in Japan's Kanto region today (July 7), with the full 30-second version already pre-released on YouTube.
The ad features Bulma from "Dragon Ball Z." She pulls out the Dragon Radar, fixes a detector, measures battle power, and even modifies an alien spaceship... these classic in-show moments are strung together in a fast-paced montage, instantly plunging viewers into a wave of nostalgia.
What's truly stunning is the CM's animation style. Bulma's movements, expressions, the backgrounds, the texture of the props... they all perfectly capture that "hand-drawn feel" from the 90s "Dragon Ball Z" broadcast era. The whole thing exudes a strong cel animation vibe, genuinely looking like clips directly lifted from the original TV series.
▼ Full commercial video
This 30-second new footage is practically a divine recreation of "Z"! It's sparked heated discussions across social media, with comments like: "It doesn't even look like new animation, it's perfectly consistent with the 90s style!" "Can they please remake the entire Dragon Ball series with this art style? My money is ready!" "It's perfect! This animation blends so well with Toriyama-sensei's art style, I really want to rewatch everything in this style!"
While recent Dragon Ball anime styles, such as "Dragon Ball Super" and "Dragon Ball Daima," along with numerous game animations and card promos, exist, fans generally consider the "Dragon Ball Z" era style to be the most classic, especially that "original hand-drawn feel" from the 90s.
This ad is a critical hit straight to the hearts of fans who adore that classic style, so it's no wonder netizens are wishing... how amazing would it be if the main series could be remade with this art style someday!