Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball franchise is famous for designing some of the best antagonists ever. Due to those dynamic and potent villains, the duo of Son Goku and Vegeta could attain multiple Super Saiyan transformations. Out of all those villains, the one that spectacularly stands out is Frieza.
Frieza is always plotting something evil. Even his smile is as malicious as it can get. Having suffered multiple defeats at Goku’s hands, he hates him with all his might. Frieza’s design remains one of the most iconic works of Akira Toriyama. But his initial design was quite different. If the mangaka had decided to go with it, the fans would have made it an internet meme.
Akira Toriyama Changed Frieza Design For The Better
Frieza is one of the most malicious antagonists in anime history. The villain has gone through multiple transformations over the years, and his latest one is Black Frieza. His presence sends shivers down the spine of the audience. Toriyama designed his character to look like an evil incarnate. But his initial design was something that the fans would have never hoped.
In his initial design, he was fatter and larger. Instead of a muscular build, he was covered with fatty layers. It would have made him a laughingstock for the ages. On top of that, his high-pitched voice would have made it weirder. The chubby figure with that voice would be treated as a comic character. The horns in his base form barely went with the design.
Akira Toriyama gave him a Toppo-like figure to make the character look more intimidating and stronger than others. Thankfully, he did not finalize it, and the fans got iconic short-sized Frieza. Goku and the other characters are towering over him, but they are always careful since his evilness could grasp them at any time. Frieza did get taller in his second form, but it was only for a short time.
Frieza’s Latest Transformation Has Made Other Transformations Look Like Child’s Play
Frieza has always been the best Dragon Ball antagonist ever. His multiple transformations have always left the audience scared. During the Namek Saga, each time he transformed, Goku’s task of saving his friends would change from difficult to impossible. Even in Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F, Golden Frieza had the upper but could not maintain the form for long, which resulted in his loss.
But in Dragon Ball Super chapter 87, he achieved a new transformation – Black Frieza. He trained for ten straight years in a Hyperbolic chamber and reached the peak of his powers. He became so strong that it took only one hit to knock out Ultra Instinct Goku and Ultra Ego Vegeta at once. Vegeta hinted at him getting stronger in Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie, but it turned out to be reality.
Dragon Ball can be streamed on Crunchyroll, and the manga is available on Viz Media.
