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Akira Toriyama’s legacy can be felt far beyond the worlds of anime and manga. Hollywood blockbusters, comics, webtoons; odds are that whatever popular story you are enjoying right now owes something to Akira Toriyama’s body of work. After his passing in 2024, even more discussion was focused on the extent of Toriyama’s contributions to the art world. One of the more contentious points of discussion was if Toriyama was responsible for the popularization and even creation of “chibi”.
Even before Dragon Ball, Toriyama was creating classics like Dr. Slump, and it is in this story that his chibi-like designs really took off. But was this really the beginning of the chibi style, or was Toriyama simply working off his own inspirations? Let’s take a look at the history of chibi in manga, anime and more, to figure out how far Toriyama’s contributions go.
What Does Chibi Mean Anyway?
There May Be More Behind the Term “Chibi” Than You Think
While the term chibi may suggest a specific type of style, are there exact parameters that define an art style as “chibi”? Well, the term itself simply refers to the small or short stature of what it is being directed towards (similar to cherubic). While this is often used positively in manga and anime to declare something as being cute, it can hold a negative connotation in real life. The term itself originally comes from the term Chibiru, which in Japanese means to wear down. This relates to the current meaning of chibi because as something becomes worn down, it typically rounds and smooths out (think of something like a sharp pencil lead becoming softer and rounder as you use it). Now in more modern usage, it represents a rather small, rounded person or thing.
In terms of rules for what constitutes a “chibi” depiction, exact specifications can differ, but typically a character’s head should be the same size as their body or drastically bigger. While this isn’t an official rule declared anywhere, following these guidelines will typically produce a chibi-like figure.
The Case for Toriyama Inventing Chibi
Toriyama’s Early Work Heavily Featured the Chibi Style
With the idea of “Chibi” solidified, you may certainly see the appearance of this style in Toriyama’s work. In Dr Slump, many characters that can be considered “chibi” appear, and around the time of its release, you can also an increased appearance of similar designs in other popular media. While these characters weren’t known as “chibi” at the time, they would soon come to be referred to in another way, as SD style or Super Deformed.
Since this style began to propagate more in Japan soon after, the assumption that Toriyama’s SD characters may have been the genesis of the Chibi style makes sense. But the reason why SD and chibi became known in otaku and wider pop culture is thanks to another landmark series.
SD Gundam and “Super Deformed”
While Toriyama drew in the chibi style, the term SD “Super Deformed” and even chibi weren’t originally associated with his art. However, his characters in Dr. Slump, especially his depictions of Godzilla and Ultraman, would lead to the creation of a line of “SD” toys that would explode in popularity and ignite the chain of events that led to the popularization of chibi in otaku circles and beyond. Koji Yokoi, a student at the time of Dr. Slumps serialization, but still active as an artist today, lent his talents to Bandai as the artist behind a new collection of mini Gundam toys. Yokoi was inspired by Toriyama and his mini-Dr. Slump characters, and this new line of Gundam toys would be named SD Gundam World, which is where this term would originate in association with Chibi styles.
Not only would Yokoi’s designs contribute to this toy line, but they became so popular that he even had a published manga featuring his “SD” Gundam characters.
Before SD and Toriyama
Toriyama is often heralded as perhaps the most influential mangaka if not artist/author of all time, but he may share that title with another famous artist in his own field. Osamu Tezuka, rightfully known as the father or godfather of manga, is certainly responsible for so many notable things in manga and anime today, and it’s possible that 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 his design, you might notice some characteristics very reminiscent of the modern “chibi” style. The small round character with exaggerated eye proportions and features aren’t exactly chibi, but could take credit for inspiring chibi designs that would come later on. Pinoko, a character from his Black Jack series, may fit the mold of the “Chibi” style even more.
Sanrio and Hello Kitty
If there is the strongest claim to fame for the originator of chibi as it appears today, it might be a character that’s well known but not often suspected. Hello Kitty, now a massive character all over the world, was originally created in 1974, and fits many of the standards that define the chibi style today. While many people may approach Chibi as a deformation of an existing character thanks to the popularization of “chibifying” series, Hello Kitty has always maintained this appearance.
The Term Chibi May Be Older Than You Think
It’s Hard to Determine Exactly Where Chibi Started
While chibi characters and style may have become popular in the 70s and 80s, there is some evidence that suggests the earliest the term was used was as far back as the 1300s. And while it wouldn’t take off in popularity from there, over the centuries that followed, it would gradually work its way into Japanese vernacular and popular culture.
Nowadays, chibi toys and chibi-fied series are popular worldwide. Anime and manga titles that are already a hit sometimes get an additional “chibi” version, like Attack on Titan. You might see a chibi gag version of your favorite manga in your bookstore. Funko Pops are among the most famous toys in the world and are renowned for their chibi-like style. While Toriyama might not be credited for “creating” the chibi style, his place in its history is certainly cemented. And much like all the other things included in his work his chibi-like characters went on to inspire so many others.
