Dragon Ball has crafted an enduring legacy that has captivated audiences for over 40 years, largely due to its multifaceted appeal. The franchise boasts a rich variety that has gradually earned the trust of its fans. This trust allows Dragon Ball enthusiasts to discern when the series is genuinely engaging and when it’s merely treading water to maintain its momentum.

Throughout its extensive history, Dragon Ball has maintained a fairly steady track record, though it remains imperfect. A clear division can be drawn between the classic era and the modern phase of the series. A notable, yet often overlooked, aspect of Dragon Ball‘s commercialization is its transition from traditional hand-drawn eyecatch animations to digital composites.

Eyecatches, brief animations marking the beginning and end of commercial breaks, are a staple feature in anime. These quick sequences serve as visual cues to indicate that Dragon Ball is either pausing for or resuming from commercials. While not a crucial element of the series, eyecatches are cherished by fans, generating considerable affection. This was evident when eyecatches were included in the English physical media releases of Dragon Ball Z, sparking excitement among the audience.

Dragon Ball Z Kai’s Digital Eyecatches Mark The Start Of The Franchise’s Commodification

Eyecatches are simple elements that are prominent in anime that are designed to bookend commercial breaks. These visual flairs typically amount to a few seconds of animation that let the audience know that Dragon Ball is heading into or returning from commercials. Eyecatches are hardly an essential element of Dragon Ball, but they’re still something that generates a lot of love from fans. There was even quite a bit of enthusiasm when eyecatches were included on Dragon Ball Z’s English physical media sets.

Eyecatches are present in every single Dragon Ball series, including the handful of TV Specials that were produced. These eyecatches were lovingly crafted with hand-drawn animation during Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT’s runs. When Dragon Ball Z Kai premiered in 2009, however, the anime created new eyecatches that digitally traced over and colored existing footage.

Dragon Ball Z Kai’s digital eyecatches carry over to Dragon Ball Super and DAIMA, which makes sense since they’re entirely produced with digital animation and coloring. This isn’t necessarily Dragon Ball’s problem, but more of a grander issue with the industry as a whole. It’s increasingly rare and expensive to produce traditional cel-drawn animation. The many eyecatches that are present in Dragon Ball Z Kai are digital composites, rather than hand-drawn animation cels, which is emblematic of many of the grander concessions and shortcuts that are taken in modern times.

The moment that these digital eyecatches take over is when Dragon Ball starts to feel more like a product than a passion, which reflects how the motivations behind Dragon Ball Z Kai’s creation had a lot more to do with revenue than fandom. To be clear, there are still plenty of highs in Dragon Ball Super and DAIMA, but the franchise feels more commercialized and shallow as a whole. Characters like Future Trunks and Frieza return in prominent roles because they’re popular, not because it makes the most narrative sense.

In contrast to this creeping soullessness and apathy, Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT’s eyecatches have a pure, subtle nature. Sadly, they become overdone and commodified in Dragon Ball Z Kai. The model shifts from two eyecatch designs per series to a new eyecatch every four episodes or so. Dragon Ball Z Kai has 41 unique eyecatches, whereas its predecessors all have two. There’s no time to appreciate any of Kai’s digital eyecatches because they’re so gratuitous. Dragon Ball Super thankfully learns from this mistake with only three eyecatches across 131 episodes.

The Original Hand-Drawn Eyecatches Celebrate Dragon Ball’s Innocence & Playful Characters

Dragon Ball’s eyecatches are a fun way to break up the action and complement a cliffhanger. More than just that, these brief visuals are also a great opportunity for Dragon Ball to put its personality on display. In many ways, these eyecatches are meant to be a direct visual calling card for what the series represents. Accordingly, it’s interesting to note that all the eyecatches across the original three series are designed to celebrate the innocence of Dragon Ball’s characters.

These eyecatches are never aggressive or geared around remarkable feats of strength, even as Dragon Ball’s characters become impossibly powerful. If anything, these eyecatches work to counterbalance Dragon Ball’s exaggerated action sequences by returning to playful, slice-of-life visual vignettes. These eyecatches understand why Dragon Ball’s fans love its characters and have followed them for so long.

The original Dragon Ball’s first eyecatches focus on Goku and Oolong fooling around with the Dragon Balls, while the next ones look at a silly sparring session between Goku and Master Roshi. Dragon Ball Z’s pair of eyecatches, meanwhile, lovingly depict Goku and Gohan, Goten with Gohan and Videl, and Goku with King Kai. Finally, Dragon Ball GT’s eyecatches put the core trio of Goku, Pan, and Trunks in the spotlight, before then expanding the scope to look at the beautiful, extended family that Goku has built over the years. They’re all sweet reminders that Dragon Ball is full of charming characters, not just combat.

Hand-Drawn Eyecatches Are Essential For Dragon Ball’s New Series in 2026

Dragon Ball’s eyecatches, and what they represent, speak to an important part of Dragon Ball’s personality that can’t be neglected. The contrasting treatment of Dragon Ball’s eyecatches raises some interesting questions regarding the rumored new Dragon Ball anime that’s on the way. Any new Dragon Ball series is sure to feature eyecatches, and this simple area could be an easy way to impress fans and prove dedication.

Hand-drawn, traditional cel-animated eyecatches aren’t at all practical, but their use would make such a real statement. If the new Dragon Ball anime happens to be a Dragon Ball Super remake, then it needs to be pulling out all the stops and proving that it’s treating things differently this time around. Plenty of fans will already have their knives out for another retelling of Dragon Ball Super, but traditional eyecatches would go a long way here.

The next Dragon Ball anime, especially if it’s a remake of Super, is supposed to usher in a new era. Hand-drawn eyecatches would be a huge, unnecessary expense, albeit one that’s worth the investment. An entire credit sequence that’s done in this traditional style would be borderline impossible. However, two eyecatches that are a few seconds each aren’t beyond the realm of possibility. It’s a gesture that would speak volumes during a time when Dragon Ball fans want to believe that the franchise’s first post-Toriyama anime has its heart in the right place.

Created by

Akira Toriyama

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