Saturday, March 9, 2024

I'm Taking a Break


Due to the mourning for Akira Toriyama, I will take a break from my activities on this blog and my other social media for an indefinite period of time, I will be back soon, for now, I recommend not sending comments with questions to me, thank you :)

Art Gallery - Tribute to Akira Toriyama (1955-2024)


A few years ago, I was absent for a month in the internet and a friend of mine at the time asked me if it was because of the death of someone famous, I said “no” and that I couldn't imagine myself crying because of the death of someone I never met.


Today I can now imagine it, because it happened, and maybe it will never happen again, because of the unique event it was and how important it is to me. It's like he was a member of my family


Dragon Ball is one of the franchises that I've known for the longest time in my life, I don't remember when exactly I discovered it, but I remember watching it on Cartoon Network in 2009 when I was just 5 years old, and since that time I was already in love, I remember that before I could watch the Boo saga, the channel had already started airing Kai in place of Z, and whenever the Cell Saga ended I kept asking myself why there wasn't the Boo Saga, because in the video game I had on the PSP there were the characters from this saga, I really wanted to see the complete work, I managed to watch GT in its entirety on another channel, and then Kai's Boo Saga and Super I watched for the first time when they were released internationally in 2017.


 I may have taken a few breaks, but I never stopped being a fan of the series, especially after it returned with the release of the movie “Battle of Gods” in 2013. Since then, I've seen countless arts, videos on YouTube, and even video games, Dragon Ball Xenoverse was one of the games I played the most in my life, and even though I stopped playing video games, Dragon Ball games are one of the only ones that I still check out from time to time.


Toriyama's work is important to me in countless ways, if it weren't for Dragon Ball I don't know where I would be today in relation to the arts, I remember that I was already inspired by Toriyama and Dragon Ball's art style in my early years from school, the artistic evolution I had for more than 10 years, completely inspired by Toriyama's work.

2023 was one of the worst years for me, mainly because I started to not like my arts anymore, I didn't stop doing them but I saw them negatively, I no longer felt love for them, and I started to think that I didn't deserve to have such good skills, everything got worse when the AIs got improved, and that's when I felt totally irrelevant, a total waste and that my arts had no more value, it was a very complicated time.


At the end of 2023 I started to rewatched all of Dragon Ball in order, until the end of Super, and that's when I started to change for the better, seeing that amazing art and world all over again, it excited me, I redid my original character's design, and I started loving my arts again, nowadays I draw them and they make me happy, I'm interested again in writing stories, paying homages to manga panels, making jokes, etc., it's really enjoyable, I don't think I'm perfect, I've already made a lot of mistakes, but I will always try to do my best.


Not only I draw nowadays because of Dragon Ball, but I also listen to music because of Dragon Ball, it was from the works of Hironobu Kageyama and Shunsuke Kikuchi that I started to care so much about soundtracks, I always listen to at least one song of Dragon Ball a day, to the point that I memorized all the BGMs of DB & DBZ.


When I was introduced to Dragon Ball I didn't know that it came from Japan, I only found out about it much later, honeslt I've never read another manga that isn't Dragon Ball, and I've watched very few anime in my life, like Pokemon and Naruto, I think they're good, but none of them I kept watching and they didn't even come close to impacting me like Dragon Ball did, there's something special about Toriyama's work that I don't think can be described through words, of course, the Nostalgia factor is always strong, but when it comes to Dragon Ball, I feel like it goes beyond.


Many like Dragon Ball for the fights, violence, and these are incredible elements of the series, but they aren't the main reasons for why I love the series so much, I love this series because of the adventures, the characters, the world, the moments, they are everything that make this series so rich and alive for me.

Dragon Ball is a light, happy, simple work, something that I read and watch to smile even in its saddest moments like deaths and sacrifices, it doesn't make me angry, Dragon Ball makes me me feel like a kid again, a unique feeling, and my childhood is something I really miss, Dragon Ball is a life experience, I like other series, films and comics too, but I'm sure that only Dragon Ball would be greatly missed by me if it simply disappeared, this series, its characters, its lessons and moments that have been repeated countless times were already part of me long before writing this, Dragon Ball is essential to my life.


Akira Toriyama was more than a man, I look at this and for me it's hard to believe that he was a human being like us, but in Dragon Ball, even mortals surpass the Gods, and for me Toriyama did the same, I admit that outside of Dragon Ball, I haven't seen any of his other work, I've never checked out Dr. Slump or Sandland, and even though I plan to see check them out, I don't think that to be a fan of Toriyama you need to see everything he made, everyone is a fan in its own way, just the fact that people who have never touched the series know the names Goku and Dragon Ball or even Kamehameha, is already an excellent way to demonstrate its importance to the world, he did more than just a simple comic series for boys, he was responsible for the growth of a culture, at least for me, it is extremely difficult to imagine how the world of not only anime and manga but also Japanese culture would be without Dragon Ball, it is extremely difficult to imagine, how I would be today without Dragon Ball.


As much as I think that many good things that exist today in this series would not be possible without other talents such as the Toei Animation's team, Takao Koyama, Kazuhiko Torishima, not to mention that for me, the Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z Animes are better than the manga, it is simply undeniable that none of this would be possible without Toriyama, he could have stopped whenever he wanted, given up sooner, but he preferred to continue working tirelessly for more than 10 years without rest, simply unbelievable.


When I say that he was more than a man, it's because as a simple human being, he was also good and an example of a person, at the same time that he became this icon, this is not something that everyone can carry.


He only had 2 goals, to make a series that would make children happy, and to have a peaceful life, and he achieved it, in fact, the results were greater than he expected.


It breaks my heart that he recently wanted to work on more projects, unfortunately, he won't be able to, but everything that has been delivered is more than enough, this text is not enough to describe how important his work is to my life, on the day his death was announced, I was just in shock and had no reaction because I couldn't believe it, the next day, I finally believed it and I bursted into tears, tears that speak for themselves.


Dragon Ball was already special to me, but after this it will be even more, I don't know how I will look at the series from now on knowing that its creator is no longer in this plane, I will continue checking the new animes, manga chapters, films and games that are released, after all, the creator leaves but his work remains and will be continued by others.

I think nothing will surpass what was done between 1984 and 1995, but as long as they respect Akira Toriyama and what he did, I will accept anything and see it as a great tribute, just as what I do will also be a great tribute to this king.

Maybe I don't use something related to Dragon Ball as a cover image or avatar, but that's because I don't need to, because I believe that my arts, my art style, what I do on the internet and even my way of interacting and to speak, they already demonstrate in themselves how much I love this silly story that only had the intention of pleasing Japanese kids, not only me but the entire Mortal World which is now regretting this loss, as it loses yet another star, I wish that the Another World is as good as you imagined in the Dragon Ball universe!


I draw because of Dragon Ball

I like animations because of Dragon Ball

I like music because of Dragon Ball

I like creating stories and characters because of Dragon Ball

I created a blog to show all my stuff because of Dragon Ball

I created a YouTube channel because of Dragon Ball

I consider myself an Artist, because of Dragon Ball


All of this wouldn't be possible without Akira Toriyama, Akira Toriyama is Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball is Akira Toriyama.


Thank you very much for everything, master!!! You are not dead! You just left your physical body to have the infinite rest, A Legend is Eternal!!!


- Rafa Stary


SpeedArt

Art Gallery - Goku, Twilight Sparkle, Mary Stary (In Memory of Akira Toriyama)

  


A Art of Goku with Twilight Sparkle, one of Mary Stary holding a Four Star Dragon Ball and one of Mary Stary in her Pony form.
All in honor of Akira Toriyama.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #62 - Freeza Resurrected Saga, Part 2

 This is volume #62 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the episodes of the "Freeza Resurrected" of Dragon Ball Super TV Series, specifically from episode 22.

Fusion Complete (Super Episode 22 Version)

  The Terror Begins! (Super Episode 22 Version)

Beerus' Tea Time (Super Episode 22 Version)

Monday, March 4, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #61 - Freeza Saga, Part 5

 This is volume #61 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the episodes of the "Freeza Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episodes 69, 71, 72, 73 and 74.

M811 - Piccolo Battles Sansho (Episode 69 Version)

M816 - The Dead Zone is Summoned Up (Episode 69 Version)

M1012 - Gohan Meets Tullece (Episode 71 Version)

M725 - The Saiyans Appear Theme Music (Episode 72 Version)

M802 - Garlic Jr.'s Castle (Episode 72 Version)

M811 - Piccolo Battles Sansho (Episode 73 Version)

M814 - Garlic Jr. Beats Up on Goku and Piccolo (Episode 74 Version)

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #60 - Freeza Saga, Part 4

 This is volume #60 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the episodes of the "Freeza Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episodes 64, 65, 66 and 67.

M511 - Piccolo Daimao, The Conqueror (Z Episode 64 Version)

M802 - Garlic Jr.'s Castle (Episode 64 Version)

M922 - Dr. Willow Rises, Dr. Koshin Dies (Episode 65 Version)

M1020 - A Sign of Hope (Episode 66 Version)

M923 - Full Shot of Dr. Willow's Robotic Body (Episode 67 Version)

M1009 - History of The Shinseiju (Episode 66 Version)

M732 - Goku's Anger Rises Against The Saiyans (Episode 66 Version)

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #59 - Bardock, The Father of Goku

 This is volume #59 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the first TV Special of Dragon Ball Z "A Lonesome Final Battle, The Father of the Z Warrior Son Goku, who Challenged Freeza".

M1008A - The Shinseiju is Grown (TV Special 1 Version)

Insert Song - Solid State Scouter (TV Version 1)

M912 - Dr. Willow is Introduced (TV Special 1 Version)

M1002 - Shenlong is Summoned (TV Special 1 Version)

Insert Song - Solid State Scouter (TV Version 2)

M929 - Everyone is Happy (TV Special 1 Version)

Ending Song - Hikari no Tabi (TV Version)

Monday, February 26, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #58 - Freeza Saga, Part 3

 This is volume #58 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the episodes of the "Freeza Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episodes 59, 61 and 62.

M911 - Enter The Bio-Fighters (Episode 59 Version)

M918 - Preserving Dr. Willow's Brain (Episode 61 Version)

M814 - Garlic Jr. Beats Up on Goku and Piccolo (Episode 61 Version)

M919 - Dr. Willow Attempts to Take Goku's Body (Episode 62 Version)

M106 - The Mystery Army (Z Episode 62 Version)

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #57 - Freeza Saga, Part 2

This is volume #57 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the episodes of the "Freeza Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episode 58.

M724 - The Vast Expanse of Space (Episode 58 Version)

M911 - Enter The Bio-Fighters (Episode 58 Version)

M802 - Garlic Jr.'s Castle (Episode 58 Version)

Dragon Ball Music Edits #56 - Super Showdown for the Whole Planet

 This is volume #56 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of movie edits of tracks made for third Dragon Ball Z Movie "Super Showdown for the Whole Planet".

M1016 - Haiya Dragon Pacifies Oozaru Gohan (Movie Version)

M1021 - Goku Confronts Turles Once and for All + M1022 - Showdown [Final Bridge] (Movie Mix)

Art Gallery - Twilight Sparkle, Steven Magnet

 
Art of Twilight Sparkle and Steven Magnet, made as a redraw of the cover art from the very first volume of the Dragon Ball manga.

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #55 - Freeza Resurrected Saga, Part 1

 This is volume #55 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the first episodes of the "Freeza Resurrected" of Dragon Ball Super TV Series, specifically from episodes 16, 17 and 19.

Friendship (Super Episode 16 Version)

Romantic Evening (Episode 17 Version 1)

A Bad Premonition (Episode 19 Version)

Friday, February 23, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #54 - Freeza Saga, Part 1

 This is volume #54 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the first episodes of the "Freeza Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episodes 44, 46 and 47, 52, 54 and 55.

M816 - The Dead Zone is Summoned Up (Episode 44 Version)

M732 - Goku's Anger Rises Against The Saiyans (Episode 46 Version)

M912 - Dr. Willow is Introduced (Episode 47 Version)

M801 - Ginger Comes For The Dragon Ball / M815 - Piccolo Challenges Goku (Episode 52 Version)

M502 - Piccolo Knows No Bounds (Z Episode 54 Version)

M436 - Goku and Friends Are Trapped / M919 - Dr. Willow Attempts to Take Goku's Body (Z Episode 55 Version)

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #53 - The Strongest Man in the World

 This is volume #53 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of movie edits of tracks made for the second Dragon Ball Z Movie "The Strongest Man in The World".

Insert Song - Piccolo-san Da-isuki (Movie Version)

M926 - Forming The Genkidama (Movie Version)

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #52 - Saiyajin Saga, Part 8

 This is volume #52 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the final episode of the "Saiyajin Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, episode 35.

M811 - Piccolo Battles Sansho (Episode 35 Version)
Download

M801 - Ginger Comes for the Dragon Ball (Episode 35 Version)
Download

M819B - The Battle is Over (Episode 35 Version)
Download

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #51 - Beerus Saga, Part 3

 This is volume #51 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the final episodes of the "Beerus Saga" of Dragon Ball Super TV Series, specifically from episodes 11, 13 and 14.

Super Saiyan God (Episode 11 Version)

Friends or Rivals (Super Episode 12 Version)

The Birth of a God (Super Episode 14 Version)

Monday, February 19, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #50 - Saiyajin Saga, Part 7

 This is volume #50 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the "Saiyajin Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episodes 31, 32 and 34.

M740 - Heavy Crisis (Episode 31 Version)

M802 - Garlic Jr.'s Castle (Episode 31 Version)

M818 - Garlic Jr. Falls Into The Dead Zone (Episode 31 Version)

M801 - Ginger Comes for the Dragon Ball (Episode 32 Version)

M817 - Gohan Pops Out (Episode 34 Version)

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #49 - Beerus Saga, Part 2

 This is volume #49 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the episodes of the "Beerus Saga" of Dragon Ball Super TV Series, specifically from episodes 7 and 9.

The Infinite Universe (Episode 7 Version)
Compromise + The Birth of a God (Episode 9 Version)
Turning The Tables (Episode 9 Version)

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #48 - Saiyajin Saga, Part 6

 This is volume #48 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the "Saiyajin Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episodes 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30.

M814 - Garlic Jr. Beats Up on Goku and Piccolo (Episode 24 Version)

M654 - Chaozu's Theme, Part 2 (Z Episode 25 Version)

M707 - Cha-La Elation "Verses Arranged" (Episode 28 Version)

M807 - Kami Explains Garlic's Past (Episode 29 Version)

M806 - Garlic Jr. Summons Shenlong (Episode 29 Version)

M803 - Garlic Jr. Appoints Gohan (Episode 30 Version)

Dragon Ball Music Test #1

 This is the first inaccurate attempt I made in a edit of Dragon Ball soundtracks, this is a attempt of a edit of a track made for the "Saiyajin Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episode 28.

Dragon Ball BGM M424EXT - The Sleeping Princess Chorus Of Doom (Z Episode 28 Version ATTEMPT)

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #47 - Saiyajin Saga, Part 5

 This is volume #47 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the "Saiyajin Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episodes 22, 23 and 24.

M816 - The Dead Zone Is Summoned Up (Episode 22 Version)
M809-2 - Garlic Jr.'s Henchmen Introduce Themselves (Alternate, Episode 23 Version)
M519 - The Fallen (Z Episode 23 Version)
M519 - The Fallen (Z Episode 24 Version)
M813 - Garlic Jr. Transforms (Episode 24 Version)

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #46 - Battle of Gods, Part 3

  This is volume #46 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my last replicas of edits of tracks made for the extended version of the Dragon Ball Z Battle of Gods Movie.

HERO ~ Goku's Curiosity

Beerus' Approaching Shadow ~ Vegeta's Unease (Extended Version)

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #45 - Battle of Gods, Part 2

 This is volume #45 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the extended version of the Dragon Ball Z Battle of Gods Movie.

The Darkness of Space ~ Awakening of The Hakaishin (Extended Version)

Switch To Beerus' Planet 
Download

Beerus' Approaching Shadow ~ Beerus' Prophetic Dream (Extended Version)
Download

Kaio in Panic (Extended Version)
Download

The Pilaf Gang Arrives (Extended Version)
Download

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #44 - Saiyajin Saga, Part 4

 This is volume #44 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the "Saiyajin Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episodes 13, 15, 16, 19 and 20.

M214 - Running To Goku's House (Z Episode 13 Version)

M247 - Kame Sennin Prepares The Kamehameha (Z Episode 13 Version)


M323 - Bumper Cars! (Z Episode 13 Version)

M705 - CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA Victory Theme (Z Episode 15 Version)

M116 - The Water Returns (Z Episode 16 Version)

M723 - Apples For Gohan! (Z Episode 19 Version)

M229 - Goku vs Yamcha (Z Episode 19 Version)

M522 - Super Divine Poison (Z Episode 20 Version)

Dragon Ball Music Edits #43 - Return My Gohan!

 This is volume #43 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of movie edits of tracks made for the first Dragon Ball Z Movie "Return My Gohan!".

Insert Song - Tenka-Ichi Gohan (Movie Version)

M809-1 - Garlic Jr.'s Henchmen Introduce Themselves (Movie Version)

M817 - Gohan Pops Out (Movie Version)

Friday, February 9, 2024

Dragon Ball Music Edits #42 - Saiyajin Saga, Part 3

 This is volume #42 of edits I made to Dragon Ball soundtracks, these are my replicas of edits of tracks made for the "Saiyajin Saga" of the Dragon Ball Z TV Series, specifically from episodes 7, 9, 10 and 11.

M712 - Piccolo's Bell Theme (Z Episode 7 Version)

M2 - The Rabbit Gang Pushes Their Weight Around (Z Episode 7 Version)

M713 - Gohan's Lullaby (Z Episode 9 Version)

M626 - Tao Pai Pai Recognizes Muten Roshi (Z Episode 9 Version)

M716 - Gohan's Crying Theme (Z Episode 9 Version 3)

M722 - Gohan Heals The Wound (Z Episode 10 Version)

M703 - Gohan's Pet Dinosaur Daydream (Z Episode 10 Version)

M721 - The Tables Turn On The Carnivore (Z Episode 11 Version)