1 Gripe with Oda's changing art style…

HaxeyeMihawk

First off, sorry for the meh thread title. Secondly, now I'm a fan of Oda's art just as a lot of OP fans are, but the one issue I have with how Oda's art style has changed since roughly skypea is that Luffy just doesnt look 17 anymore.

This age changing affect hasn't just affected Luffy but chopper as well I'd say, thing is that making chopper look more "cutesy" is more forgivable than with Luffy.

From what I can tell Luffy's face is shorter, his eyes are rounder, and he just seems generally more short both in his torso and limbs. Point of this thread is that I'd just like to know others opinions on the current design of Luffy and to discuss the changes.

xMuradx provided a showcase of this changing style that presents the varied looks of Luffy and all the characters: http://apforums.net/showpost.php?p=1189921&postcount=291

Imo the 4 and 5 Luffy are the best that still maintain appearance of his age.

Elektrik Dynomite

This post is deleted!

OrangeNinjasSucks

You're right but in the anime the difference is more visible look at Nami's eyes in the first couple of One Piece episodes compared to the Thriller Bark episodes and the later ones as well:

Crossword

Hm, yeah, I think my favorite ''phase'' if you will, of Oda's art was Skypiea-Water 7. Luffy actually looked more grown up during Water 7, but he turned back int oa little kid during Enies Lobby. Nami changed a fair bit during that arc too. Her mouth got smaller and her eyes seem to be positioned lower on her face. I think Oda was trying to make her look tougher during that time, and sometimes it worked, othertimes, not as much.

Oda's art seems to have gotten a bit cartoonier lately, and I think a little less refined and a bit more rough.

HaxeyeMihawk

@Crossword:

Hm, yeah, I think my favorite ''phase'' if you will, of Oda's art was Skypiea-Water 7. Luffy actually looked more grown up during Water 7, but he turned back int oa little kid during Enies Lobby. Nami changed a fair bit during that arc too. Her mouth got smaller and her eyes seem to be positioned lower on her face. I think Oda was trying to make her look tougher during that time, and sometimes it worked, othertimes, not as much.

Oda's art seems to have gotten a bit cartoonier lately, and I think a little less refined and a bit more rough.

Thats my favorite Luffy phase too, its the 4th and 5th pic that i mentioned, what I find funny is that many say Oda's art has gotten better over the years which I believe is true, from a technical stand point but yet I feel like he's spending a lot less time maintaining consistency for the character designs of the SH, and they're becoming disproportional, as well as in the case of Luffy, as if he's losing years off his age. Seriously that 6th Luffy pic looks like he's 12.

Goten2255

i noticed it as well his style has changed but i don't know i like that it has though its normal for artists to have a change in style over the years.

you can also tell by shanks as well since before Shanks look alot like Luffy in some ways but then he changed to look different from Luffy.

so thats one example but yeah pretty interesting topic though.

Ao Kiji

thing is that making chopper look more "cutesy" is more forgivable than with Luffy.

highly disagree.
nearly everything about luffy's character and mannerisms scream 'cute kid'.
also, considering he needs to appear cute and young to maintain a shonen aesthetic despite him being all TALL and TEENAGE, it makes sense.

Oda-sensei really needs to learn how to draw zoro again, tho. all the girls are looking better these days, tho

Hiroy

Is Luffy always drawn inconsistently(on purpose) depending on his mood or the situation he's in anyway? I mean, sometimes he looks older, sometimes his head is rounder, sometimes he appears shorter, ect, ect.

I'll see if I can track down some examples.

Here's two similar ones, and this is an older arc to a more recent one.

http://www.onemanga.com/One_Piece/265/05/
http://www.onemanga.com/One_Piece/507/09/

The big changes is how tall he is, but everyone shrunk a bit…. Did they?

bluepeas

@Ao:

highly disagree.
nearly everything about luffy's character and mannerisms scream 'cute kid'.
also, considering he needs to appear cute and young to maintain a shonen aesthetic despite him being all TALL and TEENAGE, it makes sense.

Oda-sensei really needs to learn how to draw zoro again, tho. all the girls are looking better these days, tho

Yeah.. Luffy's current look fits his personality.. But the water-7 (4th/5th pic) looks bad ass.. (whenever I think of gear 2nd, luffy has to cool looking)
I agree that he needs to do zoro better like previous arcs..
The females, Nami and Robin, look better
and chopper is cuter (i think his body size shrunk.. )
Dunno about you guys but Sanji still looks the same to me (maybe slight adjustments) and for usopp, I can't really comment on him except he has a better hair style compared to his first appearance lol
Brook and Frankie are still new =P

CosmicDebris

Most comic artists's styles change naturally over the years, as people naturally change. Just take a look at the early strips of famous daily strips such as Garfield, Peanuts, Mother Goose and Grimm, etc..

It's just gonna happen…

HaxeyeMihawk

@Ao:

highly disagree.
nearly everything about luffy's character and mannerisms scream 'cute kid'.
also, considering he needs to appear cute and young to maintain a shonen aesthetic despite him being all TALL and TEENAGE, it makes sense.

Oda-sensei really needs to learn how to draw zoro again, tho. all the girls are looking better these days, tho

Cute kid? Luffy's 17! His mannerisms aren't that of cute, more of him being his own man and indifferent/oblivious to judgement from others, plus he's a little dumb. I don't think cute is the aim, I mean Luffy will stop and pick his nose at times when he is confused, definitely not the definition of cute.

I'm just saying I think Oda had Luffy nailed in pics four and five, however now Luffy looks like an early middle schooler, instead of appearing to be his actual height of 5 ft 7, he looks like he's 4 ft 11.

HaxeyeMihawk

@CosmicDebris:

Most comic artists's styles change naturally over the years, as people naturally change. Just take a look at the early strips of famous daily strips such as Garfield, Peanuts, Mother Goose and Grimm, etc..

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/garfield-6.jpg
http://www.arcamax.com/newspics/9/932/93274.gif

It's just gonna happen…

I'm all for change just as long as it's an improvement, and those newer Garfield and John designs are definitely for the better. Whereas for Oda I'd say that generally the 4 and 5th Luffy designs matched up better with his character's age and height, and I'd just say that I liked the 2nd and 5th designs of Zoro the best.

@Hiroy:

Is Luffy always drawn inconsistently(on purpose) depending on his mood or the situation he's in anyway? I mean, sometimes he looks older, sometimes his head is rounder, sometimes he appears shorter, ect, ect.

I'll see if I can track down some examples.

Here's two similar ones, and this is an older arc to a more recent one.

http://www.onemanga.com/One_Piece/265/05/
http://www.onemanga.com/One_Piece/507/09/

The big changes is how tall he is, but everyone shrunk a bit…. Did they?

Now this is interesting, those pics show how more detailed and technical Oda has gotten, so props for those finds, however it still seems that Luffy in his most badass scenes in the past trump the newer younger Luffy design in similar scenes.

Sorry for the DP, I hit edit to add in some quotes and it made it a separate post when I finished.

Sea

I like this style the most:
[hide][/hide]

Kabi

Probably the best ones are from skypiea and Water 7 so far

Chopper is getting a bit too "cute"

HaxeyeMihawk

Also it could just be me, but it looks like the brim of the straw hat is shrinking, and the top of the hat has gotten rounder, lol.

TheHerald

@Crossword:

Oda's art seems to have gotten a bit cartoonier lately, and I think a little less refined and a bit more rough.

What the hell? Are you serious?

TheHerald

Water7 had this dumb angular look that made for some perspective fucked heads and other bullshit.

Art style was best in Alabasta.

And what we have now is nowhere near as rounded as the Skypiea style.

QQ more about cartooniness in One Piece of all things.

StrawxHatxLuffy

The characters have simply become more refined. Usopp for instance, i assume was given a rather large face at the start of the manga so that his nose would be the thing that caught everybodies attention. As the manga / anime progresses, we get to know the characters and thier asthetics (probably spelled that wrong) dont mean as much.

In my opinion "new" Luffy > "older" Luffy. His eyes to me seemed a little too oval compared to thier more circular shape now. He's gone from being a clueless looking child to a slightly less clueless teenager.

Zkaiser

The art style I like the most was Whiskey Peak. I remember loving the way Oda drew things during that arc for some reason.

HaxeyeMihawk

@StrawxHatxLuffy:

The characters have simply become more refined. Usopp for instance, i assume was given a rather large face at the start of the manga so that his nose would be the thing that caught everybodies attention. As the manga / anime progresses, we get to know the characters and thier asthetics (probably spelled that wrong) dont mean as much.

In my opinion "new" Luffy > "older" Luffy. His eyes to me seemed a little too oval compared to thier more circular shape now. He's gone from being a clueless looking child to a slightly less clueless teenager.

The thing is that the generally rounder face and eyes (combined with the fact that his face is not as long as before) lends to an overall more childish/young appearance. His nose is also shorter and more round, he really looks younger in my eyes.

maggie

artists styles naturally change as time goes on, and time (to get a project done) is usually a factor. It becomes more stylized, and you can tell the linework is laid out faster and with more ease. Oda needs to get his pages done FAST, so his style has evolved as such (less hatching and whatnot, especially since he's working on the movie and other projects). You can see the same things with many other artists (look at how simplified naruto became, and ah! my goddess). The artist continues to be influenced by others as well (Oda used to assist other manga ka, and I've seen some of that persons style come and go in Oda's work). For faster changes, Oda may draw luffy a bit different and decide it looks better that way and stick to it. I don't think it's a super-conscious effort. I do think it's funny though that the men's necks have gotten so thick and the very short jawbone line as well as the girls are getting more hourglass shaped and elongated bodies. Their waists are becoming non-existent lol

also, Oda has many, many assistants. It could also be his assistants that work on various parts changed, new inker, etc. and could influence the comic differently. I suppose I don't have an opinion about the style changing, it is what it is.

HaxeyeMihawk

@maggie:

artists styles naturally change as time goes on, and time (to get a project done) is usually a factor. It becomes more stylized, and you can tell the linework is laid out faster and with more ease. Oda needs to get his pages done FAST, so his style has evolved as such (less hatching and whatnot, especially since he's working on the movie and other projects). You can see the same things with many other artists (look at how simplified naruto became, and ah! my goddess). The artist continues to be influenced by others as well (Oda used to assist other manga ka, and I've seen some of that persons style come and go in Oda's work). For faster changes, Oda may draw luffy a bit different and decide it looks better that way and stick to it. I don't think it's a super-conscious effort. I do think it's funny though that the men's necks have gotten so thick and the very short jawbone line as well as the girls are getting more hourglass shaped and elongated bodies. Their waists are becoming non-existent lol

also, Oda has many, many assistants. It could also be his assistants that work on various parts changed, new inker, etc. and could influence the comic differently. I suppose I don't have an opinion about the style changing, it is what it is.

I understand the possible causes of the change and that art styles change over time especially in long mangas such as OP, but my point is that I just feel like a younger looking Luffy (intentional or not) isn't the best direction to be heading in if he's to be the next Pirate King, I mean it'd be hard to respect a PK who looks like he still gets a diaper rash, and Luffy is my favorite character in OP.

o-chan

Being a comic artist myself (hint: visit my homepage), I've noticed my style change and evolve over the years and its a very natural thing in both American and Japanese media. Look at all the Shonen Jump series first volumes and last volumes (DB, Death Note, Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, Yu-gi-oh, YYH). All of these series underwent dramatic style changes over the course of the comic. But what I always find interesting is that as we read the manga over time we don't notice these changes until we compare it to an earlier work and then we're like "Wow, he really has evolved as an artist!"

I think for me one of the art style changes I actively watched was Kazuki Takahashi's Yu-gi-oh since the manga came out after the anime aired in the U.S. and I couldn't believe that the guy was the same artist then BOOM 34 Chapters later his style pops out. Outside of the SJ lot people like Rumiko Takahashi (Inuyasha) and Kosuke Fujishima (Ah My Goddess, I swear this guy purposely evolves his style every 5 volumes) are known for dramatic changes in their artwork.

As far as One Piece goes I've always found the style changes to be done not just because of an evolution in art style but to also represent how the characters grow and change. In many ways Luffy's de-aging seems rather appropriate as he's maintaining his child-like purity as the Grand Line gets more and more intense. Nami is growing more womanly, Zoro is looking more like Mihawk, Sanji looks wiser, Chopper looks cuter, Ussop looks less stupid, and Robin has a softness in her expression that was absent previous Water 7. Brook its hard to pinpoint because he is still new and lacks facial expressions. Franky has gotten more simplified but I think it's a reflection of him letting go of all that baggage he had during Water 7. One Piece's art style is comic along nicely and once again I'm pimping my own detailed thoughts on the matter:
http://www.mania.com/one-piece-vol-20_article_115113.html

and I do think that in the recent volumes of American Shonen Jump the art style and direction has changes and evolved compared to when I did this review.

O-chan

Goten2255

i been drawing for years as well and i can tell too that way i draw has been changing for years.

Oda artstyle been changing for years as well like O-chan put it.

HaxeyeMihawk

@o-chan:

Being a comic artist myself (hint: visit my homepage), I've noticed my style change and evolve over the years and its a very natural thing in both American and Japanese media. Look at all the Shonen Jump series first volumes and last volumes (DB, Death Note, Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, Yu-gi-oh, YYH). All of these series underwent dramatic style changes over the course of the comic. But what I always find interesting is that as we read the manga over time we don't notice these changes until we compare it to an earlier work and then we're like "Wow, he really has evolved as an artist!"

I think for me one of the art style changes I actively watched was Kazuki Takahashi's Yu-gi-oh since the manga came out after the anime aired in the U.S. and I couldn't believe that the guy was the same artist then BOOM 34 Chapters later his style pops out. Outside of the SJ lot people like Rumiko Takahashi (Inuyasha) and Kosuke Fujishima (Ah My Goddess, I swear this guy purposely evolves his style every 5 volumes) are known for dramatic changes in their artwork.

As far as One Piece goes I've always found the style changes to be done not just because of an evolution in art style but to also represent how the characters grow and change. In many ways Luffy's de-aging seems rather appropriate as he's maintaining his child-like purity as the Grand Line gets more and more intense. Nami is growing more womanly, Zoro is looking more like Mihawk, Sanji looks wiser, Chopper looks cuter, Ussop looks less stupid, and Robin has a softness in her expression that was absent previous Water 7. Brook its hard to pinpoint because he is still new and lacks facial expressions. Franky has gotten more simplified but I think it's a reflection of him letting go of all that baggage he had during Water 7. One Piece's art style is comic along nicely and once again I'm pimping my own detailed thoughts on the matter:
http://www.mania.com/one-piece-vol-20_article_115113.html

and I do think that in the recent volumes of American Shonen Jump the art style and direction has changes and evolved compared to when I did this review.

O-chan

Ok so you think that Oda purposefully changes somethings about the characters' appearances to symbolically represent changes in the plot, this is in agreement with what someone else said about how Oda changes Luffy's appearance to match his mood, I can see that. However, for some reason I just can't get into to the de-aged Luffy over the Luffy designs of the past in which he looked his age… Maybe I just have bad taste. I just think that when it comes to some epic battle I'd prefer a more serious bad ass looking Luffy over a Luffy that looks like he just came off Rugrats the cartoon.

RuNa

Eh, maybe it's just me but I think they all look better.

The Luffy example would have been better had they used a consistent mood at the time. Luffy ALWAYS looks older whenever he's really serious.

HaxeyeMihawk

@RuNa:

Eh, maybe it's just me but I think they all look better.

The Luffy example would have been better had they used a consistent mood at the time. Luffy ALWAYS looks older whenever he's really serious.

Good point, so I'll just use the image of Luffy yelling at the Boa sisters as they were about to smash margaret:

http://www.mangafox.com/manga/one_piece/v53/c519/18.html

Notice the really small nose, really large round eyes, (large eyes even for Luffy) then just compare it to the other designs from the OP link.

TealBlueShore

@HaxeyeMihawk:

…plus he's a little dumb.

Maybe scholastically speaking, but not in combat. I remember hearing that there are more types of intelligence than just literary and mathematical. I'm guessing that Luffy's intelligence is more along the lines of fighting and simplifying things.

As for the picture you posted a link to in your opening post, I guess my personal favorite looks for the StrawHats are all over the place. I agree with you on liking 4 and 5 for Luffy. For Zoro, I'm not too crazy about how he looked at Enies Lobby, so I have to go with 6. In Nami's case, I like 3, and for Usopp, 5. I'm going to have to go with 4 and 5 for Sanji, and 3 for Chopper. 3 and 5 for Robin, 2 for Franky, and, well, Brook is Brook.

But hey, it happens. Like others have already said, style changes as one progresses through a series. Take a look at Azumanga Daioh's manga: in the first book, Chiyo-chan's pigtails looked quite different than they do later on; they actually look like real pigtails at first but then turn carrot-shaped. In addition, the other characters began to look a little more cartoony later on, which isn't really a problem, it's just a testament to what's been stated here.

Sorry for being redundant but I feel like I'm not saying enough unless I add to the fact and the personal preference list in the above part of this post. >_>

Ao Kiji

@HaxeyeMihawk:

Cute kid? Luffy's 17! His mannerisms aren't that of cute, more of him being his own man and indifferent/oblivious to judgement from others, plus he's a little dumb. I don't think cute is the aim, I mean Luffy will stop and pick his nose at times when he is confused, definitely not the definition of cute.

I'm just saying I think Oda had Luffy nailed in pics four and five, however now Luffy looks like an early middle schooler, instead of appearing to be his actual height of 5 ft 7, he looks like he's 4 ft 11.

luffy is usually described as 'rambunctious and child-like'. kids are cute.

HaxeyeMihawk

@Ao:

luffy is usually described as 'rambunctious and child-like'. kids are cute.

Even so, do you like him looking more and more like he's younger than 17? I know I don't.

Ao Kiji

i don't care. i'd rather he look a bit younger than older.
older doesn't fit his personality.

IrishLuigi

http://www.mangafox.com/manga/one_piece/v41/c390/18.html

How could you not like the art in enies lobby?!

TheHerald

@IrishLuigi:

http://www.mangafox.com/manga/one_piece/v41/c390/18.html

How could you not like the art in enies lobby?!

How could you not like the art now?!

Arei

I think the art now is fine o.o

! I thought his inconsistancy with Luffy, especially since EL might have to do with the fact that he's messing with his lifespan everytime he pulls off some of his bigger moves + now he REALLY lost some in ID. Though with Oda, it is most likely having to do with the art style XD

My only gripe about his art, coming from a cosplayer's prospective is how he draws boobs. Especially Nami and Robin. Dammit, they shouldn't look like that wearing some of the clothes they are wearing. Guy's approve :getlost: But in RL, boobs that large don't look like that without bras. Though it's not like these things are drawn in mind for cosplayers so it's really just a personal gripe lol.

Though art related, he has drawn women more and more obnoxiously disproportionate since the beginning. I notice it mostly in Nami, and just somewhat in Robin because she's tall, then Hancock doesn't look bad because she is also so tall. It just looks really weird on Nami.

… why the hell do I gripe about boobs so much...

Conspiracynut

Because big boobs are the most over-rated body part of all time?

HaxeyeMihawk

@Ao:

i don't care. i'd rather he look a bit younger than older.
older doesn't fit his personality.

I think Oda had him nailed earlier in the series, he looked his age but his personality still showed in his expressions. See I'm not asking for older, I'm asking for his age, see personality doesn't really have much to do with being 17 but suddenly having your bone structure revert to that of a 12 year old.

@Arei:

I think the art now is fine o.o

! I thought his inconsistancy with Luffy, especially since EL might have to do with the fact that he's messing with his lifespan everytime he pulls off some of his bigger moves + now he REALLY lost some in ID. Though with Oda, it is most likely having to do with the art style XD

My only gripe about his art, coming from a cosplayer's prospective is how he draws boobs. Especially Nami and Robin. Dammit, they shouldn't look like that wearing some of the clothes they are wearing. Guy's approve :getlost: But in RL, boobs that large don't look like that without bras. Though it's not like these things are drawn in mind for cosplayers so it's really just a personal gripe lol.

Though art related, he has drawn women more and more obnoxiously disproportionate since the beginning. I notice it mostly in Nami, and just somewhat in Robin because she's tall, then Hancock doesn't look bad because she is also so tall. It just looks really weird on Nami.

… why the hell do I gripe about boobs so much...

Yeah and what's even funnier is that even while an arc is still ongoing Oda might puff Nami's boobs up then bring them back down in size during the same arc, atleast Robins have been fairly consistent since her introduction, Nami went from a moderate cup size to looking like she was packing inflatables. Lol maybe she uses all those berries she hoards to pay for implants each arc?

And yeah both have 1 inch waists, but I don't really mind it enough to call Oda on it.

Fuwa Kitty

I Also Notice This With The Recent Chapter When Luffy Is With Garp And Is Meeting Ace.
He Looks Half The Size He Was Originally, But Has The Hat And Scar…

HaxeyeMihawk

@Fuwa:

I Also Notice This With The Recent Chapter When Luffy Is With Garp And Is Meeting Ace.
He Looks Half The Size He Was Originally, But Has The Hat And Scar…

Yup he looks like chibi Luffy, he looks younger than when he met Shanks even though he's actually older, all due to the change in art style.

Zkaiser

@Conspiracynut:

Because big boobs are the most over-rated body part of all time?

Don't belittle boobs because you're flatchested.

Conspiracynut

Did you forget the word "into" or something? I'm more chubby than I would perfer.

GuetaMinute

Remember when Chopper was chubby? Ah, good times. Or when Usopp's nose didn't look like a penis?

pyromonki

@ZeArmyOfHalen:

Remember when Chopper was chubby? Ah, good times. Or when Usopp's nose didn't look like a penis?

When Usopp and Chopper both arrived they were ugly as sin. Something about being on the Strawhat crew makes you become sexier. Look at Robin, she's freakin' 28 and still developed more.

Salutes Luffy

Oh Captain! My Captain!

CupidKirby

Personally, I like how Oda's drawing Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Sanji right now. If you just compare the 6th picture of those four with the first, they just look a lot more mature and less like obnoxious kids. For me, I don't see much of a change in Robin aside from maybe her hairstyle and the 3rd picture. Same for Franky and Brook since they're still fairly new. It probably has to do a little with the fact that the three are older than the other aged 15-19 strawhat crew members.

Now, these are the biggies for me; Chopper and Luffy. Just as ZeArmyOfHalen said, Chopper was quite a bit chubbier when first introduced but I think we can go on the excuse that maybe he lost weight after joining the crew? Well, that aside; Chopper's face itself isn't actually that different from when he first appeared. He only really looks cuter because Oda isn't drawing his muzzle as detailed or large in the recent chapters.

Luffy in my opinion, almost looks exactly the same to how he looked back in volume one(with the bold lines and all that) when it comes to how his body/head shape is drawn. The difference is that his face is rounder; though if you look at pictures 2-5, Oda also drew his face that circular later on. I think what's throwing you off so much HaxeyeMihawk is more of his shoulder width and that specific expression rather than his actual face.

TheHerald

Babbies itt don't remember Skypiea art style at all evidently.

HaxeyeMihawk

@CupidKirby:

Personally, I like how Oda's drawing Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Sanji right now. If you just compare the 6th picture of those four with the first, they just look a lot more mature and less like obnoxious kids. For me, I don't see much of a change in Robin aside from maybe her hairstyle and the 3rd picture. Same for Franky and Brook since they're still fairly new. It probably has to do a little with the fact that the three are older than the other aged 15-19 strawhat crew members.

Now, these are the biggies for me; Chopper and Luffy. Just as ZeArmyOfHalen said, Chopper was quite a bit chubbier when first introduced but I think we can go on the excuse that maybe he lost weight after joining the crew? Well, that aside; Chopper's face itself isn't actually that different from when he first appeared. He only really looks cuter because Oda isn't drawing his muzzle as detailed or large in the recent chapters.

Luffy in my opinion, almost looks exactly the same to how he looked back in volume one(with the bold lines and all that) when it comes to how his body/head shape is drawn. The difference is that his face is rounder; though if you look at pictures 2-5, Oda also drew his face that circular later on. I think what's throwing you off so much HaxeyeMihawk is more of his shoulder width and that specific expression rather than his actual face.

It's possible but the main changes in Luffy that I see are his rounder eyes, rounder face as you said, his nose is shorter and less defined and it seems he got shorter. I would say the changes in how Oda draws kid Luffy are the most drastic right now.

CupidKirby

@HaxeyeMihawk:

It's possible but the main changes in Luffy that I see are his rounder eyes, rounder face as you said, his nose is shorter and less defined and it seems he got shorter. I would say the changes in how Oda draws kid Luffy are the most drastic right now.

Well, I have Volume 2 of One Piece in front of me and his eyes are pretty much just as round. You don't really see it in that picture because the image that Murad chose of early-on Luffy was one of him frowning/glaring.

Just as well though, if Nami suddenly went back to having pupils the size of tennis balls, I think we'd all be pretty peeved despite it being her earlier design.

Crossword

Luffy's eyes are pretty consistent. It's the curvature of his face that changes the most.

Kinda funny how in Skypiea everyone (or at least Luffy, Nami, and Robin) got pretty thin necks for some reason.

TheHerald

Water7 was the exception not the rule, bellyache on Narutofan about One Piece looking cartoony.

HaxeyeMihawk

@CupidKirby:

Well, I have Volume 2 of One Piece in front of me and his eyes are pretty much just as round. You don't really see it in that picture because the image that Murad chose of early-on Luffy was one of him frowning/glaring.

Just as well though, if Nami suddenly went back to having pupils the size of tennis balls, I think we'd all be pretty peeved despite it being her earlier design.

@Crossword:

Luffy's eyes are pretty consistent. It's the curvature of his face that changes the most.

Kinda funny how in Skypiea everyone (or at least Luffy, Nami, and Robin) got pretty thin necks for some reason.

Idk, maybe it's just me but before Luffy's eyes appeared more ovalish in all the arcs prior to TB, atm I'm starting to think that Luffy started looking younger and more like the current model around the time Brook was introduced. Compare his TB appearance to his EL appearance, definite differences there.

And again maybe it's just me but I went back and glossed through EL-Amazon Lily and idk why but Luffy looks really childish and small in Amazon Lily, almost chibi imo.

fedcom

@Hiroy:

Is Luffy always drawn inconsistently(on purpose) depending on his mood or the situation he's in anyway? I mean, sometimes he looks older, sometimes his head is rounder, sometimes he appears shorter, ect, ect.

This.

Anywho, Luffy is only 17. 17 year olds don't all look like young men. Some teenagers maintain their boyish looks until later.