Project Overview
This personal project explores the seven story arcs of the Dragon Ball franchise, originally released in the 1980s and still widely popular today.
The aim was to create a clear, engaging infographic that quickly recaps the progression of the series across both the anime and manga, from Kame House through the Red Ribbon Army and into the Piccolo and Piccolo Jr. arcs.
Objective
The objective was to summarise the full narrative of the series in a way that was accessible to both existing fans and newcomers, allowing viewers to understand the overall story structure at a glance.
Rather than retelling the story linearly, I wanted to present it visually in a way that reflected Dragon Ball’s worldbuilding and sense of adventure.
Concept & Visual Approach
The core concept was inspired by the seven Dragon Balls themselves. I structured the infographic around the idea that each Dragon Ball represents one major story arc, which naturally aligned with the series’ seven key arcs.
Each arc was given its own visual section. Three arcs being the first World Tournament, Goku vs the Red Ribbon Army, and the return of King Piccolo , which were allocated more space to reflect their greater narrative impact and major plot developments.
I used landscape-style environments within each section to communicate how the story expands geographically and tonally, highlighting the scale and uniqueness of Dragon Ball’s world.
To add depth for fans of the series, I included subtle details such as a Dragon Ball flying in the direction of the Flying Nimbus with Goku, reinforcing movement and progression through the story.
Outcome & Learnings
Through this project, I developed a stronger understanding of:
- Impactful composition and visual hierarchy
- 2D illustration and environmental design within Illustrator
- Adding atmospheric effects such as snow and smoke to enhance depth
I also improved my technical workflow, particularly my use of tools such as the Curvature Tool and Unite, allowing me to build cleaner shapes and more complex forms efficiently.
