Manga Cel Appraisal

Dragon Ball Original Production Cel (Goku & Piccolo)

This item is a framed original copyright cel from the 'Dragon Ball' animation series, featuring a youthful Goku alongside Piccolo. The artwork is presented within a light wood-toned frame, likely made of wood, and set behind a white mat opening, which serves to highlight the cel. The visible dimensions within the frame appear to be approximately 200mm x 252mm (7.9" x 9.9"). The cel itself depicts a scene with vibrant, saturated colors typical of anime production cels from its era, showing Goku in his iconic orange gi and Piccolo in his purple and white attire. Their expressions and postures are characteristic of the 'Dragon Ball' art style. The background of the cel features a stylized, somewhat patterned design in red and orange hues, common in early animation cels to provide a simplistic yet effective setting. The cel appears to be in good condition with no immediately visible signs of cracks, peeling paint, or significant fading, which are common issues with older animation cels. The accompanying text indicates it is an 'original copyright cel art' and specifically a 'copyrighted cel for underlay,' suggesting it may have been part of the underlayer of a multi-cel setup or intended to be. It is associated with the broadcast years of 1986-1996 and produced by Toei Animation. The craftsmanship appears to be standard for production cels of the period, valuing clarity and color accuracy for animation. The frame itself shows no obvious damage or wear, and the glass (or acrylic) protecting the cel is clean. The overall presentation suggests it is a piece intended for display, likely for collectors of animation memorabilia.