Changing Artstyle

[chloesong.livejournal.com]

 

 Once more: Possible SPOILERS TO LATEST CHAPTER, you have been warned!

Hi everyone! I don't usually post here, just kinda stalk and comment lol.

But I wanted to bring up the latest GORGEOUS new chapter that came out recently!

Or so everyone says.

Don't get me wrong at all, I LOVE the art of D. Gray-man.

It's just that I was thinking I miss the old style,
like
http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/60/13/
and here
http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/61/02/

Very different from:
http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/182/01/
and
http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/182/17/

Same Allen, same mangaka, totally different.

I'm not complaining, but I was wondering if people had thoughts. As for me, I think the newer style is much sharper, more bloodier, and my friend says it's much "cooler". But I miss the kinda simpler, hilarious, style of the earlier days. I like these http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/82/02/ and http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/82/04/

 

Just making conversation. Thoughts? Discuss<3 :D
 

Comments

[yumenonana.livejournal.com]

Well maybe the artist decided that there are no games and a lot less jokes anymore, so this new style is somewhat organic and natural for that darker allure. Maybe what you really miss is kindness and good humor and not just 'the old style'.

[chloesong.livejournal.com]

Nope I like the "darker allure", that's why I love D. Gray-man. ahahah *feels kinda sadistic for saying that. considering how Allen basically impales himself ;;*

and it's still seriously funny:
http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/182/17/

aahaha.

Idk I just got the impression that people were like "OH COOL, Allen looks so much hawter now" across the board.

[kowaiki.livejournal.com]

I believe that Hoshino Katsura's style is still developing, that is why her art changes. We see that happened to many mangaka. Once they're set on a style, they are likely to stick with it. Right now, it is still evolving.

Allen's appearance changed more than four times from the start of the series. If we compare nitty gritty things like his hair style, the shape of his eye, we notice the differences. It is not a bad thing. I love the art lots, just like many others. In occasional chapters, some details are lost and that's when I dislike it. Detail is a major feature in Hoshino's style, she draws more descriptively than any other mangaka I know (except one, perhaps).

I do miss the old style too. Right now, I'm enjoying what we're getting ^_^

[chloesong.livejournal.com]

"she draws more descriptively than any other mangaka I know (except one, perhaps)."

That's high praise. :Db

[isiteggs.livejournal.com]

I actually mistook some chapters back for having 'sloppy' art and I got my head bitten off when I commented on it. xD I was so disappointed to see that the style was changing the way it did. But I really like the art in the newest chapter. What with Hoshino's illness and all that, I think she was having a bit of trouble, but it seems she's back on track. (I can only imagine how stressful it is with all the deadlines, and a sore hand isn't going to help much.)

I really loved the style in the Krory arc and around that period, and then from there on it just went downwards for me. Then the newest chapter, as I said, restored my respect xD Both Kanda and Allen were drawn beautifully.

Still. Miss old art. *sniffle*

[chloesong.livejournal.com]

*attaches head back on* There all better<3 XD;

Ah I knoww geez, Hoshino-sensei's amazing. I wish she had a blog or something to follow though. So secretive? (Or maybe there is one, I'm just missing it)

Krory arc!!? THat's unexpected.
Aw lol Allen looks like such a bebie back then though:
http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/34/01/
Look at them big shiny eyes. XD

Compared to:
http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/182/01/
LOL.
(jfklajdlkajk it's creepy to remember he's dark like a Noah on the new splash. GAH ALLEN. ;;)

Hmm it's actually really fun doing back through the old chapters, n seening how they changed.

[atarashii-kashi.livejournal.com]

I personally love both styles.But every mangaka's style changes as time goes on...they develop their technique and characters becomes easier and easier to draw as the story progresses.I'd probably be surprised if her art had stayed the same as it was in the beginning..art like the story that's being told progresses whether for better or worse.Either way I'm glad to see the story getting back on track again and this new art style is nice enough to keep me from complaining so it's all good.

[o-melody-nelson.livejournal.com]

I think it's sexier; more streamlined.

Also, Allen is fifteen: it makes sense that his face is filling out and starting to look less boyish.

But no, I think Hoshino's older stuff was really unrefined, and this isn't.

[chloesong.livejournal.com]

So, in other words, in your opinion: Progress.

:D?

[mittens-220.livejournal.com]

I like her old style and new style. Which is rather rare for me, because normally when I read some manga and backtrack to the old style, I always tend to think the new style is way better.

Hoshino's still a learning mangaka in a sense, so she's still developing her art. If her art style changes really suddenly from one arc to the next, she's just experimenting to see how people would react I guess.

All the characters changed a lot, not just Allen

[spectre-infanta.livejournal.com]

All the characters changed a lot, not just Allen

For example, Kanda turned from a girl (http://www.onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/92/13/) to a beefcake (http://www.onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/144/11/). xD

[elusive-dreamer.livejournal.com]

It looks more.. generic to me. I dunno, I always thought Hoshino had a very stylish, and amusingly, constant changing style that I enjoyed. I also REALLY like the silliness in the stories -- it's one of the things that keeps my short attention span. I haven't read the new chapters, but is the content that much different? Is it serious all the time? Because I could not see myself enjoying 24-7 anger/stoic faces, at least not with D.gray-man -- which I honestly can't take seriously. I mostly read it for the characters and the art. xD

[chloesong.livejournal.com]

Nah geez, it's not all serious.

Ahah besides you know Allen, he finds humor... in the most darkest moments lol. *and it's a lil creepy when he does! But that's why he's such a complicated character<3*

It's like, "ahaha that's funny!!!!1 Oh wait wow it's not. Oh whoa.. ;;"
imo, I wouldn't avoid the manga because the possibility of angst.

The characters/art is still amazing, and it's still hilarious/ridiculous at times.<3

I highly recommend you keep following it. :Db

[hellzabeth.livejournal.com]

I like the change, really. The art seems to become sharper and darker as the story progresses, and with a change in style we can see a change in Allen as well. It's like the art is growing along with the character, changing at he changes and the like. Personally, I find both styles quite enjoyable, though the previous one allows for easier comedy, it also helps us see how childish Allen is at the beginning.

Bleh, I could ramble all day about progressive art like manga is, but I'll just leave you with that. <3

[badninja.livejournal.com]

Even the ones in the 60s and 80s are different than the original style. I miss that one, with the strange backgrounds and everything was very unique. I feel as if her art has gone more mainstream by the issue.

All I can conclude is...

[riot-of-flowers.livejournal.com]

*dresses up as Tiedoll* Our little boy has grown up so fast ;_;! *sniffles and tries to hug Yuu-chan but he refuses "in a gentle way"*





I like a lot this new style, the characters look like if they grew up and not stuck in the fountain of youth like it happens to many characters at other series. It's refreshing yet I must admit I miss Allen's huge puppy eyes and the overall silliness.

Hoshino definitely needs to add more Komui doing non-sense for the lulz and the protection of his adorable, virginal, sweet, etc, etc, etc sister who has gotten prettier as well (and she is about to reach the legal age to get married! Double efforts to prevent such catastrophic event!) <3 and testosterone needs to stop hitting Kanda's fan for a little while. I like him now, oh so masculine and fanservice, but I fear the bara factor ever since that crazy non-sense doujinshi in which he put Arnold to shame. *shudders*

*hugs*
Maldy

[knittedninja.livejournal.com]

I like the evolution of style. There's been some incarnations I liked more than others, but overall, it's D. Gray-man so I love it haha.

I'm sure her style will stabalize, but for now I really like watching the changes. I'm sure she gets tired of drawing the same way all the time, too XD

[chloesong.livejournal.com]

LOL!! I find this hilarious to imagine. XD b

Hoshino-sensei: *drawing at a table* "Hm, you know what. I'm tired of this style. Let's just trying something... COMPLETELY DIFFERENT<3!"

Wouldn't the fans FREAK, lol if like some anime company did that half-way through? Like for Clannad or something LOL. *suddenly on episode 17, the art goes from *PRETTY* to all SD*

But the funniest part is, you're probably right. She probably DOES get bored/inspired. XD<3

[ex-duelist.livejournal.com]

I haaaate the new style. :(

Especially the new coloring style. Like the cover of the fanbook, for example -- it's just flat-out ugly.

The way Hoshino's taken to drawing character heads/faces lately is very weird; they don't have a sense of proper proportion to them anymore. Komui constantly looks like his head is flat T_T

[gem2niki.livejournal.com]

Agree. Her cg works are really bad T_T;;; And awkward color choices. Her traditional stuff however looks nice.

Ah, flat!! That's the right word.

[gordafarid.livejournal.com]

Well at least her new style didn't look crappy, if you're comparing with Bleach and Naruto, not only their art styles has been really poor lately, but also the plot as well and I'm a bit surprised that Hoshino hasn't fucked up with her story at all even though styles has changed. And the same goes to Hiromu Arakawa, the mangaka for FMA though styles hasn't changed much and plots are still good, though humor and simpleness also disappeared as well.
Again the older style was better and I missed when they had at least humor in this story.
That's what I need to say I guess.
-Dana aka Gordafarid

[chloesong.livejournal.com]

omgoshh lol. XDD
So you're basically saying, "let's all just be grateful the story isn't twisted up/nonexistant at this point..!" (Which is sad, but srsly true good point. Ack, at some other plots/mangas!)

and a lil off-topic! But I must argue that the recent Naruto chapter's deff. showing good progress in terms of plot. It IS going somewhere!

and still-offtopic! hmm fma... I folllowed the anime not the manga. Should.. I have/be following the manga, in your opinion? :)?

[noirrac.livejournal.com]

I dig the new style a lot more. I used to have to endure it but now I really like the art.

I think the story still has its humorous spirit. It's just getting drowned out in all the 14th dramaz lately.

[mittens-220.livejournal.com]

There's still a bit of subtle humour in the latest chapter. Look at Allen's face when the Level 4 used its teeth to block his sword. That's an attempt at making things a little less serious.

Even in the chapter before that, I bet everyone was grinning in some way over the interaction between Timothy and Divine Possession.

[gem2niki.livejournal.com]

Haha.....I always ranted about her style changes since forever...
My favorite was right to the Suman Arc and some of Lenalee's battle with the Akuma. I used to admire her older style before. Very obata-eque and there's nice details to the faces.

Then her style change really start taking notice at http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/69/01/ I think it was around the time when Hoshino had a neck injury and took a long break.

But I start liking some of her style around her: http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/111/12/ Its crisp and the character seems more elongated :P But the characters do become too thin....

She started doing these weird expression later on: http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/135/DGM_135_pg01/
Somehow I never really found that appealing haha..everything is so pointed.

The way she draws the head shape still feels blocky ): But I think its getting better again...

[rayquaza.livejournal.com]

I just liked how Lenalee was drawn before, to be honest. Save for her, I really like the current style.

[lynnyanne.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with you on this one.

[kariavalon.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that I'm enjoying the new style moreso than some older ones. ^^; I can't really pinpoint the ones that didn't really appeal to me (as it's been soo long since I looked back OTL), but there were some ups and downs. I didn't heavily dislike, but it didn't cling that well with me.

[lynnyanne.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of a spacey reader, and I have to be fully awake and/or caffeinated in order to even fully grasp the plot, but my elementary observations basically boil down to noticing that she has progressed from clean and almost comical to a more nitty-gritty, detailed style.
I don't have any real complaints, but I have to say that the amount of detail Hoshino-sensei includes is creeping near claustrophobic. There is so much going on in the battle scenes that it's sometimes pretty hard to keep stuff straight.

This isn't a very good example, but compare something like this ( http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/182/04/) or this ( http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/181/07/ ) to this ( http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/154/10/ ) or this ( http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/155/15/ ) There's a definite change, mostly in how she structures her panels. I don't have a problem with the reaching-out-of-frame stuff, but there are instances where it's just visual overload, you know?

Overall, I'm really enjoying the progression. The maturity and detail in the characters is probably my favorite part; I can't wait to see how the girls have changed. :3 -huge Lenalee fan-

[chloesong.livejournal.com]

AH THAT'S THE WORD!
"Visual overload"

Yesssss, that's the word I was looking for?
You're right, the amount of detail recently, for me at least, is pretty darn impressive. It's like, wow! But at the same time... there's a feeling of "visual overload."

At first I thought, maybe there's more blood? Did the art get more gore-y? But that wasn't quite right. I guess it just got, heavier.

No complaints here, but thanks for sorting that out. :] I just couldn't put my finger on it..

"There is so much going on in the battle scenes that it's sometimes pretty hard to keep stuff straight."
http://onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/182/16/
It's like, "Wow, so much detail. *impressed*" and yet at the same time you have to think a little to see what's really going on.
"Visual overload"
Ty for the word. XD<3

[aorin107.livejournal.com]

I have very little complaints about Hoshino's artstyles, cause by far, I still consider hers to be one of the best within the shonen industry (or at least among Shonen Jump, though a lot might not necessary agree). Her recent style seemed to be more mainstream shonen with more crisp and clean lines, which is not neccesarily a bad thing itself but sometimes I do missed her old style which tends to be more aesthetic (I'm thinking along the lines of CLAMP when they evolved from RG Veda to Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles).

At this moment, all her art styles still seem rather amazing to me but I do have preferences in terms of character: Like, I prefer Lenalee during this period (http://www.onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/48/10/) compared to her later incarnation (http://www.onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/92/01/) (which is still pretty but just didn't measure up to the previous) or how I think Bak looked like a weirdo (http://www.onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/60/15/) but certainly made a lot of improvements after (http://www.onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/139/09/) the Level 3 attack or the Link certainly had a major facelift between here (http://www.onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/135/DGM_135_pg16/) and, ahem, recently (http://www.onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/181/09/). Overall, there are certainly pros and cons in her change of art styles and certain aspect that I miss but they are still easy on the eyes, so I guess I'm fine with it :P

[subaru-san.livejournal.com]

Maybe you'd like the .hack//Link artstyle if you've followed the .hack franchise. I certainly love how everyone's been drawn so far, especially Tsukasa.

[kurara-chan89.livejournal.com]

Interesting discussion ^_^

In my casi, I definitely liked the older style much more, I think the characters were prettier and I liked that touch of goth the manga had. I think that the change may be caused by the fact that Hoshino is still developing as a mangaka, but I also think that lately the series have a more "shounen" style and maybe the art changed because of that.
I definitely liked Leenalee with her long hair and Allen with his cute face xDD But the new art doesn´t bother me now as it did before, and like someone mentioned above, the plot is much more interesting than other famous mangas like Naruto, which for me is getting more boring as the weeks pass -_-Uuu

[nephiea.livejournal.com]

I...completely adore the new pics....XD

[subaru-san.livejournal.com]

I think the style is simply to illustrate the characters growing older, more mature.