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194 - One Piece (ワンピース) Usopp 1/9 Pencil and coloured pencil anima…
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Estimate €150 - €200
Sale commission
Description
One Piece (ワンピース) Usopp 1/9 Pencil and coloured pencil animation still created for the production of the One Piece anime, based on the work of Eiichirō Oda (尾田 栄一郎) Produced by Toei Animation 1999–present, Japan Sold as a set Usopp is performing a ballerina’s dance, his mouth wide open, presumably singing at the same time — the choreography is broken down into nine consecutive phases, the progression of which tells a complete visual story. Keyframes 1/9 to 7/9: Usopp in his signature dance pose, arms above his head, body leaning forwards in the momentum of the choreography, mouth wide open in every frame — seven successive phases of the same rotating movement, each frame capturing a slightly different position in the dance’s rotation. Dôga 8/9: transition — Usopp in a three-quarter view, arms extended to his right — the movement changes direction, the dance shifts towards its conclusion. Dôga 9/9: the final fall — head almost in profile, arms tracing opposing circular arcs along the body, and above all eyes bulging from their sockets in a graphic distortion directly inherited from American cartoons, and more specifically from the aesthetic of Tex Avery’s wolf — the ultimate expression of exhaustion, astonishment or comic exertion taken to the point of absurdity. This reference to Tex Avery is no coincidence. Eiichiro Oda has always acknowledged the influence of American cartoons in his extreme facial expressions — and the Toei animators, particularly in Usopp’s comic sequences, push these distortions to the very limits of what Japanese animation permits. In *One Piece*, bulging eyes are Usopp’s exclusive visual signature during moments of panic or absurd comic exertion — no other main character in the series reaches this level of facial distortion. The sequence of nine *dôga* panels depicts a complete comic choreography in three acts: the introduction and development (1/9 to 7/9, arms raised, rotation), the transition (8/9, change of direction), and the final punchline (9/9, bulging eyes, total exhaustion). When put together in order, these nine drawings allow us to see the sequence as the key animator conceived it — before the in-between animators filled in the missing phases to create the fluid movement visible on screen. The value of collecting these drawings takes on an extra dimension here: acquiring all nine dôgas means owning part of Usopp’s choreography as a ballerina, a spin on the spot, a comic sequence whose rarity in collections makes it all the more valuable, as its humour is immediately apparent to any One Piece fan, whether they are a specialist collector or not.
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About the sale Knights, Armour and Samurai + Animation Art Selection
Auction location
Auction time 06/28/2026 at 3:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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