TL;DR
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Authentic 1980s Dr. Slump production cel featuring Arale & Gatchan
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Used in the actual animation process (marked A13)
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Includes original paper backing; vibrant colors with light age wear
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Great for collectors of Toriyama art, vintage cels, and pre-Dragon Ball history
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Ideal for framing and long-term archival storage
Quick Specs
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Series: Dr. Slump
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Characters: Arale Norimaki & Gatchan
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Studio: Toei Animation
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Medium: Hand-painted cel on acetate
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Markings: A13, standard top peg holes
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Dimensions: ~10.5″ × 9.5″
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Era: 1980s production
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Includes: Cel layer + original paper backing (no background or douga)
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Condition: Very Good (minor waviness, light wear, faint fading)
Overview / What It Is
This is a genuine 1980s hand-painted production cel from the original Dr. Slump anime—Akira Toriyama’s beloved comedic series that paved the way for Dragon Ball.
If you’ve never handled a cel before, these are not reproductions or prints. They were physically painted and photographed frame-by-frame to create every episode of 1980s anime. This particular piece captures Arale and Gatchan in a classic gag pose: playful, expressive, and unmistakably Toriyama.
Finding Dr. Slump cels (especially ones including both Arale and Gatchan) is becoming hard, as most were either discarded by studios in the 1990s or absorbed into private collections.
Product Images
Image copyright usage rights: You may use these images for any of your posts or projects, so long as you attribute Japan Bound as the creator and link to this post as the source of the images
How It Works
In the pre-digital era, Japanese studios animated using layered cels:
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Douga (pencil drawing) was created by animators.
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A clean line drawing (genga/clean-up) was traced onto clear acetate.
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Specialized paints were applied by hand to the back of the cel.
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The cel was placed on a background, aligned to peg holes, and photographed.
The markings you see—like A13—help animators identify the shot, sequence, and layer order during filming. This cel was photographed as-is as part of its episode.
Because each cel only appears for a fraction of a second, every one is technically unique. These are thus SUPER RARE and hard to find because they can never be “made” again.
Who Should Buy This
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Toriyama fans who want a piece of early visual history
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Vintage anime cel collectors expanding beyond Dragon Ball
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80s anime fans who appreciate hand-painted production art
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Art collectors focusing on pre-digital Japanese animation
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People decorating a Japan-inspired room or media space
This is a great “entry-level but rare-character combo” cel that looks fantastic framed.
Pros & Cons
Pros
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Authentic hand-painted production cel
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Includes both Arale and Gatchan — a popular duo
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Strong colors and expressive character poses
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Standard size makes framing easy
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Original paper backing included
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Increasing rarity of Dr. Slump pieces
Cons
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Minor waviness and age-related wear
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Some fading in linework (standard for 1980s cels)
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No matching background or douga
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Fragile medium that requires careful storage
Setup / Usage Tips
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Frame using UV-protective acrylic, not glass—glass can stick to acetate.
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Keep away from humidity; Japanese summers can cause warping.
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Store flat inside an archival plastic sleeve if not displaying.
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Avoid exposure to direct sunlight—1980s cel paints fade easily.
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If gifting or traveling with it, sandwich it between cardboard for protection.
If you’re in Japan, you can find archival sleeves and acid-free backing at Tokyu Hands or Loft, or even some コンビニ (konbini, convenience store) stationary aisles.
Popularity, Sales Numbers & Critical Reception
Anime cels are super rare and hard to come by (they can’t make more of them).
While Dr. Slump isn’t as globally massive as Dragon Ball, it was a major hit in Japan during the 1980s. According to Nikkei and Toei Animation’s historical reports, Dr. Slump consistently ranked among Japan’s top TV anime of the early decade and helped establish Toriyama’s career.
When the anime cel market surged in the 2010s and 2020s, demand for Toriyama-related production art climbed alongside Dragon Ball’s global popularity. Cels featuring main characters—Arale, Gatchan, Senbei—have steadily increased in auction value.
Because Toei stopped producing cels in the 1990s, supply is permanently limited. This has made authentic Dr. Slump cels especially sought after, often purchased by both DBZ collectors and classic cel connoisseurs.
FAQs
Is this cel one-of-a-kind?
Yes. Every production cel is unique and was physically photographed for the show.
Why is the backing page discolored?
The paper is standard studio backing paper, which naturally yellows or spot-fades after decades.
What does “A13” mean?
It indicates sequence and layer number for animation staff.
“A” typically means the primary layer (main character layer).
Why are the peg holes at the top?
Toei used standard Japanese animation peg bars to keep layers aligned during filming.
Does this include the original background?
No. Only the cel and the original backing sheet are included. Backgrounds were often reused or discarded.
Is this safe to frame?
Yes—if framed using archival, UV-safe materials.
Where to Buy
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Japan Bound eBay Store (recommended) — If you message us on Japan Bound, you can buy it from us directly for 15% off the eBay price.
About the Author
Limarc Ambalina is a longtime Japan culture and pop-culture journalist. He lives in Japan and is a longtime video game and Japanese pop culture memorabilia collector. The product images in this article were taken by him directly. The information in this article has been verified by his personal testing/usage of each product listed.
