Akira Toriyama's Process to Designing Characters

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  • Опубліковано 10 жов 2020
  • Over the years Akira Toriyama has given us a glimpse into his process of designing some of the most iconic characters in shonen from Frieza to Goku. Join me today as we discuss his process collected from several interviews over the decades to somewhat gather a better understanding of these characters came to be!
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    ►Music credits:
    Timecop1983 - L.A. Nights
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 454

  •  3 роки тому +270

    #1 come up with characters personality
    #2 Come up with design of the face with loose pencil sketches
    #3 then move on the body and clothing
    #4 Then lastly move on the color
    #5 Simplify your characters as much as possible!
    #6 sometimes take inspiration
    #7 give characters a distinguishing silhouettes
    Golden nugget: Simplify your design in a interesting way!

    • @RealityKun
      @RealityKun 2 місяці тому +2

      Elaborate on silhouette

    •  2 місяці тому +8

      @RealityKun Basically the very shape of the character that is very striking. Look at frieza and goku. We all know goku by his height and hair. We know vegeta by his hair and body shape. We know Majin buu by his banana head shape and his fat body with the cape big gloves.
      That stuff!

    • @RealityKun
      @RealityKun 2 місяці тому +3

      @ Thank you!

  • @mechajay3358
    @mechajay3358 3 роки тому +1198

    Toriyama's Designing Philosophy: _"Less is More."_

  • @snowsugardashietheaircatgi932
    @snowsugardashietheaircatgi932 2 місяці тому +50

    RIP Mr. Akira, thank you for making one of the greatest anime series in the whole universe, fly high and keep collecting those Dragon Balls. 🙏🙏
    For those unaware, yes, Akira Toriyama died on March 1st from acute subdural hematoma, his family and some people he worked with announced it today. He was 68, and his funeral was already held, but his family does not want to be interviewed at the moment, so in the meantime, pay your respects by watching DB and collecting manga too, it’s a proper way to honor a legend. 🙏🙏😇😇

  • @2eze_
    @2eze_ 3 роки тому +725

    I feel like Toriyama has a goldmine of unused character designs like his early designs for buu saga gohan were pretty cool especially one where gohan had his base form cell saga hair cut a bit shorter and a trunks like jacket

    • @aegisreflector1239
      @aegisreflector1239 3 роки тому +34

      Check out Toriyamas character designs for Tobal number 1 and 2. He put really cool shoes on most the cast

    • @maxithalo7796
      @maxithalo7796 3 роки тому +25

      If you look at his early designs for cell, one of the faces is exactly like beerus, so yeah, the guy does keep tabs on a lot of good designs that he can ocasionally use later

    • @polterghost_
      @polterghost_ 3 роки тому +8

      Theres this one Cell design which was reused recently in Dragon Quest 11

    • @tumamaeswatona7827
      @tumamaeswatona7827 2 роки тому +2

      I believe this design ended up being used for Goten in GT, except for the jacket

    • @BlazeCon97
      @BlazeCon97 Рік тому

      @@polterghost_ And there's the Abbot in Dragon Quest IX which looks like an alternate version of second form Cell when he gets transformed

  • @SoulsOfWisdom
    @SoulsOfWisdom 3 роки тому +624

    It's interesting how the rejected examples sometimes get morphed into other characters.

    • @migy9k599
      @migy9k599 3 роки тому +37

      saw a buu lookin monaka

    • @SoulsOfWisdom
      @SoulsOfWisdom 3 роки тому +54

      @@migy9k599 The one that stood out for me is the Yakon looking Buu.

    • @justajobro1266
      @justajobro1266 3 роки тому +3

      In the buy sketches there was a guy who looked like botamo

    • @dustmasterflex1541
      @dustmasterflex1541 3 роки тому +1

      @@justajobro1266 His characters look the same.

    • @turbonx
      @turbonx 3 роки тому +21

      I think that Frieza prototype may have inspired Dodoria

  • @busymike
    @busymike 3 роки тому +92

    Toriyama is a genius. I love his clean designs.

  • @vivthevov
    @vivthevov 3 роки тому +188

    Fat frieza isn't real, fat frieza can't hurt you
    Fat Frieza:

  • @impact9546
    @impact9546 3 роки тому +98

    makes a lot of sense that he would start with heads and faces. those features tend to be the most focused on in comics and storytelling do to their ability to express and emote character feelings better than any other body part. great video as always, i always learn something new and useful from them.

  • @GeekedOutNeckbeard
    @GeekedOutNeckbeard 3 роки тому +46

    "it's no good if you can't tell who's who"
    *Toyotaro has left the chat*

  • @taylorbenson6284
    @taylorbenson6284 3 роки тому +315

    "Its no good if you can't tell who's who."
    Goku, bardock, goku black, turles, goten, goku jr.

    • @forgottenrelics1197
      @forgottenrelics1197  3 роки тому +135

      Lol but to be fair only Goku and Goten where created by Toriyama. The rest where from Toei, although he did redesign Bardock so that kinda counts haha

    • @taylorbenson6284
      @taylorbenson6284 3 роки тому +24

      @@forgottenrelics1197 lol you're right. I'll let that one slide...for now

    • @tastedivinefury2198
      @tastedivinefury2198 3 роки тому +8

      Well u can tell😭

    • @pumpingpriest5893
      @pumpingpriest5893 3 роки тому +17

      to be fair though, all of these characters never share the same chapters for the exception of black and turles. For example: Goten looks like kid goku but goku is grown up for a long up until then and the same thing goes for bardock.

    • @tastedivinefury2198
      @tastedivinefury2198 3 роки тому +11

      @@pumpingpriest5893 Goten looks like Mini adult goku at best but u can sorta distinguish them

  • @maxw9833
    @maxw9833 3 роки тому +136

    Damn a lesson can be learned from Toriayama, "simple is sometimes better" look at final form Frieza that is as simple as it gets. Take away the weird horns, body shapes, body armors, and just make him look humanoid, his simplistic, weak-looking design is what makes him more menacing, especially the eyes......damn those red eyes gives me chills

  • @tenyson4187
    @tenyson4187 2 місяці тому +13

    Rest in Peace Toriyama-Sensei

  • @h.bblaze8969
    @h.bblaze8969 3 роки тому +23

    Toriyama has perfected the "less is more" technique when it comes to art style and storylines 😆

  • @vindicsun5894
    @vindicsun5894 2 місяці тому +9

    R.I.P Goat

  • @SentinalSlice
    @SentinalSlice 2 місяці тому +12

    Rest in peace

  • @dlbutters7164
    @dlbutters7164 3 роки тому +277

    Aw man, i wish your videos were like 1 hour long, they're so good!

    • @Ben-hw7wn
      @Ben-hw7wn 3 роки тому

      @@ajmusiq6742 you’d watch 1hour bruh 😂😂😂😂😂 doubt it

    • @riturajrabha4214
      @riturajrabha4214 3 роки тому

      no

    • @robinthestate6548
      @robinthestate6548 3 роки тому +2

      @@Ben-hw7wn i would if it's as good as this 5 minutes.

    • @rudtastic
      @rudtastic 2 роки тому

      less is more.

    • @DarkNinja-bf6hk
      @DarkNinja-bf6hk Рік тому

      @@Ben-hw7wn i put on hour long vids while im doing something else

  • @labeilleautiste6318
    @labeilleautiste6318 2 місяці тому +2

    I love how we certainly discovered so many aspect of Toriyama as an hommage its beautiful

  • @Dewaynesite1
    @Dewaynesite1 Рік тому +8

    To me the removal of Goku jumpsuit logo or Vegeta armor changes felt like the characters were growing like real life people. If you look at Goku and the gang and Vegeta in the Saiyan's arc vs. The Cell's saga you see the big change in each character from attitude to their style.

  • @FredMains
    @FredMains 2 місяці тому +6

    Rest In Peace
    Akira Toriyama

  • @thecool_dude7490
    @thecool_dude7490 3 роки тому +159

    3:53 Wow, im not use to seeing krillin that tall!!!

    • @forgottenrelics1197
      @forgottenrelics1197  3 роки тому +36

      Same lol and especially different considering how Toriyama drew him so short in BoG!

    • @Punchout101
      @Punchout101 3 роки тому +5

      @@forgottenrelics1197 I heard that the character models in BoG were changed by the animators, though don't quote me on that

    • @TroisB
      @TroisB 3 роки тому +13

      I think the new animated series made him a little bit shorter than he used to be in the manga (+ Goku was only a teenager on this screenshot)

    • @mpoops2936
      @mpoops2936 3 роки тому +15

      well, Krillin was in fact taller than we've depicted him. sometimes they make him shorter for some jokes in DBZ but without anyone knowing he gets gradualy shorter during the series. Just watch the Piccolo Jr. arc once more and you can see how tall Krillin actually is when he's a teenager like goku

    • @beezelsub
      @beezelsub 3 роки тому +7

      @@mpoops2936 He's supposed to be 5'0 I believe. Short, but they're drawing him like a foot shorter in super.

  • @JaydenNwakuche
    @JaydenNwakuche 2 місяці тому +5

    Rip to the goat

  • @billpk49
    @billpk49 2 місяці тому +5

    Rip Akira...

  • @lonecolamarine
    @lonecolamarine 3 роки тому +12

    0:05 That is just creative AF bloody hell xD

  • @Tricolorrr533
    @Tricolorrr533 3 роки тому +39

    1:31 there's a Majin Beerus there wtf

  • @Matisyahuc
    @Matisyahuc 2 місяці тому +1

    a 4 min video that will helps lots of people who are trying to come up with characters.. my friend, this is like finding a diamond in the desert

  • @superbn0va
    @superbn0va 3 роки тому +21

    I definitely prefer “SIMPLE” designs

  • @nikodemoliniak4482
    @nikodemoliniak4482 2 місяці тому +3

    Rip Akira toriyama
    Thanks Akira for everythink

  • @MisterBirju
    @MisterBirju 3 роки тому +17

    "A green human feels unnatural, which is good."

  • @cardinalrule6810
    @cardinalrule6810 2 роки тому +6

    When I was younger, I thought Trunks had one of the coolest character designs I had ever seen. And Dragon Ball Z is the greatest anime of all time.

  • @user-fg9dc9nn4o
    @user-fg9dc9nn4o 3 роки тому +115

    That hybrid of perfect and first form cell looks sick.

    • @ykoijin1310
      @ykoijin1310 3 роки тому +16

      Cell if he absorbed 18 first

  • @IronLordFitness
    @IronLordFitness 3 роки тому +14

    Toriyama won the title of "art genius". I think he and Matt Groening are the greatest graphic artist of the last 30 years. Their respective style is so recognizable, they had so much success with what they created that yeah, to me they're true geniuses.

    • @jamaaldagreatest2748
      @jamaaldagreatest2748 2 роки тому +5

      If we’re talking comics too then I’d have to give Alex Ross a vote too. All three styles are incredibly different but they’re all amazing for what they try to convey with their art.

  • @supremerose8716
    @supremerose8716 3 роки тому +21

    Forgottenrelics is so underrated he does such good videos and he has a fraction of what he deserves

  • @cavemanbuddyolpal
    @cavemanbuddyolpal 3 роки тому +37

    0:09 that’s not a forehead that’s a fivehead

    • @demetrius459
      @demetrius459 3 роки тому +8

      No, it's an over 9000 head

    • @abdouaboud7490
      @abdouaboud7490 3 роки тому +1

      Man looking like frieza third form if he go bald

  • @openingdown3051
    @openingdown3051 3 роки тому +30

    No matter how long your videos are, they’re always really fun to watch because I always learn things that I probably wouldn’t know without you. These analysis videos have taught me a lot about Toriyama and other mangaka and animators’ styles to the point where I decided to start a project where I redraw frames from DBS, so I can thank you for inspiring me to do things such as that.

  • @JBAnti
    @JBAnti 3 роки тому +4

    I felt the impatience in my legs imagining drawing all that over and over

  • @erockbrox8484
    @erockbrox8484 2 місяці тому +1

    I will tell you the secret to good character design.
    Make the character easily identifiable.
    Make the character cool.
    Make the character something that once you see it, you can never forget it
    Give the character some personality.
    Sit down with the character and really try and bring this character to life, such that, you can predict how the character will act in certain situations. This makes the story telling so much easier and convincing.

  • @bonkingtimez
    @bonkingtimez 3 роки тому +19

    1:25 We just gonna ignore that badass dragon face buu sketch. Honestly prefer that design from the original

  • @dusky9705
    @dusky9705 3 роки тому +12

    Imagine if he went with the cell with hair like I wonder how would that work

  • @songoku7715
    @songoku7715 2 місяці тому +2

    Thank you for this analysis

  • @casual-disaster
    @casual-disaster Рік тому +1

    I'm glad I'm not the only artist who starts with the face first.

  • @onyxt3589
    @onyxt3589 3 роки тому +7

    I really enjoy these Toriyama vids.

  • @aaronrowell6943
    @aaronrowell6943 2 роки тому +3

    It's always interesting even though I'm not an artist to hear people's design philosophies
    Heard from a lot of artists that makes sense that he starts with the face because they bring up that the eyes are usually the most important part of a face and a design in general. The less is more approach certainly interesting and sometimes this the smaller character is usually the more powerful they are, not that you can't have big and imposing characters like King piccolo but a lot of his buildings would be especially in their final forms would be shorter than the protagonist: Vegeta, Frieza, kid Buu being examples. So when he makes them tall like Cell it makes a point like cell vs gohan

  • @rickysword3945
    @rickysword3945 2 місяці тому

    I’m projecting my own manga and videos like this are gold… thank you Sir! 🙏🏻 Dragonball is such a great influence to me, not only for my art style, for my whole life. I started with martial arts long time ago and kungfu is my path. Still I read Dragonball and watch the anime and still it gives me emotions and inspiration to be stronger and to improve day by day

  • @AristoSwizzy
    @AristoSwizzy 3 роки тому +2

    I really hope that you will post more often because I really enjoy your videos,keep it up man we will always support you

    • @forgottenrelics1197
      @forgottenrelics1197  3 роки тому +2

      I do this part time and getting one video out a week is hard enough haha so sorry about the lack of content and thanks also for your support :)

  • @butternutbandit5722
    @butternutbandit5722 3 роки тому +108

    “Tries to design character types he hasnt done much of before”. He must have given up on that philosophy a loooong time ago

    • @Easy420skate
      @Easy420skate 3 роки тому +34

      He hardly has a hand in things nowadays.

    • @Easy420skate
      @Easy420skate 3 роки тому +4

      @Some characters aren't allowed nowadays compared to the time he is talking about

    • @mikansan8216
      @mikansan8216 3 роки тому +8

      Toyotaro designs most of the new characters with help and advice from Toriyama.

    • @devforfun5618
      @devforfun5618 3 роки тому +3

      what are you taking about, tournament of power has a lot of interesting characters, the gods, the robots, the angels, the sailor moon squad, he even managed to make different powers

    • @Ineedgames
      @Ineedgames 3 роки тому +8

      @@patrickmulopo7957 I feel like the closest we got to Toriyama in the ToP were the magical girl universe.
      Even their strongest warrior turned into a fat buu which is very Toriyama.

  • @ahmedbenkhalfallah6502
    @ahmedbenkhalfallah6502 3 роки тому +5

    I swear if i had a dollar whenever someone shows Akira Toriyama and uses a picture of Go Nagai (creator of Devilman and Mazinger) id have enough to buy a PS5

  • @wideface344
    @wideface344 3 роки тому +7

    Great video as usual man!

  • @black.sasuke.uchiha
    @black.sasuke.uchiha 3 роки тому

    This was a really insightful video. I subscribed!

  • @TehWhiteTiger
    @TehWhiteTiger 3 роки тому +6

    'It's no good if you can tell whos who'
    One of the reasons i struggle to enjoy a lot of action manga, so hard to follow but Dragoball despite its hugely action based premise was always a claen read to me.

  • @sigiligus
    @sigiligus 2 місяці тому +2

    His early art was absolutely amazing, it's always been a shame to me that he kind of got burned out drawing and simplified everything.

    • @kevincmejia
      @kevincmejia 2 місяці тому

      Imagine being drawing weekly manga over 10 years with no rest, anyone would be burned out in less than that

  • @lonecolamarine
    @lonecolamarine 3 роки тому +6

    OOOH so that's why Dragon quest's art looks so much like DBZ

  • @GatSaiden
    @GatSaiden 3 роки тому +3

    Great video, as always. Saludos from Argentina!

  • @haniflawson9225
    @haniflawson9225 Рік тому +2

    Toriyama will sometimes swipe elements from his other designs, too. The most obvious example is Broly resembling Super Trunks, though that was on purpose. Other times, it's less noticeable. For instance, someone pointed out that Gohan's superhero costume has the same colors as Cell's first form. I doubt it means anything, rather, Toriyama probably needed a color scheme and decided on that. But those small details make his character designs even more interesting, like Easter eggs.

  • @endergenesis2618
    @endergenesis2618 3 роки тому +6

    In the thumbnail frieza looks like dodoria

  • @noisemarine561
    @noisemarine561 3 роки тому

    Thanks for keeping it brief

  • @DaniGerman1499
    @DaniGerman1499 2 роки тому

    Fun to think about some of those other designs and how they would have worked in the show

  • @bigoof4101
    @bigoof4101 3 роки тому +6

    farmer w the shotgun was definitely an unused character design that he somehow caught a liking to

  • @oussamagharbi5419
    @oussamagharbi5419 3 роки тому +27

    dbz staff : what design will we chose for freeza?
    toryama : yes

  • @JezzmanGAMES
    @JezzmanGAMES 3 роки тому +6

    Plot twist: the drawing at 2:44 isn't sped up.

  • @codeninja100
    @codeninja100 3 роки тому

    Bro this is gold thank you

  • @keanusamuels1782
    @keanusamuels1782 3 роки тому +1

    Thank you for including me

  • @ketamineaddict5659
    @ketamineaddict5659 3 роки тому +3

    It’s ironic how the designs are all very different but every character more or less has a very similar face? Especially the humans

    • @lucassantossj
      @lucassantossj 3 роки тому +3

      You notice it in his game character designs. There are basically a Gokuesk, a Bulmaesk, a Pilafesk...

    • @ketamineaddict5659
      @ketamineaddict5659 3 роки тому

      @@lucassantossj exactly, still great just very similar.

  • @dl0680
    @dl0680 5 місяців тому +2

    Imagine if we got that C h o n k y Frieza as his "Final form" in the series (From the thumbnail). Not even SSJ Goku could be able to ki blast that belly. 😂

  • @mgshadow155
    @mgshadow155 3 роки тому +4

    Therapist: Buures isn’t real, he can’t hurt you
    Buures: 1:25

  • @esophagoose
    @esophagoose 3 роки тому +3

    This was pretty interesting

  • @Angel_mode
    @Angel_mode 3 роки тому +1

    i went back in time to 2011 when flashing pictures in the screen was funny

  • @lucky_luck5411
    @lucky_luck5411 2 роки тому

    Thank you for this content.

  • @christianbanks7458
    @christianbanks7458 Рік тому

    You see Goku Gohan and vegeta look more and more older and mature as the saga’s progress, that is incredible skill from toriyama to pull that off 👏

  • @nolahahnshouse3389
    @nolahahnshouse3389 Місяць тому +1

    Rest in peace Toriyama

  • @thrwwccnt5845
    @thrwwccnt5845 10 місяців тому

    you got a chuckle out of me for putting a picture of Go Nagai with the caption" Akira Toriyama"

  • @bossman9259
    @bossman9259 3 роки тому +1

    Thank god your vid is short otherwise i wouldn't click on it

  • @GameArts1
    @GameArts1 2 роки тому

    Cool take on his works!

  • @dr._meme4290
    @dr._meme4290 3 роки тому +1

    I love these videos

  • @skylean7268
    @skylean7268 3 роки тому +3

    0:07
    give us this frieza back 😤😤💯

  • @0geekAlot0
    @0geekAlot0 3 роки тому

    Video is neat and clean, very rare nowadays.

  • @majinchu6938
    @majinchu6938 3 роки тому

    short and sweet. nice.

  • @concretebreakdowns9656
    @concretebreakdowns9656 3 роки тому

    Great content 💯

  • @bigrhys8684
    @bigrhys8684 3 роки тому +1

    I remember seeing an episode of dragonball when I was like 8 and the only character I remembered was piccolo and then when I was 12 I got into Dragonball more

  • @dustybandit0214
    @dustybandit0214 3 роки тому +1

    Oh god was Frieza originally supposed to be like dodoria I’m glad we have the current frieza instead of the one in the thumbnail

  • @eggzisstenshulldredd1626
    @eggzisstenshulldredd1626 3 роки тому +1

    SAME, I knew about Frieza and Dragon Ball (Z Kai) before I even knew it was anime! I just thought it was another cartoon on Nicktoons Primetime!

  • @antoniodbz5850
    @antoniodbz5850 3 роки тому +6

    So Krillin was designed to be up to Goku's shoulder? In "Dragon Ball" he was that much tall, but Z and Super made him super short!!!
    THIS MAKES ME MAD!!!

    • @jasonone8726
      @jasonone8726 Рік тому

      Nah, that was just in the character sheets, Krillin was much shorter in the DB manga.

  • @juanm.3840
    @juanm.3840 3 роки тому +2

    I wish I can draw like Akira Toriyama

  • @Egalemanly
    @Egalemanly 2 місяці тому +1

    Genius

  • @queenskelaton6507
    @queenskelaton6507 2 роки тому

    I think my favorite part of his design process is his tendency to introduce double acts so you can get a feel for characters quickly

  • @deanfenech
    @deanfenech 3 роки тому

    Great Video!!!

  • @cantdestroyher7245
    @cantdestroyher7245 3 роки тому +4

    I think the beauty of his design is that he doesn’t try to design anyone to look “cool”

    • @xenogen372
      @xenogen372 3 роки тому +2

      Yea I wish he did more stuff for DB. Nowadays characters are designed for people who don't watch the series and think that every character is supposed to have the badass, angry looking eyes that the Saiyans have

    • @animzen7653
      @animzen7653 3 роки тому +1

      @@xenogen372 i like grenola's charcter design but he is designed by toyitaro

  • @omega2460
    @omega2460 3 роки тому +1

    0:11 says "please help7" if you're wondering

  • @elderlyinfant3917
    @elderlyinfant3917 Рік тому

    Reminds me a lot of Alex Toth's process: "Strip it all down to essentials, then draw the hell out of what's left"

  • @vinceamaro1382
    @vinceamaro1382 2 роки тому

    I love the opening.

  • @MrMrannoying
    @MrMrannoying 2 роки тому

    I liked the length of this one

  • @tylerh3378
    @tylerh3378 3 роки тому +2

    Dope 🤟

  • @ddeviledart7519
    @ddeviledart7519 3 роки тому

    I saw a couple of the cell designs in the vid, and holy shitttt 🙌🏽🔥, kinda wish they used the horned on his head design

  • @Wutwut1n1
    @Wutwut1n1 Рік тому

    Very nice

  • @connorbeith3232
    @connorbeith3232 2 роки тому

    Now that thumbnail is what I call a glowup!

  • @ObeseMommy
    @ObeseMommy Рік тому

    when it comes to character designs noone can beat Akira Toriyama

  • @mad.chicken
    @mad.chicken 3 роки тому +1

    The first concept frieza is the fusion of king cold and dodoria

  • @pokesonav
    @pokesonav 3 роки тому +4

    I wonder, why didn't he just remove the spots from Cell, after he achieved Perfection?

    • @BonnieNakagawa
      @BonnieNakagawa 3 роки тому

      Maybe he thought it was too much of a difference? Or liked how the spots looked but didn't like having to constantly redraw them?

    • @jasonone8726
      @jasonone8726 Рік тому

      He might of had frustrations with the spots, much later in the Cell Saga, after he designed Perfect Cell.

  • @affaaffaafjkfabhjkfa3708
    @affaaffaafjkfabhjkfa3708 3 роки тому +3

    I didnt know Freezer and Dodoria fused

  • @Gredran
    @Gredran 3 роки тому +1

    I am not sure if you put the Mr. Satan art next to Buu(looks to be on the same paper though, but I never know with editing these days) but if Toriyama was designing Buu, with Mr. Satan next to him, it's interesting how always knew Mr. Satan was gonna be incredibly important to Buu's arc.

    • @forgottenrelics1197
      @forgottenrelics1197  3 роки тому +1

      I didn't however that page is from Daizenshuu 4 and has a bunch of other sketches on one large page so there is a high chance whoever put the book together could've just arranged them like that. But if not that would be an interesting detail!

  • @ivanfontenla3490
    @ivanfontenla3490 3 роки тому +1

    nice video agaiiin