Miki Ugai

Miki Ugai worked on the original Dragon Ball series as an inbetweener, creating the transitional frames across 21 episodes spanning the Emperor Pilaf Saga through the Piccolo Jr. Saga. Her contributions included some of the most visually memorable moments, from Yamcha's battles in the early sagas to the intense Piccolo Jr. tournament fights. She demonstrated the technical skill required to maintain animation quality across a weekly production schedule while handling both pivotal and quieter character moments.

Her work on Dragon Ball Z elevated her role; Ugai worked as a key animator on the series, handling 10 episodes with Shindo Pro and providing key frames that established character poses and action choreography. She animated pivotal moments in the Namek Saga through the Cell Games Saga, including Frieza's transformation and major battle sequences that defined the Z era's escalating power levels.

Ugai's filmography extended beyond Dragon Ball to include Saint Seiya, Yu Yu Hakusho, and the theatrical film Broly: Second Coming. Her work across multiple franchises demonstrated mastery of action animation and character dynamics. Whether handling the supernatural battles of Saint Seiya or the kinetic energy of Yu Yu Hakusho, Ugai maintained the technical excellence that earned her consistent work throughout the 1990s animation boom.