Dragon Ballis one of the most popular anime and manga franchises in history. Over the course of four-plus decades, Akira Toriyama’s original battle shōnen masterpiece manga has spawned countless highly successful adaptations, spin-offs, and sequels, giving way toa sort of longevity with which very few other titles can compare.
A major reason for the franchise’s 2010s renaissance was the arrival ofDragon Ball Super, a direct sequel to Akira Toriyama’s original series set just after the defeat of Majin Buu.The 2015 anime had its ups and downs, as did its manga counterpart of the same name, though by the time it reached its conclusion in 2018, fans had become all in onDragon Ball Super.
Unfortunately, the TV anime has been dormant since the end of the Tournament of Power, with two theatrical movies carrying on its name in their own isolated stories. And thanks to some legal issues surroundingDragon Ball Super, which only became more complicated after Akira Toriyama’s passing,it doesn’t seem the anime will be returning any time soon.
Rights Disputes Have Left Dragon Ball Super in Limbo
Shueisha and Capsule Corporation Tokyo Are Currently Battling Over the Iconic Series
Dragon Ball, from its earliest days, was published by Shueisha in the iconicWeekly Shōnen Jumpmagazine, while its anime was always handled by both Toei Animation and Shueisha. However, the publisher did not hold full rights toDragon Ball, but rather they were split with Akira Toriyama’s own Bird Studio, a name typically seen alongside Shueisha in most instances.
For several decades, all was status quo between the two companies, but that would change in 2023 whenproducer Akio Iyoku was removed from his positionas the director of theDragon Ballroom at Shueisha. While positions changing hands isn’t out of the ordinary at major companies, this one move created a bit of friction.
Iyoku was more or less Akira Toriyama’s right-hand man, and the one person the artist trusted more than anyone to oversee his iconic franchise. As a result of his departure, relations between Shueisha and Toriyama were heavily damaged, prompting him and Iyoku to start their own company called Capsule Corporation Tokyo.
With them went the rights to allDragon Ballanime and video game productions, while Shueisha retained the rights toDragon Ball’s manga. Now overseen by two separate and practically warring entities,legal complexities surrounding the franchise, and especiallyDragon Ball Super,have risen to the surface.
Dragon Ball Superby Toyotaro and Akira Toriyama has continued far beyond the anime’s finale, but until tensions are cooled between Capsule Corp Tokyo and Shueisha, it’s unlikely the manga will be adapted.
Neither side is overly willing to deal with one another, and that poses quite a problem when it comes to anime adaptations of a manga series.Dragon Ball Superby Toyotaro and Akira Toriyama has continued far beyond the anime’s finale, but until tensions are cooled between Capsule Corp Tokyo and Shueisha, it’s unlikely the manga will be adapted.
Unfortunately, Akira Toriyama’s sudden passing in March 2024 only made the situation more complex.
Nothing Has Been Resolved Since Akira Toriyama’s Passing
Without the Series' Creator, the Issues Surrounding Dragon Ball Persist
For Akio Iyoku, who earned the trust ofDragon Ball’s creator during his time with Shueisha, the passing of Akira Toriyama has left him with a bit less pull on the side of Capsule Corporation Tokyo. Toriyama’s Bird Studio still holds a portion of the rights to the manga, though without Shueisha’s cooperation, there isn’t much to be done with them.
The result of that divide is something like2024’sDragon Ball Daima, an entirely original anime series separate from anything done in the manga’s version of events that can stand on its own. With Toriyama at the helm, anime-original works likeDragon Ball Super: Super Herocould be translated into manga format.
Toriyama craftedSuper Herowith the anime team, and as the author ofDragon Ball Super, he could bring his own work to his other work without much issue. However, without him, it’s unlikely any material will be shared between the companies from this point on.
It’s far more likely that any futureDragon Ballanime series will be its own entirely original production, while Shueisha’s plan for the franchise going forward is uncertain without the manga’s creator. Its illustrator, Toyotaro, has expressedhis desire to continue working onDragon Ball, though it seems Shueisha is taking its time deciding where to go next.
On the other side of things,Akio Iyoku has made it clearthat he and everyone else involved in the production ofDragon Ball’s multimedia projects are hard at work crafting a path forward into the future.Dragon Ball Daimawas Toriyama’s final parting gift to fans, and any anime series to come will be the first without the creator steering the ship.
Dragon Ballis in an unprecedented situation, at least throughout its own history, and the future of the franchise is far from certain. Nevertheless, the popularity and profit potential of Goku and company are far too high for the series to remain inactive. For now, fans will just have to wait patiently for any news regarding upcoming projects.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
