The Dragon Ball franchise is experiencing a resurgence, with new projects announced just over a year after the death of its creator, Akira Toriyama, in March 2024. The revival was unveiled during the “Genkidama” festival near Tokyo, signaling a potential resolution to a period of uncertainty surrounding the future of the globally popular series.
Central to the renewed momentum is a reimagining of Dragon Ball Super, titled Dragon Ball Super: Beerus. Alongside this, a new season, Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrolman, will adapt the “Moro” arc from the manga, a storyline where Toriyama granted greater creative control to his protégé, Toyotaro. A new game, Dragon Ball: Age 1000, is also in development, featuring a character designed by Toriyama before his death, rumored to be Xenoverse 3.
The pause in new Dragon Ball content followed Toriyama’s sudden death from a brain hemorrhage. Prior to the recent announcements, the franchise had been stalled by a dispute over its lucrative rights. The core of the conflict involved Capsule Corporation Tokyo, the company established to manage Toriyama’s works, Toei Animation, responsible for the anime adaptations, and Shueisha, the publisher of the manga series. The recent announcements suggest a tentative agreement has been reached between these entities to continue capitalizing on the brand’s enduring appeal.
Toriyama’s influence on Japanese pop culture is considered immense. His operate, particularly Dragon Ball, has inspired countless artists over the years. This impact was formally recognized in October 2025 with the awarding of the Cultural Merit Person designation to Masako Nozawa, the voice actress who has portrayed Son Goku, Son Gohan, and Son Goten for decades. Nozawa, 89, is the first voice actress to receive this honor, which includes a lifetime pension, and has also voiced iconic characters in other anime series including Doraemon, Kitaro, Priscilla, Willy, and Doctor Kureha.
Nozawa’s long association with the franchise began in 1986, and was initiated by a direct request from Toriyama himself: “Please grab care of Goku,” she recalls him saying. The original Dragon Ball anime, which aired from 1986 to 1989, followed the adventures of Son Goku, a monkey-tailed boy who transforms into a giant ape under the full moon, as he searches for the seven Dragon Balls – magical spheres that grant wishes. The series drew inspiration from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, but developed its own unique mythology centered on the Saiyans, a race of extraterrestrial warriors driven to become stronger and ultimately defend the planet.
