Dragon Ballhas been one of the most successful anime and manga franchises for decades, topping popularity charts and raking in unbelievable earnings for the better part of 40 years. Even during its long period of inactivity in the 2000s, the series remained incredibly successful thanks to gaming and merchandise, while exposure in the West caused its popularity to skyrocket without the need for new releases.Dragon Ball’s 2010s renaissance then introduced an entirely new generation to Goku’s heroic feats, and the franchise’s success continued.
Now, in a year that saw the series' first TV anime release of the 2020s,Bandai Namco reportedthatDragon Ballshattered their record for single-year earnings with 190.6 billion yen in revenue. The number far exceeds their 2023 earnings of 140.6 billion yen, and dethronesMobile Suit Gundamas Bandai Namco’s top-performing IP. The legendary mecha franchise brought in 153.5 billion yen, whileOne Piececame in at third with 139.5 billion. The continued success ofDragon Ballis incredibly impressive, but leads to the question:where on Earth isDragon Ball Super?
Dragon Ball Just Broke a Major Record, So Where’s Super?
The Hit Anime Series Has Yet to Return Since Ending in 2018
A large reason forDragon Ball’s continued popularity is the hit 2015 anime,Dragon Ball Super, which extended Goku’s story beyond Akira Toriyama’s original manga and breathed new life into the four-decade-old franchise. After reaching its conclusion in 2018, the series' counterpart manga of the same name continued far beyond the anime’s endpoint,prompting fans to wonder when its events would return to screens. Though two theatrical films brandishing theDragon Ball Supername have been released during that time, the anime has yet to resume.
For a franchise as profitable asDragon Ballcontinues to be,the lack of an ongoing anime series is strange. Reports consistently communicate that the IP makes money, yet those profiting from it aren’t taking advantage of its built-in viewer base. Fans have made theirfrustrations over the situation known, though it isn’t quite as simple as just green-lightingSuper’s return.
Weekly Toyo Keizai, a Japanese magazine, reported that the franchise has been stuck in a battle over its rights since Akira Toriyama’s passing in March 2024. Producer Akio Iyoku previously oversaw the series with Shueisha,until he was unexpectedly removed from the position in 2022, a move that angered Toriyama and led to both starting Capsule Corporation Tokyo. Toriyama trusted Iyoku and wished for him to continue leading the series from the new company, though Shueisha wasn’t entirely on board.
Now, Iyoku overseesDragon Ball’s anime and multimedia projects from Capsule Corp Tokyo, while Shueisha continues to be in charge of any manga releases. The friction between both partiesdoesn’t bode well for any future adaptations of theDragon Ball Supermanga, but it doesn’t completely rule out an anime continuation.
Dragon Ball Super Can Return, But With a Catch
Anime-Original Releases Will Likely Be the Future of the Franchise
Fans probably shouldn’t get their hopes up thatDragon Ball Super’s manga will be adapted into an anime format any time soon, though it’s possible they haven’t seen the last of the series just yet. Like bothDragon Ball Super: BrolyandDragon Ball Super: Super Hero,anime-original content, especially films, is likely still on the table. Akio Iyoku recently stressed that he and other producersare steadily working on a number of ideas, while Toei Animation revealed thattwo unnamed movies are currently in the works, one of which fans believe may be aDragon Ballproduction.
Unfortunately,Dragon Ball Superhas found itself in a tough spot with heated rights disputes and strained relationships between production houses. Nevertheless, the franchise remains incredibly successful, and as long as there is money to be made,fans likely haven’t seen the last of the series just yet. Now that theDragon Ball Daimaanime has reached its conclusion, news of future releases could come at any time.
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Dragon Ball Super is an anime series set after Majin Buu’s defeat. It follows Son Goku, now a radish farmer, as peace prevails until Beerus, the God of Destruction, appears. Seeking to challenge a legendary warrior, the series revisits events from two Dragon Ball Z films before exploring alternate universes.
