Summary
Dragon Ball Daimawill be the firstDragon Ballproject released after series creator Akira Toriyama’s passing, and the last that he worked on. Fans who may be hesitant aboutDaimadue to its premise of reducing the cast to kids once again should at least give the new series a chance, and some of Toriyama’s final words to the public explain exactly why.
Dragon Ball Daimawas announced as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the originalDragon Ball, so it makes some sense that kid Goku would appear again. The premise has provedcontroversial if only because ofDragon Ball GTdoing something similar, and that series isn’t held in particularly high regard amongDragon Ballfans.Daimahas already set itself apart by applying the de-aging to the entire cast, but it also has something going for it whichGTdidn’t: Akira Toriyama’s close involvement in its production.
Fans who are uncertain aboutDaimashould consider that fact carefully, as it really does change everything.
Dragon Ball Daima Was a Project Close to Toriyama’s Heart
Daima Drew Toriyama In For the First Time In Years
Prior to his death, Toriyama was set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival 2024; he was told about the award before the ceremony, and wrote a statement in response to the award, which was printed in pamphlets handed out at the event. The pamphlets were translated and shared online byX (formerly Twitter) user @SupaChronicles, and Toriyama’s statement discusses his involvement in the newDragon Ballanime project.
According to the translation, Toriyama said, “Dragon Ball DAIMA, which will be rolled out in 2024, was originally planned to be an original anime series without me, but as I gave advice here and there, I ended up getting deeply involved with the project without realizing it.I was not only involved in the overall storyline, but also in the worldview, character design, mechas, and other aspects. I hope you will enjoy watching the series, which I believe is not onlyintense and action-packed, but also full of plenty of substance.”
It seems that Toriyama’s involvement in the project was far deeper than many fans realized when it was first announced, which should help alleviate concerns that they might be in for a repeat ofGT. No one understandsDragon Balland what made it popular better than Toriyama himself did. While Toriyama admits he’s not the biggest fan of anime in general, he was clearly very invested in this particular work, and there’s a big difference between watching something and making something. If Toriyama is promising an intense, action-packed series, fans can count on that being the case.
The fact that Toriyama became so involved “without realizing it” suggests that he was having a good time with the production ofDaima, which is always a promising sign. WhileToriyama has had some involvement inDragon Ball Superand its movies,Daimaseems to have been a work much closer to his heart, perhaps specifically because it goes back to the origin of it all with kid Goku. WhileDragon Ball Daimais still a bit of a mystery for fans, with only a brief teaser seen so far, Toriyama’s affection for the series should put concerned fans at ease, as the creator, at least, felt that the series keptDragon Ball’s core intact.
Dragon Ball DAIMA
Cast
Dragon Ball Daima sees Goku and his allies inexplicably shrunk into miniature forms, prompting a journey to the Demon Realm. This animated adventure, part of the Dragon Ball franchise, explores their mission to solve the mystery and restore their original statures. Released in October 2024.
