Super or Movies? What's better for Toei Animation?

[TheRed259]

So what's better for Toei Animation as a company? What's more profitable? A series like DragonBall Super or the Movies like the most recent ones?
Will they gain more money through a weekly series like DragonBall Super or through Movies like BOG and ROF? Did they do well continuing with a series?

[Nejishiki]

Generally, a film will gather substantial profit easier, but that's circumstantial, especially for Dragon Ball. I wouldn't be comfortable giving a straight answer to that seeing as it benefits from multiple mediums. Keeping the series in the public's eye, as they're doing now with a television series, is perfectly fine. Merchandise sales should increase with new material to adapt. That's not even getting into the fact Dragon Ball has a strong presence already. It doesn't need establishment. The new stories only serve to create newer fans and add to our collections. I think they'll want to do both when possible.

[LuckyCat]

You'd think the movies would be better for Toei, as they're of superior quality and make the company look competent when it comes to animation. I'm not sure I could say the same about the TV version.

It would be interesting if we could find an interview from someone at the company who explained why Toei felt the need to reproduce successful movies into a TV format. Popular opinion says it was to stall for time to flesh out the new stories, but there may be something more to it.

Edit: Though if we're talking about better in the long run, it's hard to say. Merchandise sales have been great since Super began its run. This could lead to more movies, so it's hard to really divorce the two in commercial terms.

[Ajay]

It would be interesting if we could find an interview from someone at the company who explained why Toei felt the need to reproduce successful movies into TV format. Popular opinion says it was to stall for time to flesh out the new stories, but there may be something more to it.

I'd also like to know that. I think it's partly what you mentioned about allowing time for U6 pre-production, but more than anything, I think it's about being able to sell Dragon Ball Super as a full product. If it's going to be marketed as a 'sequel' to Dragon Ball Z (or more specifically, something airing right after the end of Kai), it's probably not a good idea to assume your TV audience has also seen the movies.

[TheRed259]

As we also know, countries like Portugal and Israel recently got the rights for DragonBall Super. Just imagine them starting with the Universe 6 arc. BOG and ROF never reached these countries. Who is Beerus, who is Whis and why Goku and Vegeta have Blue hair now? Someone had to explain them I guess.

Plus more episodes, more money.

[Steven Bloodriver]

As we also know, countries like Portugal and Israel recently got the rights for DragonBall Super. Just imagine them starting with the Universe 6 arc. BOG and ROF never reached these countries. Who is Beerus, who is Whis and why Goku and Vegeta have Blue hair now? Someone had to explain them I guess.

Plus more episodes, more money.

They had done much better with the movies than with Dragon Ball Super. So Toei Animation should keep investing in films and specials.

[sangofe]

As we also know, countries like Portugal and Israel recently got the rights for DragonBall Super. Just imagine them starting with the Universe 6 arc. BOG and ROF never reached these countries. Who is Beerus, who is Whis and why Goku and Vegeta have Blue hair now? Someone had to explain them I guess.

Plus more episodes, more money.

They had done much better with the movies than with Dragon Ball Super. So Toei Animation should keep investing in films and specials.

I'm sure the toy and other effect sales are much greater with Super than the movies.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

I think TOEI bit off more than they could chew with Super's rushed production schedule, but seen as how things seem to be getting better with the current arc, I don't see Super hurting TOEI's reputation any more until we see another horribly animated episode. I'm sure if they keep the momentum going they can do another movie to capitalize on the money Super is already making.

[Chuquita]

I'm happier with having a weekly series because it allows some escape from Yamamuro's current art style - way more than a movie would. We have a wider variety of art styles now, and something new each week (with the exception of breaks like this weekend's.)

[Lord Beerus]

As we also know, countries like Portugal and Israel recently got the rights for DragonBall Super. Just imagine them starting with the Universe 6 arc. BOG and ROF never reached these countries. Who is Beerus, who is Whis and why Goku and Vegeta have Blue hair now? Someone had to explain them I guess.

Plus more episodes, more money.

They had done much better with the movies than with Dragon Ball Super. So Toei Animation should keep investing in films and specials.

I'm sure the toy and other effect sales are much greater with Super than the movies.

The unwritten rule of toyed based franchises is that a TV deal is worth its weight in gold. The anticipation for a movie can die quickly but a having a show on TV, especially on a good network, gives you greater chance of retaining an audience on a worldwide scale. You basically have a much better chance in making money.

[samuo2]

It would be interesting if we could find an interview from someone at the company who explained why Toei felt the need to reproduce successful movies into TV format. Popular opinion says it was to stall for time to flesh out the new stories, but there may be something more to it.

I'd also like to know that. I think it's partly what you mentioned about allowing time for U6 pre-production, but more than anything, I think it's about being able to sell Dragon Ball Super as a full product. If it's going to be marketed as a 'sequel' to Dragon Ball Z (or more specifically, something airing right after the end of Kai), it's probably not a good idea to assume your TV audience has also seen the movies.

I've heard that it's a law question.

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Z: Fukkatsu no F were owned by Twenty Century Fox too, since they obtained rights on DBs Movies since 1996.

Because of that, Twenty Century Fox got a huge percentage on all merchandising of the two last movies.

To avoid it, Toei inclued BoG and FnF's stories to his new franchise Dragon Ball Super to exploit them as merchandising without giving royalities to 20th Century Fox.

According to this rumor, though.

[Xeztin]

I think in a long term run the Super anime is better because it keeps the fans interested, there's something new every week, they go out and buy the latest figures and video-games with their favorite characters etc. The movies are once every 1-2 years and have a limited time to tell a story, and fans have to wait a whole year or so just to see the next one. Within that time anything could happen, they could loose interest which means Toei would loose money. So in a short term period I think the movies are better because you basically get all of that money up front from what you would the anime on a long term period of time. I think they are going to do both the anime and the movies though! Oh, and the reason they probably adapted the movies into the anime was to flesh it out, and keep fans that didn't see the movies up to date because it's hard to call it "a continuation" as they call it if it isn't apart of the same medium that you can watch all together. In my opinion its better for marketing purposes.