The Dragon Ball Rights Dispute: Shueisha, Capsule Corp Tokyo, and the Toriyama Estate

[sangofe]

Sounds like Capsule Corp might be in charge of the franchise now:
https://youtu.be/DXyj2tfxhg4?t=370

This youtuber met Kubota and asked for a Dragon Ball remake. Kubota said that Toei AND Capsule Corp had to agree. Interesting...

[TechExpert2021]

Sounds like Capsule Corp might be in charge of the franchise now:
https://youtu.be/DXyj2tfxhg4?t=370

This youtuber met Kubota and asked for a Dragon Ball remake. Kubota said that Toei AND Capsule Corp had to agree. Interesting...

Capsule Corp will be in charge of the entirety of the franchise or only the anime and video game side of the franchise?

[sangofe]

Sounds like Capsule Corp might be in charge of the franchise now:
https://youtu.be/DXyj2tfxhg4?t=370

This youtuber met Kubota and asked for a Dragon Ball remake. Kubota said that Toei AND Capsule Corp had to agree. Interesting...

Capsule Corp will be in charge of the entirety of the franchise or only the anime and video game side of the franchise?

I have no idea, this is not a confirmation of anything but a hint, since it came from Kubota through a fan conversing with him.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

Basically Capsule Corp Tokyo was established to bypass Shueisha who at the time had the power to veto new animated projects.

When Akio Iyoku left Shueisha a new agreement was made whereby “the rights to the Dragon Ball manga will remain with Shueisha, and that the games and video-related work will be transferred to Capsule.”

[sangofe]

If I recall correctly Capsule Corp Tokyo was established to bypass Shueisha who at the time had the power to veto new animated projects.

I don't think that got clarified. Probably it could be games as well.

[JulieYBM]

Capsule Corp represents Toriyama's estate, of course Toei Animation will have to work with it to create to animated projects. This really isn't new news.

[sangofe]

Capsule Corp represents Toriyama's estate, of course Toei Animation will have to work with it to create to animated projects. This really isn't new news.

Am I understanding correctly what you mean that it isn't new news that Capsule Corp would have won the rights war? Where are the original news confirming this? Or do you mean something else?

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

If I recall correctly Capsule Corp Tokyo was established to bypass Shueisha who at the time had the power to veto new animated projects.

I don't think that got clarified. Probably it could be games as well.

Yeah the aforementioned Shueshia source said Capsule Corp would handle all "video-related work" so I would assume that covers both games and anime content.

[M16U3L2015]

This would explain why nothing related to the Moro arc is used in any merchandise or video games because Shueshia has the rights related to any exclusive material from the manga.

[HarveyPlissken]

If Capsule Corporation owns the anime and video game rights now, what could this mean for the future of the original TV anime trilogy on home video? Are those still owned by Shueisha or have they been transferred to Iyoku/Capsule Corp?

[WittyUsername]

It’s fascinating to see Dragon Ball get caught up in this kind of legal battle, but anyway, I imagine this means the people who want DBS manga content to see the light of the day in a different medium will have to keep waiting. And since Toriyama’s dead, he obviously can’t write any new movies either. The franchise is in an interesting condition right now.

[Bardock God of Time]

This would explain why nothing related to the Moro arc is used in any merchandise or video games because Shueshia has the rights related to any exclusive material from the manga.

It's going to be a huge shame if we never get Moro & Granolah content animated and showing up in Video Games.

[miguelnuva1]

This would explain why nothing related to the Moro arc is used in any merchandise or video games because Shueshia has the rights related to any exclusive material from the manga.

It's going to be a huge shame if we never get Moro & Granolah content animated and showing up in Video Games.

Moro maybe but I haven't seen anyone praise the Granolah arc. Ultra Ego and even Black Frieza but that's about it.

[Zephyr]

Personally I enjoyed the Granola arc way more than the Moro arc when I re-read them last year.

[Hellspawn28]

I'm confused if Shueisha still owns the franchise or not?

[JulieYBM]

In the three-part series The Anime Economy by Justin Sevakis (2012.03.05), Sevakis mentions that the Gensakusha (Original Creator) gets final say over decisions made about a work. In this case, that's going to be Toriyama Akira. Toriyama was, of course, mostly preoccupied with creating the comic during the 1980s and 1990s, so he was barely involved in projects outside of that. We know from other mangaka that it's possible to change publishers who publish their popular manga. This happened with Kurumada Masami moving Saint Seiya from Shueisha to Akita Shoten, Raiku Makoto moving Konjiki no Gash!! from Shogakukan to Kodansha in 2011, and then to Birgdin Board Corp (Raiku's own personal publishing company) in 2018 for a third release.

Is Toriyama's estate still working with Shueisha to publish Dragon Ball? Yeah, we'd know otherwise by now. I imagine Shueisha is basically on their hands and knees trying to appease Toriyama's estate so that they are no longer a partner in the Dragon Ball franchise.

[HarveyPlissken]

I'm wondering what this can mean for the future of Dragon Ball on home video. The ideal outcome would be if Capsule Corporation releases Blu-Rays of the original TV anime trilogy themselves. It may not amount to much in the grand scheme of things, but surely the home entertainment rights to Dragon Ball has got to be part of the rights dispute.