Where does Dragon Ball go from here ?

[Vegeta th3 4th]

February 28th marked one year since Toriyama's tragic passing, as well as the date in which the final episode of his final project released to the world. Now that everyone has seen and discussed it, what now ? Where does the franchise go from here ? Here are the options they have, and what percent I think each one has of coming true:

1- Dragon Ball outside of video games and merchandise is over: I think there's a 0% chance of this happening, for the simple fact that the franchise makes too much $$$, and it's not something Toriyama would've likely wanted to happen.

2- Dragon Ball Daima gets a follow up season or movie: Although this is more likely than the franchise being put on ice permanently, I still think it's low at only 25%. Daima was the most involved Toriyama was with a project in the past decade, so I think it will be left alone out of respect for Toriyama.

3- Dragon Ball goes in a completely new direction: If a new head writer is going to be guiding the franchise moving forward, then I believe there's a 50% chance that they take the series into a new direction away from both Super and Daima. New stories set after the end of Z would be a logical thing to do in order to differentiate it from what we got in Daima and Super. Speaking of Super...

4- Dragon Ball Super continues from where it left off: The reason I have this at 75% and not 100% is that the anime ended 7 years ago, and we haven't gotten anything original in the manga since Black Freeza was introduced in 2022. With that said, continuing an incomplete project seems to be the safest bet.

What are your thoughts; where do you believe the franchise goes from here now that Toriyama's final project wrapped up ?

[Basaku]

Shueisha will start the manga again within a year, probably for the final big Black Freeza arc, then they will finally come crawling back to Toei/Iyoku for an adaptation. They got too much to lose here now and while I don't like that Daima could potentially be its own timeline/universe, the fact is that Toei and Iyoku proved they can bypass Shueisha and essentially branch off in their own direction making new series (and movies). Shueisha is on the weaker side here getting potentially sidelined fully so.

Daima Movie may happen in the meantime, maybe it is the rumored movie Toriyama was working on before passing. Or maybe it will be turned into Season 2.

Toei and Iyoku (and Bandai) won't stop producing new DB content. The question is simply whether Shueisha accepts the new reality or goes down with the manga ship and Super manga chapters simply being stubborn. Unlikely, they got a ton of money to lose here, but sometimes these CEOs may get too stuck on their 'pride'.

[SupremeKai25]

Without Toriyama at its head, writing the stories as he did for Super and Daima? In the gutter.

But hopefully the Moro saga gets animated first.

[Vegeta th3 4th]

Without Toriyama at its head, writing the stories as he did for Super and Daima? In the gutter.

I have many issues with Super as you know, lol, but I think they should at the very least wrap up the story he started all the way back in 2008 with that Tarvle OVA. If Black Freeza was not a thing, I would've said leave Super alone and move on, but he is.

[Yuji]

I don't see Daima as a different continuation. Everything about it screams "inconsequential side-story" like the Z movies of old. I'm sure Super will return in manga form.

[SupremeKai25]

Without Toriyama at its head, writing the stories as he did for Super and Daima? In the gutter.

I have many issues with Super as you know, lol, but I think they should at the very least wrap up the story he started all the way back in 2008 with that Tarvle OVA. If Black Freeza was not a thing, I would've said leave Super alone and move on, but he is.

Why does it need "wrapping up"? Ever heard of an open ending?

What does the original ending of DBZ wrap? Absolutely NOTHING. Goku leaves with Uub to train him and the Dragon Balls still exist. The fate of the two main things of this entire franchise, Goku and the Dragon Balls, remains unresolved.

The whole business with Black Freeza doesn't need to be "wrapped up", that's just what the fandom thinks. It's quite funny how the fandom doesn't want Super to keep rehashing old villains and nostalgia baiting (funnily enough, I AGREE), but then the fandom wants Namek saga 3.0.

No, actually, there doesn't need to be any Black Freeza arc. That's just what the fandom assumes.

Let's get one fact out of the way: Freeza has changed. Freeza's character development in Super is undeniable.

Freeza is no longer the childish brat who got everything handed out to him, didn't think he had to work for anything, and wanted to destroy the Earth. Freeza in Super matured due to circumstances forcing him to train for four months in his ship and then ten years in his pocket dimension. Freeza also matured after being forced to fight alongside the Saiyans in the Tournament of Power; he still hates the Saiyans, but he also respects them, in a rival sort of way.

If Freeza was still the way he was in DBZ, he never would have even gotten Black Freeza as he wouldn't care about training. And even if he did, he would have eviscerated the Saiyans and gone to the Earth to torture their families and destroy the planet, which he didn't do.

So, No, Black Freeza doesn't need any "wrap up". An open ending works perfectly fine for Freeza, and frankly, it's even better. Let Freeza's whereabouts remain a mystery. The universe is a wondrous and vast place. Why must everything Freeza does revolve around one tiny planet in a remote sector of the universe?

It's abundantly clear that Freeza's matured and doesn't want to pick heedless fights any longer, nor is he even out for blood at all.

[PrinceVegetto]

I predict the following:

• DBS returns on TV with Moro + Granolah

• DBS manga returns with Black Freeza / EoZ tie-in

• DBS 40-year anniversary movie will come out late 2025/early 2026 with Daima characters involved, taking place after DBSSH

• A new series beyond EoZ is announced in the distant future

[Vegeta th3 4th]

Why does it need "wrapping up"? Ever heard of an open ending?

Because it wasn't an ending, Toriyama passed away before he could see it through. If someone was working on a project they were passionate about, but ended up passing away before finishing it, then the logical thing to do is to finish it for them.

What does the original ending of DBZ wrap? Absolutely NOTHING. Goku leaves with Uub to train him and the Dragon Balls still exist.

But that was the intended ending, it wasn't left open because someone tragically passed away and couldn't finish it.

It's abundantly clear that Freeza's matured and doesn't want to pick heedless fights any longer, nor is he even out for blood at all.

This was the Freeza in the Broly movie where he just wanted to get taller. The Freeza in the Granola arc was clearly up to something. I assume Toriyama discussed what that something is with Toyotaro, so hopefully there's enough material there to bring it to life.

[SupremeKai25]

The Freeza in the Granola arc was clearly up to something.

This works perfectly fine as an ending. In fact, I love it.

I truly wish there was more appreciation by modern day audiences for open ending.

But it seems that fandoms nowadays despise mysteries and enigmas and just crave for everything to be answered.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

I'd like to see the Moro and Granolah arcs animated, as well as Black Freeza once the manga continues.

After that a Dragon Ball remake with modern animation to mark the 40th anniversary of the anime in 2026 would be nice, ideally telling the whole story from Pilaf to Boo in one series without a divide from the point Raditz arrives.

[Vegeta th3 4th]

A Dragon Ball remake with modern animation to mark the 40th anniversary of the anime in 2026 would be nice, ideally telling the whole story from Pilaf to Boo in one series without a divide from the point Raditz arrives.

I think a remake of that size is more likely for the 50th anniversary rather than this year.

I truly wish there was more appreciation by modern day audiences for open ending.

The Black Freeza plot point was not intended to be an ending; Toriyama simply passed away before he could finish it. Z's ending was an open ending, it was designed like that intentionally, this was not. I don't know why it's so hard for you to understand this very simple concept.

[super michael]

I'd like to see the Moro and Granolah arcs animated, as well as Black Freeza once the manga continues.

After that a Dragon Ball remake with modern animation to mark the 40th anniversary of the anime in 2026 would be nice, ideally telling the whole story from Pilaf to Boo in one series without a divide from the point Raditz arrives.

Same here I would like to see Moro, Granolah and DBS Super Hero chapter animated. We got to see the story before and after DBS Super Hero.

[SupremeKai25]

The Black Freeza plot point was not intended to be an ending; Toriyama simply passed away before he could finish it. Z's ending was an open ending, it was designed like that intentionally, this was not. I don't know why it's so hard for you to understand this very simple concept.

Maybe because, as usual, you made something up and are trying to pass it off as a fact.

It's your assumptions that the Black Freeza plot point was not intended to be an ending, and nothing more.

[Vegeta th3 4th]

Maybe because, as usual, you made something up and are trying to pass it off as a fact. It's your assumptions that the Black Freeza plot point was not intended to be an ending, and nothing more.

We can discuss this further in a separate topic that you can open elsewhere if you'd like. I don't want to derail this one any further.

[WittyUsername]

I can’t see them doing a follow-up to Daima. That seemed to be Toriyama’s baby, so I figure they’ll avoid doing anything else with it out of respect for him.

Ideally, they’ll at least manage to finish up the Black Freeza arc in the manga, though bringing back the anime so it can adapt the manga exclusive arcs is apparently less than certain.

[SupremeKai25]

Maybe because, as usual, you made something up and are trying to pass it off as a fact. It's your assumptions that the Black Freeza plot point was not intended to be an ending, and nothing more.

We can discuss this further in a separate topic that you can open elsewhere if you'd like. I don't want to derail this one any further.

Uhm, it's not derailing. You asked "Where does Dragon Ball go from here", and I gave you my opinion. The Moro saga will be animated, the franchise will go in the gutter without Toriayma's writing (expect low quality stuff like Heroes and GT), and Freeza's fate will remain open-ended.

Sounds like you just don't want to admit that it's your assumption there would be a Black Freeza arc. By no means did the writers ever state that.

[Vegeta th3 4th]

Sounds like you just don't want to admit that it's your assumption there would be a Black Freeza arc.

You're right; I'm wrong; now stop derailing the topic. Thank you.

[SupremeKai25]

Sounds like you just don't want to admit that it's your assumption there would be a Black Freeza arc.

You're right; I'm wrong; now stop derailing the topic. Thank you.

You're literally the one who brought up Black Freeza in your first reply to me.

If you don't want to talk about him then don't bring him up.

[The Tori-bot]

The Black Freeza plot point was not intended to be an ending; Toriyama simply passed away before he could finish it. Z's ending was an open ending, it was designed like that intentionally, this was not. I don't know why it's so hard for you to understand this very simple concept.

Maybe because, as usual, you made something up and are trying to pass it off as a fact.

It's your assumptions that the Black Freeza plot point was not intended to be an ending, and nothing more.

You mean made-up assumptions like this?

Meh. I think it's pretty obvious the next episode or 20 will mention that the form is a one-off thing activated by Neva's magic in the Demon realm.

I'd say this should be obvious already since... you know... it's Neva who activates it with his magic.

You know what I've noticed? As usual the fandom jumps to conclusion and assumes Daima will contradict Super.

There’s still one episode, LOL!

[SupremeKai25]

The Black Freeza plot point was not intended to be an ending; Toriyama simply passed away before he could finish it. Z's ending was an open ending, it was designed like that intentionally, this was not. I don't know why it's so hard for you to understand this very simple concept.

Maybe because, as usual, you made something up and are trying to pass it off as a fact.

It's your assumptions that the Black Freeza plot point was not intended to be an ending, and nothing more.

You mean made-up assumptions like this?

Meh. I think it's pretty obvious the next episode or 20 will mention that the form is a one-off thing activated by Neva's magic in the Demon realm.

I'd say this should be obvious already since... you know... it's Neva who activates it with his magic.

You know what I've noticed? As usual the fandom jumps to conclusion and assumes Daima will contradict Super.

There’s still one episode, LOL!

Uhm, no, it's not the same thing.

Theories in a watsonian perspective =/= Assumptions in a doylist perspective

I made theories about the origins and mechanics of SSJ4, a form inside the story, and I was wrong. That's very different from claiming that the writers out of the story stated there would be a Black Freeza arc.

You would only have a point if I ever said "The writers stated they would explain SSJ4, and they didn't, so Daima is bad."

But I'm flattered you digged through my history.

Anyway, I'll repeat

I am literally not the one who mentioned Black Freeza.

I talked about Moro, then I got a reply mentioning Black Freeza, and I latched onto that.