Shueisha's 'Dragon Ball' Room, New Department Focused on Dragon Ball

[Anime Kitten]

I wonder if this brings the possibility of a better schedule and a new series revolving around video game stories or the like.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

This is long overdue for Dragon Ball, I would argue this could be the biggest thing since Super was announced. Shueisha and TOEI just needed to bite the bullet and test the waters in expanding the universe. We've had little teases like Jaco, Episode of Bardock and Heroes, and they're all nice but nothing like what we've been getting from recently Star Wars, Marvel and even Harry Potter.

There was so much potential as is with Universe 7 and all the different timelines, but ever since the 12 universes concept was announced the sky has been the limit in every sense of the word.

I do hope this will be similar to the Lucasfilm Story Group in that they will be hiring writers who are intimately fimiliar with the intellectal property and make every attempt to publish new material while still keeping the integrity of the story intact.

I'm happy with Toriyama having some involvement so long as there are checks and balances so the new stories have his touch but also input from other writers (this is where I think Toriyama excels).

Anyway I'm off to save some money for my future Dragon Ball library.

[sintzu]

I honestly think it has partly to do with how difficult it is to capture a big audience for anything nowadays with how the internet fractured TV's hold over entertainment.

The problem is that no one tries anymore, all the major companies just want to milk what they have instead of coming up with the next big thing.

Attack On Titan was huge a few years ago and still is so it's not impossible to creat a big hit nowadays but the problem is that no one wants to give anything a chance.

[Anime Kitten]

Also, if the department was opened in June, does that mean we'll get something out of it sooner (in the next few months) rather than later (in the next 2-3 years)?

[ABED]

I honestly think it has partly to do with how difficult it is to capture a big audience for anything nowadays with how the internet fractured TV's hold over entertainment.

The problem is that no one tries anymore, all the major companies just want to milk what they have instead of coming up with the next big thing.

Attack On Titan was huge a few years ago and still is so it's not impossible to creat a big hit nowadays but the problem is that no one wants to give anything a chance.

It's hard to come up with the next big thing because it's hard to find something that appeals to such a broad base of people.

[ABED]

Shueisha is the publisher and master rights owner, although Toriyama as the original creator has final say. Most comic creators don't really care about the rest of the franchise, however. Toei Animation is in charge of the animated projects, having licensed those rights from Shueisha. Toei Animation provides the main production studio--Toei Animation--and producers, production assistants, directors and animators. Other directors, storyboard artists, animators, production assistants and actual writers are hired as freelancers to work on the projects, too. Toei Animation usually leads the production committees for the animated projects, but on occasion Shueisha will take the lead--like with the 2008 JUMP Anime Tour special--and Toei will simply act as the production studio. Bandai is in charge of merchandise, Yomika Advertising is in charge of advertising and Fuji TV is in charge of broadcasting and helping to get sponsors for the broadcast. Columbia is in charge of the music, which is why the opening and ending themes are usually artists that Columbia wants to push out CDs for.

Thanks, that was very helpful.

Whoops, sorry for the double post.

[Bansho64]

I mean ACTUALLY good rather than 20 pieces of crap all running simultaneously out of which you need to wait for the planets to align and sacrifice a virgin at an altar to Darkseid in hopes of one of them being decent.

Bruh.

No seriously though, he has a point. Taking a good movie every now and then sounds pretty good. Maybe a special or two? Like the original Bardock and Trunks specials?

[sintzu]

We've had little teases like Jaco, Episode of Bardock and Heroes, and they're all nice but nothing like what we've been getting from recently Star Wars, Marvel and even Harry Potter.

Is that really what fans want from DB ? to just be another merchandise commercial that'll die once it can't sell anymore toys and cards ?

What's wrong with a franchise ending on a high note and giving another one a chance to shine and make a name for itself ?

[perucho1990]

If they won't do anything with established fan favorite characters like Gohan and Piccolo then the chances of them building one from the ground up like Pan are slim to none.

But in Gohans case he was never a fighter at heart, Pan likes to fight from what we got to see at EoZ, main difference compared to Gohan, the new writers should make her into a female Goku. In GT what they did to Pan was making her into a cheap copy of Videl without the tsundere aspect.

In these days, like I said again, people appreciate female MCs(Mikasa, Ryuuko, Revy, Lucy, Fubuki, Uraraka etc ).

[Chuquita]

I liked Pan's EoZ personality. She can be a cheerful, battle hungry character without being a female Gokû. If they replace Gokû, I'd pick her to be it.

I still don't want Gokû replaced at all though. ^^;

[sintzu]

It's hard to come up with the next big thing because it's hard to find something that appeals to such a broad base of people.

It also takes time, when DB, Naruto & One Piece started they weren't mega hits out of the door, it took them years of build up to get where they are.

Nowadays if something isn't huge from day 1 it'll either be ignored or cancelled by it's company so these writers don't really have much to work with cause expecations nowadays are too unrealistic.

[Luso Saiyan]

I'm all for the creation of a department focused on managing the brand. But as a creative force? No thanks. I'm not a fan of design by comitee whose purpose is materialize fandom's wishes.

[Gyt Kaliba]

We've had little teases like Jaco, Episode of Bardock and Heroes, and they're all nice but nothing like what we've been getting from recently Star Wars, Marvel and even Harry Potter.

Is that really what fans want from DB ? to just be another merchandise commercial that'll die once it can't sell anymore toys and cards ?

What's wrong with a franchise ending on a high note and giving another one a chance to shine and make a name for itself ?

Dragon Ball coming to an end for good, 100%, us never getting anything else again doesn't have to be the only way for it to be on a high note still, at least not for me. It'll only fall to the point of being 100% merchandise driven when we have no new narrative based stories coming from it, and everything is purely done to sell a new form or concept like Heroes gives us. So long as there's something like Super, or even using the other examples, something like the new Star Wars movies, the MCU, or Cursed Child/Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, that exist to tell another story, then that's fine. Will all of the stories turn out worthwhile? Probably not. But it is what it is, and in it's own way I'd take that over it just stopping and never existing outside of continued regurgitation of the same old existing material we've always had.

So in short, no, I don't want something like Heroes become the norm, but more stuff like Super or the like, I'm all for, so long as it's at least enjoyable.

[Boo Machine]

I dont know wither to be excited or frightened at this. We will probably get some Cool and horrible stuff out of it if this becomes a huge thing.

Though I'm unsure how far they can even take the current story. I feel like it's unlikely to happen, but at this point I would totally be cool with a new branch of the story with new characters and what not. I don't know how will that would do, but regardless this news is interesting.

I'll expect little and hopefully be pleasantly surprised.

[sintzu]

In these days, like I said again, people appreciate female MCs(Mikasa, Ryuuko, Revy, Lucy, Fubuki, Uraraka etc ).

I do as well but this kind of franchise has a certain status quo that they won't let go of.

For DB it's being in the 10 year time gap, Goku as the main character and unfunny gags.

[ABED]

It's hard to come up with the next big thing because it's hard to find something that appeals to such a broad base of people.

It also takes time, when DB, Naruto & One Piece started they weren't mega hits out of the door, it took them years of build up to get where they are.

Nowadays if something isn't huge from day 1 it'll either be ignored or cancelled by it's company so these writers don't really have much to work with cause expecations nowadays are too unrealistic.

I get your point, but it's not like great work isn't being done. Something becoming a mega hit is harder and harder because we live in a world of niche tastes. And making a big hit doesn't seem like something you can make a genuine goal out of. That's more of a effect. I do find it interesting there is and never will be a consensus. People were trying to move towards less mainstream projects where you don't have to appeal to masses of people to be considered a success. Generally, the feeling is the more broad your aim is, the more homogonized and "safe" the stories are. There's plenty of room for both, but I don't think huge success should be a primary goal, it's an ancillary one.

[Anime Kitten]

I still don't want Gokû replaced at all though. ^^;

I do. He had 500 manga chapters and like 500 anime episodes (I'm probably wrong, but you get the point). I think I've had just about enough of the lovable guy.

[sintzu]

Dragon Ball coming to an end for good, 100%, us never getting anything else again doesn't have to be the only way for it to be on a high note still, at least not for me.

It'll only fall to the point of being 100% merchandise driven when we have no new narrative based stories coming from it, and everything is purely done to sell a new form or concept like Heroes gives us.

I don't want to be 100% dead but I also don't want it to go on forever.

If a franchise lives or dies based on its merchandise sales like DB, Yu Gi Oh & Pokemon then it's a merchandise driven franchise that'll be killed off the minute it can't sell enough toys regardless of there being a story the writers want to tell or not.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

I still don't want Gokû replaced at all though. ^^;

I do. He had 500 manga chapters and like 500 anime episodes (I'm probably wrong, but you get the point). I think I've had just about enough of the lovable guy.

He is the show. It's the same reason why Pikachu and Ash haven't been replaced yet. You can't replace Pikachu and thus you can't replace Ash. Goku will always be around no matter what.

[ABED]

I still don't want Gokû replaced at all though. ^^;

I do. He had 500 manga chapters and like 500 anime episodes (I'm probably wrong, but you get the point). I think I've had just about enough of the lovable guy.

And changing the focus doesn't feel like the show anymore. It might be called "Dragon Ball", but it's about him. Nothing else feels more like Dragon Ball than Goku.