Is Dragon Ball... dying?

[DBZGTKOSDH]

The sales in video games, DVDs/BDs & merchadise aren't going very well in both Japan & US, from what I hear. So, is the Dragon Ball franchise dying? How many years do you think that it will last? I'm not saying that it dies in the hearts of fans of course.

[Daimakku]

Not speaking for anyone else but me, but I haven't bought a DBZ videogame since Budokai 3.. I just felt it was all just rehashes from the on. You can only go from Vegeta to Frieza to Cell to Majin Buu for so long before fans eventually get bored of it. My friend is another hardcore DBZ fan and I got him Raging Blast 2 when it came out for christmas, and he made me return the game.. he was simply tired of them, like I am. There's just nothing new anymore.
As for DVDs, you can only sell them for so long.. counting the Level BDs, there are currently four different versions of DBZ on sale at the same time.. and considering the orange bricks are so cheap now and they've been out for so long, everyone and their grandmother already own the series.. there are only so many fans in the U.S. (and Japan, of course).

I'm surprised the series has lasted this long considering the last new episode came out almost 15 years ago, to be honest.. they could continue the series with new characters and new adventures, but do we really want that? I wouldn't want Dragonball to turn into the next Star Wars..

[kei17]

It's not dying. Think about the merchandise in Japan between the end of GT and the first DBox release. Now it's just going to be on short hiatus again. And, I don't think it's not going well in the US. Dragon Ball still is a evergreen series there. You've become too pessimistic by the cancellation of the BD release.

[Michsi]

There is only so much you can do with a series that hasn't really brought anything new to the table for over a decade, no matter how popular it was at one time. Even new material like DBSD is just a rehash of the original series that does little to ignite proper fan interest IMO. There is still DBO to consider, but there is yet to see what sort of impact it will have in the long run.
I mean, yes, they are still producing merchandise for it, but are the sales what they used to be? Eventually, every cash cow will run out of milk.

I have no doubt that there is a tone of potential left for this series, but as long as the key figures show little to no interest in investing too much effort in reviving the franchise I don't see things getting much better for it.

[sangofe]

It's not dying. Think about the merchandise in Japan between the end of GT and the first DBox release. Now it's just going to be on short hiatus again. And, I don't think it's not going well in the US. Dragon Ball still is a evergreen series there. You became too pessimistic by the cancellation of the BD release.

And let's not forget the "Dragonball Force Project." going on in Japan.

[Eire]

DB will not die, because manuscripts don't burn, but unless it brings something new it will fade into obscurity. By brand new breeze I mean something that would appeal to new and older fans, mess a bit with chronology, developed something, give an impulse to discussion.
Star Wars model of Expanded Universe is pretty non-existent in manga and anime world. Also I don't see Toriyama following Matsumot's way of own universe. IMHO the last hope is Dragon Ball Force project of creating EU, but under supervision of creator and studio.

[VegettoEX]

Agreed -- let's not get too hyperbolic about this in light of the Blu-ray suspension.

Yes, the sales peaked in Japan back in 2006 and have been on a downward spiral since then. Said spiral has not been exponential over the last couple years, though; while it's going down, it's not jumping so far down more and more each year that it doesn't seem like it's NOT worth putting SOME effort into it for at least a little while longer.

[AgitoZ]

I like to think the franchise has already died. But, like the immortal phoenix, it continues to rise from the ashes.

If anything, the franchise goes on breaks/ has been on breaks. And by "breaks" I mean like when the Ultra or Kamen Rider franchises went on "break"; no main series on TV but still a buttload of merchandise and ancillary works here and there.

[Hellspawn28]

I think it will go on another hiatus like it did from 1997-2002 where it will die for a while then make a strong come back. I think DBKai was not enough to keep the series alive since Kai was nothing really new and it was something that fans already seen. The specials are nice and all but I don't think that is not enough. Maybe in 2014 that Toei will do something for 30th anniversary and another Dragon Ball boom will happen again.

[Super Sayian Prime]

The sales in video games, DVDs/BDs & merchadise aren't going very well in both Japan & US, from what I hear. So, is the Dragon Ball franchise dying? How many years do you think that it will last? I'm not saying that it dies in the hearts of fans of course.

There would actually have to be non-DVD/BD and video game merch in the US for us to see something not something sell well.

[Master Blaster]

"Dying" is a harsh word, but I think the DB franchise is way past its prime.

[Rostir]

I can't answer your question, however I do think that it's a thought provoking one. I've been a fan of Dragon Ball ever since I was a kid, (I'm in my early 20s now), and I've gotten tired of seeing, hearing, and talking about the same events over and over again. I'm getting tired of playing mediocre Dragon Ball games, re-watching Dragon Ball, hoping that I'll notice something new about a certain episode that I didn't notice before. I suppose I'm bitter because the series is probably never going to be continued, and that I will likely never see a Dragon Ball game to my liking because there is just way too much for any game developer to do to please every single fan of the video games.

[Haji]

They need to make a new series, something that continues on after DBZ. I love DragonBall and it needs more, after all these years it just needs more, not just a little special here and there every few years.

[Saiyajin no Tatsujin]

It's not dying. It's just old. That's all.

[AgitoZ]

It's not dying. It's just old. That's all.

Buddy, you do realize what happens when things get old right?

[Perfect]

It isn't dying, it's still a huge franchise making millions, granted not as many millions. It's just on the typical hiatus and it'll spring forward again, peak, go down a little, repeat. It just has a time less quality about it, it's a shame poor Krusty couldn't get that feeling with his show. :\

[dprez]

It's not dying. Think about the merchandise in Japan between the end of GT and the first DBox release. Now it's just going to be on short hiatus again. And, I don't think it's not going well in the US. Dragon Ball still is a evergreen series there. You've become too pessimistic by the cancellation of the BD release.

This dude from Japan knows whats up.

A "short hiatus" seams to be more of what you think is going on.

The simple fact that from the end of GT to the release of the DragonBoxes, DBZ merchandise never plummeted in sales to an extent that would warrant the series as a whole dying from lack of popularity. This proves that DB is far from dead, even here in the U.S., where the Blu-ray releases seamed to have died out for the time being.

Dragon Ball is and will always be a part of the animated entertainment culture around the world.

[Saiga]

It's not dying, but it's aging, and eventually it will start to die. I think it's going to be quite a while before that happens though.

[Saiyajin no Tatsujin]

It's not dying. It's just old. That's all.

Buddy, you do realize what happens when things get old right?

Yup. They accumulate a cult following!

[dprez]

It isn't dying, it's still a huge franchise making millions, granted not as many millions. It's just on the typical hiatus and it'll spring forward again, peak, go down a little, repeat. It just has a time less quality about it, it's a shame poor Krusty couldn't get that feeling with his show. :\

I really like your opinions Perfect. Honestly. From the threads I have read where you post, I tend to agree with you pretty much 100% of the time.