"Dragon Ball Super" Series Official Announcement & Discussion Thread

[Basaku]

Bandai Q3 numbers are out, DB going even higher than Q2 results and Full-Year forecast:



Updated Charts:




Live broadcast from Bandai & Toei Headquarters:

[Araki]

The difference a tv series is making for them is absurd. As the head sponsor, Bandai will want the show to keep airing for as long as it lasts.

[Xeztin]

That's why I think Dragon Ball will never "end" again. It's a cash cow!

[Lord Beerus]

This just goes to show that the quality of Super really has no real adverse effect on merchandise sales. As long as the kids get new Dragon Ball content, they will eat it up. Super is gonna last for years. Blue is officially the new yellow. This also proves that the BOG and ROF retellings were a vindicated idea. Because in the end, more consumers were gained through them. I really have never seen Dragon Ball outperform One Piece in merch sales before, especially by this extent. I mean, this is really unprecedented.

[GodVegetto91]

Wow! That is great news! Thanks!
So judging by the figures you posted Dragon Ball JUMPED in 2016! Even way higher then 2015! Way to go Dragon Ball!

[Skar]

Bandai Q3 numbers are out, DB going even higher than Q2 results and Full-Year forecast:

That's pretty good! Have there been any new announcements for games this year besides Project Fusion? I was wondering before if "Toys and Hobby" included video games but on the income statement you posted, "Toys and Hobby" was a different segment than "Network Entertainment" which includes video games and arcade.

Overall:
2015
Toys and Hobby: 40%
Network Entertainment: 52%
Everything else: 8%

2016
Toys and Hobby: 38%
Network Entertainment: 55%
Everything else: 7%

Dragonball
2014
Toys and Hobby: 6.4 billion or 56%
Network and everything else: 5 billion or 44%

2015 (Xenoverse released)
Toys and Hobby: 5.8 billion or 30%
Network and everything else: 13.6 billion or 70%

2016
Toys and Hobby: 12 billion or 36%
Network and everything else: 20.9 billion or 64%

If we consider that Network Entertaiment/video games made up over half of Bandai's overall sales then it likely also makes up the most for Dragonball's sales outside of the Toys and Hobby segment. That means without another major selling game these numbers will drop considerably next year. The Toy and Hobby sales might still be 10-15 billion but the total won't be anywhere close to 30 billion. I'm trying to figure out the likelihood of Super lasting more than a year . I would like it to continue but I also want it to have a legitimate ending and not stretched out longer than it needs to be.

[Basaku]

The difference a tv series is making for them is absurd. As the head sponsor, Bandai will want the show to keep airing for as long as it lasts.

Well, it's not JUST the tv series, the numbers are definitely inflated with a very succesful video game being out at the same time (part of Bandai's Overall IP numbers) and 2 recent feature movies adding up to massive licensing numbers for Toei, but a new TV series is obviously the key here. Just saying that it shouldn't be surprising if numbers dip a bit next year with Xenoverse past its peak revenue window (until the sequel comes) and most of the BOG/ROF license deals already closed.

Regardless, I think DB anime will continue for at least the next 3-5 years, the profit is just too easy.

That's pretty good! Have there been any new announcements for games this year besides Project Fusion? I was wondering before if "Toys and Hobby" included video games but on the income statement you posted, "Toys and Hobby" was a different segment than "Network Entertainment" which includes video games and arcade.

If we consider that Network Entertaiment/video games made up over half of Bandai's overall sales then it likely also makes up the most for Dragonball's sales outside of the Toys and Hobby segment. That means without another major selling game these numbers will drop considerably next year. The Toy and Hobby sales might still be 10-15 billion but the total won't be anywhere close to 30 billion. I'm trying to figure out the likelihood of Super lasting more than a year . I would like it to continue but I also want it to have a legitimate ending and not stretched out longer than it needs to be.

Video games are included in Overall IP numbers and Xenoverse is clearly the main reason they got so big in recent 2 years. Boxed console sales + DLC turn in huge profits.

Xenoverse 2 wasn't officially announcement but there's no doubt whatsoever it's in developement. Reveal/official announcement probably at E3 but I'm not sure if it will make it on time before the end of Bandai's 2017 Fiscal year (ends March 2017). If it doesn't then there will definitely be a dip in numbers

[Skar]

Regardless, I think DB anime will continue for at least the next 3-5 years, the profit is just too easy.

I don't know wouldn't that require several games to sell as much as Xenoverse for next several years? I think Toei would need to have several high grossing DBZ movies for Super to last that long. I don't think licensing for the anime alone would be enough to keep it going that long without a few movies.

Xenoverse 2 wasn't officially announcement but there's no doubt whatsoever it's in developement. Reveal/official announcement probably at E3

Isn't E3 in June? If it gets announced this year that means it probably won't be released until 2017. Bandai's fiscal year is said to start in April so if the new game gets released at the beginning of 2017 then it might only count towards the 4th quarter of 2017's fiscal year. Assuming it does sell as much as the first Xenoverse then FY 2018's numbers might be higher than this year while 2017 might be much lower.

[Basaku]

Xenoverse 2 wasn't officially announcement but there's no doubt whatsoever it's in developement. Reveal/official announcement probably at E3

Isn't E3 in June? If it gets announced this year that means it probably won't be released until 2017. Bandai's fiscal year is said to start in April so if the new game gets released at the beginning of 2017 then it might only count towards the 4th quarter of 2017's fiscal year. Assuming it does sell as much as the first Xenoverse then FY 2018's numbers might be higher than this year while 2017 might be much lower.

Yep, June. If it makes it in before the end of 2017 Fiscal Year then the numbers will still be good. Xenoverse 1 built a lot of good with and with anime revival in full swing it would add up to much higher first month sales so overall 2017 numbers for Bandai should be very good. But again, console games often get delayed and XV2 may slip into summer next year easily

[TheDevilsCorpse]

Not that this has much to do with Super, but a reveal at E3 doesn't seem likely. That's not the venue used for Dragon Ball. If it's going to be revealed as a convention, it'll probably be at Japan Expo in July.

[Basaku]

Not that this has much to do with Super, but a reveal at E3 doesn't seem likely. That's not the venue used for Dragon Ball. If it's going to be revealed as a convention, it'll probably be at Japan Expo in July.

90% of Xenoverse sales come from North America and Europe. I can understand "national" reasoning of announcing it at one of domestic events of course, but business-wise it's clear it should be announced at some international venue/magazine/online reveal. It's not even a discussion which markets 'fund' PC/console DB games in absolute majority.

[TheDevilsCorpse]

Japan Expo is in France, and it has been one of the bigger events surrounding Dragon Ball. It's the same place Nostal/Treevax always interviews Namco Bandai on the latest games, gets hands on with demos or final builds if they are available, etc.

[Basaku]

Japan Expo is in France, and it has been one of the bigger events surrounding Dragon Ball. It's the same place Nostal/Treevax always interviews Namco Bandai on the latest games, gets hands on with demos or final builds if they are available, etc.

Sounds like way too low-key venue to announce sequel to a 3 million + seller and Bandai's biggest success last year, being honest. Certinaly doesn't grab headlines like E3, Gamescom or even Tokyo Games Show.

[FortuneSSJ]

-About the money-
I'm so proud of Dragon Ball. What a jump in the last year!!
I wish it goes even higher. Nothing beats a new series with the old and new characters.

[Skar]

Not that this has much to do with Super, but a reveal at E3 doesn't seem likely. That's not the venue used for Dragon Ball. If it's going to be revealed as a convention, it'll probably be at Japan Expo in July.

I guess we'll know by the end of the summer depending which expo. I'm curious what they would have in a Xenoverse 2. They can't reuse the same time travel plot from DBO again and they already have character customization. I think it would have to be a major improvement to sell as much. Maybe more ways to customize, a bigger world to explore, more species, and whatever else they can think of to make it a bigger and better version of the first game. From what I've seen it's really rare for a video game series to have consistently high sales. Sales usually drop unless they bring something new to the table with each release. GTA and Super Smash Bros. are the only franchises I remember where sales actually increase with each release because they try to add as much as they can and its a few years between reach game. It's hard to tell with Dragonball because sales have fluctuated so much since the first Budokai game.

[Noah]

I'm trying to figure out the likelihood of Super lasting more than a year . I would like it to continue but I also want it to have a legitimate ending and not stretched out longer than it needs to be.

Exactly. I really fear for a ruined series for that reason...

[Xeztin]

Dragon Ball is reclaiming it's throne, and I hope this is enough to convince them to start a new Dragon Ball game series or continue Xenoverse like the BT's. Also I don't see Super ending anytime soon with or without Toriyama, Dragon Ball is the biggest overall globally franchise that they have or will most likely ever have. They won't even let Naruto/Boruto end and even though the main series ended, there was enough content and spin-offs in 2015 to make it feel like it never ended in the first place and now Boruto is getting his own manga. Companies are bringing back big franchises as of late like the original Yu-Gi-Oh! and if that's anything to go by, I highly doubt DB will end ever again. Goku's time might end, but the Dragon Ball world or franchise itself is going to be milked until no one even remembers Goku was a main character at this point. It wouldn't make sense financially to leave billions of dollars on the table, not even for Toriyama who doesn't care about a "canon" in the first place. Having said all of that, I don't see why this 10 year gap cant last for years or spin-offs can't happen. Even if the plot doesn't even add up anymore, if its selling they are going to produce it. I am very open minded to a new cast but I just hope it never ends up like Teen Titans.

[LightBing]

I would love if they'd go the One Piece route and had a couple of specials every year, plus a movie every two years. Hopefully with some material focusing on other characters and time periods.
Mutaito and his students fight against Piccolo Daimao would be amazing! Unfortunately it will never happen...

To those who fear it could stretch without a proper ending. There's some warmth in knowing that the manga already had an ending. We don't know the future and it depends if Mr.Toriyama saw more than just an adventure in another Universe, or has in fact gained motivation to close the story differently.

[Araki]

Regardless, I think DB anime will continue for at least the next 3-5 years, the profit is just too easy.

I don't know wouldn't that require several games to sell as much as Xenoverse for next several years? I think Toei would need to have several high grossing DBZ movies for Super to last that long. I don't think licensing for the anime alone would be enough to keep it going that long without a few movies.

The merchandise sales by itself are outselling, by a good margin, endless Toei franchises like Super Sentai and Precure. You have your answer right there.

If toy sales keep that up, it doesn't need movies nor games. The impact of a tv series is the key factor here, as Basaku said.

[Skar]

Regardless, I think DB anime will continue for at least the next 3-5 years, the profit is just too easy.

I don't know wouldn't that require several games to sell as much as Xenoverse for next several years? I think Toei would need to have several high grossing DBZ movies for Super to last that long. I don't think licensing for the anime alone would be enough to keep it going that long without a few movies.

The merchandise sales by itself are outselling, by a good margin, endless Toei franchises like Super Sentai and Precure. You have your answer right there.

If toy sales keep that up, it doesn't need movies nor games. The impact of a tv series is the key factor here, as Basaku said.

From the information shared above, we know that toys only accounted for 36% of Dragonball's sales. That would mean, without strong video game sales, it would rank lower on the overall list and probably below Kamen Rider. Toy sales would have to almost triple to make up the difference from the video game sales. Bandai would need both for Dragonball to remain in the top three for next year.

Another thing we have to consider is that Toriyama himself might not want to continue the series for that long. The main selling point was that Toriyama wrote the recent movies and is involved with the story for the next saga. There's no guarantee that Toriyama wants to continue writing for the next year or two and I honestly don't think Toei would continue without him.