Neuigkeiten

Dragon Ball franchise has always been known for its strong and complex antagonists. From Cell to Dr. Gero to Frieza, each of the villains has their own unique personality and ambition. Their characters were enough to drive long arcs. Especially Frieza, who refuses to be forgotten and returns stronger each time.

Goku and the Z fighters have defeated many villains, each with unique powers and personalities. But what if all of these conceptions can be embodied by one individual? The powers, cruelty, and villainy, all at once, would make for a terrifying opponent.

All the villains defeated by Goku rot in Hell (Hilf)

Goku and the Z fighters have teamed up to defeat threats and invaders multiple times. According to the Dragon Ball lore, all of these villains are confined to Hell due to their evil actions. In the anime, we have seen this villain group together and watch Majin...

I am a die-hard fan of Dragon Ball. Have been since I saw Shenron on the intro scene of Dragon Ball Z as a kid. The entire setting is rooted in fantasy that just captivates the viewers. However, it has been a long time since, and the dynamics of the franchise have changed a lot.

From utilizing Ki and Kamehameha, the narrative has evolved to fit many Saiyan modes and other powerful transformations. Super Saiyan 3 has been the peak in the franchise, and the only version of Super Saiyan 4 was in Gt. Until Daima introduced it and made it canon, that is.

Super Saiyan 4 could have been far more impactful

Dragon Ball Z showcased Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 during the Buu saga, and it was an incredible moment. The transformation was distinct and was something fans can never forget. The long hair, the menacing eyes, and the extreme amount of power,...

Dragon Ball Daima, which was meant to be the latest chapter of the Dragon Ball series, and the legendary Akira Toriyama’s final work, ended its run in February of 2025. The series introduced the audience to the previously unexplored Demon Realm, and hoped to reinvigorate their interest in the franchise best known for its intense combat and crazy power-ups.

The series was met with mixed reviews, with a few fans stating that the series failed to capture the franchise’s spirit. Despite such mixed reviews, it has been nominated for Best Anime Series 2025 at the Astra TV Awards, and while the series may be Toriyama’s final work, this nomination feels unearned.

Dragon Ball Daima has been nominated for ‘Best Anime Series 2025’ Son Goku from Dragon Ball Daima | Credits: Toei Animation

Everyone is familiar with Akira Toriyama’s legendary Dragon Ball series. It single-handedly introduced the Western world to anime and manga,...

Immediately after its one-hour series finale, Dragon Ball Daima received two new nominations following its recent 2025 nod. These nominations come after Dragon Ball Daima's English dub completed its Crunchyroll run.

The Astra Awards announced its 2025 nominations to recognize greatness and achievements in the entertainment industry. Formerly known as the Hollywood Critics Association Awards, the Astra Awards nominated numerous animated and anime programs for this year's show, such as Dandadan, Solo Leveling, Invincible, and Batman: Caped Crusader. Dragon Ball Daima, which premiered in October 2024, received two monumental nods by The Astra Awards: Best Anime Series and Best Lead Voice-Over Performance.

Dragon Ball Daima Picks up 2 New Nominations Following Its Kids’ Choice Awards Nod

Dragon Ball Daima has been nominated for Best Anime Series for the 2025 Astra Awards, presented by the Hollywood Creative Alliance. Additionally, Stephanie Nadolny is nominated for her role as Goku (Mini) in Dragon Ball Daima for the...

"And this...is to go... even further beyond!"

The groundbreaking Super Saiyan 3 transformation of Goku was first unveiled to Japanese viewers in Dragon Ball Z episode 245, "Super Saiyan 3?!," which aired on November 9, 1994.

North American audiences experienced this iconic moment on September 26, 2002. It was in this episode's English dub that Sean Schemmel delivered a performance that, for many, established him as the quintessential voice of Goku.

Now, Schemmel is delivering yet another noteworthy performance as Goku transforms into SSJ4 in the Dragon Ball Daima final battle against Supreme Demon King Gomah, the successor of Dabura from Dbz's Buu saga.

Below, you can hear Schemmel talking about recording the SSJ3 transformation scene at a recent fan convention.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ItsRecTime (@itsrectimemedia)

Two decades after his iconic Super Saiyan 3 debut in the Buu Saga, Sean Schemmel revisits another powerful transformation, lending his voice to Super Saiyan 4 in the new series,...

Dragon Ball is a legacy series that has seen multiple generations of fans. The thought and genius that goes into making the manga by Toriyama, and now Toyotarou, is immense. But on the other hand, there is a lot to be done when adapting the series into anime as well.

Each element of the anime has to be perfect, be it the animation, sound effects, or the voice acting. Especially, the voice acting is the point that brings out the life in the characters.

Dragon Ball Daima, the latest installment of the Dragon Ball franchise, was the last work of Toriyama. The all-out battles in Daima meant a lot of intense shouting from the Va (Voice actor), Sean Schemmel, the voice of Goku, had his limits tested and fainted multiple times during the recording sessions.

Sean Schemmel broke past his limits, along with Goku

Sean Schemmel is the English dub voice actor of Goku,...

Dragon Ball Daima's English dub is finally nearing its conclusion, with the fated showdown between a fully powered Goku and the evil ruler of the Demon Realm, Gomah, right around the corner. Though the series originally wrapped up in late February of this year, the dub began releasing after Daima was already in full swing in Japan, and is now allowing fans to experience the high-octane final bout once more with their favorite familiar voices.

Sean Schemmel, the long-time iconic voice behind Goku, will be returning to his role for the series' final two episodes, as the adult Goku takes on the increasingly threatening king. Fans have been looking forward to his return, knowing that they'll be able to hear Schemmel voice a Super Saiyan 4 for the first time since Dragon Ball Gt ended over two decades ago. As many have come to expect from the voice of Goku, Schemmel...

The English dub of Dragon Ball Daima will end this Friday with a special one-hour premiere on Crunchyroll. Sean Schemmel, the English voice actor of Son Goku, revealed he briefly suffered from a serious health risk during the recording of the final episodes.

Friday, May 16, 2025, will mark the end of an era for Dragon Ball. The final two English dub episodes of Dragon Ball Daima, the last animated project of Akira Toriyama before passing away in 2024, will be released today, exclusively on Crunchyroll. In the epic one-hour finale, Goku takes on Giant Gomah and his overpowered Evil Third Eye with his brand-new transformation: Super Saiyan 4. As Dragon Ball fans have come to expect, this all-out brawl involved a lot of yelling from Goku. Unfortunately, this incredible moment took its toll on Schemmel in the recording booth.

Goku’s Voice Actor Passed Out While Recording for Dragon Ball Daima’s Anime...

A Dragon Ball remake might not be too far. With the way the anime industry is evolving these days, it too has adapted the current global trend of remaking many of the classic titles.

As the Dragon Ball franchise has been integral in putting the industry on the global popular culture map, it won’t be too far-fetched of an assumption to think that the late Akira Toriyama’s series, too, will see a revival. Well, it turns out that a legendary Dragon Ball Z animator thinks the same as well.

Although no official confirmations have yet been made on that aspect, it might just be a matter of time as things stand. Needless to say, fans have been overjoyed to get that insight from someone inherently involved with Dragon Ball.

Legendary Dbz animator claims that a Dragon Ball reboot is in the future

Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru has been a part...

Goku’s legendary transformations in Dragon Ball have always managed to keep us hooked till the end. From the Super Saiyan glow to Ultra Instinct divine powers, Akira Toriyama really made a lush design for Goku’s different forms!

But there was one form that has had a buzz around it since making its debut, and that is Super Saiyan 4 from Dragon Ball Gt. Super Saiyan 4 exudes a wild, monkey-like energy that we love about Goku, but since Toriyama didn’t fully make it, it was considered non-canonical, and thus became a source of endless debates.

However, with the new show Dragon Ball Daima, everything has changed! Toriyama himself redesigned SSJ4 according to some recent revelations from Dragon Ball animator Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru.

Super Saiyan 4 has a new cool vibe

In an interview with DBTimes, Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru recently spilled the beans about the designs of Super Saiyan 4 for Dragon Ball Daima.

We already know how sick Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 transformation looks like, but what if it were not? The whole appearance of SSJ4, which includes his red clothing, his red aura, and his strikingly black hair, makes it so iconic. However, you might be shocked to know his hair, in particular, wasn’t initially supposed to be black!

Apparently, the designers were experimenting with various concepts before settling on the signature black hair and dark eyes that fans know and love. So, it’s wild to think that they had plans of giving Goku rocking gold locks in his Super Saiyan 4 form. But would it really have changed the way we perceive the character?

SSJ4 with golden-haired Goku was certainly a possibility!

In a past interview (Dragon Ball Back Then Vol. 3) with Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, the character designer for Dragon Ball Gt, fans got to know a few cool insights behind...

Super Saiyan is one of the most powerful forms in Dragon Ball. Achieved only by the most powerful members of the Saiyan race, it has many variations in Akira Toriyama’s series. Moreover, its impact on popular culture, be it through manga, games, anime, or otherwise, is irrefutable.

As such, one would imagine that the animators of the series, too, would have had tremendous fun bringing those forms alive on screen. While it is true for the most part, there was one Super Saiyan transformation that was so extreme that even a Dragon Ball animator had to take a breather before proceeding with it.

Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 transformation was extreme enough to make a Dragon Ball animator shy away

Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball series is one of the most popular shonen series in history. In fact, its impact is still very much felt across the world among anime fans across the world.

It's a historic moment for Dragon Ball fans, as Goku's English Dub actress just turned Super Saiyan 3 for the first time since Dragon Ball Gt.

Dragon Ball Daima’s English Dub started airing significantly behind that of the Japanese version of the anime. It wasn’t until 3 months following the anime’s release date on October 11th, 2024, that the English Dub officially began airing on January 10th, 2025. As a result, the English Dub is only just starting to reach Dragon Ball Daima’s climax with the release of Episode 17, “Gomah”, on May 2nd. In the new episode, Goku, voiced by Stephanie Nadolny, turns Super Saiyan 3 for the first time in the anime, marking a monumental moment not just for the young Saiyan himself, but also for Goku’s beloved original Voice Actress.

Stephanie Nadolny Brings Super Saiyan 3 Goku to Life in Dragon Ball Daima’s English Dub Goku (Stephanie...

An official One Piece animator has mocked a polarizing aspect of the long-awaited match-up between Monkey D. Luffy and Admiral Kizaru in Episode 1127 of the anime TV series. The animator's now-deleted comments echo the fandom's long-time criticism of the anime, which, for better or worse, reflects its nearly 30-year history.

One Piece Episode 1127, "Luffy vs. Kizaru! A Fierce Kaleidoscopic Battle," continued the animated adaptation of the "Egghead" story arc, which resumed this April. The latest episode, which premiered on Crunchyroll on April 27, 2025, featured a highly anticipated battle between Borsalino, commonly known as Kizaru, and Luffy in his nearly-acquired Gear 5 form. As one would expect from One Piece, it’s a highly stylized fight sequence further elevated in animation quality, thanks to the freelance work of fan-favorite animator Chansard Vincent. Although many within the One Piece fandom consider the much-talked-about fight sequence to be the new gold standard of the series,...

Content guidelines, in terms of what is permissible to show on television, vary from country to country, and this is especially true of shows intended for younger audiences. For something as diverse as the anime medium, localizing popular series for Western audiences has been far more challenging than simply translating the dialogue. Ever since anime first came to the United States, Japanese animated series and movies have been heavily retooled to match perceived audience sensibilities. This has often resulted in unintentionally hilarious edits, with changes ranging from the laughably tone-deaf to the outright bizarre.

This notorious trend is particularly apparent in localized anime coming to America in the '90s, as the medium really began breaking into the American mainstream. Though many of these infamous edits are from the early localization efforts, comedically awkward censorship continues on into anime's more recent translated productions. Changes made ranged from clumsily trying to...

Dragon Ball is not just one of the most popular and lucrative anime franchises but also a household name. Generations of kids have grown up imitating the legendary ‘Kamehameha’ in their bedrooms. The latest installment, Dragon Ball Daima, has rejuvenated that sense of adventure that everyone craved from the series for decades.

Daima not only gave fans a hit of nostalgia but also took the franchise to new heights. It’s not just filled with crazy power-ups and back-to-back fights, but also has enough comic sequences and world-building to actually give it depth. And the reason behind its success is none other than Akira Toriyama.

Dragon Ball Daima cannot be compared to other Dragon Ball anime

Dragon Ball Daima is quite unlike most of the other Dragon Ball series. And the biggest factor is that Akira Toriyama‘s involvement with it. The author was only supposed to be a supervisor in the new anime,...

Several times a week, the official Akira Toriyama Archive reveals never-before-seen artwork and trivia about Dragon Ball's late creator. Recently, the Archive spotlighted Beerus, a fan-favorite Dragon Ball character.

On April 17, Dragon Ball's official site featured an original illustration of Beerus, the feline God of Destruction who makes his franchise debut in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. The Archive published the image with a comment Toriyama made regarding Beerus' creation. "Humanoids were getting a bit overdone, so I thought this time I'd make Beerus look like a cat," he said. According to the site description, Beerus' overall design was "modeled after Toriyama's own beloved cat." The Toriyama Archive makes each piece of artwork available on Db's website for a limited 24-hour window. However, Cbr readers can check out Beerus' illustration below.

Dragon Ball Releases Akira Toriyama’s Original Artwork of Beerus for Dbz: Battle of Gods Image...

The man, the myth, the legend – Akira Toriyama, creator of the legendary Dragon Ball series, is certainly a very mischievous person, and we’ve got to see why multiple times before. The man is well-known for his bluffing. However, none of them even come close when you think about what he did with Gohan, exactly on this day, 32 years ago!

At first, the episode “Faith in a Boy” (181) seemed like a game-changer in the series, especially during the Cell Games Saga. Fans were led to believe that this episode was setting the stage for something huge, but little did they know, Toriyama had other plans entirely.

Gohan’s transformation, his red eyes and aura flaring up | Credit: Toei Animation

Toriyama ended up deceiving the entire world into believing that Gohan might one day surpass Goku and become the main character. In fact, the episode portrayed it so convincingly that many fans thought it was inevitable.

Og Dragon Ball anime fans would be remiss not to recognize Kame House -- Master Roshi's iconic home base. However, an original draft page from Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga shows that Roshi's house initially had a completely different look.

On April 11, 2025, the Akira Toriyama Archive section of Dragon Ball's official site unveiled a colorized draft of a manga page first published in Weekly Shonen Jump on Oct. 8, 1988. As shown below, the scene showcases Bulma visiting a version of Kame House with teal-colored siding and a black roof. The Archive description highlights Toriyama's unique color choices: "The bright colors used for the Kame House evoke the feeling of a tropical climate, where the fine placement of the shading also perfectly captures the dazzling brightness of the sunlight," the site's author wrote. However, in the Dragon Ball anime adaptation, the house's siding is light pink with a dark red roof.

Dragon Ballhas always had both a massive cast, and a particularly tight focus on Goku. The natural result of this combination is that countless characters wind up not living up to their potential. Even characters who receive significant build-up and are consistently treated with importance can often wind up falling short – Tien failing to use the Evil Containment Wave in the King Piccolo Saga being an infamous example.

While Goku and Vegeta are given constant opportunities to shine in Dragon Ball, many of their friends and enemies wind up being disappointments. Z-Warriors like Tien Shinhan and Piccolo are infamous for how far they've fallen since the days of their respective primes, and theoretically important villains like Raditz continue to baffle fans with their lack of importance. Be it Dbz, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball Gt, or Dragon Ball Daima, no anime in the franchise manages to do right by its entire cast.

One would be hard-pressed to talk about some of the most legendary anime series of all time without mentioning the massive phenomenon that was Dragon Ball Z. This Akira Toriyama creation is easily one of the most popular pieces of mass media of all time; it's easy to see why with just a bit of reflection on its reach and impact. Dragon Ball Z completely commanded the mainstream with its airing in the West, quickly turning it into a favorite of viewers worldwide and displaying a power fantasy that was truly unlike anything ever seen before it.

A major contributor to Dragon Ball Z's initial popularity is the English dub of the series, made and distributed by Ocean Productions and Funimation. These dubs brought engaging energy to Goku, Vegeta and the rest of the now-iconic cast. While not the most direct translations outright, the two dubs still amassed droves...

Former editors of the Dragon Ball manga have argued over the creative drive of the late Akira Toriyama following his completion of Dragon Ball Z -- or, to be more accurate, the lack of passion Toriyama showed after finishing the series.

Kazuhiko Torishima, Yu Kondo and Fuyuto Takeda were Toriyama’s editors on the Dragon Ball series for 11 years for Weekly Shonen Jump. The trio discussed their work history on the latest episode of KosoKoso, a Japanese podcast that Torishima hosts with Yuji Horii, the creator of Dragon Quest, who worked with Toriyama on the popular role-playing franchise by Square Enix, as well as Chrono Trigger for the Super Nintendo. The editors discussed Toriyama’s life after Dragon Ball and why they believed he didn’t work on anything new soon after.

Dragon Ball's Akira Toriyama Reportedly Wanted No Creative Input After Dbz Toriyama’s involvement in new projects🧵16/n pic.

Dragon Ball Daima showcased a lot of lore, added new points to the plot, and even fixed a lot of loopholes that were left by the previous installments. Other than legitimizing Dragon Ball Gt to an extent, there is another contribution that Daima made to the franchise.

Namekian Neva | Credit: Toei Animation

The role of Namek as a planet and the Namekians as a race was evident in the Dragon Ball franchise for quite a long time. Even though Piccolo has powered up in Dragon Ball Super, not much else has been told about the Namekian race. This wouldn’t be very important in most circumstances.

For instance, we can see that the Saiyan race is not talked about much. Even someone like Frieza who was a galactic conqueror, and his entire race (family) including the likes of Cooler and King Cold with evolutions are not even talked about.

Were warrior Nameks hunted into extinction?...

"Dragon Ball can't end. It just can't." The former editors of Dragon Ball recently discussed the uncertainty over Akira Toriyama ending the series and how it led to the creation of Dragon Ball Gt, commonly regarded as the "black sheep" of the franchise.

Kazuhiko Torishima, Yu Kondo and Fuyuto Takeda were all guests on the latest episode of KosoKoso, a Japanese podcast series Torishima co-hosts with Yuji Horii, the creator of Dragon Quest. In the latest episode, the three former editors of the Dragon Ball manga discuss their history of working on the series with the late Akira Toriyama. In a previous conversation, the editors revealed that Toriyama wanted to end Dragon Ball with Gohan defeating Perfect Cell but was pressured to keep it going for one more story arc, which became the "Majin Buu" saga. Now, the editors have revealed the anxiety the publishing company and the anime studio...

Those associated with the Dragon Ball series have discussed the late Akira Toriyama’s artistic skills during his controversial switch to digital tools. The longtime discourse over the industry’s push toward digital has changed dramatically in recent years due to the questionable use of generative AI programs.

The latest episode of KosoKoso featured brand-new guests involved in the production of Dragon Ball. Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, a key animator and character designer, is credited for designing Super Saiyan 4 for Dragon Ball Gt, which made its triumphant return in Dragon Ball Daima. Kazuo Enokimoto is a background artist for Toei Animation who worked on the Dragon Ball TV series and Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies. The podcast series is also hosted by former Dragon Ball editor Kazuhiko Torishima, alongside Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii, for whom Toriyama worked as the game's character artist. Like the previous episode, the KosoKoso panel discussed their history with Toriyama.

Dragon Ball is an anime franchise that's famous for having powerful characters. Goku and Vegeta trigger god-like powers in their never-ending quest to grow as warriors. Beings like Zamasu in Dragon Ball Super or Baby in Dragon Ball Gt possess unnatural powers that make them a serious threat to the cosmos. Even normal humans like Krillin could still go head-to-head against members of Frieza's army like the Ginyu Force.

However, these characters still pale compared to one of the strongest characters in Sailor Moon, Sailor Saturn. Ever since her introduction in Sailor Moon's Infinity Arc, Saturn has proved that she's a force to be reckoned with. She's wiped out universe-destroying threats in the blink of an eye and has helped the Sailor Guardians triumph against deadly enemies time and time again. Even pitted against 5 of Dragon Ball's most intimidating characters, she would still have no trouble defeating them.

It's quite common for big, popular anime to get some sort of special release for notable anniversaries. "Digimon" did a series of films for its 15th anniversary and then another film for its 20th, and "Naruto" released special episodes for its 20th anniversary. So when it came time to celebrate 40 years of "Dragon Ball," arguably the single most influential and iconic manga and anime of the modern era, Toei Animation went all out.

Right before his tragic passing, "Dragon Ball" creator Akira Toriyama decided to collaborate with Toei on a new "Dragon Ball" anime to be released in time for the franchise's 40th anniversary. Reportedly, Toriyama ended up being much more involved in this show than he'd been with the anime for years, working out the story and the designs of what would become "Dragon Ball Daima," the single best thing the franchise has done in decades.

"Dragon Ball Daima...

Major anime juggernauts spawn countless spinoffs annually, yet only a handful of them break through the mainstream. Boruto and Dragon Ball Gt are all popular alternatives to their legendary predecessors, but even fan-favorite shonen have obscure spinoffs, too. And it's a shame — spinoffs sometimes boast more creativity, heart, and artistic ambition than their original counterparts, their creators freed of inhibitions and ready to experiment.

From high school comedy re-imaginings to prequels retroactively making minor characters major, these stealthy spinoffs showcase what happens when creators get permission to play outside franchise guardrails. While casual viewers dismiss them as cash grabs, savvy fans recognize how frequently these "minor" works take bigger creative swings than their more famous counterparts.

Attack on Titan Junior High Turns Apocalyptic Horror Into School Comedy Lunch-Stealing Replaces Man-Eating

Attack on Titan is among the most visceral fantasy anime adaptations of all time. The franchise is massive success, but...

Over the years, Dragon Ball has taken many characters from non-canon material and given them official status in the main story. The fans have been pining for some characters who are in the non-canon parts of the franchise, including the movies and games.

Labcoat Android 21 in Dragon Ball FighterZ | Credits: Arc System Works

Many instances of adapting non-canon characters have been seen, from Broly in Dragon Ball Super: Broly to Gogeta’s full recognition in the same film. Not just that Dragon Ball Daima has made the SSJ4 form canon, and it resembles the one seen in Dragon Ball Gt (which was not canon).

Now, after showcasing Super Saiyan 4 in Dragon Ball Daima, Dragon Ball Super needs to up the ante and give us a new character to scale up the power levels. For this, Android 21 stands as one of the strongest contenders and will revolutionize the franchise if canonized.

Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has sustained four decades of entertaining storytelling, but 1996’s Dragon Ball GTremains a contentious entry that’s divided fans. Dragon Ball Gt continues Goku’s heroic adventures and functions as a sequel to Dragon Ball Z, albeit one that wasn’t written by Akira Toriyama or adapting a manga as source material. Dragon Ball Gt takes some big swings, some of which work better than others and some that only work now in the context of subpar Dragon Ball storytelling. Audiences were surprised when Dragon Ball Super was announced to be taking place in the ten years that separate Kid Buu’s defeat and the 28th World Tournament.

Dragon Ball Super wouldn’t be following up Dragon Ball Gt’s events, but it instead tells a new story that many felt was meant to replace Dragon Ball Gt as the canon Dragon Ball Z sequel.

In Dragon Ball, fusion is a significant aspect that has enriched the franchise. The process merges two separate beings into one far more powerful being, bringing fan-favorite characters like Gotenks, Vegito, and Gogeta to life. There are six ways to fuse in the Dragon Ball franchise, but only two are canon. Almost every Dragon Ball series has a fusion, making it a franchise staple. Even non-canon entries have had a version of fusion.

The non-canon material of Dragon Ball, including Dragon Ball Gt, Dragon Ball Legends, and Dragon Ball Fusions, has given birth to some of the most unique and intriguing fusions. Some of the strongest fusions have been created in this material, but to showcase some unique fusions, these ten are the strongest shown in the entire franchise.

Future Trunks and Gohan Fuse into Gohanks & Combine Saiyan Legacies into One Appears in Super Dragon Ball Heroes Image Via Toei Animation...

Ever since Super Saiyan 4 Goku made his explosive debut in Dragon Ball Daima, fans have wondered one thing: "Why no black hair?" Unfortunately, a possible explanation for SSJ4 Goku’s debatable hair colors has been debunked by one of the show’s producers.

Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, a celebrated animator and character designer who created Super Saiyan 4 Goku for Dragon Ball Gt, addressed the new Daima design at Made in Asia Spring 2025 in Brussels, Belgium, in early March. Social media user @/vondbz conducted the interview, which @/Venixys translated on X (formerly Twitter). After the new and improved look of Super Saiyan 4 Goku was introduced in Dragon Ball Daima Episode 18, fans have wondered if the change from Gt’s black hair to red was a reference to Masako Nozawa’s hair color. Nozawa is Son Goku's official Japanese voice actor, who’s been playing the monkey-boy hero for almost 40 years -- all...

A producer associated with Dragon Ball Daima acknowledged the suspicious similarities between King Gomah and Jiren from Dragon Ball Super. A possible connection between the two Akira Toriyama characters was also addressed.

Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, a legendary animator and character designer for the Dragon Ball franchise, was interviewed in early March at Made in Asia Spring 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. El Camino de la Serpiente, a YouTube content creator, interviewed Nakatsuru during the three-day anime fan event. At the tail end of the interview, Nakatsuru was asked about the two final antagonists of Daima and Super.

Dragon Ball Super's Jiren and Daima's Gomah May Have an Intentional Resemblance

"One of the most talked-about aspects of Daima was the similarity between Gomha’s outfit and the Pride Troopers’ uniforms," the YouTuber said. "Was this resemblance intentional? If so, can we expect to see any connection in the future? Will we see any...

It has been a few days since the iconic Dragon Ball Daima, the last project by Akira Toriyama concluded, but fans still have not been able to get over it. The series has continued the legacy of the Dragon Ball franchise and its success was proof that Toriyama and Dragon Ball’s name still lives on and will continue to do so for a long time.

Dragon Ball Daima | Credit: Toei Animation

There were many other factors that contributed to the success of Dragon Ball Daima ranging from Goku’s iconic Super Saiyan 4 transformation to Vegeta and Bulma’s indirect display of affection. However, the one that connected with Dragon Ball fans the most was the main characters transforming into kids because of the narrative and refreshing some memories from the past.

Among the characters, Bulma is most likely the only one who is happy being turned into a kid,...

Dragon Ball Daima’s epic final battle between Demon King Gomah and Super Saiyan 4 Goku is one fans will never forget. The finale was a fitting farewell from Akira Toriyama as the last confirmed piece of Dragon Ball media he directly worked on before his death. Viewed on its own merits as a stand-alone story, Dragon Ball Daima’s series finale provided a fun and satisfactory ending to the story it set out to tell from Episode 1. As part of the larger Dragon Ball franchise, though, the anime makes zero sense.

Many fans have been forced to accept Dragon Ball Daima as part of a new multiverse consisting of three individual continuities by way of Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball Gt, and now, Dragon Ball Daima. It’s a simple explanation that allows them to ignore the plethora of plot holes the anime introduces. That said, all hope isn’t...

When looking their best, no other male character in Dragon Ball pulls it off like Trunks. Vegeta and Bulma's son from the future knows how to dress for every occasion — never trading, looking good for fighting good. Compared to some of his counterparts in the Dragon Ball franchise, like Gohan or Goten, Trunks knows how to put himself together.

As one of the more popular fan characters in Dragon Ball, Trunks has had a wide range of forms, outfits, and appearances. Each of these has drastically changed his vibe. Usually, for the better, unless one counts Dragon Ball Gt. From every appearance in the franchise, these are the best Trunks has ever looked in Dragon Ball.

Trunks' School Uniform Still Feels Very Trunks Appears in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88: "Superheroes Are Born"

Finally, Trunks and Goten have grown up. It took a while in Dragon Ball Super to see...

Dragon Ball GThasn’t always had it easy and remains one of the franchise’s more polarizing anime, despite the recent reappraisal that it’s received. There are certainly tonal issues in play when Dragon Ball Gt begins as well as misjudging the type of audience that would be tuning into the series. Dragon Ball Gt gradually becomes a more confident anime and its heights are easily on par with Dragon Ball Z’s best moments. Dragon Ball Gt gets a lot of mileage out of returning to classic concepts and characters from previous Dragon Ball series.

This includes a vengeful attack by Baby, a Tuffle, who wants revenge for the atrocities that were done to his people by the Saiyans. The Tuffles were introduced in Dragon Ball Z and the Saiyan-Tuffle War is a pivotal piece of Saiyan history that helped them establish Planet Vegeta. The Tuffles remain elusive...

Despite the dry spell, a producer associated with the Dragon Ball series has assured fans that the franchise will continue. This confirmation comes after the conclusion of Dragon Ball Daima and the ongoing hiatus of the Dragon Ball Super manga series.

Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, a highly regarded artist and animator for the Dragon Ball franchise, was recently interviewed at Made in Asia Spring 2025 in Brussels, Belgium, in early March. The interview was conducted by social media user @/vondbz and translated by @/Venixys on X (formerly Twitter). Nakatsuru was asked what off-screen event he would love to elaborate on in a future Dragon Ball anime project. It’s an interesting question, as working on an original and lore-heavy scene would be done without the involvement of Akira Toriyama, who passed away in March 2024.

Dragon Ball Animator Talks the Future of the Franchise After Akira Toriyama In Dragon Ball, there are off-screen events...

Dragon Ball has featured many battles over the last few decades. However, there is one that has shaped the bedrock of this beloved series that has yet to receive the spotlight it so rightfully deserves — the Saiyan/Tuffle War. These two races are natural opposites: one is built on strength and brutality, the other on intellect and technology. The Tuffle name is a play on the word fruit, which is in direct opposition to the Saiyan’s connection with vegetables.

After failing to coexist, the Saiyans and the Tuffles would clash in a battle to the death — where only one side could emerge triumphant — to claim the spoils of war: Planet Plant. The Saiyans emerged victorious, but with retcons, inconsistencies, and adaptations reshaping Dragon Ball’s history, one question remains — are these events even canon? The answer is quite complicated. With there being no mention of the Tuffles in the...

Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ballfranchise is one of the most influential pieces of anime. With its blend of action and comedy, it's become an anime that will likely be discussed, analyzed, and watched years after its final series has aired—if that ever happens. Having existed for over 40 years, the series has had many main animated shows with a distinct style.

Dragon Ball has five main animated series and one spin-off. The animation style varies across each series in the franchise, largely influenced by production time and oversight. Each series was handled by multiple animators, with a Character Designer or Chief Animator ensuring consistency. While some series benefited from careful production, others struggled, proving that Toei Animation’s treatment of Dragon Ball has varied over time.

Super Dragon Ball Heroes Has Some of the Worst Animation Available to Watch on YouTube

Super Dragon Ball Heroes is a promotional web series...

From Goku and Vegeta to Beerus and Zeno, Dragon Ball’s most powerful warriors are also some of the strongest in anime history. The anime franchise is well known for the unbelievable power creep that started with Dragon Ball Z, a tradition that's continued into Dragon Ball Gt, Dragon Ball Super, and even the newest anime, Dragon Ball Daima. Despite the astronomical power levels Dragon Ball’s greatest warriors are known to reach, many of the series’ best fights were actually decided by strategic tactics and clever techniques over thanraw power.

Dragon Ball does have plenty of fights that end up being slugfests between two superpowered martial arts to decide which is the strongest. Even some of Goku’s most iconic battles, like his duel with Frieza on Namek, are only won because he gets a new transformation that just makes him outright stronger in terms of power levels. However,...

Anime fans love power-scaling debates. It is nearly impossible to venture into an online anime space without seeing at least one debate that pits various characters against one another to see who is the mightiest. In the eyes of many fans, Dragon Ball's Goku is the ultimate yardstick for power. To be considered truly powerful, a character must be able to stand a chance against the legendary Super Saiyan and his immense number of forms and moves.

It's easy to see why Goku has attained this status, as only a handful of Dragon Ball characters have been able to put Goku down. However, the list's length grows dramatically if you include non-canon characters from Dragon Ball's various sequels and spin-offs. But of this rogue's gallery of Goku-killers, who is the strongest?

Dragon Ball Z's Lord Slug Forces Goku's Friends To Help Lord Slug Beats Goku Senseless, Though It's...

Dragon Ball surprised everyone by introducing Super Saiyan 4 in Dragon Ball Daima's finale, and now there's frequent debate about whether fans have seen the last of the form. If one Dragon Ball staff member had his way, however, there's another character who could see the form: Trunks.

Super Saiyan 4 has been a major point of discussion in Dragon Ball fan circles in recent weeks, especially since Goku attaining the form hypothetically opens the door for many other characters to use it as well. It might be a good way to give characters besides Goku more power and help them keep up with the ever-increasing difficulty of villains. Not to mention, it would please fans to see characters like Goten and Trunks take on the form for the first time ever. There was even a time when Trunks was supposed to go Super Saiyan 4, only to be shot down because...

Dragon Ball DAIMAis one of the most hotly discussed anime of the last decade, with millions of fans tuning in weekly to discover where Goku and his friends' newest adventure will take them. Some of the most prominent and heated debates have focused on what Dragon Ball Daima's various reveals and plot points mean for Dragon Ball Super,the last anime to present itself as a sequel to Dragon Ball Z. While Dragon Ball Daima may have rendered Dragon Ball Super non-canon, it doesn't take away from Dragon Ball Super's brilliance. Despite its short length, Dragon Ball Daima totally transformed how fans view the Dragon Ball world.

The anime takes Goku and his friends to the Demon Realm, a place that has never been fully fleshed out despite being mentioned several times in previous pieces of Dragon Ball media. While trying to save Dende from the evil Gomah,...

A highly regarded animator and artist for the Dragon Ball franchise has illustrated brand-new artwork of the Z-Fighters’ most controversial anime appearance. Fans who attended Made in Asia Spring 2025 commissioned the new illustrations.

Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, a key animator and character designer who worked on numerous Dragon Ball anime projects, such as Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Daima, attended Made in Asia Spring 2025 in Brussels, Belgium, from March 7 to 9, 2025. At the anime-themed event, multiple Dragon Ball-related content creators interviewed Nakatsuru about his work on Daima and his thoughts on various topics, such as Akira Toriyama’s involvement with the new version of Super Saiyan 4 Goku, Bardock and Dragon Ball Super. Fans were also allowed to receive personalized illustrations from Nakatsuru, many of which were of Dragon Ball characters.

Dragon Ball Artist Gives Gt a Comeback With New Illustrations for SS4 Goku, SS4 Gogeta & More View this post on InstagramA...

Akira Toriyama, the late and famous author behind Dragon Ball Z, was responsible for the canonical re-introduction of Super Saiyan 4 Goku from Dragon Ball Gt to Dragon Ball Daima. A famous animator and character designer for the franchise confirmed Toriyama’s involvement with the 2024 anime series.

Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, a key animator and character designer on countless Dragon Ball anime projects, was interviewed by @/SofianLeGEEK during his appearance at Made in Asia Spring 2025, which took place in Brussels, Belgium, from March 7 to 9, 2025. The interview was translated by social media user @/Venixys on X (formerly Twitter). Nakatsuru was asked numerous questions, such as his thoughts on the re-introduction of Bardock in Dragon Ball Super: Broly, a character he designed for Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku. He was also asked about the serious continuity issues between Daima and Dragon Ball Super. However, one fascinating question from the interview involved...

Dragon Ball has a legacy that spans multiple decades, encompassing entire generations. This is all thanks to the genius of Akira Toriyama, who spun wild, fantastical tales that captivated millions across the world.

SSJ4 Goku from Dragon Ball Daima. [Credit: Toei Animation]

Toriyama’s final gift to the fans was the Dragon Ball Daima installment, and it is rife with the Toriyama brand, the gags and the manner of engagement make it clear. The fans were extremely hyped when they saw the reveal of the Super Saiyan 4 form of Goku, even more so when it was declared to be canon.

But now, the director, Aya Komaki, has stated that the form was not a true Super Saiyan 4 form and was induced by Neva rather than being something unlocked. What does this mean for the legacy of Toriyama?

Why Daima’s Super Saiyan 4 was a massive letdown

The Super Saiyan 4 form that...

One of the most exciting moments in Dragon Ball Daima was Goku’s transformation into Super Saiyan 4. Dragon Ball Gt gave the fans a taste of the massive amount of power that this form holds. After many years of waiting and no mention of this form in any major Dragon Ball series (since Gt is not canon), its return was met with massive hype and appreciation.

SSJ4 Goku from Dragon Ball Daima. [Credit: Toei Animation]

Fans believed this was the moment Daima solidified Super Saiyan 4 as part of the official canon. There were definitely many who were asking why it wasn’t seen in the later part of the timeline, like in Super.

But to counter all this, Aya Komaki (the director) gave an explanation of the scene that further muddies fans’ understanding of what is canon and what is not when it comes to Daima.

Super Saiyan 4 was created to...

If there's any male character in Dragon Ballwho should always strive to look his best, it's Vegeta. After all, he is the Prince of all Saiyans, the trophy husband of the richest woman on Earth, and one of the most prideful characters in any anime. He has the wealth and resources to dress however he'd like, and can make both his civilian clothes and his combat gear equally fashionable.

As one of the Dragon Ball's main characters, Vegeta has had the chance to display his sense of style, and unlock more forms than nearly anyone else. Several of his forms, like Super Saiyan 3 and Super Saiyan 4, drastically change his appearance, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Vegeta also has several outfits that clearly pair better with some of his transformations than others.

Vegeta's Suit in Dragon Ball Super is Basic, But Gets the Job Done Vegeta Almost Never...

Dragon Ball Daima was a final gift to the fans from the legend, Akira Toriyama himself. Daima succeeded in bringing back beloved aspects of Dragon Ball Gt and making them canon, but does that mean it has to be connected to Dragon Ball Super?

Goku from Dragon Ball Daima. [Credit: Toei Animation]

The biggest question surrounding Daima is its connection to the main timeline, especially with how it introduces the Super Saiyan 4 transformation. Not just that, SSJ3 Vegeta is also something that we have seen for the first time in Daima (although he has the Ultra Ego form now).

Even more so, the influence of Demon Realm, the Namekians, Majin Kuu, Arinsu, and even the fusion medi bugs is nowhere to be seen in Super-chronologically, it doesn’t make sense!

Why Daima should remain a standalone story

Trying to force Daima into the canon just to justify the SSJ4 transformation isn’t necessary.