Dragon Ball Super’s manga may be on hiatus following the devastating loss of creator Akira Toriyama, but there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon with a new anime adaptation. Dragon Ball Daima, while lacking Ultra Instinct or Gods of Destruction, promises to bring back the Z-Fighters in full force.
As anticipation mounts among anime enthusiasts for what Goku and his comrades will face in the upcoming fall series, a fresh animation calendar offers a sneak peek into the transformation of these shonen heroes into children.
Dragon Ball Daima: A Fresh Perspective
Although Daima doesn’t draw from a manga for its source material, Toriyama himself played a pivotal role in crafting the narrative of the Z-Fighters losing years of their lives.
When the concept of this new series was introduced, many fans couldn’t help but draw parallels to Dragon Ball GT. Debuting in the ’90s, this sequel series, while lacking Toriyama’s direct involvement, shared a similar premise with Daima. However, in GT, only Goku reverted to childhood as he embarked on a cosmic journey to gather the Black Star Dragon Balls.
Toei Animation 2025 Calendar ft. Dragon Ball DAIMA ✨ pic.twitter.com/c1QMaoAxbf
— SUPER クロニクルス (@SupaChronicles) April 20, 2024
Despite the upcoming anime depicting the characters as younger versions of themselves, the initial trailer showcased a battle between the adult Goku and Vegeta. With Toei Animation consistently refreshing its art style year by year, as seen in examples like One Piece, this classic showdown was revitalized with a new aesthetic.
Set between the demise of Kid Buu and the inception of Dragon Ball Super, it’ll be intriguing to see if Daima’s events are referenced in future storylines.
The future trajectory of Dragon Ball Super remains uncertain in the wake of Toriyama’s tragic passing, though manga artist Toyotaro persists in his endeavors within the Shonen series. Speculation abounds among anime aficionados regarding Toyotaro’s potential stewardship of the series, but Toriyama’s indelible legacy in anime will endure.
