The Frustrating Reality Behind the Long Delay of Dragon Ball Super’s Return

Dragon Ball Super is currently in a hiatus that began in March 2024, following the untimely passing of its legendary creator, Akira Toriyama. In the wake of this heartbreaking news, fans worldwide have expressed deep appreciation for Toriyama’s immense contributions to the franchise, sparking discussions about the series’ direction without its original visionary at the helm. The ongoing anime, Dragon Ball Daima, has served as a nostalgic nod to the franchise’s foundational moments, filling crucial gaps in the saga’s extensive timeline.

Yet, the adventures and mysteries within the immensely popular Dragon Ball Super manga remain on pause, leaving fans to speculate about the enigmatic Black Frieza among other plotlines. While the anime adaptation concluded its run in 2018, the continuation of the story remains uncertain, despite the commercial success of subsequent films. Currently, no new episodes are confirmed to be in development.

The future of the Dragon Ball franchise hangs in the balance, primarily due to ongoing legal disputes rather than any decline in popularity or direction. As reported by Weekly Toyo Keizai, the franchise has been embroiled in a contentious battle over its intellectual property rights that began in 2023. This challenge intensified following Toriyama’s untimely death, complicating ongoing negotiations about the franchise’s future management.

Shueisha and Capsule Corporation Tokyo: A Battle for Rights

Conflict Over Ownership of Dragon Ball

The ownership of the Dragon Ball franchise remains murky amid escalating disputes. Shueisha and Bird Studio, Toriyama’s own company, originally co-owned the rights to Dragon Ball. However, a conflict that surfaced in 2023 has led to significant tensions between these entities. Akio Iyoku, a former editor of V-Jump, which publishes Dragon Ball Super, took charge of the Dragon Ball Room at Shueisha in 2016. As a confidant of Toriyama, he gained the creator’s trust and was entrusted with overseeing the franchise.

However, the situation soured in 2022 when Shueisha removed Iyoku from his position, a move that incited frustration from both Iyoku and Toriyama. Subsequently, Iyoku established his own company, Capsule Corporation Tokyo, with Toriyama endorsing him to manage the IP. Naturally, this decision sparked outrage at Shueisha, culminating in a struggle over the rights to the franchise.

With these legal disputes, the clarity on who should be consulted about Dragon Ball matters has become increasingly blurred. Although discussions aimed at resolving these differences were underway, the unfortunate passing of Akira Toriyama has significantly hindered progress. The current state of these negotiations remains unclear, yet meetings have recommenced. The ultimate decision regarding the franchise’s future appears to rest with Toriyama’s family.

A Dim But Hopeful Future for Dragon Ball

Anticipation for Dragon Ball Super’s Manga Return

Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding ownership, there is a promising sign for the future of the franchise: a new one-shot of Dragon Ball Super is slated for release. Since Shueisha retains exclusive rights to the manga, this development suggests an willingness to proceed, even amid ongoing negotiations about the franchise’s ownership. This special one-shot will center on Goten and Trunks, set within the timeline of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

Goten and Trunks as superheroes in Dragon Ball Super.

Although the release of a singular one-shot may not fully satisfy fans eager for a return to the manga’s serialized format or the continuation of the beloved animated series, it nonetheless signifies positive movement in the face of uncertainty and conflict. Fans will need to bide their time a little longer for the return of Black Frieza and other overarching story arcs, but this one-shot could potentially pave the way for more content to come.

Dragon Ball Super and the entire franchise have found themselves in a state of limbo following Akira Toriyama’s death. Clarity on the ongoing disputes over rights is scarce; however, the announcement of a new manga installment, alongside the continued airing of Dragon Ball Daima, offers something for fans to cling to during these uncertain times. While the future remains hazy, there are signs that suggest brighter days may lie ahead for the Dragon Ball saga.

SOURCE : Weekly Toyo Keizai

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