The Dragon Ball franchise was created by Akira Toriyama and his sudden death in March of this year left fans around the world devastated. Fortunately, a new anime from the series, Dragon Ball Daima, will soon be released as a refreshing addition to its legacy. Dragon Ball remains one of the biggest and most popular anime and manga properties in the world, setting the standard for shōnen anime, and its success has made it a multi-generational colossus.

Now fans are looking forward to the latest incarnation and the latest Dragon Ball Daima trailer did a great job teasing fans about what’s to come. Although Toriyama won’t be with the anime release, at least the Dragon Ball creator was deeply involved in the development of Dragon Ball Daimo. Those longing for more animated adventures with Goku and his friends can breathe a sigh of relief as the days of waiting are almost over.

Updated on August 5, 2024, by Arthur Goyaz:Akira Toriyama’s death was deeply felt by Dragon Ball fans, and the upcoming Dragon Ball Daima is set to honor Toriyama’s legacy in another exciting way. This article has been updated to discuss the latest news in anime and to reflect the current CBR formatting standards.

What Is the Plot of Dragon Ball Daima?

 Dragon Ball Daima is the fifth anime series in the Dragon Ball franchise, wthe series is preceded by Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z (and its enhanced re-release Dragon Ball Z Kai), Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super. However, the timeline can be a bit confusing since the new anime takes place shortly after the Majin Buu saga. Dragon Ball Daimo’s story involves a supposed “plot” that leaves the likes of Goku, Vegeta, Krillin, and others in a small, tiny, childish form. To reverse this dramatic change, the Z Fighters must travel to another world and uncover the truth about what happened.

Since Dragon Ball Daima starts after the Majin Buu saga, the anime is a sequel to Dragon Ball Z, meaning it doesn’t take place after Dragon Ball Super. Instead, it takes place before the ten-year time jump seen in that series finale. Thus, it is unlikely that any new character forms will be introduced during Dragon Ball Daimo, as these new transformations for Goku and his allies would conflict with what is shown in Dragon Ball Super.
Now much smaller and seemingly weaker than before, Goku returns to memory lane to deal with what happened to him. Using his iconic pillar of strength, the Saiyan warrior embarks on adventures a little closer to those seen in the original Dragon Ball. That’s all that’s been revealed about Dragon Ball Daimo’s plot so far, but more will likely be revealed as the series gets closer to its release date.

What Does “Daima” Mean In Dragon Ball Daima?

 Unlike most other Dragon Ball anime, Dragon Ball Daima is not based on a previous manga by Akira Toriyama. Instead, it’s an original anime that tells an entirely new story. In this way, it closely resembles the now non-canonical anime series Dragon Ball GT. GT was also not based on the manga, Akira Toriyama himself was only loosely involved in some of the designs. Since then, he has only occasionally referenced the series or done art for Dragon Ball GT. Similarly, it had a storyline where Goku was reduced to a child and he, Pan, and Trunks went to other planets to get the Black Star Dragon Balls. However, in the new series, Goku is not the only one who has become small.

Unlike Dragon Ball GT, Toriyama himself was much more involved in the series, conceptualizing its plot and several other critical elements. This will probably be the main deciding factor when it comes to making Dragon Ball Daimo canon with the rest of his works. After all, Dragon Ball GT is no longer considered canon for other Dragon Ball anime, with the events of Dragon Ball Super officially replacing it. It was speculated that Dragon Ball Daima would get a corresponding manga edition, but after Toriyama’s death, that is unlikely to happen. At least he left fans with a brand new anime to end his legacy on a high note.

The Creators Behind Dragon Ball Daima

 As previously mentioned, Akira Toriyama developed the story for Dragon Ball Daimo, with Yuuko Kakihara writing the scripts for the series. Kakihara has already written for several other anime over the years, including the Urusei Yatsura remake, Pokemon, Digimon, and the magical girl series Pretty Cure. Katsuyoshi Nakaturu is the character designer and previously worked on Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT in this capacity. He even worked on an anime adaptation of Toriyama’s other best-known work, Dr. Slump, from 1997.

The directors of Dragon Ball Daimo are Yoshitaka Yashima and Aya Komaki. The former was an animator for Dragon Ball Super, while Komaki was an assistant director for One Piece Film Red. As for the voice cast, the only confirmed star is Masako Nozawa, who has long been the Japanese voice for Goku and his family members.

When Does Dragon Ball Daima Come Out?

 Dragon Ball Daima is actually something of an anniversary project, which explains the release date of the series. It is currently scheduled for release in Fall 2024, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the original Dragon Ball manga. A new trailer posted on X (formerly Twitter) has finally confirmed that the anime will be released in October 2024.

Another unknown is how long the show will run and if it is a “replacement” for the Dragon Ball Super anime. The series has been on hiatus since 2018, when the manga was still in production. It’s not confirmed when or if he will return, and Toriyama’s death will certainly affect that decision. Toriyama has named Toyotaro as his successor more than once, but what exactly that means for the Dragon Ball franchise is still a mystery. Finally, it is not yet confirmed how international audiences will watch Dragon Ball Daimo, but it will likely be released on streaming services such as Crunchyroll.

What the Dragon Ball Daima Trailers Reveal About the New Series

 Dragon Ball Daima was Toriyama’s last Dragon Ball project before his death, and according to a statement issued for the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Tokyo Anime Awards, the project was to be developed without him. However, Toriyama was so taken with the new ideas that once he realized this, he became an integral part of the Dragon Ball Daimo. His relationship with the project is easily recognizable by the artwork presented in the trailers.

The artwork and animation of the new anime is actually the main feature of the trailers released so far. Each trailer is determined to keep plot details and major reveals under wraps, effectively fueling fans’ curiosity for what’s to come. The first trailer for Dragon Ball Daima, released in October 2023, presents the anime with a collage of the Dragon Ball franchise over the years, from the first edition of the manga, released in 1984, to Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, released in 2022. , full-length animated film , which acts as a sequel to Dragon Ball Super: Broly. The heartwarming tribute then moves to the first exclusive images of Dragon Ball Daimo, which features two strange creatures tracking Goku’s past across multiple screens. The scene is followed by a first look at the child forms of the main characters, as well as their reactions to their new form.

Two exclusive Dragon Ball Daimo clips followed. The next one, released in January 2024, is entirely focused on Goku and gives fans a look at how great the new animation looks in action. It’s worth noting that Goku’s Power Pole is back; a nice nod to the first Dragon Ball adventure and a hint that the new anime series may have a lot in common with classic Dragon Ball in tone and pace. In the character-driven trailer, Goku faces deadly new foes and shows that he still knows how to use the Power Pole. He also eats a lot in the trailer — no matter how small Goku is, his appetite remains unchanged.

The latest Dragon Ball Daimo trailer was released in July 2024 and features new character Gloria, a blue Kai-like figure who is said to be the main antagonist, as well as a masked Majin and Gomah, a demon from the Demon Realm. While there is no shortage of cosmic threats in the Dragon Ball franchise, the otherworldly appeal present in each Dragon Ball Daima trailer seems to be unique, suggesting an entirely different universe or timeline. The latest teaser also delivers some great action sequences and confirms Dragon Ball Daimo’s release window.