Dragon Ball’s Future Is in Grave Danger & the Signs Are Impossible to Ignore

Dragon Ball is in unknown territory. For the first time in their long history, Goku and Earth’s strongest protectors are facing a future without creator Akira Toriyama. The series has been left in trusted hands, but nearly two years on from the artist’s passing, little is known about what the future holds for Dragon Ball.

Fans have expressed concern about the franchise’s current direction, and, unfortunately, there are some signs of danger ahead. Aside from the relative silence in recent months, some of what Dragon Ball has released following Toriyama’s death hasn’t been of the highest quality, and fans aren’t the only group feeling that way.

Dragon Ball’s Ex-Editor Slams the Franchise’s Latest Moves

Dragon Ball’s Original Editor Is Critical of the Producer and Newly Opened Tokyo Store

Kazuhiko Torishima should be a familiar name to Dragon Ball fans. Before Akira Toriyama became a legend in the industry, Torishima was his editor for the 1980 sci-fi gag manga, Dr. Slump, and maintained that role throughout the first half of Dragon Ball. Though he stepped away during the Saiyan Saga, his influence remained until the series’ completion in 1995.

Torishima is likely most well known for his critiques of Toriyama’s villains during the Cell Saga, pushing him to move on from Dr. Gero and the Androids even though he was no longer attached to the series. Today, fans view his criticism during the arc as perhaps the most important piece of feedback in manga history.

The editor has never been one to sugarcoat his criticism, and fans have come to expect harsh comments from him to make headlines here and there. Nevertheless, Torishima’s admiration and respect for Akira Toriyama and his work has always been apparent. It’s clear he cares for Dragon Ball‘s legacy, which gives weight to some recent comments he made about the present state of the series.

Discussing the recently opened Dragon Ball store in Tokyo, Torishima urged fans not to spend money on what he believes to be poor quality merchandise. His words weren’t the kindest, but they weren’t entirely off base, as fans have also complained about the merchandise and new illustrations released for the store’s opening. In an interview translated by Venixys on X, he said:

“Apologies for saying this to fans who went to the Dragon Ball Store, but—guys, they are treating you like ducks to be plucked. They think ‘they don’t understand anyway, just lining this stuff up is enough.’ The only choice is to not buy and slam in their faces that everything there now is s***t. If it stops selling, everyone will reflect. It is because it sells that they stop thinking.”

Torishima made his feelings towards the newly opened Dragon Ball store clear, and low-quality merchandise wasn’t his only target. He also heavily criticized series producer Akio Iyoku, with whom the future of Dragon Ball anime, games, and other multimedia projects lie.

Dragon Ball’s Original Editor Doesn’t See Eye to Eye With the Current Series Producer

Dragon Ball Is Traveling a Troubling Road

Before his passing, Akira Toriyama and series producer Akio Iyoku had a falling out with Shueisha, the publisher of all Dragon Ball-related manga titles. Iyoku, who was close with and trusted by Toriyama, was let go of his position as the head of the Dragon Ball room at Shueisha, and began Capsule Corporation Tokyo with the series’ creator to oversee the series’ anime and gaming projects.

Since then, both companies have operated separately, with quite a bit of friction between them. The rift is reportedly a reason the Dragon Ball Super manga has shown no signs of being adapted into any sort of anime series. Kazuhiko Torishima had some choice words about Iyoku as well, claiming Capsule Corp Tokyo refuses to communicate with Shueisha. He said:

“He is the head of a secret society. Someone who hasn’t created a single page or written a single line of Dragon Ball, yet he gives orders on everything with that arrogant air… To tell the truth, the producer at Capsule Corporation Tokyo has absolutely no (aesthetic) sense, which is why things like this come out… Shueisha can’t communicate well with them. Rather, Capsule Corporation Tokyo is so annoying that they’ve stopped telling them anything.”

It’s clear Torishima isn’t happy with the disconnect between Shueisha and Akio Iyoku, and though his words are harsh, they’re well-meaning. Without Akira Toriyama overseeing Dragon Ball, there’s little stopping those in charge of the franchise from moving forward with subpar releases, knowing fans will support the series anyway.

The quality of merchandise at the Dragon Ball store may not be a concern of most fans around the world, but if it’s good enough for those currently overseeing the series, future anime productions might also suffer simply because fan support is guaranteed. Kazuhiko Torishima seems to want the best for the series, and he isn’t convinced that’s what the fans are getting.

Dragon Ball is one of the most iconic anime and manga franchises in history, and without Akira Toriyama, there’s no telling what the future may hold. However, there are certainly signs of dark times ahead, and the series’ original editor is pleading with fans to not accept anything less than the best.

Created by

Akira Toriyama

First Episode Air Date

April 26, 1989

First Film

Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies

Latest Film

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.