Since March 2024, the Dragon Ball franchise has entered a state of uncertainty following the death of its creator, Akira Toriyama. His legacy has been complicated by the official pause of Dragon Ball Super, which began in 2018, resulting in the halt of the anime and the lack of new chapters in the manga, despite Toyotaro, identified as his successor, continuing to provide content until April 2025 with Volume 24.
Toyotaro is no longer involved and receives harsh criticism from the editors
The outlook darkened even further when fans of the Goku universe were hoping for positive announcements to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the manga and anime at the Japan Expo in 2025. Instead of news about new narrative arcs, Toyotaro revealed that he had been working on an original manga titled Lost Samurai, completely distancing himself from the Dragon Ball universe. This project marks a new chapter in his career, but it has also raised questions about who will truly lead the continuity of the series.
During the event, Kazuhiko Torishima, a veteran editor of Dragon Ball, made strong criticisms of Toyotaro’s recent work, pointing out that certain fight scenes lacked dynamism. This intensified the debate about the future of Dragon Ball Super, which still lacks a clear direction. Although Toyotaro has expressed his desire to restart the Black Freezer arc, the final decision rests with Shueisha and Toei Animation, who seem to be divided on how to continue Toriyama’s legacy.
Fans, although frustrated, have learned to be patient in the face of the series’ lack of clarity. With Dragon Ball Daima already finished and no concrete announcements about the return of the anime or the manga, the future of Dragon Ball Super remains shrouded in a fog of uncertainty as followers await clear answers.
