Dragon Ball Z was a cultural juggernaut and arguably an ideal entry point into the Dragon Ball universe. Akira Toriyama’s genre-defining shonen epic has millions of admirers around the globe, but as of 2025, its future has become uncertain. In the wake of Toriyama’s passing in 2024, the Dragon Ball IP has suffered significant setbacks. With complex battle rights at play, it’s only natural to wonder what lies ahead for this legendary martial arts saga.
Dragon Ball Super: The True Heir to Toriyama’s Legacy
The Dragon Ball franchise has spawned a massive body of work - from anime series and films to video games, each expanding its universe in fresh directions. While spinoffs like Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball DAIMA have enriched the lore, Dragon Ball Super is the one that truly stands apart.
It is the first canon continuation of the original story, with the creator Toriyama himself penning the narrative and overseeing its adaptation, alongside Toyotarou. This direct involvement has ensured that both longtime fans and a new generation of viewers were treated to Toriyama’s direct touch and high-octane action that defined the franchise. Dragon Ball Super also delivered on a character level, i.e., granting Vegeta a transformation that truly embodied his character’s essence.
Why Dragon Ball Super's Return Might Take Longer than Expected
Dragon Ball Super won't return to serialization within the new few months, and here's why.
The Dragon Ball Super Anime Stalemate Explained
The rights to the Dragon Ball franchise are divided between Shueisha, the primary rights holder of the Dragon Ball manga, and Capsule Corporation Tokyo, a company founded by Toriyama’s close friend and collaborator, Akio Iyoku, to manage and produce his works. It is pertinent to mention that Iyoku was the former head of the Dragon Ball Room at Shueisha but departed in 2023 to establish his own company.
Toriyama’s death, coupled with Iyoku’s departure from Shueisha and the subsequent creation of Capsule Corporation Tokyo, has exacerbated legal battles over the rights to the Dragon Ball franchise. Shueisha maintains the rights to Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Super manga, while Iyoku at Capsule Corporation Tokyo, with the support of Toriyama's family and estate, holds the rights to other intellectual properties, including the anime, films, and video games. This complex division of rights is the reason Dragon Ball Super manga has not been animated beyond the Tournament of Power arc.
The Future of Dragon Ball Super
Amid the ongoing legal dispute, it is understandable that the Dragon Ball Super anime is in a stalemate. However, the situation raises crucial questions about the manga, particularly whether Toyotarou is done with the series. This is especially pertinent given Toriyama’s strong involvement; while he didn’t write the story from scratch, he provided Toyotarou with outlines and corrections, creating a vital editorial relationship. In his absence, Shueisha is understandably hesitant, as the manga's future without Toriyama's guidance is uncertain. The Dragon Ball Super manga has been on an indefinite hiatus since March 2024, directly reflecting this creative and legal limbo.
So far, the only Dragon Ball Super manga chapter Toyotarou has written without Toriyama’s assistance is the one-shot, Chapter 104. A prevalent but unconfirmed industry belief is that this chapter was written to ensure there was enough content to fill Dragon Ball Super's final volume, Volume 24, as the previous three chapters alone would have been insufficient for a full release.
Recently at Japan Expo, Toyotarou showcased a new one-shot manga project called “Lost Samurai.” While the future of this project beyond its one-shot status is uncertain, what is clear is that Toyotarou has turned his creative attention to other works amid the hiatus of the Dragon Ball Super manga.
Dragon Ball Super
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- 2015 - 2018
