It isn’t hard to write a good anime villain—there are countless examples of brilliantly bone-chilling anime villains—but it’s hard to write one of the best. The simple truth is that there are a lot of amazing anime villains, and trimming down the selection to just a handful of highlights is a task much easier said than done. A wonderful villain transcends a simple judgment of their actions, power, or ideology.

Nonetheless, we’ve tried! These villains are the best anime has to offer. They aren’t necessarily the strongest, scariest, or most hated; these are the icons of anime villainy who stand out within the industry. Whether it’s because of their impact, cultural relevance, or just being incredibly well-written, every single villain on this list earned their place.

1) Johan Liebert (Monster)

Monster is required viewing for pretty much everybody who takes anime seriously. Monster‘s entire cast is profoundly strong, but there are two obvious faces who stand out from the rest. On one side, there’s protagonist Kenzo Tenma, the surgeon falsely accused of murder who finds himself on the run needing to clear his name; on the other, there’s Johan Liebert, the mysterious and enigmatic serial killer whose crimes fall on Tenma’s head.

As a villain, Johan is simply chilling: manipulative, charming, and chameleon-like. His backstory itself is horrifying, and it really brings a brand new depth to his character—but it’s also not totally necessary for him to be as overpowering as he is. As one watches Monster, one realizes that Johan independently isn’t nearly as responsible for the series’ events as those swept up in the cult of personality that surrounds him. His smart writing, horrifying disposition, and uncanny ability to make others act out terror is the factor that has made Monster one of the most acclaimed and unforgettable anime ever.

2) Meruem (Hunter x Hunter)

When you start watching Hunter x Hunter, it’s a little slow. As you investigate online during the series’ early slog—the hype around it must exist for a reason, after all—you’ll see some confirmation that it hits its stride especially with the “Yorknew City” arc. The other thing you’ll inevitably see during your research is Hunter x Hunter being worth it because of the “Chimera Ant” arc especially, cited endlessly by fans as one of anime’s best ever. Meruem is the reason for that.

Overpowered, ruthless, and commanding an army of evolved humanoid ants, Meruem leaves no room for doubt that he’s the best—and that humans fall well below his own species. As his arc develops, he gains even more depth, and his eventual death comes with a soul-crushing set of revelations. It’s hard to say what the best anime villains possess, but one quality is critical: being able to get into their head and understand them, even if empathy is hard. Meruem exemplifies that as he elevates Hunter x Hunter‘s stakes to a feverish new high.

3) Yoshikage Kira (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

On the other side of things would be JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure‘s Kira, the central antagonist of Part 4, Diamond is Unbreakable. When you think of JoJo, there are definitely more identifiable villains: DIO, Kars, and Steel Ball Run‘s main antagonist who we’re opting not to spoil. Beyond that, though, are its most bone-chilling villains: people like Santana and Diavolo, say. Kira stands apart from all of those villains.

Kira is incredible because unlike essentially every other JoJo villain, he lacks any big aim; he wants to have a quiet life and commit his murders in the background, for his own sake. For that reason, he becomes so deeply terrifying and overpowering. On one hand, because his bloodlust is so intense and in your face; on the other, because he’ll go to such lengths to see it through. The final battle against Kira is the most unbeatable any animated JoJo villain has ever felt (at the time of writing)—and all for the sake of one man’s quietly twisted desires.

4) Sousuke Aizen (Bleach)

The Soul Society arc is renowned as one of Bleach‘s best. The beauty and impact of the arc both come down to one key plot twist: Aizen’s betrayal of Soul Society. The twist’s ripples were seismic, and while the story arguably lost steam not long after, the build-up and reveal were sufficient to catapult Bleach into anime’s Big Three. The reason for that is simple: Aizen is an amazing, iconic villain, with straightforward ambitions that arguably put him well in the territory of moral ambiguity.

He’s not just ridiculously strong, though he certainly is (his ability to manipulate senses with Kanzen Saimin is formidable and terrifying). His ideals aren’t necessarily the problem: the problem is how he goes about them, utterly stuck within a god complex and unable to interact regularly with people. He’s manipulative and endlessly charismatic, taking viewers captive as readily as his victims on-screen. Today, Bleach is regaining prestige among anime fans with the beloved Thousand-Year Blood War arc, where Aizen still makes a handful of pivotal contributions to Bleach‘s narrative.

5) Madara (Naruto Shippuden)

In Naruto Shippuden, there are plenty of amazing villains: honorable mentions here would be the likes of Pain and Orochimaru. But Madara is just unbelievable. His resurrection scene is one of Naruto‘s most iconic ever, when he comes out the gate to slaughter uncountable shinobi without breaking a sweat, taunting the whole time. After more or less establishing him as the final villain for the entire series, Madara’s big reveal (and consequent wartime rampage) is one of anime’s greatest payoffs ever.

The most brilliant thing about Madara is that he changed how anime villains work on a fundamental level. While he certainly wasn’t the first villain to have an empathetic backstory, Kishimoto’s special focus on empathetic villainy made it pretty much mandatory for any anime worth its salt to give its villain a Joker-style origin story. He makes all of the peripheral conflicts fall into place by showing how, fundamentally, Akatsuki has a point about Naruto‘s world. Madara is a masterful foil few other anime villains can match.

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6) Suguru Geto (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Jujutsu Kaisen is loaded with fantastic villains and, inevitably, some people will think Sukuna, Mahito, or whoever else deserved a mention instead. However, this list isn’t about the strongest villains (a list where Sukuna would definitely earn a place) or the most terrifying villains (a list where Mahito might stand a chance), it’s about the best, most identifiable, and most iconic villains. For Jujutsu Kaisen‘s part, nobody fits that description better than Suguru Geto.

Suguru Geto illuminates the role of chance and willpower in the series through his backstory with Gojo, and he’s so deeply embedded into the underlying themes of the series that it’s hard to call him a villain, properly speaking. Nonetheless, in Jujutsu Kaisen, he represents a eugenicist idea of order that sorcerers stand in defiance of: he is, regardless of circumstances, a villain—and a very good one. He’s impressive powerful, of course, but let’s be honest: Geto isn’t an iconic Jujutsu Kaisen character because of his strength, his ideology, nor the havoc he wreaks. He’s iconic because, like the best villains, he’s unforgettably compelling.

7) Light Yagami (Death Note)

In terms of their explanation through backstory, Geto finds a polar opposite in Death Note‘s iconic Light Yagami. Light Yagami’s story takes place essentially entirely in the here and now; the show makes few excursions into the past. For Light, what matters isn’t how he developed his ideals, but that he has them at all—and that he’ll do anything to see them through. Feeling chosen by the Death Note, he takes the opportunity to enact his own model of justice.

The interplay of his meticulousness and his seeming inability to err make him an attention-arresting, unstoppable protagonist. Death Note is ingeniously paced so as to saturate all of Light’s movements with meaning, even if that meaning is only apparent after the fact. Once you realize it, you realize that you’d rather do anything than hold ideals opposite of the twisted, charming young man on the screen. Light rarely ever lays a hand on anybody directly, and all his power is invested in two things: his little notebook and his evasive, intelligent, and charismatic personality. That’s all he needs, too.

8) Char Aznable (Mobile Suit Gundam)

Brilliant, manipulative, and marked by his stunning evolution—starting with absolute revenge against the Zabis for the death of his father, but growing well beyond it—Char Aznable is one of the most identifiable villains in anime history. Before there was Lelouch Lamperouge, there was Char, who represented a new depth for villains in both the mecha genre and anime writ large.

Beyond providing some of the best lines in Gundam history, his journey is deeply engaging to watch. His relationships are thorough and considered, adding extra layers to his sporadically shifting allegiances. Regardless of which of his many personas he’s donning, Char is definitively one of anime’s earliest and greatest examples of psychologically deep antagonists, playing a pivotal role in the UC timeline.

9) Shogo Makishima (Psycho-Pass)

Psycho-Pass is a ridiculously good series, and it’s one of the best thriller anime of all time. One of the greatest arcs in the series is centered around Shogo Makishima, a Joker-esque enemy om Psycho-Pass‘s dystopian world where people are examined and suppressed for their stress and potential for rebellion. Well-read and articulate, Shogo Makishima elegantly lays out his philosophy to Psycho-Pass star detective-in-the-dumps Shinya Kogami, also disillusioned with the Sybil System. And the truth is: he makes a lot of sense.

He yearns for past societies where there was a greater degree of free will, and he’ll do anything to get there. Not only are his crimes masterfully executed and the chase around him a true nail-biter, but the fact that the societies he yearns for draw closer to our own means that he’s built from the ground up to draw out viewers’ identification with him. Makishima is a brilliant villain because, while many villains allow their ideals to supersede morality, those ideals rarely match our own.

10) Frieza (Dragon Ball Z)

Within the anime milieu, Frieza is the perfect foil to Madara and his deep, emotional backstory: a villain whose intentions are, frankly, pretty straightforward. Frieza, the Emperor of Universe 7, simply wants to maintain his power. He pushed for the Saiyan genocide on Planet Vegeta for no other reason than snubbing out any potential threat the Saiyans might have posed.

On a list chock-full of options that make you think, he’s also a perfect foil to Char Aznable: Frieza is a welcome throwback to an era in shonen where things were simpler. An icon of one of the most popular anime of all time, Frieza’s villainy remains formidable throughout Dragon Ball. Notably, his lengthy battle with Goku is arguably the best fight in all of Dragon Ball Z, but he remains a primary antagonist across Dragon Ball Z and Super.

In the end, it’s hard to say exactly what makes a top-notch anime villain, and inevitably, there might be some huge picks we missed or couldn’t fit in. We can practically already feel the inbound “what about Griffith?” comments! Good thing is, we encourage that kind of engagement: drop a comment below with your thoughts.

Can’t get enough of a good villain? There’s overlap between this list and our selections for the best anime thrillers out there! Click the link below to give it a look.

The post 10 Best Anime Villains of All Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The latest installment in the Dragon Ball franchise, Daima, is certainly one of the most special, primarily because it stands as the final project the late Akira Toriyama ever worked on. This series captures the essence of the franchise, presenting a lighthearted adventure in which the Z Fighters embark on a new journey with a renewed purpose. As Goku and the others face new enemies and are transformed into younger versions of themselves, the story creates space for character development and the introduction of new transformations. However, the series is far from flawless. As the narrative progresses, several elements fail to make sense.

While Daima, like most Dragon Ball installments, embraces supernatural themes, it often struggles to bridge the gap between fiction and internal logic. The real shortcoming lies in how the series builds promising foundations that could have been logically expanded within the bounds of its fantasy framework, but instead introduces elements that feel misplaced or unearned. At times, developments feel forced or entirely incoherent. We’ve selected seven such moments from Daima in which a few should have followed a more consistent, logical approach, but ultimately fall apart, while others don’t make sense at all.

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7) Gomah Being the Final Villain

The journey in Daima begins with Gomah’s scheme to turn the Z Fighters into children. From the start, Gomah is portrayed as a relatively weak and comedic character, leading many to believe that the series was building toward a different, more formidable final villain. Throughout the story, several new elements were introduced that could have served this role, but one stood out in particular: a new creation reminiscent of Majin Buu, yet more obedient and potentially more dangerous. This plotline was tied to Dr. Arinsu, the elder sister of Supreme Kai Shin, who had been secretly working behind the scenes since Buu’s arrival on Earth. By retconning parts of Majin Buu’s lore, the new Majin Buu seemed to lay the groundwork for a final antagonist with deep narrative roots.

However, as Daima approaches its conclusion, the series shifts direction and reinstates Gomah as the ultimate threat through the hasty implementation of the Evil Third Eye initially alluded to near the start of the series. This artifact grants Gomah limitless power and regeneration, turning him into a villain who, despite his newfound strength, lacks any real depth, echoing a common criticism of many past Dragon Ball villains. Considering the groundwork already laid, Daima would have benefited from keeping Gomah as a lighthearted, comedic antagonist and focusing instead on expanding the Buu mythology. Doing so could have delivered a truly menacing final villain and given the franchise a chance to rebuild its reputation for compelling antagonists.

6) Goku and Vegeta’s Strength Doesn’t Seem To Find Balance

Daima struggles with how it wants to portray Goku and Vegeta, whether as significantly weakened or still among the strongest fighters. After they are turned back into children, the series initially implies that their power has been greatly diminished and that adapting to their younger forms would be a major challenge. However, as the story unfolds, Daima quickly reintroduces the Super Saiyan transformation, presenting it as an overwhelming force, even within the Demon Realm.

Yet in Episode 10, Goku and Vegeta are suddenly shown struggling against a sea monster named “Kraken,” with Goku even admitting out loud that they aren’t strong enough to handle it. This moment feels completely inconsistent. Given that both can still access Super Saiyan, a form synonymous with immense power, even a reduced version of that strength should be more than enough to defeat a mere monster. The scene creates a jarring disconnect, highlighting how Daima lacks clarity in its power scaling. With no real foundation or backstory provided for the Kraken, this inconsistency reinforces the sense that the series was unsure of how to balance its heroes’ power levels, weakening the internal logic of the narrative.

5) Piccolo’s Abandoned Character Development

With the Demon Realm serving as the central setting of Daima, and Neva as one of its most prominent figures, fans naturally expected significant revelations about both the realm and its inhabitants. Neva delivers on this front, unveiling major lore about the Namekian race that even retcons long-standing beliefs. In Episode 11, he reveals that the Namekians are actually demons, sharing their tragic origins and detailing how they eventually migrated to the planet Namek.

Among these revelations, the Nameless Namekian is confirmed to have originated from the Demon Realm, opening up major opportunities for character development, especially for Piccolo, who is directly connected to this mysterious figure. However, in typical Daima fashion, the series builds up this foundation only to abandon it soon after. Despite being in a setting that could have significantly deepened his character arc, Piccolo is sidelined and given no meaningful moment to shine. This missed opportunity not only undercuts the potential of the lore but also squanders a chance to elevate one of the franchise’s most beloved characters.

4) Dragon Ball Daima Uses Vehicle Malfunctions to Take Pauses

As Dragon Ball Daima progresses, the series begins to introduce new elements from the outskirts of its world; however, the method it uses often relies on a recurring and somewhat lazy narrative device: repeated malfunctions of the spaceship used for travel. Given that Daima establishes early on that the Demon Realm’s dense atmosphere and harsh environment make spaceship travel essential, the series repeatedly uses breakdowns as a way to force pauses in the journey and introduce new plot points.

Right from the beginning, limitations are placed on who can travel due to the ship’s restricted capacity. One example also includes a scene where Goku steals Vegeta’s spaceship simply to stay ahead of their allies, without any real justification. Over time, this became a running trope in Daima, with fans beginning to predict that every two or three episodes would be interrupted by another mechanical failure. Considering the Z Fighters’ journey in previous installments, it feels out of place and makes absolutely no sense for Daima to resort to such a cheap strategy to create pauses.

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3) The Lack of Fusion

Among the many iconic references featured in Daima, the introduction of medicinal bugs stood out, particularly the “Join Bug.” Introduced in Episode 4 of Daima, this mysterious element caught the attention of fans due to its unique ability: as its name suggests, it facilitates the fusion of warriors into a single, more powerful being. Given the franchise’s long-standing familiarity with the concept of fusion, it was clear that Daima was setting the stage for the return of a Goku and Vegeta fusion to confront the final antagonist. However, in the series’ climax, this setup is completely abandoned. Instead of delivering a much-anticipated fusion, Daima reintroduces Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 transformation, effectively discarding a golden opportunity.

This decision feels illogical, especially considering the continuity issues that come with bringing back Super Saiyan 4. Rather than relying on that controversial form, Daima could have brought back Vegito or Gogeta for the final battle, both fan-favorite fusions that wouldn’t disrupt the canon timeline. With Vegeta also shown to be capable of achieving Super Saiyan 3 in this series, there was a chance to introduce an entirely new transformation, such as Super Saiyan 3 Vegito or Gogeta, which might have generated even more excitement without compromising narrative consistency. Additionally, Daima revealed that the Join Bug could fuse more than two warriors, opening the door for a groundbreaking fusion of Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo. Such a combination could have marked a historic moment in the franchise and made Daima unforgettable for all the right reasons.

2) Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 Transformation

There’s no doubt that Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 transformation is the standout highlight of Daima, delivering a form fans never expected to see again, especially not in a canonical storyline, given that Daima is considered part of the official continuity. However, unlike its original debut in GT, the Super Saiyan 4 transformation in Daima lacks a solid foundation and feels clearly out of place. In this series, Goku attains the form with the help of Neva, a legendary Namekian residing in the Demon Realm. Neva uses his magical abilities to awaken Goku’s dormant power, pushing him to transform into Super Saiyan 4, a form meant to represent the primal essence of a Saiyan’s power.

The problem lies in the fact that, unlike GT, which firmly established Super Saiyan 4 through the Golden Great Ape transformation and Goku’s ability to control it, Daima introduces the form without sufficient groundwork. It feels more like a last-minute decision aimed at generating hype rather than serving the story. The biggest issue, however, is the continuity error it creates with Dragon Ball Super, the next installment in the timeline, which is still ongoing and accepted as canon. The appearance of Super Saiyan 4 raises the glaring question of why Goku never used this powerful transformation against Beerus. Instead of reintroducing an old form, Daima would have benefited from showcasing a new, one-time transformation, one that could be attributed to the Demon Realm’s magic and thus easily written off. This would have allowed Super to acknowledge it later, or at least not contradict it. By presenting Super Saiyan 4 as a fully embraced and repeated transformation, Daima ultimately undermines its own coherence for the sake of short-term excitement.

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1) The Evil Third Eye Artifact

The Evil Third Eye artifact, as the series came to an end, suddenly emerged as the strongest element ever introduced, leading up to Daima‘s timeline. While it is an intriguing concept, like many elements in the series, its placement feels out of place. It was revealed that Dabura’s father, Abura, once ruled the Demon World using its power, and that Dabura hid the artifact to overthrow him. Given Dabura’s portrayal in the Z saga as a power-hungry demon, it feels inconsistent that he wouldn’t use this artifact himself.

This portrayal casts him in a different light, almost as a kind or noble figure, which doesn’t align with his established character in Dragon Ball Z. Furthermore, the fact that two more of these artifacts were casually being sold in a shop makes it implausible that other Demon Kings wouldn’t be aware of their existence, especially when the artifact is presented as the most significant source of power in the universe so far. Ironically, it’s these elements that don’t make sense that end up being the highlights of Dragon Ball Daima, suggesting that this installment was more focused on fun, adventure, and spectacle rather than its impact on other series. In doing so, Daima stands out as a classic entry in the franchise, one that embraces laughter, fun, and action above all.

Dragon Ball Daima can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

The post 7 Times Dragon Ball Daima Made Absolutely No Sense appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Daima, the latest installment in the franchise, taking place after the events of the Majin Buu Saga and before Dragon Ball Super, sets up a fun adventure, with the main cast embarking on a quest to regain their adult bodies. From the outset, with the main villain appearing to be no more threatening than foes the Z Fighters have already defeated, it’s clear that Daima is more about the journey, evoking nostalgia through the lighthearted and adventurous elements that defined earlier installments. While Goku naturally takes center stage with his Super Saiyan 4 transformation, Vegeta also establishes a strong foundation early on with impressive character development.

Vegeta’s most surprising development is undoubtedly his ability to tap into the Super Saiyan 3 state. However, upon deeper reflection, this isn’t the most significant growth he undergoes. Daima allows Vegeta to express emotions in quirky and humorous ways that the franchise has rarely explored before, making him appear more human than ever. Especially in contrast to Goku, Vegeta is shown to express a wider emotional range, an evolution that can largely be credited to his relationship with Bulma.

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Vegeta Displays Closer Human Emotions Than Goku Ever in Daima

Dragon Ball Daima was quite adamant about showcasing Vegeta as a family man, especially through his affection for his wife, Bulma. Episode 9 features a hilarious moment that underscores an embarrassing situation for him, highlighting what he likes about his wife. When Bulma, fascinated by her younger skin, expresses that she wouldn’t mind staying in that form, Vegeta immediately insists that they turn back. Hybis, who has been trying to win Bulma over, remarks that Vegeta is eager to return to adulthood because he prefers bigger bosoms, something that could have been brushed off as a joke, but Vegeta’s reaction all but confirms it. However, what truly solidifies Vegeta’s affection for Bulma comes in the second-to-last episode of the series.

Episode 19 of Daima features Vegeta backing out of a fight, a prideful Saiyan warrior who has never stepped back, after Bulma gives him an ultimatum: either keep fighting or lose the chance to bathe with her ever again. These moments, while comedic, are a testament to how Vegeta displays human-like reactions, making him a character fans might even relate to.

In comparison, Goku, who was raised by humans, never shows any romantic affection toward his wife, something that should have come naturally. Even after hearing Bulma’s ultimatum, Goku doesn’t react in a way that would register as a normal or expected human response, reinforcing the idea that he rarely takes anything seriously outside of fighting. In contrast, Vegeta’s vulnerability in Daima highlights his emotional growth, making him appear more human than Goku has ever been. As a result, Vegeta now feels like a character who could be brought into realistic light more convincingly, thanks to these emotional nuances.

Dragon Ball Daima can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

The post Dragon Ball Daima Proves That Vegeta Is More Human Than Goku appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball has been having a moment recently, what with the recent anime Dragon Ball Diama receiving great reviews and Dragon Ball Sparking Zero reinvigorating the gamers. While not the number one series in the franchise (that rank belongs to Z, obviously), Dragon Ball GT still holds up, and the inclusion of one of the coolest transformations in the franchise, Super Saiyan 4, means GT will always hold a place in our hearts. Funko obviously felt the same way as they’ve given us some incredible Pops this week.

The two exclusives from Funko and Chalice Collectibles give us a Super Saiyan 4 Goku (Pop Plus) and a Flocked SS4 Vegeta that also includes a glow-in-the-dark Chase option. The main wave is also pretty spectacular with an SS4 Gogeta, SS4 Goku, SS4 Vegeta, Android 17, and a 6-inch Super Yi-Shinron. You can pre-order all of the commons here at Entertainment Earth and they will be available here on Amazon soon. Details on the exclusives can be found below, and you can keep tabs on all of this week’s best Funko Pop drops right here.

Buy New Dragon Ball GT Funko Pops

Buy at Entertainment Earth

Buy at Hot Topic

• Dragon Ball GT Super Saiyan 4 Goku Funko Pop! Plus Vinyl Figure – Funko Exclusive
• Dragon Ball GT Super Saiyan 4 Vegeta Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure with Glow-in-the-Dark Chase – Chalice Collectible Exclusive / See here at Chalice Collectibles
• Dragon Ball GT Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure
• Dragon Ball GT Super Saiyan 4 Goku Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure
• Dragon Ball GT Super Android 17 Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure
• Dragon Ball GT Super Saiyan 4 Vegeta Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure
• Dragon Ball GT Super Yi-Shinron Funko Super 6-Inch Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure
• Dragon Ball GT Super Saiyan 4 Goku Funko Pocket Pop! Key Chain

Dragon Ball Diama, the newest Dragon Ball anime to entire the franchise, brought back the legendary Super Saiyan 4 transformation much to fans’ delight. And obviously longtime Goku English-Dub voice actor Sean Schemmel knocked it out of the park with some insane transformation. Comicbook’s own Adam Gonzales said that, “beyond the initial transformation, we see a lot of bestial and guttural energy from Goku, and by extension, Schemmel.” And “bestial” and “guttural” are exactly the words I’d use to describe the original SS4 transformation scream from Dragon Ball GT. Although things are changing in the Dragon Ball universe, it’s nice that that stayed the same. 

Want to stay up to date with all the latest Dragon Ball news and collectibles? Then keep an eye on our Gear Page!

The post Dragon Ball GT Gets a Huge Wave of Funko Pops With SS4 Goku and Flocked Vegeta Exclusives appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Dragon Ball franchise celebrated its 40th anniversary in late 2024, but the party continues with a new, limited edition collection of iPhone and Android accessories from Casetify that are set to launch on June 24th. Specifically, the collection will be inspired by Dragon Ball Z, and it will include iPhone and Android cases, lenticular phone cases, AirPods cases, AirPods Max covers, Apple Watch bands, wireless chargers, and more featuring characters like Goku, Vegeta,Gohan, Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu. Of course, Casetify collabs always include some eye-popping standout items. As you are about to see, The Dragon Ball Z x CASETiFY Collection will be no different.

CASETIFY Dragon Ball 40th Anniversary DBZ Collection / Drops June 24th

See at Casetify

Undoubtedly, the two hot ticket items from the DBZ lineup will be The “Father-Son Kamehameha” Phone Case and The Scouter AirPod Max Cover. There will also be an Adventurous Journey Premium Box Set with multiple items. Below you’ll find a breakdown of these items along with a gallery of images. Specific pricing for each item hasn’t been announced at the time of writing, but Castify notes that the lineup will range from $38 to $184. Naturally, the three spotlight items will be on the high end of that spectrum.

• The “Father-Son Kamehameha” Phone Case: This limited-edition lenticular design animates the most unforgettable moment of the Cell Saga when Gohan and Goku launch a Kamehameha together. The dynamic design animates as you tilt the case, capturing the emotional and explosive moment when Goku and Gohan join forces.
• The Scouter AirPod Max Cover: Inspired by the series’ OG battle power trackers, this online exclusive features interchangeable red and green lenses to transform headphones into a true Z-fighter essential.
• Adventurous Journey Premium Box Set: A bundle featuring two Silver Mirror with Silver Bumper phone cases boasting iconic character designs for the iPhone 14-16 Pro and Pro Max. Inside, consumers will find a silver serial number card that highlights the limited number of bundles issued.

The Dragon Ball Z x CASETiFY Collection will be available for purchase globally starting on June 24th here at the Casetify website. As noted, these are limited edition items, so you only have one chance to grab them. You can check out more of their collaboration collections right here.

The post New Dragon Ball Z CASETiFY Collection Includes The Scouter AirPods Max Cover appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball franchise has been running for decades and is now just one short decade away from reaching its half-century mark. This longevity speaks volumes about the world the late Akira Toriyama built. Over the past four decades, Dragon Ball has consistently released new installments, introducing new threats and worlds that continue to mesmerize fans with their rich narrative and exploration. However, despite its long run and numerous arcs, the series has consistently featured Goku as the main hero, leaving little room for other characters to rise to the forefront or even hint at replacing him.

The closest the franchise ever came to doing so was during the climax of the Cell arc, where Gohan, having reached an ascended Super Saiyan level, became far stronger than both Goku and Vegeta. With Goku’s apparent death, it seemed that Gohan would finally carry the torch. However, in the very next arc, the series found new ways to bring Goku back. While Goku is undoubtedly an iconic hero not only within the Dragon Ball universe but also across the entire anime and manga industry, it feels like a missed opportunity, especially considering how Gohan has consistently demonstrated immense potential. With his inheritance and emotional depth fueling his power, the franchise has laid a strong foundation for possibly its most powerful hero yet in the form of Pan, Gohan’s daughter.

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The reason Gohan has shown the potential to surpass Goku as the strongest warrior in the Dragon Ball franchise, and has done so on multiple occasions, is due to his inheritance from his parents. A concept known as “heterosis” or hybrid vigor has been recently explored, suggesting that Gohan’s immense potential stems from being a hybrid, inheriting the best traits from both his parents. With Gohan possessing S-Cells from his father and emotional depth from his human mother, it’s likely why he has surpassed Goku at times, especially considering how emotions have consistently played a critical role in helping Saiyans break their limits. This concept is even more evident in Goten and Trunks, who achieved the Super Saiyan state at an extremely young age, as they were conceived after their fathers had already reached that transformation, thereby passing on stronger S-Cells.

With this in mind, Pan’s case becomes even more compelling. By the time she was conceived, Gohan had already achieved even more powerful forms, such as Super Saiyan 2 and Ultimate Gohan. This genetic inheritance, combined with Gohan’s extraordinary emotional capacity, which has repeatedly enabled him to transcend limits more than others, as seen with the recent emergence of Beast Gohan, suggests that Pan may possess the greatest potential of all. She could very well become the next strongest warrior, capable of surpassing both Goku and Vegeta.

Given that GT has a mixed canonical status with the anime but not with the manga, and Dragon Ball Super is the current canon, Toyotarou has the opportunity to fully embrace this concept of emotional depth and inheritance. If he does, the foundation has already been perfectly laid for Pan to rise as the next strongest hero. However, the chances remain slim, based on the franchise’s recurring patterns and the possibility that the author may use Pan’s heritage, being three-quarters human and only one-quarter Saiyan, against her development.

The post Dragon Ball Has Laid the Perfect Foundation for Its Next Strongest Hero appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Gohan in the Dragon Ball franchise holds a strong reputation, largely due to his consistent portrayal as one of the most powerful fighters, if not the strongest. While Gohan possesses many unique traits that set him apart from Goku and Vegeta, one aspect has always stood out: he is often depicted as surpassing them in raw potential. For decades, fans have debated Gohan’s strength compared to others, and one common explanation emerges time and again: his inheritance from both Goku and Chi-Chi.

Unlike Goku and Vegeta, Gohan is not a pure Saiyan but a hybrid, born from a Saiyan father and a human mother. This technically makes him only half a warrior race member, yet scientific theories, particularly the concept of “heterosis” or hybrid vigor, suggest that hybrids can inherit the best traits from both parents, often resulting in enhanced abilities. This theory holds especially true in Gohan’s case, as both Goku and Chi-Chi are among the strongest individuals in the Dragon Ball universe. Interestingly, it is Gohan’s human side, rich with deep emotions, that gives him a unique edge and contributes significantly to his overwhelming power.

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Gohan’s Raw Power Comes From His Human Emotions

Even as a child, not older than four years old, Gohan demonstrated such immense power that he surpassed his father, as proven by numerical power levels, his spiking above 1300 while Goku’s was under 500 at the time. Despite having no formal training or fighting experience, Gohan exhibited an innate talent, which is a direct result of crossbreeding. However, the factor that consistently propelled Gohan’s power even further has always been his emotions. While Goku, a full-blooded Saiyan, also uses emotion to elevate his strength, eventually achieving the Super Saiyan form because of it, Gohan, being half-human, likely possesses an even stronger emotional depth that enhances his power more profoundly.

This idea gains even more credibility when examining how Goku has always maintained an edge over Vegeta. As the prince of the Saiyan race, Vegeta likely trained more intensely than Goku from a young age. Yet, Goku’s upbringing among humans gave him a deeper connection to emotion, which helped him unlock transformations and power levels more quickly. Vegeta, in contrast, only began closing the gap once he formed bonds with humans and learned to tap into his own emotions. Since emotions are clearly a major factor in unlocking Saiyan potential, this further explains why Gohan, who is literally half-human, has consistently stayed one step ahead of both his father and Vegeta.

There is plenty of evidence showing that emotions play a critical role in unlocking greater power, with one of the clearest examples being Gohan achieving Super Saiyan 2 at just 11 years old, purely through the intensity of his emotions. His most recent and most powerful transformation, Beast Gohan, also emerged from emotional turmoil. In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Gohan achieves this form not through intense training like Goku or Vegeta, but after witnessing his mentor Piccolo being gravely injured by Cell Max. With even scientific theory supporting the advantages of hybrid vigor and emotional depth, it’s evident that Gohan’s power stems from this unique combination. And factoring in both inheritance and emotion, it suggests that there may be someone in the future who could surpass even him and Goku.

Three Possible Candidates Could Surpass Gohan and Goku Through Emotion and Inheritance

The role of inheritance has already been demonstrated through Goten and Trunks, who achieved the Super Saiyan transformation at just seven and eight years old, respectively. This early transformation is largely due to the higher concentration of S-Cells in their bodies, a result of Goku and Vegeta already having attained the Super Saiyan form by the time their sons were conceived. Compared to other Saiyans at that age, Goten and Trunks were significantly stronger.

With their human side also contributing emotionally, it suggests that both Goten and Trunks have the potential to tap into even greater hidden powers through emotion, possibly enough to surpass Gohan. With the latest Dragon Ball Super manga chapter giving them a slight spotlight, it seems Toyotarou might be planning to elevate their roles. Goten and Trunks are promising candidates to become even stronger than Gohan and surpass Goku in the future.

However, an even stronger candidate, one who could potentially surpass both Goten and Trunks in terms of inheritance and emotional depth, is Gohan’s daughter, Pan. When Pan was conceived, Gohan had already achieved the Super Saiyan 2 and Ultimate Gohan forms. This means Pan likely inherited an even higher concentration of S-Cells, potentially putting her above Gohan in terms of latent potential.

Combined with her human emotions, Dragon Ball Super, which remains undeniably canon unlike GT, has the opportunity to shape Pan into the strongest character the franchise has ever seen. That said, it’s important to consider that being only a quarter Saiyan might limit her chances. However, if Toyotarou leans heavily into the concepts of emotional power and genetic inheritance, Pan could become the ultimate warrior, but that all depends on whether the franchise is ready to embrace a female lead who could replace Goku, which is another debate entirely.

The post Why Dragon Ball’s Gohan Was Stronger Than Goku, and Who Could Surpass Him in the Future appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With some anime franchises releasing new chapters after decades of stories, not every character is going to stand still in time. Unfortunately, there are often times wherein some of your favorite heroes skip a beat and aren’t able to retain the mystique that made them such powerhouses to begin with. In compiling a list of “anime heroes who have only gotten worse over time,” we narrowed the choices down to seven of the worst offenders and are more than happy to break down what happened to make these figures lose their luster.

Goku

Let’s get one of the obvious choices out of the way. Goku went from an air-headed toddler who likes brawling to a full-fledged warrior who seemed like he was more than willing to do anything to get into a fight. Along with abandoning his family for years at a time to increase his power level, Goku nearly brought trillions of lives to an end simply to get his next fight. Effectively, Goku’s influence on the all-powerful being known as Xeno helped to create the Tournament of Power, a competition that saw entire universes wiped off the map. While Android 17’s victory assured that all universes destroyed returned from the grave, it goes to show just how bad Son’s state of mind has been in Dragon Ball Super and who can suffer as a result.

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Naruto Uzumaki

While the torch has been passed from father to son in both Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, this fact has made it so that Naruto Uzumaki has suffered as a result. Now that Naruto has achieved his dream of becoming the seventh Hokage of Konoha, he has taken a backseat to his son, which is both good and bad. As it stands in the recent sequel series, Naruto has been locked away in another dimension by Kawaki for years, making him effectively a non-player in the shonen franchise. Following the death, and resurrection, of the Nine Tails, hopefully Naruto will one day return to shine in the spotlight once again.

Light Yagami

Light Yagami started off the Death Note series “strong,” in that he was totally goal-focused and had a back and forth dance with L that showed his brain power and skill. Unfortunately, as the series progressed, Light got sloppy and eventually met his end thanks to biting off far more than he can chew. At his height, Light was able to effectively change society and create a new era wherein “Kira” was able to strike fear into the hearts of criminals. At his lowest, however, everything unraveled and he became far less of the brilliant mind that had put together his intricate plan involving the Death Note.

Guts

Specifically, Berserk’s protagonist is having quite a difficult time maintaining his previous glory in recent chapters of the bleak manga. With the tragic passing of series creator Kentaro Miura, the manga has continued to release new chapters but has focused on a Black Swordsman who can’t quite keep things together. Thanks to Casca being kidnapped by Griffith, Guts has spiralled into emotional turmoil as he can barely even put words together as the Kushan Empire has decided to exile him thanks to his brand. Most likely, Guts will eventually pull himself out of this tail spin but for now, the swordsman is far from the destructive force of nature that we once knew him as.

Jotaro Kujo

Jotaro Kujo started as an anime protagonist who wanted nothing more than to defeat Dio Brando to both end the vampiric threat in Stardust Crusaders and save his mother’s life. As JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure advanced, Jotaro went from being a world-saving hero to a deadbeat father, leaving his daughter Jolyne to suffer being framed for a crime she didn’t commit. While Kujo would help his daughter get a Stand of her own, he was the reason why she was put into this situation in the first place and we have to wonder if Jolyne’s story would have turned out different had he been in his offspring’s life.

Eren Jaeger

The star of Attack on Titan found himself transforming from an underdog hoping to protect his friends into a genocidal force of nature, using the power of the Founding Titan to murder a large majority of the world’s population. While anime fans got a better idea of what Eren was doing when he unleashed the Rumbling and his thought process, it doesn’t change the fact that he clearly went from a troubled hero to, at best, a murderous anti-hero if not outright villain. Effectively, Eren became the main villain of Hajime Isayama’s dark epic and while this turn was certainly an interesting one, it didn’t exactly have the youngest Jaeger become a shining light in the anime realm.

Denji

The Chainsaw Man was always air-headed but Denji has taken that status to new heights in the latest arcs of the manga. Author Tatsuki Fujimoto not only has shown Denji still trying to achieve his goals of getting a girlfriend and leading a quiet life but he has also fumbled the ball quite a few times thanks to losing himself to his desire to be known worldwide. Most recently, a sin Denji committed in his devil hunting has come back to haunt him and in all honesty, he completely deserves it. While this descent is some time away from taking place in the anime adaptation, it is quite the downfall for the bloody shonen character.

The post 7 Anime Heroes Who Have Only Gotten Worse Over Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Daima might not have taken place in the period that gave us the likes of Ultra Instinct Goku and Gohan Beast, but the original anime series gave anime fans the Z-Fighter fix that they needed. Since the anime heroes finished their adventures in the Demon Realm, shonen fans have been waiting to see whether the Dragon Ball Super manga would return from its hiatus and/or if its anime would make a comeback. Unfortunately, while the series was teasing something big, a comeback for Goku and company doesn’t appear to be in the cards as of the writing of this article.

Following the release of new art of Gohan Beast and Ultra Instinct Goku side-by-side from artist Toyotaro, many manga readers wondered if the Dragon Ball Super hiatus was about to end. Shueisha had even hinted that something major was coming down the pike, though it’s not the news that many were hoping for. The recent art from Toyotaro has been announced to receive its own figures, placing father and son side-by-side in the same way they have been depicted in this special illustration. We have yet to see what these new figures will look like but they’re sure to be a hot ticket item for many Saiyan enthusiasts.

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Gohan Vs. Goku

When last we left the Dragon Ball Super manga, the biggest battle was focused on father and son. Following the events of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, the manga decided to see Gohan brought to his father on Whis and Beerus’ planet as both Goku and Vegeta wished to see Gohan’s new ultimate transformation. In a fight that has yet to be animated, the powers of Ultra Instinct and Beast clash though an answer as to which is the most powerful remains a mystery. While this tussle would lead to the likes of Broly and Ultra Ego Vegeta testing their strength against Gohan, the question now arises as to what threat could be on the horizon for the anime fighters.

Earlier this year, Dragon Ball Super’s hiatus ended for a brief moment as a “lost chapter” from Akira Toriyama was released, venturing into the story of how Goten and Trunks decided to pursue a crime-fighting career of their own. Most likely, whenever the manga does return, it’s entirely possible that it could incorporate more than a few elements introduced as a part of Dragon Ball Daima. Luckily, creators behind the scenes have stated in recent memory that they plan to continue the story of Dragon Ball for years to come, so fans shouldn’t expect to say goodbye to the likes of Goku and Gohan any time soon. Fingers crossed that we’ll see the return of Dragon Ball Super sooner rather than later.

Want to see what the future holds for Dragon Ball as the agonizing hiatus continues? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the Z-Fighters and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime or hit us up in the comments.

Via DBS Hype

The post Dragon Ball Super Offers Disappointing Update For Series’ Return appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Super has unfortunately been on a hiatus since the tragic passing of franchise creator Akira Toriyama, but the artist behind the manga series has returned with an awesome new team up for Ultra Instinct Goku and Gohan Beast. Dragon Ball Super has yet to reveal its plans for the future as of the time of this publication as the manga has been on hiatus for the past year, but it’s been made clear that the artist has a lot of interest in the franchise’s characters with the hopes that he’ll be able to continue the story in full someday.

Dragon Ball Super artist Toyotaro has returned to the manga on several occasions with special new artworks and more showing off each of the characters at every opportunity, and that includes the newest special illustration that unites Ultra Instinct Goku and Gohan Beast for a powerful new Father-Son Kamehameha. To help celebrate the 10th anniversary of Dragon Ball Super‘s initial manga release, Toyotaro has dropped this special illustration that you can check out below as shared by Dragon Ball’s official website.

What’s Next for Dragon Ball Super?

Dragon Ball Super has unfortunately been on a hiatus for the past year, and has left fans on quite the cliffhanger following the introduction of Black Frieza at the end of the Granolah the Survivor arc. While the manga ended with its adaptation of the events of the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero feature film, there’s still that lingering cliffhanger that fans are hoping to see revisited someday with more of the story. But without original creator Akira Toriyama around to provide ideas, approaching such a continuation is likely what those at Shueisha and the Dragon Ball team are debating over. It’s a very touchy situation to be in for all those involved.

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Dragon Ball Super did briefly return earlier this year with a special one-shot chapter taking place before the Super Hero prologue. Sharing more of how Goten and Trunks were inspired to become heroes in their town, Toyotaro then revealed that this was the final story that Toriyama had left behind but it just wasn’t used in the original version of the arc. So as a special request to Shueisha, Toyotaro was able to fully illustrate this final bit of Toriyama’s story to help bring it all to life. But the series has been quiet ever since.

Will Dragon Ball Super Ever Return?

Dragon Ball Super fans want to see the manga continue with new stories, but they are more hoping to see the anime return with new episodes someday. While that is possible as there is plenty of material to adapt before the manga went on hiatus, it’s not likely to happen until the Dragon Ball Super manga continues or reaches a proper stopping point. There would be no sense in bringing back an anime that would be incomplete and reach a sudden end, and that’s not the kind of experience that Dragon Ball Super fans would want out of a new anime either way.

So until the Dragon Ball Super manga continues, there’s really no hope of a potential new anime adaptation for the series. With the manga now celebrating its 10th anniversary, and the team at Shueisha’s V-Jump teasing a special announcement with the next issue, there could be some forward momentum coming in the immediate future. But we’ll see how that shakes out as Dragon Ball Super’s future continues to be uncertain. Either way, fans will be ready and waiting to see whatever new material could happen next, if at all.

The post Dragon Ball Super Artist Returns With New Goku & Gohan Team Up appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The latest brand-new Dragon Ball video game was announced last August. Since then, we haven’t heard too much about the new battle arena game. But that’s all about to change as the newly unveiled Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra hosts its first open play test! Gamers can check out the first team-based, free-to-play Dragon Ball game for free by opting in to the play test across Steam, PlayStation, and mobile platforms. This first chance to test drive the newest Dragon Ball game runs from June 11th to June 15th.

Bandai Namco shared the announcement trailer for Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra just last week. So, it’s pretty exciting that gamers are already able to jump in and check out the team-based fighting action for themselves. The trailer shows off many beloved fan-favorite characters in action, ready to join the battlefield as part of players’ 4 vs 4 team battle squads. If you haven’t gotten a chance to see it yet, you can check out the Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra trailer below:

As you can see, Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra immerses players in the world of Dragon Ball with 4 vs. 4 team battles. Several iconic characters, including Goku, Android 18, and Trunks, have already been revealed. Players will face off against one another and in-game bosses alike. Like many free-to-play fighting games, different characters will take on different roles, including Damage, Tank, and Technical options. And yes, there will be character skins, special animations, and more.

If the trailer and description for this new Dragon Ball game have you ready to jump into the action, you can! The game’s first network test is live now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, and mobile platforms. The test is expected to arrive on Nintendo Switch, as well, but ran into unexpected delays.

How to Join the Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra Playtest

The current playtest runs from June 11th until June 15th at 10:59 PM Pacific Time. As long as the playtest is still live, checking out Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra is easy and free. No advance applications are required. To join the Network Test, you simply need to search for and download the game on your preferred platform.

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To play on PC via Steam, simply head to the game’s Steam page. Then, hit “Join the Playtest” to download the game. Once the files are downloaded, you can launch and play the game on your PC. Be sure to check out the listed PC specs first to make sure you’ll be able to run the game.

For PlayStation consoles, add the game to your library from the PlayStation Store and download to participate. There is a PS4 and PS5 version of the game available, so choose accordingly for your console.

Mobile gamers can grab the playtest from the iOS or Google Play Store, just as they would any other mobile game. Simply search for and download Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra.

For now, Nintendo Switch users won’t be able to participate in the play test. However, Bandai is working on a solution and may add the game to the platform before the play test period ends on June 15th. So, you can always check the Nintendo Switch eShop for the game to see if the issue has been resolved.

The post Fans Have a Limited Time to Try Out New Dragon Ball Game for Free appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball franchise has consistently portrayed Goku as the central hero who always arrives in time to save the day. From the very beginning, Goku has been the heart of the series, and over time, he has become synonymous with the franchise itself. His presence defines Dragon Ball, and without him, the series often feels incomplete. This is why, no matter how many times the franchise returns, Goku remains the main protagonist, each time embarking on a new journey, facing fresh challenges, and ultimately unlocking a new transformation. This formula has become the franchise’s hallmark, fueling its enduring popularity and sustained commercial success.

Fans have long debated the possibility of someone replacing Goku as the lead hero. Among the many candidates, one name frequently resurfaces: Gohan. Gohan’s character was built on a solid foundation, with immense latent potential, something he proves at the climax of the Cell Saga. This potential, possibly tied to his half-human heritage, positioned him as a worthy successor. However, by the time of the Cell Saga, Goku had already become the franchise’s emblematic figure, and removing him from the spotlight would risk alienating the fanbase. As a result, the only way Gohan could have truly taken over as the main hero would have been if the Dragon Ball franchise had concluded with the Cell Saga, allowing Gohan to inherit the mantle in a symbolic and definitive end.

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Gohan Could Have Only Symbolically Replaced Goku After the Cell Saga

The long-standing fan debate about the definitive end of the Dragon Ball franchise was recently addressed in Kosokoso’s J-Wave interview featuring three main editors of Dragon Ball. In the interview, they confirmed that Akira Toriyama had originally intended to conclude the series after the Cell Saga. In hindsight, this decision makes sense. Goku’s death and his choice not to return to life served as a powerful, symbolic gesture, passing the mantle of Earth’s protector to Gohan, who, even as a teenager, proved himself more than worthy of carrying the role his father had held for decades. This moment could have marked Gohan’s rise as the new main hero, effectively bringing the series to a meaningful and definitive end.

However, as Toriyama was pressured to continue the story, any plans to feature Gohan as the central hero may have also been overshadowed by the editorial team’s insistence on bringing Goku back, knowing that his return would ensure continued success. As revealed in the same interview, Toriyama wanted to have fun with the Majin Buu Saga, which explains the arc’s more whimsical tone, the emphasis on transformations with numbers and fusions, and why Gohan only received a brief heroic spotlight. The sudden introduction of Goten further reflects Toriyama’s experimental approach during this arc. Despite fans’ hopes for Gohan to fully take over, the editorial team’s priorities likely prevented that shift. Therefore, the only way Gohan could have truly replaced Goku as the Dragon Ball‘s main hero was in a symbolic sense, had the series concluded with the Cell Saga.

The post Dragon Ball & How Gohan Could Have Ever Replaced Goku as the Main Hero appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Moms tend to be pretty cool. I’d know — I have three! You know who else is pretty cool? Anime moms! So, let’s pay homage to moms everywhere by listing the 10 Best Anime Moms that any anime fan or mom can appreciate! Whether they’re a mom who firmly supports their child’s dreams like Delia Ketchum or a mom who looks like an absolute snack like Carla Jaeger, there’s so many anime moms to choose from! “But which moms are the best?” Well, that’s a weird question for you to ask. While the obvious answer is my own, a list pertaining to the moms in anime will have to do.

Whether they’re a single mom, a working mom, a domestic mom, adoptive mom, fun mom, strict mom, or whatever mom, these moms have certain traits that make them stand out from all the other moms in anime. Some anime moms have the dreaded side plait to seal their fates. Some have a certain devotion to their children that are unmatched. Whatever the case, these anime moms have certain qualities that will make you want to binge the animes they’re in just for their motherly presences!

1) Maquia from Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms

The mystical race of the Iorph, known for their longevity, live isolated from the tumultuous outside world of mankind. But when the power-hungry kingdom of Mezarte in their endeavor to add the immortality of the Iorph to the king’s bloodline invade their homeland, ravaging their home with what is left of the dragons, the Renato, at the invaders’ disposal, Maquia is carried off by one of the rogue Renato and left deserted in a forest far from her homeland. Finding the baby in a nearby destroyed village, she decides to raise him as her own, naming him Ariel. Knowing nothing of the world of mankind nor how to raise one of its children that ages much faster than her, she’s determined to not let Ariel feel the loneliness she’s had to endure.

As much as I enjoy anime, ’twasn’t I who suggested seeing Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms when it came out in theaters, but my own mother. She’s not much of an anime fan, but apparently saw that this was available and thought it would be a great mother-daughter film to go see. And it was. And you should too. Maquia, though generally inexperienced as an adult Iorph let alone knowing anything about motherhood, has a certain determination to provide for her adopted son that shows such a vulnerable, tender, and heartwarming love between mother and child.

Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms can be streamed on Crunchyroll, Prime Video, Pluto TV, and Tubi TV.

2) Hana from Wolf Children

When college student Hana notices a mysterious man without a textbook in one of her classes, although he isn’t really a student, she becomes curious. Though the two end up really hitting it off and falling in love, the man reveals his secret: he’s a wolf! Not only does this revelation not deter Hana, but the lovers decide to start a family and have two half-wolf children, Ame and Yuki. But having a half-wolf family isn’t easy in the city, especially when Hana’s left to fend for her wild children as a single mother when her love and the father of her children suddenly passes away. Deciding to move to the countryside, the family faces a new set of struggles as Ame and Yuki grow up: to decide to live as human or wolf.

Motherhood is hard enough. Becoming a widow and single mother is even more difficult, especially when your kids aren’t entirely human. I may have a pet, but I could never imply any sort of comparison to actual parenthood by calling my rabbit my “fur-baby” as my nieces and nephews, with love, are pretty wild enough. Though, the struggles Hana faces could possibly only be comparable to the difficulties parents of children who dub themselves “furries” face (joking, joking).

3) Chi-Chi from the Dragon Ball Series

After Kakarot is sent from Planet Vegeta of the nearly-extinct Saiyan race to Earth, he becomes adopted by Grandpa Gohan and renamed to Goku. As Goku grows up, instead of destroying Earth as originally intended, he instead travels and defends the world from other powerful enemies who search for the legendary wish-granting Dragon Balls. Endeavoring to become as strong as possible to fend off increasingly powerful foes, the only thing that truly rises to match the strength of Goku’s powers is his heart. Just because Goku eventually even creates a family for himself doesn’t mean he settles down. In fact, having sons of his own only means more allies to power up.

Eventually becoming friends with Bulma, the two bond over the struggles of raising a Saiyan family. With Goku often absent, she ended up becoming tougher and temperamental as compared to her shy and sweet childhood self in order to raise her sons Gohan and Goten, but still cares for her family with a pure heart. Although she often yells at Goku over fighting and tries to emphasize academic achievements over martial arts,
Chi-Chi is willing to fight as a stereotypical shōnen mother to protect her family. Much like my own out-of-this-world, kick-a-s step-mom and my feisty sister with her two sons.

Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

4) Trisha Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist

The Elric brothers, in their endeavor to bring their mother back from the dead, ignored the ban of human transmutation and ended up paying a hefty price. While trespassing the taboo cost Edward an arm and a leg, Alphonse lost his entire body. With their bio-mechanical engineer neighbor and friend Winry able to fit Edward with advanced automail prosthetic limbs, Alphonse had his soul bound to an entire suit of armor in Edward’s attempt to save him. Determined to restore their bodies, they set out to find the Philosopher’s Stone, an item said to allow an alchemist to defy the traditional laws of Equivalent Exchange, and become caught in the middle of a conspiracy along the way.

The late Trisha Elric had always put her beloved sons first when she was alive, always encouraging Edward and Alphonse to not just grow in their alchemical prowess and achievements, but to look out for each other and work together as brothers. Although she basically raised her children on her own as the boys’ father, Van Hohenheim, was absent, she seemed to cherish and nurture their talents as sons of the most powerful alchemist in the world. And Edward and Alphonse loved her more than the alchemical limits of life itself.

While the original Fullmetal Alchemist series isn’t widely available, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood can be streamed on Netflix, Crunchyroll, or Hulu where available.

5) Lisa from Ponyo

When a curious goldfish sneaks away from home, five-year-old Sousuke finds her trapped in a bottle near the shore and frees her, cutting his finger in the process. The small fish licks his wound and heals it. Realizing she’s special, Sousuke puts her in his bucket and names her Ponyo, taking his new friend home to his mom, Lisa. Frantic that she’s missing, the sorcerer Fujimoto searches for and recaptures his daughter Brunhilde. The goldfish insists she prefers the name Sousuke gave her, rejects living as a fish, and is determined to return to her friend. Sousuke’s blood having given her the power to transform to look like a human girl, she rushes back to him, creating an imbalance in nature in her wake. As the two grow close in their friendship, Sousuke and his mother embrace Ponyo with open arms as not just human, but one of the family.

Lisa seems to be the type that reminds me a bit of both my sister and my mother-in-law — somehow managing to balance being both a responsible, caring parent and just being super chill, taking things as they come and just being fun to hang out with. Like Lisa, my sister is the type to dote upon her son while thinking of creative ways to make the mundane fun and her family welcoming others into their home with open arms. Akin to my mother-in-law who even shares the same name, Lisa shows a certain resilience and optimism that I admire even when the world itself seems to start to fall apart.

Ponyo can be streamed on Max.

[RELATED: 10 Best Anime Movies by Studio Ghibli, Ranked]

6) Miyako Ishida from A Silent Voice

Shouya Ishida was a bit of a wild child in elementary school, but unfortunately he found entertainment in cruel ways. When Shouko Nishimiya transfers to Shouya’s class, Shouya takes to relentlessly bullying the deaf girl along with the rest of the class. But when her mother notifies the school that she suspects her daughter has been bullied, Shouya is singled out and Shouko transfers, leaving Shouya to become ostracized and the target of his class’s bullying. All the way up to high school, Shouya’s cruel past has haunted him. Filled with guilt and regret, Shouya tries turning a new leaf in honest attempts to redeem himself. Although he’s determined to meet Shouko and make amends, the road to redemption is much more difficult than he could’ve imagined, for both himself and for Shouko.

Shouya Ishida’s hair stylist mother Miyako is an absolute gem of a human being. When she learns that her son had done wrong, she takes it upon herself to meet with Shouko’s mother, even receiving physical recompense herself for the harm her son caused. She cares so much for her son and gets the hint when he showed signs of “planned obsolescence”. Even as a single mother, she’s shown to have helped raise her grandchild Maria.

7) Yor Forger from Spy x Family

As the neighboring countries Ostania and Westalis quietly plot against each other, spy Twilight takes on the alias of psychiatrist Loid Forger in the Ostanian city of Berlint to conduct intel. His target: the politician Donovan Desmond. The problem is Donovan only rarely appears at his son’s school, Eden Academy. In order to get closer to his target, Loid enlists Yor Briar, an unmarried city hall clerk, and Anya, his newly adopted daughter, who he enrolls at Eden Academy, to act as a normal, happy family. Unbeknownst to the spy, Loid’s new family hides their own secrets — Yor is actually an assassin known as “Thorn Princess” and Anya is a telepath secretly able to read others’ minds.

Agreeing to enter a fake marriage with Loid Forger in order to continue her work as an assassin, Yor also subsequently becomes the mother figure to Loid’s adoptive daughter, Anya. Although Yor had basically raised her younger brother, Yuri Briar, on her own, she somehow still seems to lack much common domestic knowledge, such as cooking. Even so, she always strives to better herself for the daughter she’s more than willing to protect and the family she’s grown to love.

Spy x Family can be streamed on Hulu and Crunchyroll where available.

8) Ai Hoshino from Oshi No Ko

In the world of entertainment, idols hide behind masks of lies and fans buy into the illusions. Although Ai Hoshino is one such sixteen-year-old idol of pop idol group B Komachi selling said lies, she still hopes that the faux love she gives to and receives from her fans could someday become true. But just as she has the world enamored, Ai announces going on hiatus due to a vague health concern, which makes fans concerned. Meanwhile at a countryside hospital, Dr. Gorou Amemiya cares for the terminally ill Sarina Tendouji who are both fans of Ai and would be a dream come true if they could someday meet her. When Ai shows up to the hospital pregnant with twins, although Dr. Amemiya is mysteriously killed, he wakes to find he’s been reincarnated along with the late Sarina as Ai’s newborn twins, Aqua and Ruby Hoshino.

Oshi No Ko may have quite an unorthodox premise, but there’s good reason fans love Ai Hoshino. As a single teenage mother, Ai may not be the “best” mom, but, with the help of Miyako Saitou, she absolutely does her best to give her children every opportunity for success and every ounce of her true love. Aqua and Ruby may have been fans of Ai as an idol in a previous life, but, as her children, they become fans of her as their mother. Stylish, bubbly, and sociable, Ai is much like another of my sisters, having both a certain spirited twinkle in her eye and being absolutely devoted to giving her adorable daughter the best in life.

Oshi No Ko can be streamed on Netflix, Hulu, or HiDive where available.

9) Inko Midoriya from My Hero Academia

In a world where super powers, or “quirks”, have become so common to the point of eighty-percent of humanity possessing such abilities, middle school student Izuku Midoriya dreams of becoming a hero as amazing as the one he idolizes. Unfortunately, Izuku is in the quirk-less minority. Devastated but still determined, not even lacking a quirk will stop Izuku from diligently taking notes on heroes and clinging to his dream. When he finally meets his hero All Might, Izuku gets the opportunity to make his dream of becoming a hero true. As All Might’s quirk is able to be transferred to others, he chooses Izuku as his successor. As he enrolls in UA High to train to become a full-fledged hero alongside other skilled classmates and against powerful foes, Izuku will learn what it means to be a true hero.

Even when her son was deemed to be quirk-less at first, although devastated at first, Inko never lost faith in Izuku’s ability to someday become a hero, encouraging him all along the way. Inko’s support and compassion are as boundless as she is proud when it comes to her son. Although, that’s not to say she’s completely okay with her son being in the line of danger; the typically soft Inko even gives All Might himself an earful at one point for putting her son in harm’s way and threatens to pull him from the academy. Even so, Inko is still willing to put her son’s dream first and support him however she can.

My Hero Academia can be streamed on Netflix, Prime, Hulu, or Crunchyroll where available.

10) Sachiko Fujinuma from Erased

29-year-old detached manga artist Satoru Fujinuma experiences the odd phenomenon he calls “Revival” of being sent back several minutes before an accident occurs, of which he takes advantage of the ability to save the lives of those around him. When he’s wrongfully accused of the murder of someone close, this time, he’s sent back 18 years in the past to to his childhood in 1988. Suspecting the present-day murder may be connected to a childhood incident, the abduction and murder of his quiet classmate Kayo Hinazuki, Satoru speculates it’s a chance to make things right as to uncover the truth and prevent present-day tragedies.

Sachiko Fujinuma is an absolute bada-s of a mom. As a former news announcer and single mother, her intuition is unmatched; She both is able to piece together the unsettling patterns in her neighborhood in connection to the serial kidnappings and is able to read her son’s emotions so well to the point of practically having a sixth-sense. Her strength and love proves to be unwaveringly devoted even in the face of danger and adversity. But even aside from specific acts of bada-sery, Sachiko worked hard to impart a subtle, steady everyday love that can unfortunately go overlooked, providing a nurturing environment for her son, diligently making sure he was supported in every aspect of everyday life, and giving lighthearted reassurance that he could count on her no matter what.

Erased can be streamed on Hulu or Crunchyroll where available.

Who’s your favorite anime mom? Let us know in the comments which anime moms deserve some recognition!

The post 10 Best Anime Moms Adored by the Fans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Daima is coming to Toonami, and the Adult Swim anime block is getting ready for the new anime’s premiere with a special teaser trailer. Dragon Ball Daima was a brand new entry of the anime featuring an original story from franchise creator Akira Toriyama before his tragic passing. The anime sent Goku and the Supreme Kai on a surprising new adventure through the Demon Realm, and explored more of the timeline between the events of the Majin Buu and Battle of Gods arcs. Now it’s about to find a whole new audience when it joins the Toonami lineup this Summer.

Adult Swim has officially announced that Dragon Ball Daima will be joining the Toonami schedule beginning on Saturday, June 14th at 12:30AM ET. The anime will be kicking off its run from the very beginning, and it will likely be the first time many fans get to check out the new series. With Dragon Ball Daima premiering so soon, Toonami has dropped a special promo hyping up its premiere and you can check it out below as spotted by @swimpedia on X.

Toonami Schedule for Saturday, June 14th

With Dragon Ball Daima officially joining the Toonami line up next week, it means the anime block is going to get even stronger following the massive additions of both Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga and Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War earlier this Spring. The new schedule for Adult Swim’s Toonami programming block beginning on Saturday, June 14th breaks down as such (in EST):

• 12:00AM – Lazarus
• 12:30AM – Dragon Ball Daima
• 1:15AM – Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War
• 1:45AM – Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga
• 2:15AM – One Piece
• 2:45AM – Naruto
• 3:15AM – Sailor Moon

This small 15 minute shift in the schedule is due to the fact that Dragon Ball Daima‘s premiere is actually an extended 45 minute episode. This is only the case for the premiere, so future editions of the Toonami schedule will go back to the standard timeslots seen before (barring any new additions through the rest of the Summer). So not only is the Toonami block about to get some brand new Dragon Ball, but it’s going all out for the premiere episode as well. For fans jumping in for the first time, there really isn’t going to be any better opportunity to do so.

RELATED: Toonami Needs Its Own Channel Already

Why Dragon Ball Daima Is So Special

Dragon Ball Daima was launched as part of the celebration for the 40th anniversary of Akira Toriyama’s original Dragon Ball manga launching in the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. It sparked a lot of debate among fans thanks to its place in the overall timeline as it’s meant to serve as a more immediate sequel to Dragon Ball Z’s Majin Buu arc, but doesn’t include any of the future events that would come during Dragon Ball Super. But it also sparked debate with how it all began as Goku and the others were turned into children at the start of their newest adventure.

As Dragon Ball Daima continued to release its new episodes, fans were split week to week as it seemed to return to the earliest roots of the franchise with a cute new adventure through a brand new realm. Then as the final episodes kicked off the climax, the action fans loved came roaring back with some surprising transformations and big debuts that are sparking even more debate now that it’s all come to an end. Now that the anime is coming to Toonami, even more fans will be able to see what the big deal has been about all this time.

The post Toonami Readies for New Dragon Ball Anime Premiere With Special Promo appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The future of Dragon Ball is anyone’s guess at this point, with Dragon Ball Daima’s anime ending earlier this year and the manga remaining in limbo. In previous interviews, creators behind the scenes have confirmed that Shueisha plans on continuing the franchise for decades to come. With the Dragon Ball Super manga still in limbo following the release of one of Akira Toriyama’s chapters, there might be some bad news coming down the pike for Son Goku and the Z-Fighters. Artist Toyotaro, the heir apparent to the shonen franchise, is unveiling a new manga which might cut into his time with the Saiyans.

At the recent Japan Expo Paris convention, Toyotaro was confirmed to be working on a brand new manga with Dragon Ball editor Kazuhiko Torishima. Unfortunately for Z-Fighter fans, the manga is listed as a completely original work from Toyotaro, meaning we most likely shouldn’t expect it to cross over into Goku’s universe. Details regarding the new manga are few and far between but here’s how the panel described the events, “Toyotaro, the mangaka of Dragon Ball Super, talks with the editor who made his mark on manga history, Kazuhiko Torishima, about his first original manga project! Kazuhiko reveals his powerful techniques that he has honed throughout his career.”

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Super Artist Returns With New Goku & Vegeta Team Up]

Toyotaro’s Wild Beginnings

Working initially with Akira Toriyama on Dragon Ball Super, Toyotaro got his start in the manga world in an unexpected way. Working on a fan series known as Dragon Ball AF, the experience allowed the mangaka to have a worthy resume to give him a sport on Dragon Ball Heroes, the spin-off manga that brings back heroes and villains from the shonen franchise’s past. It was with this work that Toyotaro was given the promotion of working on the current series where he has remained ever since.

During Dragon Ball Super’s manga run, Toyotaro handled the art of the story but also worked with Toriyama directly in forging the stories of arcs such as the Moro Arc and the Granolah The Survivor Arc. Should Toyotaro return to create all new manga chapters for the legendary shonen series, it would be interesting to see if he helms the ship entirely himself or if he’ll need some help in working on the Z-Fighters’ future.

When it comes to Dragon Ball Super’s anime adaptation, fans are still waiting on word from Toei Animation when it comes to finally bringing to life the fights against Moro, The Heaters, and Granolah. With the production house working diligently on the Straw Hat Pirates’ journey in One Piece, no one knows for sure when the Z-Fighters might make their return to the screen. Following the original Dragon Ball Super series that ended with the Tournament of Power, the sequel series continued with two animated movies, further fleshing out the shonen universe and introducing plenty of new heroes and villains into the mix.

Want to see what the future holds for Toyotaro’s new series? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest on all things Dragon Ball and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via DBS Hype

The post Bad News For Goku? Dragon Ball Super Artist Making New Manga appeared first on ComicBook.com.

If you’ve ever heard of the word anime, you’ve undoubtedly heard about Dragon Ball as well. Thanks to Akira Toriyama’s brilliant mind, it didn’t take long for Goku to become a familiar name among anime watchers and non-anime fans alike. And it all started in 1986 when the first episodes of Dragon Ball came out on Fuji TV and later on Cartoon Network. The series took everyone by surprise with its fame and charm, introducing Goku as a kid who trained his way to become the strongest among all. Along the way, he came across quite a lot of friends and villains, many far stronger than himself.

The power system in the Dragon Ball franchise has always been Earth-shattering, but before our favorite characters turned into Saiyan modes, they were young warriors under the tutelage of powerful mentors. The Dragon Ball series paved the way for the beloved Dragon Ball Z series featuring many of the strongest characters of all time. But that doesn’t mean the original series had nothing going on for it. Which is why we have compiled this list of the strongest OG Dragon Ball characters and ranked them based on on-screen feats, power, and impact. Let’s get started!

10) Yamcha 

Once a desert bandit, Yamcha quickly turned into a fighter after training under the ever-famous Master Roshi. He was hesitant to make friends with Goku, but formed an alliance with him whenever there was trouble. Coming to skillset, Yamcha has got some serious moves: Spirit Ball for those tricky ki control moments and Wolf Fang Fist for raw, aggressive strikes — proving he’s more than just a lone bandit.

But what really sets Yamcha apart is that he’s a strong Earthling who is not afraid to try his luck even with significantly more powerful opponents. His battles may not always result in victory, but they always show resilience and a strong fighting spirit. His fights against Tien and Piccolo Jr. in the 21st Tournament were brutal (even if he lost). While his journey from Emperor Pilaf’s arc to the World Tournaments proved he could hold his own… at least until the power levels went insane.

9) Krillin 

Like most characters, Krillin was originally introduced as Goku’s rival in the Dragon Ball series. But during their training under Master Roshi, Krillin became Goku’s best friend and ally in no time. Despite his short appearance, Krillin is a powerful Earthling who is often underestimated. His battle tactics, combined with his abilities, make him a powerful ally among the Z warriors. 

Known for techniques like the Solar Flare, Kamehameha, and the devastating Destructo Disc, Krillin has repeatedly proven that he can hold his own even against overwhelming odds. His combat against Piccolo Jr. earned him Piccolo’s respect as well as showcased his skills as a martial artist. And his character development shines particularly in the 21st to 23rd World Tournament Sagas, as well as the King Piccolo Saga, where he continuously evolves from a comic sidekick to a genuinely skilled warrior.

8) Mercenary Tao 

A famous and very expensive assassin for hire, General Tao was the epitome of ruthlessness. He was known for making crude jokes at bad times and would often resort to dirty tactics when close to defeat. But it came to fighting, Tao didn’t mess around. Hired by the Red Ribbon Army, he effortlessly killed General Blue using only his tongue and accepted the mission to dispose off kid Goku.

His Pressure Point tongue can paralyze his opponents mid-fight like it’s nothing. Then there’s the Dodon Ray, a ki blast deadlier than a bullet, and the Super Dodon Wave for enemies he really wants gone. His fight against Goku in the Red Ribbon Army Saga showed just how vicious he was. And let’s not forget his twisted comeback in the Tien Saga—because apparently, getting blown up just turns him into Cyborg Tao, who’s a whole new level of terrifying. 

7) Master Roshi 

With over 300 years of life experience, Master Roshi has proudly taught numerous students who have now surpassed even Saiyan modes. But that’s not what makes him one of the anime’s oldest and most powerful characters. This pervy old man is in fact the founder of the mighty Kamehameha, the move that shaped Dragon Ball’s entire power system. 

Roshi’s got tricks for days: the Thunder Shock Surprise to fry opponents, Hypnosis for mind games, and centuries of combat IQ. He fought Goku in the 21st Tournament finals to prove even monsters need finesse, clashed with Tien in the 22nd to show how age meant nothing, and sacrificed himself against King Piccolo like a true master. From early tournaments to backing the crew against the Red Ribbon Army, Roshi is the godfather of Earth’s warriors.

6) Tien Shinhan 

Tien is a powerful earthling who possesses non-human powers due to his ancestry. Initially seeking to eliminate Goku as revenge for his former master, Mercenary Tao, Tien quickly realized he was on the wrong side. After that, his training under Master Roshi turned him into an ally for the Z warriors, where he wasted no time in becoming a hero. 

Tien’s no Saiyan but he’s also not completely human, and it shows during his fights. His Solar Flare blinds gods, his Tri-Beam burns life force for raw power, and the Four Witches Technique multiplies his limbs. During the 22nd World Tournament, he pushed Goku to the absolute limit in their iconic clash before defeating Master Roshi himself, proving Crane School’s brutality could rival even Turtle wisdom. And when King Piccolo terrorized Earth, Tien stepped up and gave his all. 

[RELATED – Dragon Ball/One Piece Studio Creates New Branch, Promises Debut Title Reveal Soon]

5) Mr. Popo

Little has been said about the mysterious Mr. Popo but one thing is for sure: he remains undefeated. Mr. Popo is Kami’s servant in the Lookout who has served Kami and even his predecessors, making him one of the oldest and strongest characters in the OG Dragon Ball series. Although he does not actively participate in matters of the Earth, he can teleport anywhere when needed.

With Magic Materialization, he conjures anything out of thin air, and his Spiritual Awareness means he’s always ten steps ahead. For three years, Mr. Popo trained Goku at Kami’s behest, tossing him around the Lookout like a ragdoll until the Saiyan earned his respect. After that, Goku was ready to battle in the 23rd World Tournament. From the Kami training arc to guiding Earth’s defenders in the Piccolo Jr. saga, Popo’s the silent powerhouse who’s seen it all. Later Dragon Ball iterations have Popo even facing down Super Saiyan forms of Goten and Trunks, suggesting inconsistent power levels down the line, but he still ranks among the strongest in the original Dragon Ball.

4) Kami 

As the Guardian of the Earth, Kami should just be chilling with his almighty powers and playing god. But when the stakes got high, he had to intervene and show his true potential. The good counterpart of the evil King Piccolo possesses phenomenal abilities and aura. His Eye Laser slices through foes, his Evil Containment Wave seals away nightmares, and his Sealing Magic locks down threats permanently. 

With Spirit Energy and the Divine Dragon Orb, he manipulates the battlefield like a god (because he is one). Even his Explosive Wave isn’t just for show. During the 23rd World Tournament, he destroyed Yajirobe and Yamcha without breaking a sweat before facing Piccolo Jr. in a battle that shook the arena. From guiding warriors in training arcs to the high-stakes Piccolo Jr. Saga, Kami is Dragon Ball’s shadow protector — always watching and ready.

3) King Piccolo 

Kami’s evil and demonic counterpart, King Piccolo did nothing but wreak havoc on the peaceful Earth. He sought to eliminate every martial artist and seek the position of the Guardian of the Earth. Making him the first Dragon Ball villain who made the world feel actually helpless.

His Explosive Demon Wave leveled cities while the Makosen punched holes through mountains, and his Finger Beam picked off enemies like target practice. But nothing matched his rage when he fought Goku, brutally avenging his son’s death. The battle was so vicious that it nearly ended the Dragon Team for good, almost rewriting the fate of every character with his raw, merciless strength.

2) Piccolo Jr. 

One of Goku’s best friends and allies, Piccolo Jr. was once a ruthless villain just like his father, the Demon King. In fact, he surpassed even his father when it came to being skilled and calculated. But his story wasn’t just about power; it was about breaking free from your past and not just being another monster.

At the 23rd World Tournament, he crushes Krillin, then pushes Goku to the absolute edge. His Mouth Blast turns the air into a killzone, his Light Grenade hits like a falling star, and the Dust Attack blinds the enemy before they even know what’s happening. Even his Chasing Bullet ki blasts hunt you down like a predator, establishing him as one of the strongest characters in the OG Dragon Ball series. 

1) Goku 

Is it a surprise that the main character of the entire Dragon Ball franchise is also its strongest character? Most certainly not! But Goku did not achieve this greatness overnight. He trained under the most powerful beings in the universe for several years. From Bora and Master Roshi to Kami and Mr. Popo, Goku has worked immensely hard on his skills.

Master Roshi may be the pioneer of the Kamehameha, but it was Goku who perfected it. The Power Pole extended his reach (literally) in early fights. And then there’s Ultra Instinct, the pinnacle of his growth, where his body moves faster than thought itself. But the Saiyan’s greatest trait is how he never gives up, even when critically wounded. Pushing himself to the limit to face every villain and walking away stronger each time.

The post 10 Strongest Dragon Ball Characters, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Hop on Goku’s Flying Nimbus, we’re heading over to Kame House to meet up with the gang! Funko’s dropped 5 new Funko Pops straight from the original Dragon Ball anime back in April, so if you’re used to these characters’ looks in Dragon Ball Z or Dragon Ball Super, prepare to step into a time machine. Bulma, Chichi, Krillin, Oolong, and Master Roshi all appear as their younger selves, with Master Roshi’s Pop being a Funko Pop Town with the Kame House included. Each Pop is available to pre-order at Amazon and here at Entertainment Earth with a delivery date set for June 26th, 2025. Today, BoxLunch added to this collection with the debut of an exclusive Funko Pop of Lunch in her classic form, though lucky collectors might end up with a Chase version of her angry blonde form. Read on for a breakdown of the entire wave.

• Drahgon Ball Lunch Funko Pop (With Chase) / BoxLunch Exclusive
• Dragon Ball Bulma (Shop) Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure / See here at Amazon / See here at Entertainment Earth 
• Dragon Ball Chichi Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure / See here at Amazon / See here at Entertainment Earth
• Dragon Ball Krillin Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure / See here at Amazon / See here at Entertainment Earth
• Dragon Ball Oolong Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure / See here at Amazon / See here at Entertainment Earth
• Dragon Ball Master Roshi with Kame House Funko Pop! Town / See here at Amazon / See here at Entertainment Earth

Dragon Ball Super Manga Hits Big Milestone

While the Dragon Ball Super anime has been on hiatus since 2018, the manga has continued to reach new heights and new sales numbers. The Dragon Ball Super manga completed 2 more arcs after the anime had ended, and is now seemingly returning from its hiatus, meaning even more copies will sell in the future. Currently, the manga is set to reach 12 million copies, an impressive milestone to have without an anime uplifting it into mainstream consumption. 

Since Dragon Ball Super went on a hiatus after creator Akira Toriyama passed away, the future of the manga has been unclear. But with new changes happening behind the scenes, it seems likely the profitable IP will continue without him. Obviously, there are many who hope to see the franchise return with new projects in both manga and anime formats, but there’s also no clear path forward as of now. Shueisha and the Dragon Ball franchise are now navigating a world without Toriyama to guide the franchise forward, something that is sure to be very difficult.

My main hope is that, as such a longtime enjoyer of the franchise, that the vision and the characters are handled with care, especially as the world turns to cheap, nostalgic party tricks to keep fans returning. It’ll take some time for Dragon Ball to get on the right track, and I’m willing to be patient.

Want to stay up to date with all the latest anime news and collectibles? Then keep an eye on our Gear Page!

The post Dragon Ball Funko Pop Lineup Adds Lunch Exclusive With Chase appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Toonami might have left Cartoon Network at one point but the programming block returned stronger than ever thanks to hitching its wagon Adult Swim. Housing recent anime hits like Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Lazarus, and more, it is time for the latest story of the Z-Fighters in the anime world to arrive on the cable network. Dragon Ball Daima has been confirmed to arrive on Toonami’s platform and we won’t be waiting long to check out the Dragon Ball Super prequel series that gave us a canon Super Saiyan 4.

Toonami has had quite the long history with the Dragon Ball franchise, as the programming block helped to put Dragon Ball Z on the map in North America. Originally airing in the afternoons, the Cartoon Network platform worked to push Goku and the Z-Fighters to an entirely new generation of viewers and in doing so, helped further establish anime in the West. For Dragon Ball Daima, the latest anime will air on Toonami on June 14th at 12:30AM, following the latest episode of Lazarus. With twenty episodes to its name, Adult Swim will have quite a few weeks dedicated to the Z-Fighters and their travels within the Demon Realm.

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Daima Could Have Fixed Its SSJ4 Continuity Error by Using This Form Instead]

Dragon Ball Daima Season 2?

Dragon Ball Daima ended its first season definitively, seeing Goku and his friends undoing the work of the Demon Lord Gomah and becoming adults once again. Unfortunately, Dragon Ball anime’s future remains a mystery at this point as no second season has been confirmed, though fans are crossing their fingers that several of Daima’s elements will play a role in Super’s future. While Goku and Vegeta might be harboring the power of Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego in the present, seeing the Saiyans access the power of SSJ4 in Dragon Ball Super would still be quite the pivotal moment.

Dragon Ball Super’s comeback is much more likely than seeing a Dragon Ball Daima season two, since artist Toyotaro has confirmed that he plans on eventually returning for new chapters. While one of Toriyama’s final chapters arrived earlier this year, new chapters of the manga have yet to be unveiled. In terms of the anime adaptation, there are still some major arcs from the manga that Toei Animation has yet to cover, including the Moro Arc and the Granolah The Survivor Arc. Even with Akira Toriyama gone, it appears as though his franchise will live on for quite some time to come.

At present, it’s unclear whether the next anime project will be either an anime series or a feature-length film, but the Z-Fighters have found success with both in the past. Fingers crossed that we won’t be waiting too long to see Goku and company make their much-anticipated comeback.

Want to stay afloat of the Z-Fighters and their many battles? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on all things Dragon Ball and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Dragon Ball Daima is Coming to Toonami appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Toei Animation remains a juggernaut when it comes to giving anime fans some of the biggest series to this day. Responsible for the likes of Dragon Ball Daima and One Piece, Toei has had its hands full when it comes to pre-established franchises. To help venture further into the world of original anime properties, the production house has announced that they will open a new branch to celebrate the studio’s 70th anniversary. Luckily, we won’t be waiting long to see what ETERNA Animation has up its sleeves.

The statement from Toei Animation regarding ETERNA Animation’s creation was revealed in a new press release which reads as such, “Through Eterna Animation, the company will establish a sustainable creative platform dedicated to the ongoing production of original works. The initiative also places a strong focus on discovering and nurturing emerging creative talents as part of a next-generation animation project model. The brand name “ETERNA” (meaning “eternal”) reflects Toei Animation’s aspiration to create works that linger deeply in the hearts and memories of viewers. Guided by five core creative values—Originality, Exclusivity, Artistry, Quality, and Decency—the brand seeks to deliver new stories, spotlight new voices, and explore expressive new forms of animation with artistic freedom and lasting emotional impact.”

[RELATED: Toei Claims No Anime Project Has Used AI In The Midst Of New Controversy]

ETERNA’s First Project Revealed

The first project from Toei Animation’s latest endeavor is titled “FOXING: Kitsune-tsuki” which is set to release in 2026. Luckily, anime fans will get a preview for the original project at this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival. ETERNA released the first story description for the original project dropping next year, “The story explores universal themes such as isolation, fantasy, and the confrontation of the self in contemporary society. It poetically and visually depicts the protagonist’s emotional transformation as she journeys toward personal liberation.”

Toei’s Current Works

Following the conclusion of Dragon Ball Daima earlier this year, Toei Animation has been hard at work on One Piece’s current arc and it shows. The Straw Hat Pirates’ journey on Future Island is one that has used stellar animation to pitch Luffy and his crew members against the strongest member of the World Government. The anime adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s manga masterpiece still has quite a few major battles to translate from the manga’s latest chapters that are sure to put Toei to the test.

As of the writing of this article, Dragon Ball’s future remains a mystery both on the screen and with its manga. Dragon Ball Daima expanded the Z-Fighters’ universe in some wild ways, introducing the likes of Super Saiyan 4 and Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta to the shonen’s canon. Following the tragic passing of Akira Toriyama, the status of the franchise remains in limbo but creators behind the scenes have hinted at far more stories to arrive in the future.

Want to see what else Toei Animation will release in the future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Dragon Ball and One Piece.

Via Press Release

The post Dragon Ball/One Piece Studio Creates New Branch, Promises Debut Title Reveal Soon appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Since its October 2024 release, Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero has earned a solid place in the DBZ gaming ranks. With a Very Positive rating on Steam, many gamers feel this latest game delivers on the graphics and gameplay that fans crave. Plus, thanks to regular DLC installments, gamers keep getting new playable characters that keep things feeling fresh. That said, not every feature in Sparking! Zero is easy to understand. In fact, gamers confess that they’re still struggling to get a handle on one of the game’s mechanics even months after release.

Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero is a fighting game at its core, with a story mode to keep single-player gameplay engaging. With over 180 fighters and counting, Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero gives gamers plenty of fighting styles to try on for size. However, the game’s beam clash battle mechanic has players confused. As one Redditor recently shared, even with over 300 hours in the same, some fans are struggling to use the beam clash to its best advantage.

Kind of like hitting the accelerator button at the precise moment in Mario Kart, the beam clash mechanic relies largely on timing. As a result, even seasoned Sparking! Zero fans are struggling to get a grip on the feature’s full potential.

How Beam Clash Works in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero

As many gamers note in response to @FreedomOwn2329’s plea, the beam clash mini-game in Sparking! Zero requires both patience and precision. With beam clash, the two opponents face off to supercharge their attack, with the stronger attack winning out. Only, it’s not so simple thanks to just how confusing the beam clash mini-game actually is. Though it’s modeled after the Ultimate mini-game in Dragon Ball Budokai 3, not everyone has that prior experience to rely on. And it’s just different enough to be tricky even if you do. In fact, even seasoned players disagree about the best strategy to utilize here.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Game for Nintendo Switch 2 Reportedly Leaked

The black beam clash bar fills up with orange, and the idea is that you want to hit the button at the optimal amount of boost. However, gamers have some seriously differing opinions on the best way to approach this. A few players suggest just waiting for the bar to fill on its own, while others offer various methods for hitting the “boost” button to charge more quickly. Some say you should spam the button, while others suggest a targeted boost strategy of one or two goes before finally pulling the trigger on the attack. Regardless, you want to hit the final button at the precise moment when the bar is at its fullest, which can be tricky to time due to lag with online connections in multiplayer.

Another reason gamers can’t get a handle on the beam clash mechanic is that it doesn’t actually come up all that often in-game. In fact, some players say they have yet to actually experience one outside of the tutorial. So, thankfully, not fully understanding the beam clash mechanic won’t necessarily end your Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero career. Even so, players would love to get a more definitive answer on how, exactly, this feature is supposed to work.

Have you mastered the beam clash in Sparking! Zero? Share your technique or just your bragging rights in the comments below.

The post Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Players Still Don’t Understand This Feature Months Later appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With only 20 episodes, Dragon Ball Daima proved itself to be a truly special installment, blending nostalgia with its premise of turning the Z Warriors into children, while also fulfilling fans’ long-standing wishes of seeing certain transformations become canon. The series first does this by introducing Vegeta’s Super Saiyan 3 form, something fans had only dreamed of for decades, making its appearance in Daima a dream come true. Furthermore, with Daima being considered a canon installment, Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 is now also canon, another long-awaited wish fulfilled for many fans.

However, making these transformations canon has created a major continuity issue with the chronologically subsequent installment, Dragon Ball Super. Super never featured either Vegeta’s Super Saiyan 3 or Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 during its run. Neither character transforms into these forms, and Goku even states that Super Saiyan 3 was his strongest form, making it difficult to align both installments within the same canonical timeline. This suggests that these transformations were introduced more to generate buzz than to maintain canonical consistency. What’s even more unfortunate is that Daima had laid the perfect groundwork to introduce an entirely new, never-before-seen transformation in all of Dragon Ball anime — Gogeta Super Saiyan 3 — one that could have resolved the continuity issues while generating just as much, if not more, excitement.

[Related: Dragon Ball Daima’s English Dub Finally Unleashes Adult Super Saiyan 4 Goku]

Dragon Ball Daima Laid the Perfect Groundwork for a Transformation Never Before Seen

It is important to note that, while it is almost impossible to explain Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 omission from Super, Vegeta’s Super Saiyan 3 absence is easier to justify. When Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 failed against Beerus, Vegeta likely saw no reason to pursue or showcase the form, which could have explained why it was never seen. With this in mind, it is reasonable to assume that Vegeta’s Super Saiyan 3 is still canon within Super and does not create a continuity issue. Therefore, to address the inconsistency, Daima could have fused Vegeta’s latest transformation with Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 to introduce a never-before-seen transformation in anime, Gogeta Super Saiyan 3.

From the beginning, Dragon Ball Daima consistently hinted at a future fusion, particularly with the introduction of a new fusion method through a medicinal enhancement called the “Join Bug.” In Daima, it is explained that this bug can fuse two or more fighters into a single, powerful entity. Since the incorporation of SSJ4 in Daima was never directly addressed until the very end, many fans assumed fusion would be the method through which Goku and Vegeta would defeat their latest enemy in this new adventure.

Assuming the Join Bug functions similarly to the established fusion methods, particularly similar to the fusion dance method, Gogeta’s appearance was strongly foreshadowed. Since both Saiyan warriors were capable of transforming into Super Saiyan 3, Gogeta Super Saiyan 3, a transformation never before seen in the anime, canonically or otherwise, was fully possible without disrupting the established timeline. Such a transformation in Dragon Ball Daima could have generated even more excitement than Goku’s Super Saiyan 4, which lacked a compelling narrative foundation, while also resolving the continuity error with Super.

Dragon Ball Daima can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

The post Dragon Ball Daima Could Have Fixed Its SSJ4 Continuity Error by Using This Form Instead appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball is one of the oldest and most iconic anime and manga franchises of all time. The series’ creator, Akira Toriyama, is responsible for creating the majority of the characters. Even so, Toei Animation’s contribution to the series’ popularity can’t be overlooked. Not only did the studio release an anime adaptation of the manga, but it also created several spin-offs, sequels, and prequels that weren’t part of the main story. In such cases, Toei animators and artists would create new characters and even transformations from scratch that’d end up becoming fan favorites. Goku’s father, Bardock, is one of the best characters in the franchise, introduced in the 1990 television special, Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku.

Dragon Ball’s animator and character designer, Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, was primarily responsible for designing Bardock along with the rest of the team. After all, it was for a prequel story following Goku’s father before Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta. Bardock sent his son to Earth before the tragedy took place, for less-than-ideal reasons. He also fought on the frontlines to stop the villain, but was no match against Frieza’s overwhelming force. Later on, Toriyama even briefly included in the main story, honoring the character’s efforts in trying to save his son and his people.

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Super Hits Major Sales Milestone Even Without a New Anime]

Bardock Is Still an Iconic Dragon Ball Character

One of the qualities that makes Bardock intriguing is that he doesn’t fit the standard criteria of a “hero.” Saiyans weren’t peaceful people; rather, they were bloodthirsty and always craved more power. Bardock was no different since he was introduced as a ruthless Saiyan warrior who takes pride in battle and conquest. However, after gaining the ability to see the future, he realizes the Saiyans are on the verge of extinction and that Frieza will betray them. He transforms from a bloodthirsty warrior to a kind and loving father towards Goku. After ensuring his son is safe, he does everything he can to save his race, but to no avail. Later on, Bardock became a canon character after appearing in Dragon Ball Super: Broly.

He also appears in Chapter 77 of the Dragon Ball Super manga during a flashback scene. Toei’s version of Bardock is more ruthless, cold, and emotionally distant, perfectly fitting for an anti-hero. However, Toriyama made the character more caring and soft, who sent his son away to protect him from the impending destruction. While one is morally gray and complex, the other is a tragic hero. Despite the significant differences, both versions of Bardock are just as popular, with the Toei one being slightly more favorable to fans.

The post Akira Toriyama Didn’t Create One of Dragon Ball’s Best Characters appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The latest installment in the Dragon Ball franchise, Dragon Ball Daima, holds special significance as it marks the final project the late Akira Toriyama contributed to. What makes this installment even more unique is its premise: the Z Fighters embark on a journey through the outskirts of the Demon Realm in search of a way to return to their adult forms after the Demon King, Gomah, uses a wish to turn them into children. Seeing Goku as a kid on an adventure brings a strong sense of nostalgia, clearly drawing inspiration from the iconic Dragon Ball GT.

Amplifying this nostalgic tone is the presence of Bulma, Goku’s very first close companion from the original Dragon Ball, joining him on the journey. This dynamic perfectly echoes the foundational adventure of the franchise. Additionally, witnessing Kid Goku reclaim his iconic weapon, the Power Pole, further connects Daima to the spirit of the original series. However, as the series progresses, Daima loses the core essence that once made the original so captivating, opting for “numbered transformations” over storytelling rooted in adventure, adaptability, and genuine growth.

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Daima Sticks to an Anime Tradition in Goku’s Latest Fight]

Dragon Ball Daima Fails to Capture Genuine Growth and Relies on the Franchise’s Flagship Appeal

The concept of transformation in the Dragon Ball franchise was first introduced during the Frieza Saga in Dragon Ball Z, with Goku achieving the iconic Super Saiyan form near the end of his battle with Frieza. This moment holds more weight than most iconic scenes in anime history, as it encapsulates Goku’s spirit as both a warrior and a Saiyan. It also inspired many other anime to adopt “transformations” as a symbol of growth. Even the recent standout transformation in the anime world, Monkey D. Luffy’s Gear 5 in One Piece, shows clear influence from Dragon Ball Z. However, there was a time when Dragon Ball portrayed growth without relying on transformations, instead emphasizing strategy, resilience, and a more grounded approach.

This is best exemplified in the original Dragon Ball series when Goku first faces Mercenary Tao (Taopaipai) during the Commander Red Saga. Tao proves too powerful for Goku initially, prompting him to rely on his warrior spirit, raw strength, and martial arts training, and coming back again to ultimately secure his first major victory. Similarly, in the early Dragon Ball Z saga, Goku’s battle against Raditz required him to adapt quickly, teaming up with Piccolo and even sacrificing himself to defeat his older brother. These moments reflect the franchise’s core storytelling — growth through experience and adaptability.

Over time, however, the reliance on transformations to signify growth began to overshadow the original formula. Dragon Ball Super exemplifies this shift, heavily favoring transformations, such as the “God” forms, that lack meaningful development and often feel like fairy tales. In contrast, Daima, whose trailers and teasers stayed grounded in fan expectations, and having turned Goku and the Z warriors into children, created the perfect opportunity to provide the root essence of the original installment. However, as the series progressed, it began to feature new transformations, and what makes no sense is how their placement creates major problems for the franchise.

New Transformations in Dragon Ball Daima Make No Sense and Create Major Continuity Issues

There are major issues with the inclusion of new transformations in Dragon Ball Daima, but the most significant concern is the continuity conflict it creates with Dragon Ball Super, especially given that both installments are considered canon. Even Vegeta’s Super Saiyan 3 appearance feels unexpected. Since Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta was never mentioned in Super, a series widely regarded as canon due to its accompanying manga adaptation, it seems this inclusion was primarily intended to generate buzz among fans who had long wanted to see Vegeta in that form.

While Vegeta’s Super Saiyan 3 could still be rationalized within the canon and aligned with Super, Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 transformation presents a much bigger problem for the franchise’s future, particularly if it plans to continue the Super timeline. The other issue is that this transformation doesn’t reflect symbolic or earned growth; instead, it appears as sudden and unearned, lacking any meaningful foundation or narrative justification. This ultimately positions Dragon Ball Daima as an out-of-the-blue installment meant to capitalize on the franchise’s flagship appeal, rather than offer meaningful storytelling, which is unfortunate, as it had laid strong foundations to deliver a return to the franchise’s roots.

Dragon Ball Daima can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

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If you have been an anime fan since the early 2000s or earlier, it’s probably safe to assume your first few anime were one of the Big Three of the shonen jump genre: One Piece, Bleach, or Naruto (and as an honorable mention, Dragon Ball). All of these combined majestic world building, fleshed out characters, and engaging story arcs to immerse fans in worlds that would normally feel bizarre but held up very well thanks to the authors’ writing. If not anything else, the shonen genre’s fight scenes and choreography are often the center of countless discussions and debates among the fandom. 

Out of these classics, my personal favorites have to be Dragon Ball and Naruto. As I rewatch these anime known for their high-stakes battles, I wonder which of these two legendary anime have better fight scenes and choreography. Each fan has a unique perspective on which anime performed better depending on their movies, budget, frames-per-second ratios, etc. But in my personal humble opinion, Naruto has better fights than Dragon Ball and in this article, I’m going to dive into exactly why I think that.

[RELATED – Dragon Ball Super Artist Returns With New Goku & Vegeta Team Up]

Naruto’s Strategic Fights and Balanced Power Scaling

What sets Naruto’s fights apart is its emphasis on strategy over brute force. Everything in Naruto has complex moves involved. When Naruto Uzumaki, who’s not even known for being a strategic planner, faces challenging opponents, each battle almost feels like a chess match. For instance, in the Chunin Exams arc, Naruto’s fight against Neji showcases his ingenuity, using misdirection to land a decisive blow. Some fights, like Shikamaru vs. Temari, show viewers how a previously underestimate character can use his massive talents to secure the upper hand, yet know when to quit while ahead, serving a strong lesson on tactics in Naruto. At the same time, we learn that hard work (Naruto Uzumaki) does have a chance against talent (Neji Hyuga). 

In the same arc, Rock Lee’s fight against Gaara was among the best animated and choreographed fights in the entire anime despite Lee’s clear disadvantage against a powerhouse like Gaara. Almost everyone thought Gaara would win with no trouble, but there are so many jutsus, different classes of power, and innate abilities like Kekkei Genkai, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, and much more, that the anime is able to give a lot of variety in action and comprehension. You don’t see the same fighting sequence that often and battles depend more upon an intricate combination of technique, tactics, and talent than brute force. This strategic depth makes every encounter unpredictable and engaging, as raw power rarely secures victory.

In contrast, Dragon Ball often leans on linear power scaling, where the strongest fighter typically wins. Goku’s battles are thrilling but revolve too much around who can unleash the bigger energy blast or achieve the next transformation. Many fans have echoed this sentiment, noting that Dragon Ball Z’s fights, like Goku versus Frieza, prioritize spectacle over nuance, with power-ups like Super Saiyan escalating the stakes but simplifying the outcome. 

Naruto’s power scaling, however, feels less rigid. Characters like Shikamaru, who lacks overwhelming strength, can defeat stronger foes like Hidan through intellect and planning, keeping fights varied and grounded. This balance ensures that Naruto’s battles reward creativity, making them more compelling to me as a viewer and to everyone who values brains alongside brawn.

Choreography and Animation: Naruto’s Fluid Precision

Regarding fight choreography and animation, Naruto delivers a masterclass in fluid, expressive combat. Studio Pierrot’s work, particularly in arcs like Sasuke Retrieval or the Pain arc, brings a cinematic quality to the battles. The choreography is intricate, seamlessly blending hand-to-hand taijutsu, ninja tools, and jutsu techniques. 

A great example of this is Kakashi’s fight against Obito in the Kamui dimension. You can’t help but be mesmerized by the dynamic camera angles, the weight of each punch, and the emotional stakes reflected in every move. The fight also makes great use of flashbacks, something the anime is normally criticized for. The animation amplifies these moments with vibrant colors and smooth transitions, making the fights feel alive.

Dragon Ball, while iconic, often relies on repetitive animation cycles, especially in Dragon Ball Z. Fights like Goku versus Vegeta are thrilling but feature prolonged staring contests, reused energy beam sequences, and less varied choreography. And while Dragon Ball Super improved with crisper animation, it still leans heavily on power clashes over complex movements. Naruto’s fights, by contrast, feel meticulously crafted, with each arc introducing fresh visual styles and combat dynamics that keep the action engaging.

However, I must acknowledge Akira Toriyama’s genius in manga paneling as a counterpoint to where Dragon Ball shines. Toriyama’s clean, dynamic layouts in the Dragon Ball manga make every punch and ki blast feel monumental. His use of angles and pacing creates a sense of unmatched speed and impact, influencing countless artists. 

Of course, Naruto’s manga, drawn by Masashi Kishimoto, is no slouch either. Kishimoto’s detailed artwork and creative paneling, especially in battles like Rock Lee versus Gaara, convey motion and emotion equally. While Toriyama’s paneling is legendary, Naruto matches it with its flair, ensuring its fights remain visually stunning in both manga and anime.

The post Naruto Has Better Fights Than Dragon Ball, and Here’s Why appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Vegeta, from Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball franchise, is the embodiment of a prideful warrior. Since his introduction, he has relentlessly pursued greater strength, fearing nothing, not even death, in his quest to become the ultimate Saiyan. Over the decades, the series has locked Vegeta into a consistent pattern: trailing behind Goku’s new achievements and eventually replicating them through intense training. While this approach maintains his character’s core identity, it has also limited his development in other areas. As a result, fans often see him as little more than a prideful rival chasing Goku’s shadow.

However, the latest installment, Dragon Ball Daima, offers a fresh perspective. In this series, the Z Warriors journey through the Demon Realm to reverse Gomah’s wish that turned them into children. Vegeta is given several moments to shine in Daima, revealing new dimensions to his character, including his biggest fear. One might remember Vegeta’s memorable line when killing Android 20 in Dragon Ball Z, schooling it while dishing out the concept of fear before the advent of Cell. In Episode 19 of Daima, even after exhausting all his stamina in battle against Gomah, Vegeta refuses to retreat. But when Bulma gives him an ultimatum, give up fighting or lose the chance to bathe with her again, Vegeta, faced with a fear more personal than defeat, immediately steps back.

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Super Artist Shares New Look at Ultra Instinct Goku and Gohan Beast]

Dragon Ball Daima Reveals Vegeta’s True Fear and It’s Hilarious

Vegeta’s depiction in the Dragon Ball franchise has always centered around his pride and relentless pursuit of strength. While the series has occasionally shown him reacting to powerful villains with fear, it can be deduced that it’s never due to a fear of the villains themselves or of death. Instead, it is evident that it stems from frustration at falling behind in power, which is an emotion that fuels his determination to train harder. That’s why it’s both refreshing and hilarious that the one thing Vegeta truly fears, enough to set aside his Saiyan pride, is something so deeply human.

This moment casts Vegeta in a more realistic light, making him more relatable to fans who seek a deeper emotional connection with his character. In fact, this development humanizes Vegeta even more than Goku, who, despite living on Earth far longer than Vegeta, rarely expresses romantic vulnerability. Notably, this isn’t the first time Vegeta’s softer side and affection for Bulma have been highlighted.

In Episode 9 of Dragon Ball Daima, when Bulma expresses a desire to remain in her younger form, Vegeta immediately insists that they will be returning to adulthood. Hybis, who has had a brief spat with Vegeta over Bulma, quickly deduces that Vegeta’s urgency is due to his fondness for larger bosoms. Vegeta’s angry and embarrassed reaction all but confirms it. Though Dragon Ball Daima was short, it gave Vegeta well-deserved moments in the spotlight, which also revealed his true fear and added meaningful depth to his character by portraying him as more human.

Dragon Ball Daima can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

The post Dragon Ball Daima Confirms The One thing Vegeta Truly Fears, And It’s Not Anything Fans Would Expect appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Super is currently still on hiatus even as the series prepares to celebrate the manga’s 10th anniversary, but the artist behind it all has returned once more with a powerful team up between Goku and Vegeta with some cool new art. Dragon Ball Super first went on hiatus last Spring following the passing of franchise creator Akira Toriyama. The series wrapped up with its extended adaptation of the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero feature film (that included both a new prologue and epilogue), but has since not yet revealed whether or not there are any plans for the franchise to return in the future.

Dragon Ball is now celebrating the seventh anniversary of the Dragon Ball Legends mobile game, and things have kicked off with some cool new art from Dragon Ball Super artist Toyotaro himself. The illustrator has returned with some slick new art of both Ultra Instinct Goku and Super Saiyan Blue Evolution Vegeta, and imagines the two Saiyans in a fierce fight that fans can’t wait to see come to fruition someday. You can check out the special new Dragon Ball art for Goku and Vegeta below.

Dragon Ball Super’s Artist Returns for Goku and Vegeta

In explaining about how Toyotaro has returned to the franchise for this new look at Ultra Instinct Goku and Super Saiyan Blue Evolution Vegeta to Dragon Ball’s official website, the Dragon Ball Super artist explained, “When deciding on the poses, I wanted Goku and Vegeta to be able to stand on their own but also give a sense of teamwork when put together. I also wanted to make it look really dynamic, so I had them face the viewer, and gave extra thought to their clothing and facial expressions.” Toyotaro even guessed who the two would be fighting with this special art.

“I wasn’t thinking of anyone in particular, but since I think the setting is the Tournament of Power, then I guess it must be Jiren. The idea is that they’ve both transformed after a long battle, so I thought it would make sense for their clothes to have some tears in them,” the artist continued when asked about their looks. As for what he kept in mind when drawing the duo, the artist revealed, “I wanted to keep it from looking too symmetrical, so I lined up their fists vertically instead of being right next to each other. There’s also some overlap between one character’s fist and the other’s body, which helps to add some depth.”

RELATED: Eric Legrand, Beloved Dragon Ball Z Voice of Vegeta and Yamcha, Dies at 66

Will Dragon Ball Super Ever Return?

Toyotaro even went into how the design changes with Goku and Vegeta’s transformations, “Since they’re in their Ultra Instinct and Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (Evolved) forms, I tried to bring out the unique characteristics of each form in their expressions. In particular, this version of Vegeta doesn’t exist in the manga, and it was my first time drawing this form. So, I paid close attention to his expression and hairstyle to make sure everything looked natural to fans of the anime.”

It’s clear the Dragon Ball Super artist still loves the series characters and takes these opportunities to still bring them to life. As the manga remains on hiatus even through its 10th anniversary, both Toyotaro and fans want to see make its comeback. But it’s a tougher road to navigate than expected following Toriyama’s passing, so fans will have to wait patiently until a decision on Dragon Ball Super‘s manga future is officially made one way or the other.

The post Dragon Ball Super Artist Returns With New Goku & Vegeta Team Up appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The world of live-action anime adaptations is hitting something of a renaissance these days, as offerings like One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender have helped change the game. In the past, the term “live-action anime adaptation” was often thought of with disdain but those times have changed. Various live-action projects are currently in the works, including the likes of Naruto, Mobile Suit Gundam, One-Punch Man, and many more. When it comes to what the live-action anime adaptation world has to offer, there are more than a few terrible examples that helped the medium gain its original infamy.

1) Cowboy Bebop

Let’s start with one of the most obvious, and most infamous, recent examples of live-action anime adaptation series to go awry according to fans. 2021’s Cowboy Bebop premiered on Netflix with ten episodes, with many Bebop enthusiasts finding that the series starring the likes of John Cho, Daniella Pineda, and Mustafa Shakir simply wasn’t able to hit the same heights as the original anime. Perhaps, it was an impossible task for any live-action Cowboy Bebop to come close to the original, even with the series using “Tank” as its opening song but I personally appreciated the effort to do so. Never receiving a second season despite its cliffhanger ending, the Bebop remains a prime example of what can go wrong when it comes to adapting anime stories.

2) Death Note

Another Netflix offering, 2017’s Death Note failing still throws me for a loop at this point. On paper, the Adam Wingard directed project seemed as though it was bound to be a hit. On top of Wingard making a name for himself with the likes of You’re Next, The Guest, and Blair Witch, the live-action film had serious star power behind it. Atlanta’s Lakeith Stanfield playing L was inspired casting to say nothing of Willem Dafeo taking on the role of the Shinigami Ryuuk. Unfortunately, the story of the film is a muddled mess and is unable to capitalize on what made the source material work so well. Much like Cowboy Bebop, Death Note’s movie ends on a cliffhanger with no sequel in sight, though Netflix is returning to the property with a future live-action television show helmed by Stranger Things creators, The Duffer Brothers.

3) Attack on Titan

On paper, an Attack on Titan live-action project is simply begging to come to life. The bleak anime franchise will stand the test of time and remain a fan-favorite anime series for years to come. Unfortunately, the two-part live-action films released in 2015 were unable to capitalize on what made Hajime Isayama’s series work so well. To start, the CG used for the Titans never quite elicited the true terror of them and from a strictly curiosity standpoint, the new additions to the films that weren’t a part of the source material need to be seen to be believed. We have to imagine at some point, a Western live-action take will come down the pike but these two films are sure to be forgotten in the mix.

4) Ghost In The Shell

2017 was not a great year for live-action anime adaptations. Ghost In The Shell has become legendary in its inability to live up to the source material especially considering just how much time and money seemingly went into the film starring Scarlett Johansson. The film’s story and characterization were found lacking according to many anime fans, especially when it came to the big twist involving Major Kusanagi in the film’s final minutes. Despite this failure to launch, the Ghost In The Shell franchise is still going strong and has a new anime adaptation dropping from Science SARU next year. Speaking of Science SARU…

5) Devilman

Science SARU had created one of the most nihilistic, best takes on the classic anime character Devilman. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for 2004’s live-action movie that attempted to breathe no life into Devilman. Much like Attack on Titan, the demon-centric story suffers from terrible computer-generated graphics and some horrible acting that doesn’t live up to the sheer emotion conveyed in the original story. You don’t hear as much about Devilman’s live-action portrayal too often, which makes sense considering the lack of groundswell.

6) Fist Of The North Star

Sometimes when you find yourself wading into the world of bad movies, you tend to steer your way into offerings that are “so bad they’re good.” Such is the case with 1995’s Fist of The North Star, which dodged a theatrical debut entirely. Many of the battles of the live-action anime adaptation were nowhere close to the excessive carnage that was a part of the original anime, and the lack of budget showed itself in more ways than one. Ironically enough, star Gary Daniels had been signed on for three films but the failure to launch for the first outing meant that this live-action anime adaptation was never meant to continue.

7) The Guyver

I really struggled with putting The Guyver on the list of “worst live-action anime adaptations” because I have a deep nostalgic affinity for this trashfire. Even with a film that is unable to live up to its source material, there is plenty to love here in the same way that fans have fallen for the previous Fist of The North Star entry. Even starring Star Wars’ Mark Hamill wasn’t enough to have the armored superhero series live up to its source, but with that being said, I refuse to add Guyver 2: Dark Hero to this list as the David Hayter-starring film improves on its predecessor in almost every way. Guyver simply didn’t have enough going for it to be a live-action anime adaptation and that’s a shame for fans of the character.

8) The Last Airbender

No, not the recent Netflix Avatar: The Last Airbender. I am of course referring to M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender which is now legendary for its infamy. The Paramount produced film was simply unable to capture what made the original series so special with its terrible bending, subpar acting, and strange tendency to completely rename characters with different pronunciations. The film is absolutely swimming in exposition to try to blast out as much information as possible and it’s almost a miracle that another live-action anime adaptation was released at all.

9) Black Butler

While making changes to the source material is nothing new for many live-action anime adaptations, 2014’s Black Butler took things a little too far for most fans of the anime franchise. Normally, these aspects can be dodged with a truly great outing but this can’t be said for the Warner Bros-produced film. Unfortunately, the changes made to the source material weren’t able to elevate the movie enough to make fans of the original overlook the drastic differences.

10) Dragon Ball Evolution

Everyone had to have seen this one coming right? Dragon Ball Evolution is legendary at this point, often considered by many to be the cream of the crop when it comes to just how horribly wrong live-action anime adaptations can go. On top of attempting to recreate Goku’s story in an American setting, Evolution misses the mark in almost every conceivable way in adapting Akira Toriyama’s shonen story. So terrible was the movie, that it somewhat caused the resurgence of the franchise as Toriyama created Dragon Ball Super as an answer to it, wanting the Z-Fighters to not be remembered for the awful live-action showing.

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Dragon Ball Daima was Akira Toriyama’s final project, which launched its lauded run last year, a few months after his death. The story is set six months after the Buu Saga, when Goku and his friends defeated Majin Buu, the biggest threat the Earth had faced so far. Unfortunately, Gomah, the new king of the Demon Realm, after Dabura’s death, saw their powers and concluded they would be a threat to him. Out of fear, he traveled to Earth and used the Dragon Balls to turn them into children before taking Dende with him. Goku and the others soon follow suit and go to the Demon Realm.

Not only are they weakened in their child form, but they have to explore an unknown world in hopes of getting back to normal and saving Dende. The 20-episode series follows their adventure as they fight enemies during their search for the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls. Amid those fights, Goku and Vegeta reveal their Super Saiyan 3 forms, that was introduced in Dragon Ball Z over 30 years ago. Although Chapter 474, “The Limit!! Super Saiyan 3,” was released in 1994 in Japan, it made its global appearance in 2006 in Weekly Shonen Jump. Unlike the first time we saw this form, Dragon Ball Daima gave it new life.

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Super Artist Shares New Look at Ultra Instinct Goku and Gohan Beast]

Super Saiyan 3 Was Underwhelming in Dragon Ball Z Unlike in Daima

The only time Goku used SSJ3 in Dragon Ball Z was when he had to stall Majin Buu in the Buu Saga. Considering Toei’s pacing, it took several minutes for Goku to power up, and even then, he couldn’t fight for long. Considering Buu’s childish nature, Goku believed that it would be a good trick to distract the villain, and it worked. Unfortunately, Toriyama didn’t have the opportunity to develop this transformation further. Even Vegeta, who is usually one step behind Goku, didn’t achieve this transformation since the story ended shortly after that.

By the time Dragon Ball Super was released, SSJ3 was more or less forgotten or just rarely mentioned. Fans were focused on Super Saiyan God and Ultra Instinct, which introduced new and exciting forms that took over the internet. Fans slowly phased out SSJ3, and it became one of the least discussed transformations in the show, especially since it featured among some of the worse-animated moments, on top of other forms rendering it obsolete.

Compared to that, Dragon Ball Daima was able to adapt this old form with clean new animation to give it the proper amount of gravitas unlike in Z, which mostly focused on a lot of the form’s drawbacks. It easily drained Goku’s energy, and he couldn’t even maintain that form for long. Compared to that, Daima showed him fighting in SSJ3 without highlighting those drawbacks. Not only that, but the show even featured Vegeta in that form, which fans have been waiting for years to see. Whether future Dragon Ball projects will give similarly great glimpses at SSJ3 is too hard to say, but at the very least, Daima gave fans what they were craving with this form, if only for a short while.

The post Dragon Ball Daima Gave New Life to DBZ’s Most Underrated Form appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Super has been in an indeterminate hiatus ever since the tragic passing of franchise creator Akira Toriyama, and unfortunately the series has even more bad news for fans this Summer as the hiatus is set to continue through June and potentially as well. Dragon Ball Super fans have been waiting for the series to return with new stories ever since it went on hiatus last Spring, but it’s likely going to be a tough road to navigate given the creator’s passing. But with so much of the story’s future left hanging, it’s hard not to imagine a potential continuation despite the troubles.

Dragon Ball Super will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of its original manga release with Shueisha’s V-Jump magazine back in June 2015, and details of its celebration have been spotted online. As noted by @DbsHype on X, the issue celebrating Dragon Ball Super‘s big milestone will include a special illustration celebrating the 10th anniversary and new art for the Dragon Ball Legends mobile game, but it appears that there’s still no new chapter of the manga itself and potentially will not have a new chapter in July either.

Dragon Ball Super’s Hiatus Will Continue

With these details revealing that Dragon Ball Super is likely going to continue its hiatus through at least July, then it means that the series is even further away from a potential return than fans might have expected. The manga has shown signs of a potential continuation in the last few months, so it seemed like things were going in a great direction. The biggest example came from earlier this Winter when Dragon Ball Super returned for a new one-shot story that showcased more of Trunks and Goten before they became super heroes during the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero prequel arc. Even more of a promising sign was that it was labeled as the next official chapter of the series.

It turned out that this new Dragon Ball Super one-shot story was actually one of the final leftover events that Akira Toriyama himself left for Toyotaro. The Dragon Ball Super artist ended up not using the story during the original take on the Super Hero prequel, and asked Shueisha’s editors if they could turn that idea into a new one-shot instead. It was a fitting tribute to the creator, and served as a final story from the creator amidst the manga’s hiatus.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Super Artist Shares New Look at Ultra Instinct Goku and Gohan Beast

Will Dragon Ball Super Ever Come Back?

There’s a good chance that Dragon Ball Super will return someday, but it’s just a matter of waiting until Shueisha figures out a proper path forward. Not only does the manga series still have at least one major story left to tell with Black Frieza’s debut during the Granolah the Survivor Arc, but artist Toyotaro himself has revealed at many opportunities that he has a desire to keep drawing for the series in the future. But what form that will take is still very much a mystery.

Even those behind the anime are confident in seeing Dragon Ball Super return for new episodes as well. Vegeta (and more) star Christopher R. Sabat even revealed a sense of what his take on Ultra Ego Vegeta would sound like in a new anime, and fans were absolutely excited by the idea. It just makes all the sense in the world for the Dragon Ball Super anime to continue, but it can’t really do so until the manga returns with new material first. But as of this Summer, the wait continues.

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Dragon Ball Daima has officially brought the English dub run of the new anime series to an end, and with it has given the now adult Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta some time to shine in the spotlight. Dragon Ball Daima introduced some massive shake ups to the franchise as the final story overseen by original series creator Akira Toriyama. Because it takes place within the official Dragon Ball canon, this new anime has series has filled in some of the gaps fans had been hoping to see in Dragon Ball Super. This includes some long awaited debuts of big name transformations.

One of the biggest debuts in Dragon Ball Daima was for Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta. During a previous episode, it was revealed that Vegeta had been training in secret to using the transformation after seeing Goku use it against Majin Buu. But the first time around, Vegeta used the form in his Mini body. But this changed with the final episodes of the new anime series as Vegeta and the others were changed back into adults, and Christopher Sabat got to bring Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta to life at last.

What to Know for Dragon Ball Daima’s English Dub

Christopher Sabat originally returned as the voice for Vegeta back when Dragon Ball Daima‘s dub first began, but has now made his comeback to the anime with the grand finale together with other returning stars Sean Schemmel (who really went all out with his take on Super Saiyan 4 Goku) and Monica Rial as Bulma. Now available for streaming with Crunchyroll, the full English dub cast breaks down as such:

• Goku – Sean Schemmel
• Bulma – Monica Rial
• Vegeta / Yamcha / Shenron – Christopher R. Sabat
• Krillin / Korin / Turtle – Sonny Strait
• Trunks / Gotenks – Alexis Tipton
• Goten / Gotenks – Kara Edwards
• Dende – Justin Cook
• Mr. Popo – Chris Cason
• Supreme Kai – Kent Williams
• Kibito – Chuck Huber
• Majin Buu – Josh Martin
• Babidi – Duncan Brannan
• Narrator – Doc Morgan
• Glorio – Aaron Dismuke
• King Gomah – Tom Lafiin
• Degesu – Landon McDonald
• Dr. Arinsu – Morgan Lauré
• Neva – Garett Schenck
• Sir Warp / Small Sir Warp – Kristian Eros
• Additional Voices – Van Barr Jr., Sean Letourneau, Corey Wilder, Derick Snow, Matthew Elkins, Belsheber Junior Rusape
• Goku (Mini) – Stephanie Nadolny
• Supreme Kai (Mini) – Nia Celeste
• Vegeta (Mini) – Paul Castro Jr.
• Piccolo (Mini) – Nasim Benelkour
• Bulma (Mini) – Taylor Murphy
• Krillin (Mini) – Lara Woodhull
• Chichi (Mini) – Brittany Lauda
• Master Roshi (Mini) – Jordan Dash Cruz
• Trunks (Mini) – Celeste Perez
• Dende (Mini) – Emi Lo
• Mr. Popo (Mini) – Trisha Mellon
• Kibito (Mini) – Aaron Michael
• Mr. Satan (Mini) – Corey Phillips
• Majin Buu (Mini) – Dusty Feeney

RELATED: Dragon Ball Makes History With New Awards Nomination After 25 Year Streak

What’s Next for Dragon Ball?

Unfortunately, Dragon Ball has yet to confirm any plans for its future as of the time of this publication. Dragon Ball Daima was a brand new anime project that was overseen by Akira Toriyama before his passing, but it’s currently the final project on the docket. There are likely plans to continue the Dragon Ball franchise in some way, but it’s likely going to be a while before we see forward momentum on a new anime without being produced now that Toriyama is no longer here.

It’s the same for Dragon Ball Super as well as the manga has been on hiatus since Toriyama’s passing. While Dragon Ball Super artist Toyotaro has expressed his interest in continuing the series, and it briefly returned with a new one-shot story, the manga has yet to confirm any plans to return. This also means a potential Dragon Ball Super anime return is even less uncertain thanks to the manga’s sudden pause.

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Dragon Ball Daima was a dream come true for anime fans that were Grand Tour enthusiasts. Taking quite a few elements from Dragon Ball GT, the latest anime series made elements like Super Saiyan 4 canon for the first time. Unfortunately, while the black sheep series of the shonen franchise did give fans plenty of elements that remains fan-favorites to this day, Dragon Ball GT had some major issues that are tough to look past. One of the biggest was its villainous roster which had a few stand-outs but was ultimately bogged down by terrible choices for a story that could have been a truly worthy sequel to Dragon Ball Z.

To start, let’s do a deep dive on the villains of the Grand Tour that did work. Specifically, the villainous Tuffle known as Baby, who wanted revenge on the Saiyans for the destruction of his race. Thanks to both his devilish personality and his wild powerset that allowed him to possess the hero, Baby is routinely thought of as one of the best original villains that the Grand Tour created. On top of Baby, there certainly is an argument to be made for the evil Eternal Dragons were an interesting foil for Goku and the Z-Fighters. Specifically, the final villain of the Grand Tour, Omega Shenron, had a unique design that even warranted the arrival of Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta. Aside from these examples, GT was bereft in the villain department across the board.

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Daima Reveals a New Spin on a Familiar Divine Dragon]

The Super 17 Problem

One of the biggest issues in the villains’ department for GT was the introduction of Super 17. While the idea that Dr. Gero met another mad scientist, Dr. Myuu, in the underworld is solid enough, especially considering Myuu was the creator of Baby, the partnership falls flat in its execution. To start, Gero reveals that 17 was always meant to be his ultimate creation which is patently false from all angles. 17 and 18 always were meant as means to an end to empower Cell, a fact that Gero was more than willing to share in Dragon Ball Z. In changing continuity to boost this new 17, things were already off to a shaky start.

Things go from bad to worse when it comes to the handling of villains pouring out of hell to take revenge against the Z-Fighters. The idea of past threats making a return is a good one for Dragon Ball and has been used to great effect in the past. Unfortunately, GT isn’t truly able to live up to what could have been, sans for the legendary reunion between Vegeta and Nappa. Goku fighting in his kid form against Frieza and Cell comes across as more like a joke than anything else, which makes sense in a way considering the hero’s power level but it also makes Cell and Frieza look so much worse in doing so.

In the case of Super 17, the fusion of two 17s from Gero and Myuu simply didn’t have the weight that it could have. To start, 17’s personality is completely changed for GT, taking away his snark and making him feel quite generic. Despite his heightened power level, it felt like a wasted opportunity all around in creating a threat from the past to bring into the present.

The Grand Tour Problem

On top of Super 17, Dragon Ball GT had plenty of “gag villains” that fell short. Characters such as Don Kee, Ledgic, the Para Para Brothers, and General Rilldo were mostly introduced during the period before Baby’s arrival but they are so forgotten that even our readers might be stumped in trying to recall who these figures were. While Omega Shenron was an interesting enough villain, many of the other evil dragons failed to be as appealing. Should Dragon Ball Super one day make some of these villains canon, we are crossing our fingers that they will receive the “Broly treatment” and be made much better once they enter the shonen franchise proper.

Want to stay up to date on the ever-expanding world of Dragon Ball? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the Z-Fighters and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

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Dragon Ball Daima has officially come to an end with the English dub release of the series, and it’s going out on a high as it has made history with its newest awards nomination. Dragon Ball Daima first made its debut last year as part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Akira Toriyama’s original Dragon Ball debut in the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, and the new anime told a brand new story not seen in the previous manga or anime releases. Sending Goku on a brand new journey through the Demon Realm, fans were treated to the first brand new Dragon Ball anime in a while.

It’s also why Dragon Ball Daima has been such a massive hit with fans since it first made its debut last year, and it’s why it seems to be just as big of a hit with kids too. Nickelodeon has announced this year’s nominees for the Kids’ Choice Awards taking place later this June, and with it has revealed that Dragon Ball Daima has been nominated for Favorite Cartoon…the first time an anime has been nominated for the category in 25 years.

Dragon Ball at the Kids’ Choice Awards

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2025 will be taking place on Saturday, June 21, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. Fans are now casting their votes for the winners, which include many franchises and actors that have been nominated for the very first time. Dragon Ball Daima has been announced for Favorite Cartoon in a group that features a lot of demographics with Monster High, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teen Titans Go!, The Loud House, and The Simpsons rounding out the rest of the category. But it’s a bigger deal for Dragon Ball than it is for the other nominees.

Anime hasn’t been represented in this category since the Pokemon anime was nominated for the Kids’ Choice Awards back in 2000. Pokemon Yellow was also nominated for Favorite Video Game, and Pokemon: The First Movie was nominated for Favorite Movie that same year, but the franchise on a whole didn’t take any awards. Rugrats beat it out for Favorite Cartoon that year, and that was off on a hot streak that Rugrats had going for five years at that point. So it’s been 25 years since anime has gotten back to the Favorite Cartoon category, but hopefully this could also be the first win.

RELATED: 10 Dragon Ball Characters Who Deserve More Attention in Dragon Ball Super

Where to Watch Dragon Ball Daima

Now that the English dub release has come to an end, you can now find all episodes of Dragon Ball Daima now streaming with Crunchyroll. The original Japanese episodes are also available for streaming with Netflix, and there’s plenty of time to catch the anime just in case you missed out. It’s a brand new story taking place after the events of the Majin Buu arc and before Beerus and Whis arrive in Dragon Ball Super, so it fills in some of the gaps of what Goku and the others had been up to during that time.

This new anime did raise some questions among Dragon Ball fans as to why its events are never referenced again in Goku’s future adventures, but it’s also hard to argue that just having a new Dragon Ball anime series back on TV wasn’t a big deal. It’s why the anime has made history with this new nomination at the Kids’ Choice Awards, and it has a chance of actually winning if enough fans show their support and vote for it.

The post Dragon Ball Makes History With New Awards Nomination After 25 Year Streak appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Toei Animation has become one of the heaviest hitters in the anime world for good reason at this point. Creating the anime adaptations for major shonen franchises such as Dragon Ball and One Piece, Toei also has helped to create the likes of Digimon, Sailor Moon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Kinnikuman to name a few. While the production house has earned plenty of goodwill amongst the anime fan community, rough seas appear to be ahead thanks to Toei’s future plans. Looking to the future, Toei Animation has revealed its plans to use artificial intelligence for its creations and this plan is raising some eyebrows amongst fans.

With Toei Animation’s newly released plan for its next financial year, FY2026, the studio held nothing back in noting that artificial intelligence would play a big role. Releasing a new image that breaks down just where the animation house plans on implementing A.I., Toei released the following statement expressing their future, “We will seek to co-develop new business opportunities and improve the efficiency and quality of our production, capitalizing on synergies between AI and animation production technologies.” You can check out the detailed plans below thanks to the newly released financial strategy which you can read in full by clicking here.

[RELATED: Anime Leaders Warn Against AI’s Dystopian Impact]

Artificial Anime Intelligence Controversy

A.I. has been one of the most controversial technologies to enter the anime world in some time. Animations, voice actors, and countless creators have routinely expressed trepidation regarding the use of artificial intelligence. In fact, last year, Japan’s Nippon Anime and Film Culture Association released the following statement regarding the dangers of artificial intelligence and how everyone involved needs to keep a watchful eye on the use of the format.

“We [the NAFCA] feel it will be very difficult in the future to bring fair revenue to creators when projects are being created through the use of generative AI. For instance, if an AI generates a character with the head of Doraemon, the body of a Gundam, and the voice of Son Goku… If that creation is made with the thought it can be used freely so long as we hand over the required revenue, we’re not interested. Even if a character created using 100 others were to make a ton of profit, there is no good mechanism of sharing profit and approval with the creators of those 100 said characters.”

Dragon Ball & One Piece’s Animated Futures

Dragon Ball brought its latest animated series, Dragon Ball Daima, to an end earlier this year, leaving many Z-Fighter fans left to wonder where Goku and his fellow brawlers will make a comeback. As of the writing of this article, that question remains unanswered. Luckily, Straw Hat Pirate fans have been eating good as of late, with the series recently bringing back its weekly anime episodes. As the final saga continues, things are heating up on Egghead Island and Luffy is in dire straits thanks to the arrival of one of the biggest villains of the Grand Line.

Want to stay in the loop when it comes to the ways that artificial intelligence is permeating the anime world? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Dragon Ball/One Piece Studio Reveals AI Plans (And Fans Aren’t Happy) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One thing is true about the Earth-raised Saiyan Goku, and it is that when he transforms, he will scream from his very core and bring a true guttural bellow along with his power-ups. Dragon Ball Daima has finally unleashed the dubbed version of Adult Super Saiyan 4 onto fans, and it did not disappoint. The screams of the Saiyan warrior were powerful and brought back the nostalgia of Goku’s transformations as he has grown over time. With the dubbed transformation, fans have gotten to hear Sean Schemmel representing their favorite Saiyan for the first time since Dragon Ball Super was airing. Unsurprisingly, the entire fight is highlighted by the battle cries of the warrior as he marches forward and faces down King Gomah.

Fans were once again treated to showstopper voice work for Goku in the fateful scene at the end of Episode 19 and through the series finale. The transformation sequence, as well as the Kamehameha, brings the classic Schemmel screams back to the fierce protagonist. The voicework itself is nothing to scoff at, and fans have been reminded just why Schemmel has remained the voice of Goku since 1999. Given the fact that Schemmel has said that he passed out during the original Super Saiyan 4 transformation recording, there were high hopes amongst fans that the voice actor would dig just as deep for the form’s new adult-sized debut.

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Daima’s Goku Actor Sean Schemmel Passed Out Three Times Recording English Dub Finale]

Super Saiyan 4 Returns and Delivers

The showdown of Daima has Goku, now returned to adult form, activating his Super Saiyan 4 form again to defeat the giant form of King Gomah. The voicework done for this scene is undeniable, however, fans have been quick to point out that the voice we are hearing is not identical to the Goku we’ve heard transform in the 90s and early 2000s. Of course, with age and years of transformations, Schemmel’s voice has had some changes, but nothing to his detriment or to that of the character. The voice of Goku we hear here has aged a bit and has less youth in it; however, with the age and depth of an ever-evolving voice comes the intense complexity of a voice that has earned a new form. This form is something Goku has worked towards and aged towards, and even fans will note that Shemmel and Goku have come a long way since going Super Saiyan 3 during the Buu Saga.

Beyond the initial transformation, we see a lot of bestial and guttural energy from Goku, and by extension, Schemmel. The fight is full of Goku showing off the new power boost against a villain who needs to be taught a lesson, with the fate of the free Demon Realm in the balance. Of course, the showdown includes an epic Kamehameha, and again, Schemmel shows fans that even in lieu of the lack of other ongoing Dragon Ball anime work, he still has the pipes to pull off an epic statement-level attack. The nostalgia of seeing Super Saiyan 4 brought out of the dubious Dragon Ball GT corner is iconic, and hearing Schemmel bring the form back to life in a new capacity can not be overstated. Being willing to pass out for the roll is no joke, and fans can feel the weight that the voicework has behind it as Goku shouts himself into a new form and declares his ultimate attack.  

The post Dragon Ball Daima’s English Dub Finally Unleashes Adult Super Saiyan 4 Goku appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The last two episodes of Dragon Ball Daima are finally dubbed and have successfully aired on Crunchyroll. The finale brings back the adult voice cast, including Sean Schemmel and Chris Sabat. A majority of Daima had the characters de-aged, bringing Stephanie Nadolny back as young Goku again. However, with Schemmel behind the wheel of Goku once more, expect a lot of yelling. The Dragon Ball franchise, particularly Dragon Ball Z, is recognized for loud screaming for long periods. Several Dragon Ball voice actors, especially Schemmel, have expressed how taxing it is to scream for extended periods and have literally passed out during recording sessions.

Schemmel notoriously shared how he passed out during a recording of Dragon Ball GT, during the transformation scene into Super Saiyan 4. Well, it seems like history has repeated itself, as the actor admitted to fans on Discord that he may have passed out between one and three times while recording the finale of Daima, which, ironically, featured a new Super Saiyan 4 transformation. Schemmel and the other Dragon Ball cast members are accustomed to the harshness of recording the series, but Schemmel’s passing out points to a more intense work schedule.

[RELATED – Why Dragon Ball Daima May Make Super Saiyan 4 Canon]

Sean Schemmel’s Decades Spent Voicing Goku Are Catching Up With Him

Yelling for more than a few seconds can result in permanent damage to your vocal cords, and there are serious risks that you can lose air as you push out everything from your lungs. The longer you yell, the less air can come in, potentially leaving you lightheaded and even passing out. This is what happened to Sean Schemmel when recording the infamous Super Saiyan 4 scene in GT, and is likely what led to the actor passing out again in Daima. At this point, actors like Schemmel and Sabat are professionals who know how to keep a scream and take care of their voice. Schemmel admitted he miscalculated how much time he could yell when getting enough air between takes, leading to his infamous fainting in GT.

Schemmel also claims he never fainted while originally recording Dragon Ball Z in the early 2000s, making it seem as if fainting was a rare occurrence for him. His response on Discord could be just him playing it up the situation for the fans, or maybe fainting has become more common as he grew older. It should be noted that Goku’s Japanese voice actor, actress Masako Nozawa, is 88 years old and continues to voice the character in the same loud and over-extended scenes as 56-year-old Schemmel.

H/T: Animelover on X (formerly Twitter)

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The Kids’ Choice Awards are an annual awards ceremony by Nickelodeon Studios, and they’re often viewed as the children’s equivalent of more prestigious trophies like the Emmys and Golden Globes. The Kids’ Choice Awards don’t hold the same weight as other award ceremonies, but they’re frivolous and fun for kids. The awards became famous in the 90s for celebrating children’s entertainment and dumping slime on winners and presenters. Nickelodeon quickly became known as the house of slime thanks to the Kids’ Choice Awards and its many slime-based game shows. The studio also doesn’t limit its nominations to Western media, having expanded into overseas programs.

One of the categories in the Kids’ Choice Awards is Favorite Cartoon. While Pokémon was the first anime nominated for Favorite Cartoon in 2000, anime doesn’t often get nominated, making Dragon Ball Daima’s nomination for this year’s Kids’ Choice Awards stand out. Daima is the only anime among the six nominees, including Monster High, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Loud House, Teen Titans Go, and The Simpsons. The winners are determined by online voting on the official Kids’ Choice Awards website, with the winners announced on June 21st, 2025. South African musician Tyla will be hosting this year’s ceremony, located in Santa Monica, California.

[RELATED – The Simpsons Now Has the Perfect Opportunity to End]

The Kids’ Choice Awards Prove Children Watch Anime!

Even though Daima isn’t the first anime to be nominated, the nomination further proves how mainstream anime has become in Western media, and the Kids’ Choice Awards are fully aware of the medium’s popularity. Anime is expected to have its biggest year in 2025, with multiple companies expected to invest millions in the medium. Anime is no longer a niche thing that only some kids watch on Toonami, and has become one of the most-streamed media. This year’s Kids’ Choice Awards also highlights how little difference between live television and streaming. Daima primarily aired on Crunchyroll and Hulu, showcasing how people, especially children, don’t differentiate what they watch on streaming from what they watch live on channels like Nickelodeon.

All the other Favorite Cartoon nominees have been previous nominees in the category, including The Simpsons. SpongeBob SquarePants, which has been airing on Nickelodeon since 1999, has been a winner of the category several times already, most recently winning the 2024 Favorite Cartoon trophy. Even though The Simpsons is typically viewed as more adult than traditional children’s programming, it is still beloved by kids of all ages. The Simpsons has also been going through a mini-renaissance, delivering some of the best episodes in years, including a recent one where Conan O’Brien hosts the “series finale.”

Even though Dragon Ball has been airing episodes in the West for nearly three decades now, Daima feels the most kid-friendly of the franchise. Although many young boys watched the original Dragon Ball Z on Toonami, the franchise is often seen as more for preteens or young teenagers than young children. It’s unknown if Dragon Ball Daima‘s lighter tone will give it a better shot at winning this year’s Favorite Cartoon. The winner is determined by the whims of the voters, who are children. Maybe The Simpsons will have a shot this year.

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Goku is one of the all-time greatest fictional characters, not just in anime, but in all media. He has endured for multiple decades and is enshrined in the hearts and minds of people across the globe. His iconic hair is recognizable worldwide, with even laymen identifying it at a glance. Goku is great and is Akira Toriyama’s prized creation. He has inspired future Shonen protagonists, ensuring his legacy would live long after Dragon Ball ended. While Goku is important and we would love more stories with him, the Dragon Ball Universe is much more than the iconic Saiyan.

The Dragon Ball franchise has so many great characters that it feels unfair that the series remains so focused on a select few. If Dragon Ball is expected to continue for decades to come, similarly to Marvel and DC comics, it is time for the franchise to explore other characters. A brand like Dragon Ball can be more than one thing, it can be about other characters and situations. The series doesn’t always need to be about Goku fighting against the next powerful villain, there are other avenues to explore. We believe Dragon Ball Super should give more attention to these ten characters in the future via the manga or any anime follow-up.

1) Chiaotzu

Chiaotzu has always been a relatively minor character in the Dragon Ball supporting cast. His biggest contribution to the series was his fight against Krillin in the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, and being an early casualty for King Piccolo and Nappa. Chiaotzu never did anything important after the Saiyan Saga, and barely contributed to the plot even before. Nonetheless, he was always around, so seeing him get some spotlight would be cool. The That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha manga pays off Chiaotzu’s role as a background character in a funny way, and we wish the franchise would use the character more.

2) Yajirobe

Yajirobe is a kind of forgotten character. Akira Toriyama initially established him as a capable warrior early in the King Piccolo arc, serving as an important ally for Goku. He quickly loses relevancy, failing to enter the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. His biggest contribution to the plot was cutting off Vegata’s tail during the Saiyan Saga. He has remained a background character since and has easily been forgotten. We would love to see the character get more prominence in the series again, possibly give back some of the initial power he originally displayed.

3) Mr. Popo

Before Dragon Ball Z Abridged made Mr. Popo a meme, he was one of the more enigmatic characters in the franchise. He is the caretaker of the Lookout and personal assistant to Kami and later Dende. He has charcoal-black skin and is dressed in genie-like attire. The series never discusses his origins, where he comes from, or why he is in the Lookout. There’s more to the character’s backstory that is worth exploring, making Mr. Popo an excellent character who needs more attention.

4) Bulla

Bulla, or Bra, depending on what English translation you want to follow, is the second child of Vegeta and Bulma. She is the only female offspring of the last two Saiyans in Universe Seven. Despite being the daughter of Vegeta and a Saiyan, Bulla has never been shown to be a fighter. Bulla’s portrayal in the series is emblematic of how the series treated its female characters for a long time, avoiding representing them as fighters. The Dragon Ball franchise has gotten better with incorporating more female fighters in its cast in the last few projects, and the Dragon Ball Super manga has hinted that Bulla may have inherited Bulma’s intelligence. It still feels like we’ve only gotten a taste of Bulla’s true potential, and we hope future adaptations will develop the character further.

5) Marron

Marron is another daughter of one of the main characters of the franchise. However, she has been with the series the longest, first appearing in the opening act of the Majin Buu Saga. Even though she’s been within the cast the longest now, she’s never been given her own personality yet. Her mother, Android 18, hinted that Marron may hold some hidden strength in Dragon Ball Super. Nevertheless, Marron isn’t shown in any combat situations. Pan has been the only girl allowed to train, leaving Marron and Bulla as the typical girls in the background. We believe it’s unfair and the ladies should get more to do, even if it isn’t strictly fighting.

[RELATED – Dragon Ball Sparking Zero’s Roster of 182 Characters Is One Giant Dragon Ball Easter Egg]

6) Videl

Videl further hammers the idea that Dragon Ball didn’t know what to do with female fighters until Dragon Ball Super. Introduced as Mr. Satan’s physically capable and strong teenage daughter, Vidal was lined up to be part of the main fighters. Unfortunately, after dealing with a painful defeat by Spopovich, Videl quietly hid in the background. There’s a great moment where she joins Gohan and the others to stop Majin Buu, but can’t keep up.

The scene exemplified how abnormal the rest of the cast was at that point, yet it also forced Videl to be sidelined. From there, she has become more or less a dotting wife and mother to Gohan and Pan, respectively. Several tie-in materials, specifically the video games, expand Videl’s powers more, something we wish the mainline anime or manga would do.

7) Yamcha

Yamcha has been the butt of the joke since his introduction. The only thing going for him was that he had an on-again, off-again relationship with Bulma, and even that was taken away from him when Bulma got with Vegeta. From there, his loser status only intensified. He is often listed as the weakest Z-Fighter, lost to a Saibaman, and was left out of Resurrection f and the Tournament of Power.

Yamcha’s infamous death pose is a world-renowned meme, with merchandise and references found across multiple media. While Yamcha’s loser status did lead to the hilarious That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha manga, he still deserves to be treated better.

8) Krillin

Krillin may be an odd fit on this list because compared to the other supporting characters in Dragon Ball, he actually has it better than most. He remains one of the main fighters throughout the series, participating in nearly every arc and appearing in most movies. Krillin is likely the fifth most important character in the franchise, behind only Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and Piccolo.

Nonetheless, Krillin still feels like he gets overshadowed in most story plotlines. He is either quickly disposed of or is sidelined for most of the plot. Krillin never gets his own hype moments in the same way as Goku and Vegeta, staying firmly in support. The franchise undervalues Krillin, and he warrants more big moments.

9) Android 18

Android 18 is in a similar situation to Krillin, but her status in the franchise has risen over the last several years. She has become the franchise’s token lead female fighter, participating in the Tournament of Power and other conflicts in the Dragon Ball Super manga.

Android 18 has increasingly become one of the faces of the franchise, yet we believe more could be done with the character. She remained sidelined for so long in the latter half of Dragon Ball Z and most of the Super anime. Her prominence in recent marketing helps elevate her status, though we would love to see her more in future projects.

10) Tien

We love Tien and his arc in the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament. Nonetheless, he has arguably been done the dirtiest by the Dragon Ball franchise. While Tien appears in nearly every major arc, he doesn’t play as much of a role as Krillin. Even Yamcha has his loser status to help elevate him into a meme, whereas Tien doesn’t even have that. Although we’re grateful that Tien partakes in the recent big action set pieces, like in Resurrection f and the Tournament of Power, he never gets a standout moment. He’s always just there, which is probably the biggest shame.

Tien is one of the canonically few characters who has beaten Goku on a technicality, and his arc from antagonist to protagonist is endearing. With stronger characters continuing to be introduced, Tien’s relevancy seems to be losing steam. We hope that isn’t the case, and that the character can stumble himself back into the limelight.

The post 10 Dragon Ball Characters Who Deserve More Attention in Dragon Ball Super appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Super is now in the midst of a hiatus that is showing no signs of ending anytime soon, but the artist behind it all has re-emerged with a cool new look at Ultra Instinct Goku and Gohan Beast. Dragon Ball Super’s manga entered an indefinite hiatus following the passing of franchise creator Akira Toriyama last year, and in that time the manga has returned for a few small outings that revealed that artist Toyotaro is still very interested in bringing the series to life. This includes all kinds of cool new artwork for the franchise, of course, and the latest example is no different.

Dragon Ball Super artist Toyotaro has found some fun ways to share new looks at the manga series ever during this hiatus with new volume covers showcasing the main heroes’ most powerful forms, and that’s the case with a cool new sketch shared with fans. Crafted for a special autograph signing (as nabbed by @guernicass4 on X), Dragon Ball Super artist Toyotaro has dropped a cool new look at Ultra Instinct Goku and Gohan Beast while we wait for their full comebacks. Check it out below:

What’s Going On With Dragon Ball Super?

Dragon Ball Super has been on hiatus following Toriyama’s passing, and left off following the end of the manga’s adaptation of the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero feature film. The manga took things a bit further than the film as it not only included its own prologue arc heading into the arc, and even included a special epilogue that showcased more of Beast Gohan in action. This helped to prove that Gohan’s new form brought him up to Goku and Vegeta’s godly level, and could make him a fierce fighter to keep an eye on in the future as Gohan further masters the ability.

This epilogue even showcased how Gohan Beast stacked up against Ultra Instinct Goku in a full sparring match between the two, and teased that both forms could be pushed to even higher heights. This is ultimately where the series chose to enter its hiatus, and still has some big questions to answer if the series ever does make a comeback. Fans have been asking for just that in order to get much more of these transformations, and potentially take things to an even higher level somehow in potential future arcs.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Super: Vegeta’s Voice Actor Previews Ultra Ego Debut

Will Dragon Ball Super Return Soon?

As for whether or not Dragon Ball Super will return with new chapters someday, it currently seems like it’s possible. Not only has Toyotaro returned with a special one-shot bringing to life one of Toriyama’s final left over ideas, but the artist himself has been very open about his hope to return to the series in full. With new sketches like the one shared with fans, and some big cliffhangers still left from the manga before it could come to a complete end, a return seems on the table. It’s just a matter of figuring out how to actually make it happen.

Toyotaro has already been preparing for Dragon Ball Super’s future volumes, but actually continuing the series would be a huge undertaking. It’s one that should not be approached lightly as the series would be continuing without Toriyama’s input on its story, and it’s something both Dragon Ball’s manga and anime futures are contending with at the moment. It’s a question over how the series will approach its canon heading into the future, and one that everyone involved should take their time on. It’s what’s best for Dragon Ball overall.

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Dragon Ball Daima‘s English dub has reached the climax of the sequel anime series, and with the newest episode has finally unleashed Super Saiyan 4 Goku’s power. Dragon Ball Daima released last year as part of the 40th anniversary celebration for Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball manga, and the new anime series picked up from the events of the Majin Buu arc and kicked off a whole new adventure for Goku and the others. Heading into the Demon Realm for the first real time in the franchise, fans saw all kinds of new characters and powers in the works through the episodes.

Dragon Ball Daima‘s English dub release is now in the midst of its final few episodes after getting off to a late start, and Goku and the others are fighting against Supreme Demon King Gomah now that he’s been boosted with the Evil Third Eye. As Goku struggled to deal any real damage, Neva gave him a magical boost that brought about the Super Saiyan 4 form within his currently mini-sized body. This officially introduced Super Saiyan 4 into the Dragon Ball canon, and now it’s been debuted in the English dub release too.

Is Super Saiyan 4 Canon in Dragon Ball?

With the official debut of the form in Dragon Ball Daima Episode 18, Super Saiyan 4 officially becomes a part of the overall canon timeline. Dragon Ball GT was originally produced without Akira Toriyama’s input, and was thus labeled as a non-canon sequel to the events of Dragon Ball Z. While we would see some of its ideas incorporated into other non-canon releases like the Dragon Ball Heroes and Dragon Ball Xenoverse video games, the anime’s events never technically “happened” within Toriyama’s take on the series. But that’s not the case here.

Because Dragon Ball Daima feature the final original story from Toriyama before his passing, it also means that everything that happens in the series is officially part of the overall Dragon Ball timeline. That also means that Super Saiyan 4 is now an official Goku form that he unlocked following the end of the Majin Buu arc and never used again despite Beerus and many other universes showing up later in Dragon Ball Super. It’s raised all sorts of wild questions as a result, but it’s canon nonetheless.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Daima’s Biggest Secret May Have an Answer After All

When Does Dragon Ball Daima’s Dub End?

Dragon Ball Daima’s English dub release is finally going to reach its own grand finale soon as well. Crunchyroll has announced that they will be releasing the final two episodes on the same day with Episode 19 and 20 being available for streaming with the service on Friday, May 16 at 1:30 PM PT for fans in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India. So after getting off to a late start, fans checking out the dub for the anime are going to be able to send it all off with a bang.

While this initial version of Super Saiyan 4 Goku is voiced by the returning Stephanie Nadolny (which is one of the coolest aspects of the voice star coming back for the new series), the final episodes of the anime will be unleashing a much different version of Super Saiyan 4 Goku. It’s something fans of the English dub have been waiting for ever since it began months ago, and now it’s all going to come to a head as this second wave of Dragon Ball Daima comes to an end in a little under a week from the time of this publication.

The post Dragon Ball Daima Dub Finally Unleashes Super Saiyan 4 Goku appeared first on ComicBook.com.

May 9th is officially Goku Day, meaning the Dragon Ball franchise celebrates the occasion with several new announcements. The biggest announcement on Goku Day 2025 is the Dragon Ball Double Cover Box, which contains all 42 volumes of the original Dragon Ball manga, plus new gallery illustrations made by the most popular manga artists in the business. The box set also commemorates the 40th Anniversary of the franchise. Even though the series technically began in November 1984 with the publication of the first manga chapter, May 9th falls within the first year of the manga’s publication. May 9 is roughly translated as Go and Ku in Japanese, explaining Goku Day.

The Dragon Ball Double Cover Box comes in a container that has new illustrations acknowledging the 40th Anniversary of the brand. All 42 volumes in the set will include double covers, with the dust jacket covers featuring the new gallery artwork made by the other artists. Beneath the dust jackets are the classic Akira Toriyama covers. The box set will also have eight original dividers and a double-sided card set for all 42 covers and gallery art. The box set is currently Japanese-exclusive, with the only way for fans to pre-order it through a Japanese web store or a retailer that offers overseas delivery. Pre-orders will close on August 3rd, 2025, and the box set is scheduled to release the following year on February 4th.

[RELATED – Dragon Ball Should Be More Consistent With Its Timeline (But Daima Doesn’t Break It)]

Can You Get The Dragon Ball Double Cover Box?

The Dragon Ball Double Cover Box is currently exclusive to Japan, with no news revealing if an English translation will be released in other countries. The box set is listed as costing 31,800 Yen after taxes. Some retailers would ship products overseas from Japan to customers in the United States, including Amazon. The Japanese Amazon website will occasionally ship things to overseas countries, and there is a link for the Dragon Ball Double Cover Box. There are also smaller online retail shops that would ship Japanese products to Western Countries, but most stores charge a shipping fee, which can be expensive depending on which part of the world you live.

Dragon Ball Turns 40!

The Dragon Ball Double Cover Box is part of the franchise’s 40th Anniversary celebration and remembering the series creator. Franchise creator Akira Toriyama sadly passed away in early 2024. To honor Toriyama and commemorate the 40th anniversary, the biggest manga artists in the world drew new renditions of the iconic 42 covers. The list of artists who contributed includes Naruto‘s Masashi Kishimoto, Bleach‘s Tite Kubo, Chainsaw Man‘s Tatsuki Fujimoto, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure‘s Hirohiko Araki, Yu Yu Hakusho‘s and Hunter x Hunter‘s Yoshihiro Togashi, and One Piece‘s Eiichiro Oda. These new artist renderings of the 42 original Dragon Ball covers are the gallery covers used for the Double Cover Box.

The official Dragon Ball website has also been upgrading the Toriyama Archives, a daily update of Toriyama’s most popular art pieces from Dragon Ball. Bandai Namco unveiled a new trailer for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, focusing on the Daima edition of the video game. The Daima edition incorporates new content based on the most recent anime, Dragon Ball Daima, which was the final anime that Toriyama worked on before his passing. The Dragon Ball website is also handling a poll to determine which original Dragon Ball cover by Toriyama is the best.

H/T: Official Dragon Ball Website

The post Dragon Ball Fans Can Own the Best Crossover Collection Soon (But There’s a Catch) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Daima, the most recent Dragon Ball anime, has earned plenty of online discourse, both positive and negative. While it is doubtful the discussion surrounding the show will die down anytime soon, Daima ended its shocking short 20-episode run on February 28th, 2025. Crunchyroll and Hulu streamed the series as it aired in Japan, with the latter producing and releasing the dub as well. Although Crunchyroll often releases same-day dubs for its prolific anime, the Dragon Ball Daima dub was several weeks behind the original Japanese broadcast. Crunchyroll has shared a new blog post to promote the upcoming final two episodes of the Daima dub, including a full cast list.

The last two episodes of the Daima dub will premiere on May 16th, 2025, at 1:30 PM PT. The dub is available on Crunchyroll websites for the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India. The final two episodes have the cast return to their adult bodies and the last fight with Gomah, who has the powers of the Third Eye. The finale notoriously featured the adult version of Super Saiyan 4 Goku, confusing and hyping fans in equal measure. Daima in its entirety takes place between the end of the Buu Saga and Dragon Ball Super.

[RELATED – Dragon Ball Should Be More Consistent With Its Timeline (But Daima Doesn’t Break It)]

Dragon Ball Dub is Iconic and One of the Best

The full dub cast for Dragon Ball Daima includes most returning veterans who’ve been with Dragon Ball since the original dub.

• Goku voiced by Sean Schemmel
• Supreme Kai voiced by Kent Williams
• Vegeta, Yamcha, and Shenron voiced by Christopher R. Sabat
• Bulma voiced by Monica Rial
• Krillin voiced by Sonny Strait
• Goten and Gotenks voiced by Kara Edwards
• Trunks and Gotenks voiced by Alexis Tipton
• Dende voiced by Justin Cook
• Kibito voiced by Chuck Huber
• Majin Buu voiced by Josh Martin
• Babidi voiced by Duncan Brannan
• Goku (Mini) voiced by Stephanie Nadolny
• Supreme Kai (Mini) voiced by Nia Celeste
• Vegeta (Mini) voiced by Paul Castro Jr.
• Bulma (Mini) voiced by Taylor Murphy
• Piccolo (Mini) voiced by Nasim Benelkour
• Krillin (Mini) voiced by Lara Woodhull
• Chi Chi (Mini) voiced by Brittany Lauda
• Master Roshi (Mini) voiced by Jordan Dash Cruz
• Trunks (Mini) voiced by Celeste Perez
• Dende (Mini) voiced by Emi Lo
• Kibito (Mini) voiced by Aaron Michael
• Mister Satan (Mini) voiced by Cory Phillips
• Majin Buu (Mini) voiced by Dusty Feeney
• Glorio voiced by Aaron Dismuke
• Gomah voiced by Tom Laflin
• Degesu voiced by Landon McDonald
• Doctor Arinsu voiced by Morgan Lauré
• Neva voiced by Garrett Schenck
• Sir Warp and Small Sir Warp voiced by Kristian Eros
• Narrator voiced by Doc Morgan

The return of Stephanie Nadolny as young Goku made headlines, as the actress had seemingly retired from the role in the early 2010s. The first English dub trailer broke the news, while Nadolny confirmed on her social media channels. Jonathan Rigg serves as the ADR Director, and Samantha Herek is the ADR Producer. Jarrod Greene is the English Scripter Writer, Gino Palencia is the ADR Mixer, and Jameson Outlaw is the ADR Engineer.

H/T: Crunchyroll

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The Dragon Ball franchise is going all-out for this year’s Goku Day celebration. May 9th is declared Goku Day because May is translated as Go, and the 9 is Ku in Japanese. This year’s Goku Day is extra special because it’s celebrating the franchise’s 40th anniversary. The manga technically began publication in November 1984, but May 9th falls within the first year of the manga’s publication. To celebrate, the franchise has shared a new poll for the general audience to participate in. Fans can head to the Official Dragon Ball website to vote for the best cover artwork from the original manga volumes.

All 42 covers drawn from the series creator Akira Toriyama are eligible in the poll. The Favorite Cover Poll is available for fans in all parts of the world, with even English-speaking people able to vote on Dragon Ball‘s English website. Participants can vote for one volume daily, with submissions resetting every 24 hours. The poll will remain open until June 9th at 11:59 PM JST. The winner will be announced later in the summer. The official websites encourage participants to share their thoughts on the poll, including their favorite covers, on social media using the #DragonBall40th hashtag.

[RELATED – Dragon Ball: Goku Actor Sean Schemmel Reflects on Akira Toriyama’s Legacy]

The Dragon Ball Covers Are Iconic

Besides the Favorite Cover Poll, Shuisha will release a special 40th-anniversary edition of all 42 volumes with the gallery covers. The gallery covers were new renditions of the iconic 42 covers, illustrated by 42 of the most popular manga artists in the business. The full list of artists includes Naruto‘s Masashi Kishimoto, Bleach‘s Tite Kubo, Chainsaw Man‘s Tatsuki Fujimoto, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure‘s Hirohiko Araki, Yu Yu Hakusho‘s and Hunter x Hunter‘s Yoshihiro Togashi, and One Piece‘s Eiichiro Oda.

The new 40th Anniversary Dragon Ball manga collection comes in a box set with new artwork. All 42 volumes in the box set will include double covers, with the dust jacket covers featuring the new Gallery artwork made by the other artists, whereas the books retain the classic Toriyama covers underneath the dust jacket. The box set will include eight original dividers and a double-sided card set for all 42 covers and gallery art. Fans can pre-order the Dragon Ball Double Cover Box Set from the available Japanese retailers. Pre-orders will close on August 3rd, 2025, while a full release is scheduled for February 4th, 2026. Overseas fans may need to pre-order through Japanese websites or stores that ship Japanese merchandise to the United States. The set is priced at 31,800 Yen after tax.

Other Goku Day Celebrations

Original Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama sadly passed away in early 2024. Fans, creators, and marketers continue his legacy with the brand’s 40th Anniversary, including the Toriyama Archives, a daily update of Toriyama’s most popular art pieces from Dragon Ball. Bandai Namco also released a new trailer for the Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot – Daima Edition video game, which will include new content based on the most recent anime. Dragon Ball Daima was the final anime that Toriyama worked on before his passing.

H/T: Official Dragon Ball English Website

The post Dragon Ball Celebrates Goku Day With Poll for Fans to Pick Toriyama’s Best Cover appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Crunchyroll is offering a boatload of discounts and sales across many different series, and media such as anime, games, and manga, but this one is one of their best. The legendary Dragon Ball anime has never been more affordable, featuring a massive discount that shouldn’t be missed. Fans should be aware that there is a limited time to capitalize on this amazing offer, and they should hurry up as the clock ticks as the Ani-May sale ends at 11:59 PM PT on May 13th.

Crunchyroll Store is offering a 40% discount on the full Blu-ray sets of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super. They cost $189.98 before this discount, and are now available at a generous $113.99. Furthermore, it also includes a free Ani-May pin for orders totaling over $100, and free delivery for every order above $75 in the US. While the offer is enticing, fans should be aware there is a 3-order limit per person.

RELATED: Crunchyroll to Make Reading Manga Online Easier Than Ever With Crunchyroll Manga

Ani-May Has A Wide Variety Of Dragon Ball Offers

There are many other great Dragon Ball offers that range from merchandise to anime. The History of Trunks/Bardock: The Father of Goku movie is now $28 from $35, the first 3 volumes of Dragon Ball Z manga, second edition are $10, many of the Dragon Ball Z Kai seasons are on sale, Dragon Ball: A Visual History Art Book is $34, the Dragon Ball manga box set is $145 from $170, Dragon Ball Super – The Complete Series – Limited Edition – Blu-ray – SteelBook is $120 from $200. On the toys side, there is a Recoome Ichibansho figure, a Super Saiyan Trunks Volume 9 figure, and many more that would certainly make the shelves look great.

There are also other major offers from other franchises that will certainly be worth looking into. To list a few: Attack on Titan – Final Season – THE FINAL CHAPTERS (Part 3) – Blu-ray + DVD is now $42 from $70, Jujutsu Kaisen – Main Logo Skateboard Deck went from $100 to $50, Naruto Shippuden – Sasuke Uchiha Banpresto Colosseum Figure is $30, My Hero Academia – Season 6 Part 2 – Blu-ray + DVD – Limited Edition is $54, [Oshi no Ko] – Ai 1/7 Scale Figure (FuRyu Ver.) is $180 from $237, and many more.

Ani-May is an annual celebration courtesy of Crunchyroll held, as one can guess from the name, in May. There are many offers and discounts not just on Crunchyroll’s website but across many other platforms, such as Steam, and many retailers across the world. This year, there are also 20 of the most popular anime that will be free to stream on the site, and together with the many sales offers, fans can spoil themselves rotten this whole month.

You can access the full information about Crunchyroll’s Ani-May 2025 here.

The post Crunchyroll Sale Discounts Dragon Ball’s Best Sequel Blu-rays by Over $150 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Despite fans desperately wanting a third season, Solo Leveling’s creators have been largely silent about the series’ renewal, with an official announcement yet to be made well over a month later. While the series’ Blu-ray sales for Season 2 admittedly left much to be desired, Solo Leveling has been nothing short of a global hit in nearly every other regard, be it critical acclaim or viewership records. As far as popularity goes, Solo Leveling is clearly in high demand from fans, and it seems the series’ creators have noticed as much, subtly hyping Season 3 of Solo Leveling… with a Dragon Ball reference?

Solo Leveling’s creators at A-1 Pictures, namely Sota Furuhashi, the main Producer, and Atsushi Kaneko, the Animation Producer, recently held an AMA session on Reddit. One of the most interesting questions the two were asked was whether Season 3 of Solo Leveling could potentially be better than the first two seasons. Unexpectedly enough, Furuhashi and Kaneko responded with a Dragon Ball reference to the Genki-dama or Spirit Bomb, asking fans for their support and energy going into Season 3. Their response under the thread reads, “Do you know Dragon Ball’s Genki-dama (Spirit Bomb)? We need your energy! If we’re going to make a Season 3, it’s going to take all the support and energy from the fans.” And, of course, the two producers also paid their respects to Toriyama, saying, “I learned that from Akira Toriyama himself! May the great Akira Toriyama rest in peace.”

[RELATED: Solo Leveling’s Creators Reveal the Most Challenging Episode of the Series]

Solo Leveling’s Creators Express Their Love for the Series’ Fans

Ever since Solo Leveling’s anime adaptation was first announced, it’s been clear that the series’ producers would have high expectations to live up to, given the manhwa’s existing global fan base. Under the same Reddit thread, Sota Furuhashi even comments on how the sheer size of the series’ fandom took him by surprise, saying, “We were aware of the underlying fandom for Solo Leveling, and we knew it was going to be popular, but we never expected it to get this big. It’s amazing to see. It exceeded our expectations.”

As the series has grown in popularity with the anime’s release, these expectations have only gotten even steeper, though it seems instead of buckling, knowing that the series is loved by so many has instead been a source of strength for Solo Leveling’s creators. This is supported by another heartwarming comment by Atsushi Kaneko under the AMA post, which reads, “This might sound a little romantic, but honestly, it’s the Reddit fans—you all—who give me power. It’s not just about Solo Leveling; whatever anime I’m working on, knowing that there are people out there watching and caring means everything.”

Kaneko further adds, “I don’t know your age, gender, or where you’re from, but reading your comments here truly gives me strength. Thank you so much!”

Solo Leveling Season 3 Could Finally Take Fans’ Feedback Into Consideration

It certainly would have been easy to buckle under the popularity of the series, and random as the Dragon Ball reference may have been, it makes sense given the above context of the producers gathering strength from fans. That said, it seems this Dragon Ball reference may also hint at the series’ producers taking more of fans’ criticism and feedback into account going into Season 3.

In the same post, a fan also brought up the fact that Solo Leveling has its own dedicated subreddit, suggesting that the series’ creators look into fans’ suggestions to which Kaneko responded, “We’re really happy and excited to see so many people engaging in the Solo Leveling conversation—thank you all! We’d love to stop by in the future.”

Kaneko also referenced the Spirit Bomb yet again, adding, “And in the spirit of the Spirit Bomb theory… if you want a Season 3, it’s the energy from all of you across these subreddits and fan communities that will help make it happen.”

This means nothing but good news for fans of the series, as while Season 2 of Solo Leveling was well-received, some aspects were admittedly far from perfect. Some fan grievances about the anime adaptation include the rushed pacing and deviations from the source material, such as the change in Baran’s color scheme. However, with Solo Leveling’s creators now paying close attention to fans’ feedback, Season 3 can maybe avoid these pitfalls and actually outdo the first two seasons so far.

Source: Reddit

Solo Leveling can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

The post Solo Leveling’s Creators Hype Season 3 With Dragon Ball Reference appeared first on ComicBook.com.

If you grew up on Dragon Ball, you know it was never just about Kaio-ken Kamehameha or collecting Dragon Balls. It was about staring down otherworldly threats and finding out if you had the guts to survive. Dragon Ball Z took that idea and blasted it through the roof. Before Dragon Ball Z, so many anime villains were just random bad guys you beat by the next episode. But iconic Dragon Ball Z villains like Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu changed the whole game. They did not just fight the heroes, they crushed their pride and made them bleed for every inch. They laughed while our favorite characters struggled, mocked their fears, and killed their friends like it was nothing. 

Dragon Ball Z villains defined what a real threat looked like. They carry on Dragon Ball’s legacy of changing anime forever. Setting the bar for how villains should test heroes, break spirits, and steal the spotlight. Without these villains, Dragon Ball Z might have been just another punch-fest. But these enemies forced Goku to dig deeper, made Vegeta crack, and pushed the whole universe to the edge. So today, we are dropping 10 Dragon Ball Z villains who made sure no one ever forgot what it means to face real danger.

Majin Buu  

From the moment he showed up, Maajin Buu was wrecking everything in his path. Fat Buu obliterated entire cities, turned people into candy, and played with his victims before finishing them off. His regeneration made him nearly impossible to kill, and every time he absorbed someone, he only got stronger, taking out Piccolo, Gotenks, and even Vegeta.

But what made Buu so dangerous was that he didn’t have a grand plan or need for power; he just destroyed for destruction’s sake. Whether it was turning Earth into rubble or wiping out the Supreme Kai’s realm, Buu didn’t hesitate. His constant changes, from Fat Buu to Evil Buu to Super Buu, kept the Z-Fighters on edge, never knowing what to expect next. He wiped out entire planets and almost erased the universe before Goku and Vegeta finally took him down. All of this makes him one of Dragon Ball Z’s most terrifying and iconic villains ever. 

Ginyu Force

With their goofy poses and love of theatrics, the Ginyu Force may not seem like your regular DBZ villains, but don’t let that fool you. Composed of 5 mercenaries, the group was personally handpicked by Frieza to wreak havoc on the Z-fighters. This can be seen when they force Vegeta to join with the Earthlings to fight them out of sheer fear of their evil powers. While certain members, like Recoome or Ginyu, were especially hardy opponents, they were at their most iconic (and awkward tokusatsu gold) when as a singular villainous unit.

Every single one of them had unique abilities that ranged from cool to outright deadly. From Guldo’s psychic abilities to Recoome’s endurance, Jeice’s Ki Blasts, and Burter’s speed. But the most dangerous member of all was Captain Ginyu himself, who could switch bodies with anyone at will, once taking over Goku’s body to force his own friends to fight him. 

The Android Twins 

Androids 17 and 18 were Dr. Gero’s deadliest creations made to take down Goku and the Z Fighters. In the Android Saga, they were cold, ruthless, and unstoppable. 17 wiped out the Z Fighters with ease and killed Trunks and Piccolo without hesitation. 18 did the same to Vegeta and forced him into a fight he couldn’t win. These two were made for one thing: destruction.

After Cell absorbed them, the twins were crucial in his transformation into Perfect Cell. But after Cell’s defeat, 18 chose to live a quiet life, and 17 became a guardian of nature. Though their redemption quietly shifted away from their destructive past, they still remain two of Dragon Ball Z’s deadliest villains. 

Raditz

Raditz rolled onto our screen and immediately shook things up. Goku’s brother kidnapped Gohan and wiped the floor with Goku and Piccolo. Goku thought of himself as tough, but Raditz showed him he was way out of his depth. Though he didn’t stick around long, Raditz’s death changed everything. 

Goku gave his life to stop him, and that moment sparked the whole saga. Where Goku’s eyes opened up to a bigger universe, ours opened up to the insane battles that followed. Raditz didn’t get much screen time, but his role in starting it all makes him one of the key villains in early Dragon Ball Z.  

Dabura 

Dabura, the Demon King, was a monster from the start. He casually decapitated Kibito and made it clear he wasn’t here to mess around. As Babidi’s right-hand, Dabura resurrected Majin Buu, which was a huge deal. Chaos personified, he didn’t hesitate to wipe the floor with Gohan, Piccolo, and even Vegeta. 

Moreover, Dabura’s role in bringing Majin Buu back kicked off the biggest crisis the Z Fighters ever faced. If Dabura hadn’t acted, Buu’s resurrection might never have happened. The entire catastrophe could’ve been avoided, which earns him his spot as an incredibly influential Dragon Ball Z villain.  

[RELATED – Dragon Ball Daima’s SSJ3 Goku Finally Makes Dub Debut: Watch]

Dr. Gero 

Dr. Gero stands out as one of DBZ‘s greatest villains because of his genius and ruthlessness. A former Red Ribbon Army scientist, Gero, sought revenge on Goku for destroying his old organization. Instead of facing Goku head-on, however, he took a more sinister approach, creating Androids 17 and 18 to track Goku down. His twisted experiments also set the stage for Cell, the ultimate weapon designed to annihilate the Z Fighters.

What made Gero so dangerous was his ability to manipulate. He pushed Goku and the others into the Android Saga, unknowingly setting the foundation for Cell’s creation. Even when he self-destructed, his evil didn’t die with him and left its mark on the story.

Nappa

Nappa hit Earth like a wrecking ball. In the Saiyan Saga, he was a walking extinction event. With just two fingers, he wiped out an entire city, crushed Tien’s arm, tanked a half-strength Spirit Bomb from Gohan, and laughed through the Z Fighters’ strongest attacks. In a single afternoon, he eliminated Chiaotzu, Tien, and Piccolo, and left Earth’s defenses shattered. He was actually Dragon Ball Z’s first real monster. It is, however, easier to love him as a character in the fan-made abridged series, due to him being hilarious, to the point you will quote everything he says.

What cemented Nappa as a top-tier villain was how Vegeta handled him. When Goku took Nappa down with Kaio-ken, Nappa crawled to Vegeta for help, and Vegeta vaporized him on the spot. No honor, no redemption arc, and with that, we learned that Dragon Ball Z wasn’t playing by the usual hero rules. You lose, you die, even if you’re the brutal Nappa.

Frieza

If you are carving the Mount Rushmore of anime villains, Frieza definitely goes up first. Introduced in the Namek Saga, he chased immortality, wiped out the Namekians without a thought, and smiled while doing it. But his true legacy started earlier when he blew up Planet Vegeta because he feared Saiyans getting too strong. That move created Goku, Vegeta, and Broly and set all their future battles into motion. On Namek, he humiliated the Z Fighters, crushed Vegeta’s pride, killed Krillin to break Goku, and pushed him into becoming the first Super Saiyan in centuries. And just to prove how badass he was, even after slicing himself apart with his own attack, Frieza still tried to stab Goku from behind.

Frieza simply never stayed down. He was pieced back together, survived Earth’s destruction in Resurrection F, mastered Golden Form to fight Super Saiyan Blue, and even joined Universe 7’s Tournament of Power team. He survived, thrived and adapted. Even today, every big villain gets measured against him because he truly is the nightmare that never ends.

Vegeta

Before he was Goku’s rival or the universe’s proudest prince, Vegeta was a killer. In the Saiyan Saga, he landed on Earth ready to wipe it out just because Goku refused to hand over the Dragon Balls. He slaughtered Nappa without blinking, fought Goku in a planet-breaking battle, and used the Great Ape form to nearly crush him to death. It took Gohan, Krillin, Yajirobe, and a Spirit Bomb just to barely drive him off — and even bleeding out, Vegeta still swore revenge.

Even on Namek, Vegeta was no real ally. He used Goku’s team to chase immortality, wrecked the Ginyu Force, and killed Namekians like nothing. And even after his redemption arc, Vegeta temporarily slid back into his villainous ways in the Majin Buu Saga, selling his soul out for the power he had always craved. Vegeta’s villain arc mattered because it made evil personal. Pride, desperation, rage — all of it boiled into a character you could never fully hate.

Perfect Cell

Built from the DNA of Goku, Vegeta, Frieza, and Piccolo, Cell was Dr. Gero’s final weapon. He hunted Androids 17 and 18, absorbed them, and reached his Perfect Form. At full power, he crushed Vegeta, overpowered Trunks, and even made Goku quit. To prove no one could touch him, he created the Cell Games. With Saiyan instinct, Namekian regeneration, and Frieza’s cruelty, Cell fought smarter and dirtier than anyone before.

He broke the Z Fighters by unleashing the Cell Juniors, and forced Gohan to snap into Super Saiyan 2. Even after blowing himself up, Cell regenerated stronger, killed Goku, and kept fighting. Strong, smart and ever-evolving, Cell made heroes level up or die. He was the blueprint for villains who force legends to be born. 

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Dragon Ball Daima‘s English dub release has been getting closer and closer to its big finale, and the newest episode of the series finally brought out Goku’s mini version of the Super Saiyan 3 transformation. Dragon Ball Daima officially wrapped up its anime run not long ago, but for fans of the English dub release, it’s still gearing up for its final wave of episodes. Although they had to wait quite a while for the dub to actually get started, the anime has been proving to be just as great of an experience dubbed as it was during its original Japanese audio release.

Dragon Ball Daima’s English dub has also been a great way for fans to re-experience some of the best moments from the new anime series, and fans have gotten to see some big events in the episodes thus far. But now as the dub heads closer to the anime’s climax, it’s now time to finally show off some of the biggest moments from Dragon Ball Daima overall and that of course includes the debut of Super Saiyan 3 Goku. Check it out in action with Stephanie Naldony bringing it to life.

How Strong Is Super Saiyan 3 Goku in Dragon Ball Daima?

As Dragon Ball Daima’s English dub release gets closer to its grand finale, Episode 17 of the series officially debuts Goku Mini’s Super Saiyan 3 transformation. Goku and the others are now in the midst of facing off against Gomah now that he’s been powered by the Third Eye, and everything they are throwing at the Supreme Demon King is just bouncing off of his giant form. Although it had seemed like Dr. Arinsu was going to be trouble as she was collecting the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls, Gomah is proving to be an even bigger threat to face.

Thankfully, there are still a few more episodes of the Dragon Ball Daima English dub left to release before it comes to an end. While the anime has been a fun re-experience for fans who already saw the Japanese release, it’s still going to be a bummer when it ends. But at the same time, there are still some huge new events coming to the series that the dub will likely take it all to a whole new level. And Super Saiyan 3 Goku is really only the start of all of that.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Should Be More Consistent With Its Timeline (But Daima Doesn’t Break It)

What’s Next for Dragon Ball?

Dragon Ball Daima came to an end earlier this year, but has yet to announce any plans for the future of the franchise as of the time of this publication. Dragon Ball as a whole is now in a strange period as following the passing of original franchise creator Akira Toriyama last year, the franchise has been likely trying to figure out where to take it all next. Dragon Ball Daima features the likely final original story from the creator that we’ll ever get to see, so it’s not easy to pick up from something like that.

That’s also why Dragon Ball Super has been continuing through its hiatus as well. The manga’s story has been on hiatus ever since Toriyama’s passing last year, but has also yet to confirm whether or not the story would be continuing following the end of its take on the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero feature film. A continuation seems likely given there are still some major cliffhangers to work out, but is also likely just tough to start considering the circumstances.

The post Dragon Ball Daima’s SSJ3 Goku Finally Makes Dub Debut: Watch appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fast food chains have been venturing further into the realm of anime in recent years, thanks to the medium’s popularity skyrocketing worldwide. Chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, Hardees, and more have promoted menu items by crossing over with major anime franchises. The anime collaborations became so prevalent that McDonald’s even took things up a notch by teaming up with Studio Pierrot to create their own anime universe in “WcDonald’s.” In a wild new twist, Dragon Ball burgers have now been birthed into reality but getting your hands on these patties might be more tricky for some than finding the dragon balls in real life.

In France, there is a fast food chain that has not made its way to North America and/or Japan known as Quick. In a surprise collaboration, the restaurant has not only started a collaboration with Dragon Ball Super but has created new burgers to honor Goku and the Z-Fighters. On top of the patties having new recipes, the buns themselves are stamped with the classic “four star dragon ball symbol” on each. Of course, the four star Dragon Ball is legendary for the Z-Fighters as this was the sphere that Goku received from his Grandpa Gohan at a young age. The burgers themselves are now available at Quick restaurants but only in France and only until June 2nd.

[RELATE: Dragon Ball Daima Shares Tasty New Look At McDonald’s Collab]

The Dragon Ball Burgers of Your Dreams

The first burger that Quick is offering is a Teriyaki Beef Dragon Ball Burger, with the restaurant chain describing it as such, “With its 4-star burger, its sweet and delicious teriyaki-style sauce, its 100% pure beef patty, its crunchy diced white onions, its iceberg lettuce and its slices of melted cheese… The Dragon Ball Super Teriyaki Beef will envelop your appetite in a sweet and irresistible energy! Also available in a Qrispy Cheese version, a generous puck of melted cheese coated in puffed rice, for those with a sweet tooth. Beef = Beef, Qrispy Cheese = Crispy cheese.”

The other burger in the anime crossover is the Sriracha Chicken Burger, with Quick sharing the following description, “With its 4-star burger, spicy breaded chicken, intensely spicy Sriracha-style sauce, crunchy red onions, iceberg lettuce and slices of melted cheese… The Dragon Ball Super Sriracha Chicken will awaken the full power of your appetite! Also available in a Qrispy Cheese version, extra gourmet. Chicken = Chicken, Qrispy Cheese = Crispy with cheese.”

Want to see where the Dragon Ball franchise finds itself showing up in the future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the Z-Fighters and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Dragon Ball Burgers Are Here (But Eating One Will Be Tricky) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is the newest Dragon Ball game to hit the market, and has quickly become one of the most popular, building off the nostalgic legacy of the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi franchise (or Dragon Ball: Sparking, as it was known in Japan). The game and its franchise are beloved for the ability of players to play with nearly every single character in the Dragon Ball series, with the incredibly large roster only expanded upon with DLC content. Now, fans of the game will be happy to know that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero will apparently be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2.

This leak was spotted by Gematsu, which pointed out that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero has received a rating for Saudi Arabia on the Nintendo Switch 2. These ratings are official, and are required to be done before a game can be sold in specific markets. If you’ve ever seen an ESRB rating on a game, this is essentially the same thing. This confirmation comes after rumors that the game would be available on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero recreates some of the best fights in Dragon Ball history, and the inclusion of the game on the Nintendo Switch 2 opens up a whole new audience to some incredible Dragon Ball aura farming.

It is currently unclear if the game will be graphically downgraded in order to function on the Nintendo Switch 2, which, while still being a portable gaming device, will sport better specs than the original Nintendo Switch. However, specifications as listed on the console’s website still seem to be a bit behind the average PC gaming build.

RELATED: Was Dragon Ball Daima Good?

Further rumors suggest we may be seeing other popular games getting a port over to the Nintendo Switch 2, with speculation including Diablo 4 and Tekken 8. There are also rumors that Xbox may be porting over some exclusives to the Nintendo Switch 2, including Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Microsoft Flight Simulator. Speculation also suggests that Metal Gear Solid: Delta and some Ubisoft games will make the transition over to Nintendo Switch 2, including Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Are you excited for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero on the Nintendo Switch 2? What games would you like to see ported over to the Switch 2? Let us know in the comments below.

The post New Dragon Ball Game Seemingly Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball has been on a hot streak in the transformation department in recent years. Forms like Gohan Beast, Orange Piccolo, Super Saiyan 4 Goku, and Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta have proven that the shonen series still has plenty of gas in the tank when it comes to throwing fans for a loop. Unfortunately, there has been one major transformation for one of the biggest Z-Fighters that has yet to be animated in any way, shape, or form. Luckily, Vegeta’s voice actor Chris Sabat isn’t waiting for Dragon Ball Super’s anime comeback and is previewing the form known as Ultra Ego.

To start, let’s talk about what Ultra Ego is and when it debuted in Dragon Ball Super. The transformation is born for Vegeta specifically as the Saiyan Prince creates it, in a way, to be his own version of Goku’s Ultra Instinct. Discovering the form while training with the God of Destruction Beerus, Vegeta utilizes the transformation while fighting Granolah in one of the latest manga arcs. While Ultra Ego isn’t enough to take down the super-powered bounty hunter with a tie to the Saiyan race, it proves that the Prince of All Saiyans is still doing his best to make sure that he bridges the gap between himself and Kakarot.

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Super Explains How Ultra Ego Works]

Chris Sabat Hints At Ultra Ego

At this year’s Puerto Rico Comic-Con, voice actor Chris Sabat was a part of a panel that discussed anime and Dragon Ball. During this event, the voice of Vegeta recreated one of the manga panels that hinted at the arrival of Ultra Ego. While it might be years before we see the Granolah The Survivor Arc finally animated, it’s clear that Sabat is chomping at the bit to take on this new challenge for Dragon Ball Super’s eventual return. You can check out the Ultra Ego preview below.

Dragon Ball Super’s Comeback

Following the conclusion of Dragon Ball Daima in recent months, many shonen fans have wondered when we can see the return of Dragon Ball Super. Unfortunately, the present storyline for the Z-Fighters is missing in action from both the manga and its anime adaptation, as the tragic passing of creator Akira Toriyama sparked a hiatus for the popular franchise. With Daima introducing some major new story beats and transformations despite being a prequel to Super, it will be interesting to see if elements like the Demon Realm and Super Saiyan 4 arrive in the Z-Fighters’ future.

Luckily for fans, the manga and the anime have been hinted at making a comeback from the creators and producers alike. While Toriyama might not have a hand in the shonen’s future, artist Toyotaro and the others who have helped Goku and company move their stories forward are hoping to create stories in this anime world for years to come.

Want to see when Vegeta’s Ultra Ego will officially make landfall in the anime? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Dragon Ball Super and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

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Fans forget, but there was a long gap where the Dragon Ball franchise had no shows airing. After Dragon Ball GT finished in 1997, there wasn’t any new substantial animated Dragon Ball project until the Dragon Ball: Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return short movie from 2008, a full decade since the last show. Dragon Ball Z Kai, the re-edit of the classic Dragon Ball Z show, soon followed, premiering in 2009. The next show fans could eagerly follow was Dragon Ball Super, leading to more consistent output from Toei Animation and more Dragon Ball content. However, before the second wave of Dragon Ball animation, the series remained relevant thanks to accessory media.

The series stayed alive thanks to word of mouth, continuous reruns, and video games. The games, especially, helped the franchise endure into the 2000s, carrying the series’s legacy even without the show airing. Even though I watched several episodes of Dragon Ball Z anime with my older brother, my first major exposure to the franchise was constantly playing Dragon Ball Z Budokai on GameCube. The original Budokai title is where I experienced the Androids Saga for the first time, witnessing major key events through the lens of a video game. Dragon Ball doesn’t need an anime airing to remain relevant, it can persist for decades because the franchise has evolved beyond animation.

[RELATED – Dragon Ball Game for Nintendo Switch 2 Reportedly Leaked]

Dragon Ball is a Pop Culture Icon in the West Now

Dragon Ball has reached a specific status within mainstream media that many people, including those who’ve never read or watched any of the official media, can recognize the iconography. When people see Goku’s balloon at the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, they realize it’s from Dragon Ball, not a generic anime brand. We’re at a point in Dragon Ball’s life span where multiple generations have grown up with the franchise, meaning people of all ages have a history with the series.

Dragon Ball achieved this pop culture status thanks to the prevailing popularity of its anime adaptations and manga. It’s a testament to Dragon Ball’s quality that fans would continue the series via word of mouth and purchasing merchandise. The Dragon Ball story and characters are so ingrained in people’s brains that it would take an act of God to make the franchise irrelevant. The population has kept the series alive all these years because we love it, not because there was a new anime on the air. Goku is now a mascot that has reached a similar podium as Pikachu, Mario, and maybe even Mickey Mouse for some people. Even if no more anime exists, Dragon Ball will prevail because too many people around the world adore it now.

The Video Games are Where Dragon Ball Thrives

Video games have become a vital tool for Dragon Ball’s lasting success. The Budokai fighting games were my primary viewpoint of the franchise growing up, implanting a deep love for the franchise aside from the fact that I didn’t watch a lot of Dragon Ball Z at that point. It led me to watch classic Dragon Ball on Toonami and purchase the manga, making me a lifelong fan of the series.

Even when there was no anime airing, Bandai Namco assured that a new game in the franchise was released every few years. Besides the fighting titles, there were also RPGs and adventure games. Bandai didn’t need to be tied to releasing alongside a TV show; the company released new video games because they always sold. Dragon Ball had become its own medium, its own brand by the time games like Budokai were released. People knew what a Dragon Ball game was, turning it into one of the best-selling game franchises based on anime.

Dragon Ball Daima may be over, but I don’t doubt another anime will launch sooner rather than later. New anime began releasing because of fan demand, and as long as there continues to be demand, the franchise will always flourish in animation. But until then, the series doesn’t need animation to be successful. Dragon Ball is already one of the most profitable media franchises in the world, and fans will always be around to ensure it shines for many decades to come.

The post I Think Dragon Ball Has Proven That Anime Franchises Don’t Actually Need TV Series to Succeed appeared first on ComicBook.com.