Dragon Ball Daima is a new anime from series creator Akira Toriyama that stars Goku and Vegeta in an original story that is not what fans expect.

A brand-new Dragon Ball anime titled Dragon Ball Daima was announced during New York Comic-Con 2023. The surprising announcement came to fans eager for the continuation of Dragon Ball Super‘s anime, which concluded in 2018. Although the DBS manga has two substantial post-Tournment of Power story arcs ready for adaptation, the new anime looks to deliver something entirely new from Akira Toriyama himself that pays tribute to Dragon Ball‘s 40th anniversary.

Toriyama began publishing the original Dragon Ball manga in 1984, with the beloved anime starting in 1986. The sequel series, Dragon Ball Z, gained immense levels of popularity worldwide for its intense action scenes and mature sci-fi epic story elements. However, Toriyama’s work on Dragon Ball started as a much more light-hearted affair with more rounded character designs. The first look at Dragon Ball Daima resembles Toriyama’s original series more closely than the very different pulse-pounding battles of DBS‘s Tournament of Power.

Latest News on Dragon Ball Daima

The new Dragon Ball Daima anime was officially announced by Toei Animation on October 12, 2023, at the 2023 New York Comic-Con. Executive producer Akio Iyoku helped reveal a short teaser trailer with a panel of some of Dragon Ball Super‘s English voice actors, Monica Rial (Bulma) and Ian Sinclair (Whis). Iyoku announced that the series creator Toriyama, “…has been deeply involved beyond his usual capacity overseeing the original work, story, character design, and more.” While details are still limited, it sounds like Toriyama will be more involved in Daima‘s production than he was in Dragon Ball Super‘s.

Dragon Ball Daima Release Date

Dragon Ball Daima‘s current release date is slated for Fall 2024, 40 years after the original Dragon Ball manga began publication. Dragon Ball Daima will be an anime series, not a movie, but its episode count and specific release date have yet to be announced. It is uncertain if the English dub of Daima will be released at the same time as the Japanese release in Fall 2024. Dragon Ball Super‘s dub took nearly a year and a half to release in the United States after its first episode aired in Japan in 2015.

Dragon Ball Daima Story and Characters

A mysterious new threat has taken notice of Goku and Vegeta’s defeat of Babidi and Majin Buu. The identity and powers of the teaser’s two new antagonist characters are currently unknown. A wish is made to Shenron that transforms Goku and most of the characters, including Vegeta, Bulma, Master Roshi, Piccolo, and even Supreme Kai Shin and his attendant Kibito, into child-like chibi versions of their former selves. While Dragon Ball GT began with Goku transforming into a kid, Daima promises to be “A Story Never Before Told In Dragon Ball.” With that in mind, it stands to reason the new series will set itself apart and offer something different from Dragon Ball GT.

Where Dragon Ball Daima Fits Into Canon

The Dragon Ball Daima anime will take place before the events of Dragon Ball Super but after Goku and Vegeta’s defeat of Kid Buu at the end of Dragon Ball Z. However, the teaser does show Supreme Kai Shin and Kibito as individuals instead of in their Potara Fusion form, Kibito Kai. The two are reverted into their original bodies during Dragon Ball Super. Still, Goku and Vegeta are seen wearing clothing not marked with the angel Whis’ training symbol from DBS, which is the most substantial evidence that Dragon Ball Daima takes place before the events of Dragon Ball Super.

It’s currently unknown if the story of Dragon Ball Daima will canonically affect the events of DBS‘s next arcs. However, the new series will likely be a spin-off that’s not tied down to the series’ bigger narrative. This is similar to the promotional web anime Super Dragon Ball Heroes, whose events do not affect the franchise’s main storyline.

Dragon Ball Daima Latest Trailer

The debut teaser trailer for Dragon Ball Daima begins with the history of the Dragon Ball‘s franchises most pivotal series and the years in which they released. The nostalgic look back concludes with short clips from the critically acclaimed Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero film, with its release year of 2022 hovering above till the teaser stops at 2023 for a few seconds until 2024 explodes onto the screen with dramatic sound effects. What follows is the first new scenes of Dragon Ball anime that viewers have seen in a long time.

Two menacing figures are shown watching Goku and Vegeta’s past on large floating screens from an otherworldly fiery castle. Then, the trailer cuts to Shenron being summoned and a wish being made. Audiences then see Goku and Vegeta stunned as they are transformed into child-like forms more reminiscent of Dragon Ball‘s original round character designs than the sharp, intimidating designs that populate DBZ and DBS. The first teaser then shows many of the series’ characters reacting to their new looks with shock, while those not affected by the wish can be seen in the background of some shots.

There is no sign of Beerus, Whis, or any Super Saiyan God forms present in the first teaser for Dragon Ball Daima. Still, the trailer featuring the child-like transformations of many of Dragon Ball Z‘s main characters isn’t without some epic action. Adult versions of Goku and Vegeta can be seen sparing in the sky and even throwing their signature beam attacks toward each other with Daima‘s new art style. The young Goku can also be seen with his classic power pole and preparing to battle new foes.

Where To Watch Dragon Ball Daima

With Toei Animation announcing Dragon Ball Daima, the new anime will likely air on television as Dragon Ball Super did, then become available on streaming apps like Crunchyroll and Funimation shortly after. Details of Dragon Ball Daima‘s English release have yet to be confirmed, but the franchise’s beloved cast of voice actors is expected to return. It would be shocking if the series weren’t dubbed and made available to English audiences since the demographic makes up a vast number of Dragon Ball‘s fans. More Dragon Ball Daima information will be announced before its Fall 2024 release date, and Screen Rant will update fans when it does.

Source: Toei Animation/YouTube