The Dragon Ball community is abuzz with speculation following conflicting translations of a recent announcement about Toyotarou’s upcoming manga project. Fans are split on whether the statement hints at a brand-new original series or something tied to the existing Dragon Ball universe, sparking heated debate and widespread confusion.
At the heart of the controversy is Toyotarou’s upcoming appearance at Japan Expo Paris, which is Europe’s largest event celebrating Japanese pop culture. Held annually at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, the festival draws massive crowds and serves as a major platform for high-profile industry reveals, adding even more intrigue to the announcement.
Dragon Ball Super mangaka Toyotarou has a panel at the event, and the description for his panel reads:
If true, this development suggests that the chances of Dragon Ball Super continuing as a manga are virtually nonexistent.
The fact that Toyotarou, personally chosen by Akira Toriyama to illustrate and expand his Dragon Ball Super scripts, may not be leading the franchise's future following Toriyama’s passing strongly implies a breakdown in consensus among the key rights holders.
According to Kanzenshuu, Akio Iyok, the former head of Shueisha’s Dragon Ball Room and longtime spokesperson for the late Akira Toriyama, is reportedly at odds with Shueisha over control of the Dragon Ball franchise. Iyoku now leads a newly formed company called Capsule Corporation Tokyo, which currently holds the licensing rights for the anime and video games, while Shueisha retains ownership of the manga.
Toriyama, known for his reclusive nature and aversion to public appearances, entrusted most business dealings to Iyoku. Given that, it's unclear what legal agreements may have been put in place before Toriyama’s passing, especially regarding the future management of the IP.
Amid the uncertainty, recent translations suggest that Toyotarou may be stepping back to focus on other creative work while the legal situation plays out behind the scenes.
That said, there’s still room for optimism.
A second translation of the announcement has surfaced, offering a slightly different interpretation of Toyotarou’s upcoming appearance at Japan Expo Paris, raising the possibility that the initial reading may have been inaccurate.
Is Toyotarou appearing at Japan Expo Paris to announce an entirely "new original manga," or is the event meant to serve as a broad discussion of a “new creative challenge”?
If it's the latter, it could simply mean Toyotarou’s addressing the complexities of working on Dragon Ball Super without Akira Toriyama’s guidance.
Regardless, Dragon Ball Super fans should brace for potentially significant updates in the coming weeks.