Dragon Ball Daima became a gift for fans

Rafael Shinzo
My name is Rafael Alves, known as Rafael Shinzo. I have a background in Japanese pop culture and created AnimeNew in 2009 with the mission of providing reliable coverage...

In a recent interview, Dragon Ball executive producer Akio Iyoku Dragon Ball DAIMA . Contrary to what many fans imagined, the anime was not created as a special project to celebrate the series' 40th anniversary. However, it ended up becoming a celebratory milestone in an unexpected way.

The interview, originally published on the Japanese website Akita Sakigake Shimpo and translated by @/SupaChronicles no X (formerly Twitter), however, brought this revelation to light. Iyoku explained that Dragon Ball DAIMA was not planned to celebrate the franchise's four-decade anniversary.

Dragon Ball Daima

It wasn't made specifically for the anniversary,” he said, “but I'm really happy it coincided with that date. It's amazing how long the series has been going, but for us, the focus has always been on moving forward—thinking about the next project and what comes next. That's how we got here.

According to the producer, when you try to force a work to fit a specific framework, the result isn't always satisfactory. In the case of DAIMA , everything happened naturally. However, the anime, which premiered in October 2024, had already been in development for six years and was initially known as Dragon Ball Magic . Interestingly, the project bears similarities to Super Dragon Ball Heroes , the web anime that promoted the Dragon Ball Heroes card game and video game.

Love Letter to Dragon Ball GT Fans

Dragon Ball Daima

DAIMA wasn't created Dragon Ball 's 40th anniversary , it ended up becoming a kind of "love letter" to the franchise. Inspired by Dragon Ball GT, the anime even featured a version of Goku's iconic Super Saiyan 4 in episode 18. This connection to the past, combined with a narrative full of mystery and action, won over fans.

Now, the big question is: is there another project in development to celebrate the 40th anniversary? Iyoku didn't give details, but he did say that more news is coming.

“We want Dragon Ball to continue for many decades to come,” he said.

Meanwhile, Crunchyroll releases new episodes of Dragon Ball DAIMA every Friday. The plot follows Goku and his friends, who are transformed into child versions by a conspiracy. To reverse their situation, they embark on a journey to the "Demon World," where they encounter Glorio, a mysterious young Majin.

Finally, are you following Dragon Ball DAIMA ? Don't miss the updates here at AnimeNew ! Follow our website for more news about anime, manga, and otaku culture. See you next time!

©バード・スタジオ/集英社・東映アニメーション

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My name is Rafael Alves, known as Rafael Shinzo. I have a background in Japanese pop culture and created AnimeNew in 2009 with the mission of providing reliable and up-to-date coverage of anime, manga, and other entertainment straight from Japan. With over a decade of experience, the portal has established itself as a reference in the sector.