Dragon Ballis one of the most successful long-running anime and manga franchises ever, and there are quite a few reasons for that. Aside from the actual content of the story itself, and all its badass attacks and hype moments,Dragon Ballhas survived through multiple decades thanks to its many acclaimed films and sequel series.
It isn’t the only anime series to achieve longevity, as countless others have been able to retain sizable fan bases as the years have passed. However,Dragon Ballis a bit different in that the story has yet to ever really end, and it doesn’t seem it will anytime soon. Whether fans will ever be satisfied with that remains to be seen, butDragon Ballwill continue on regardless.
Dragon Ball Isn’t Like Other Top Shōnen Stories
Dragon Ball’s Never-Ending Story Allows For Endless Continuations
Unlike some other franchises, which overstay their welcome and eventually become shells of themselves,Dragon Ballis in its fourth decade of activity and fans continue to want more. Of course, the quality of the content added to the franchise matters quite a bit, and modernDragon Ballhas continued to deliver on that front.
There’s a reason for the lack of fatigue when it comes toDragon Ball, and why its continuations work and leave fans wanting more. Unlike other top shōnen series, such as its direct competitor,Slam Dunk, or other big names likeNaruto,Bleach, or even the more modernDemon Slayer,Dragon Ballnever really fit into the typical arc structure of storytelling, and never came to a definitive conclusion.
That isn’t to say Akira Toriyama’s original story didn’t feature major arcs.The Saiyan, Namek, Cell, and Buu Sagas are some of the most impressive singular arcs in manga history. Nevertheless, they are very singular, and aren’t really connected by major ongoing plot points aside from the character growth of certain cast members like Vegeta and Gohan.
This loose sort of structure culminated in an original ending that saw Goku and Uub fly off into a future undoubtedly filled with adventures and strong opponents to beat. It could have worked just as well as the start of yet another arc. The open-endedness of the entire package has allowed for new installments to just plug themselves into the story without missing a beat.
Dragon Ball Superandthe recently completedDragon Ball Daima, as well as the number of films released in the years since the franchise’s 2010s renaissance, pick up at different points in the timeline and don’t stand out in any overwhelmingly negative way. The series' structure has allowed it to thrive as long as it has, and will continue to do so whether fans like it or not.
Dragon Ball Will Never End, For Better or Worse
The Ongoing Story of Dragon Ball Will Inevitably Change
Dragon Ballfans likely won’t complain about the prospect of never-ending adventures with Goku and company. As long as there is empty space in the series' timeline, there is room for a new story. However,Dragon Ball, or any other popular media franchise, will eventually change and evolve into something new over time.
If the series does go on for another four decades,there’s no telling what it might look like, or how fans will react to it. That shift has already been seen a bit withDragon Ball Daima, where the selling point of the series—its flashy transformations, took priority over cohesiveness.
Despite being labeled a canon entry,Daimaintroduced Super Saiyan 4back into the fold, afterDragon Ball Supermade theGTform officially non-canon. Fans weren’t entirely happy with the development, as it didn’t fit within the world of God Ki the series inhabited up until that point.
Dragon Ball, in the way it’s structured, has everything it needs to continue on for years to come. Whether it continues in the right direction remains to be seen, but fans can be certain they haven’t seen the last of Goku just yet.
As time goes on, andDragon Ballis forced to continue innovating in order to keep itself fresh, more of these inconsistencies are bound to creep into the series and further muddy what’s come before. Fans will always welcome moreDragon Ball, but those overseeing the franchise will have to be awfully careful if they want it to go in the right direction.
Where Will Dragon Ball Go Next?
Goku and Company Are Facing a Major Crossroads
ThoughDragon Ballmay never truly end,the franchise is facing an uncertain future without Akira Toriyama around to guide it. The series' legendary creator passed away in March 2024, andDragon Ballhas remained relatively inactive ever since. However,series producer Akio Iyoku has maintainedthat he and the anime staff are working hard with their sights set on the future.
Now is as critical a time as ever for Iyoku and others to ensure that whateverDragon Ballproduct comes next is of the highest quality possible.Daimaalready stumbled somewhat with its execution of Super Saiyan 4, and any future hiccups might just be a bad sign of things to come, especially if Toriyama is no longer here to steer the ship in the right direction.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
