Dragon Ball is one of the most well-known and beloved franchises in the world. The original manga, written and illustrated by the late Akira Toriyama, first began in 1985 and was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump until 1995.
It was also adapted into two anime series produced by Toei Animation: Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. The series were broadcast in Japan from 1986 to 1996.
Of course, there have also been countless other adaptations and spin-offs, including 21 animated feature films and three television specials as well as the anime series sequels Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, and most recently Dragon Ball Daima.
Unfortunately, the Dragon Ball franchise was thrown into a bit of chaos and uncertainty when Toriyama tragically passed in March 2024. The Dragon Ball Daima anime series -- one of Toriyama last major projects -- just recently wrapped its first season, but it's unclear what will come next for it. Meanwhile, the Dragon Ball Super manga ended its nearly one-year hiatus in February with the release of Chapter 104, but there's still no word on whether the series will return to its standard serialization.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the franchise and it's age, there's been talk recently of a possible remake. And while some may be against remaking a series as iconic as Dragon Ball, those involved with the franchise think it's not a matter of "if" but "when" it happens.
In an interview with the DB Times (translated by social media user @Venixys), longtime Dragon Ball animator and character designer Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru was asked about the possibility of a remake and if he would be on board with it.
"If I could contribute something and be useful in some way, I would love to," Nakatsuru said. "But, if we were to start again from the Dragon Ball manga... perhaps younger people would want to completely re-adapt it. This would probably offer new possibilities."
"In any case, the original work exists... and from there, there are multiple ways to create a new series," he continued. "Since I think it will happen one day... I also think that whether I participate or not is not that important."
As anime continues to grow in popularity worldwide, new fans are constantly discovering older series. As a result, we're starting to see more remakes of older but popular franchises, such as Ranma 1/2, Spice And Wolf: Merchant Meets The Wise Wolf, and The One Piece. Nakatsuru acknowledged that what matters most is that "everyone can enjoy the franchise for as long as possible."
"And maybe, in this way, some will be inspired by Toriyama-sensei's work and... we could even see a creation that goes beyond even Toriyama-sensei's imagination... and still, perhaps, enjoy it," he concluded.
Would you want to see a Dragon Ball remake?