In just a few days, Dragon Ball Daima will make its highly anticipated debut. The new anime series is scheduled to premiere on October 11th, with fans able to stream it on Crunchyroll, followed by Netflix one week later.
Dragon Ball is one of the most successful franchises in animation history with six anime installments based on the franchise. Dragon Ball Daima is the latest of the bunch, but it doesn't sound like it will be the last either.
During a special Dragon Ball Daima preview event for the series premiere episode, executive producer Akio Iyoku teased what sounded like a bright future for the franchise following the new anime's release. While he didn't go into specifics, Iyoku alluded that there's more to explore in the Dragon Ball universe.
"We're still coming up with various plans, brainstorming many things and will keep moving forward. I want to continue giving it my all alongside [Goku voice actor Masako] Nozawa-san."
While the Dragon Ball Super manga is still on hiatus — with no word on when it will return — it's comforting to know that Dragon Ball's anime future is bright. We don't know what this future will entail, especially now that it's no longer under the direction of the late Akira Toriyama, who passed away earlier this year.
Dragon Ball Daima was one of Toriyama's last major pieces of work. The Dragon Ball creator was said to be "deeply involved beyond his usual capacity" with Dragon Ball Daima, and is credited with the original work, story, and character designs. Prior to his passing, Toriyama briefly spoke about the new series and its title, revealing that "DAIMA" is a made-up term which translate into English as "Evil."
We've since gotten a bit more context as to what he meant by this thanks, in part, to teaser trailers and episode descriptions. Although an official series synopsis has still not been revealed, the premiere trailer confirmed that the series will take us to the mysterious Demon Realm, an unexplored shadow world that is home to many evil races who are led by Demon Supreme Kais.
In this lively trailer, Goku (Mini) and Supreme Kai (Mini), who have been turned small through a “conspiracy,” and the new characters Glorio and Panzy partake in an exciting adventure in the Demon Realm to the music of the opening theme song. Additionally, the trailer reveals characters who are being shown for the first time, such as an unknown person who looks like Supreme Kai, a character reminiscent of a woman who sits with a mysterious smile, and the shadows of monsters that lurk in the Demon Realm!
We also now have a synopsis for the premiere episode of Dragon Ball Daima, courtesy of Crunchyroll, which teases:
"Goku and his friends were living a peaceful life when they were suddenly shrunk due to a conspiracy! When they find out that the reason might lie in a world called "Demon Realm", a mysterious young Majin named Glorio appears before them."
Dragon Ball Daima will premiere on October 11th. Fans in the Untied States can stream the series on both Crunchyroll and Hulu. Netflix will begin streaming the series on October 18th.