Dragon Ball has been going all-out to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a new anime in Dragon Ball Daima, various collectibles and reissues, special merchandise, and more. But the festivities are not done yet.
Announced today, the world's first ever Dragon Ball Store will be opening later this year! According to the official Dragon Ball website, the store will open in Tokyo, although the exact location will be announced at a later date.
Specific store details including activities and its merchandise lineup will be announced "shortly." However, fans can expect a variety of limited edition goods and collectibles.
Dragon Ball isn't the only franchise celebrating its first official store. Later this month, the world's first official store for the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise will be opening. The store, officially named THE JOJO WORLD, is located on the sixth floor of Shibuya PARCO, Tokyo.
If THE JOJO WORLD is any indication of what to expect from a Dragon Ball official store, then fans can look forward to immersive set pieces and interactive experiences inspired by the franchise, as well as themed attractions, mini-games, food, and beverages.
With the official Dragon Ball Store opening this Fall, it shouldn't be long before we get some official details, including an exact date and merchandise lineup.
Created by the late Akira Toriyama, the Dragon Ball manga first debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1984. The manga ran until 1995 and consists of 42 volumes.
The manga was also adapted into anime. The Dragon Ball anime ran for 153 episodes from 1986 to 1989, adapting the first half of Toriyama's manga. It covered Goku's childhood and early adventures.
It was followed by Dragon Ball Z which ran from 1989 to 1996. The 291-episode series adapted the second half of the manga and is considered to be the most iconic part of the franchise as it features legendary arcs such as Saiyan, Frieza, Cll, and Majin Buu.
While Dragon Ball was already incredibly popular in Japan, it was Dragon Ball Z that spawned global success as well as the anime boom in the west during the late '90s. The Dragon Ball franchise is now known as one of the most influential and globally recognized manga and anime properties of all time, with games, films, merchandise, and numerous spin-off anime series.
Unfortunately, Akira Toriyama passed away in early 2024 at the age of 68, casting uncertainty over the future of the Dragon Ball franchise. While there have been some new releases since his passing, most of the work was already in production during his lifetime.
Dragon Ball Daima, for example, was Toriyama’s last major contribution to the series. He wrote the story and designed the characters. The anime aired from October 2024 to February 2025.
Then there's the manga Dragon Ball Super which has kind of been on hiatus. Toriyama's close partner Toyotarou has vowed to continue to series and even released a one-shot (Chapter 104) in February of this year. But the future of Dragon Ball Super remains on hiatus with no confirmation of when we can expect Chapter 105.
While the future is uncertain, fans will at least be able to continue celebrating the past with the official Dragon Ball Store.