The wait is finally over, or at least, the fog is clearing. If you’ve been scouring the internet for news on new episodes of Dragon Ball, you know the struggle of wading through clickbait thumbnails and "leaks" that turn out to be fan-made animations. It’s been a wild ride since Dragon Ball Super aired its finale back in 2018. We had the movies—Broly was a masterpiece, Super Hero was a fun CGI experiment—but fans want the weekly grind. They want the ritual of sitting down every Sunday morning (or Saturday night, depending on your timezone) to see Goku break another ceiling.
Honestly, the landscape changed forever with the passing of Akira Toriyama in March 2024. It sent a shockwave through the industry. For a moment, everyone wondered if the franchise would just... stop. But that’s not how Dragon Ball works. It’s too big. It’s a cultural titan. We’re now looking at a future where Dragon Ball Daima is the immediate reality, while the return of the Super anime remains the giant elephant in the room.
The Reality of Dragon Ball Daima
Dragon Ball Daima is the big project that Toriyama was deeply involved in before he passed. It’s not Super Season 2. Let’s get that out of the way first. It’s a brand-new story where a conspiracy turns Goku and his friends small. If you're getting Dragon Ball GT vibes, you aren't alone, but the production quality here is on a different level. This isn't a side project; it's a core canon entry.
The animation looks fluid. It's vibrant. Unlike the early days of Dragon Ball Super where we had the infamous "Episode 5" animation struggles, Daima has had a massive lead time. Toei Animation is clearly putting their A-team on this because it serves as the 40th-anniversary celebration of the franchise. It’s a legacy project. You’ve got Masako Nozawa returning, obviously, because she is Goku. The series focuses more on adventure and martial arts choreography rather than just "who has the bigger laser beam," which is a refreshing pivot for some of us old-school fans who miss the original Dragon Ball charm.
What About the Dragon Ball Super Anime Return?
This is where things get complicated. Everyone wants to know when the Moro Arc and the Granolah the Survivor Arc will be animated. These stories have been finished in the manga for years. Toyotarou has been doing incredible work keeping the torch lit, and the panels are basically storyboards waiting to happen.
Why the delay? It’s mostly about branding and rights. The "Dragon Ball Room" at Shueisha and Toei Animation have a complex relationship. There’s also the issue of the Dragon Ball Super manga recently being on hiatus to figure out the path forward after Toriyama’s passing. We know the material is there. We know the demand is there. Rumors have swirled about a 2025 or 2026 production start for new episodes of Dragon Ball Super, but Toei has remained tight-lipped. They don't want to cannibalize the audience for Daima. Usually, in the anime industry, you don't run two flagship shows of the same franchise simultaneously. It splits the marketing budget and the talent.
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Breaking Down the Manga Arcs We’re Waiting For
If you haven't read the manga, you’re missing out on some of the best Dragon Ball content ever written.
- The Moro Arc: This is a high-stakes supernatural thriller. Moro is a wizard who eats planets. It forces Vegeta to go to Planet Yardrat—the place where Goku learned Instant Transmission—to learn "Forced Spirit Fission." It’s the first time we see Vegeta truly out-think an opponent rather than just trying to out-punch them.
- The Granolah Arc: This one dives deep into the history of the Saiyans and the Cerealians. It introduces "Ultra Ego" for Vegeta, which is basically the opposite of Ultra Instinct. It’s powered by the urge to destroy. It’s gritty.
There is also the "Super Hero" manga adaptation which added a lot of context that the movie skipped. For example, we got to see more of Goten and Trunks as high school superheroes. It’s lighthearted but essential for the timeline.
Production Hurdles and the "Toei Schedule"
People often forget that Toei Animation is also juggling One Piece. With One Piece entering its final saga and the animation reaching "movie-tier" quality every week, the studio's resources are stretched thin. You can't just hire 500 animators overnight. You need the specific directors—the Shida’s and the Takahashi’s—who understand the "Dragon Ball look."
There's also a shift in how anime is consumed now. The old model was "long-running weekly shows." The new model is "seasonal." There is a very high probability that when we get new episodes of Dragon Ball Super, they won't run for 131 episodes straight. They might come in blocks of 24. This is actually a good thing. It means less filler. It means the animators don't burn out. It means we don't get episodes where the characters stand around screaming for twenty minutes to save on the budget.
Honestly, the quality of Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer has raised the bar. Toei knows that if Dragon Ball comes back with sub-par art, the modern audience will tear it apart on social media. They are taking their time because they have to.
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The Influence of Video Games on the Anime
It’s impossible to talk about the anime without mentioning Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO. This game is essentially the catalyst for a lot of the renewed hype. It’s the successor to Budokai Tenkaichi 3, and it features characters from the manga and Daima.
Bandai Namco and Toei work in a loop. The games keep the IP alive during the "dark years" when no anime is airing. When the games sell millions of copies, it proves to the executives that the brand is still a goldmine. The success of Sparking! ZERO is a direct signal to the suits at Shueisha that the world is ready for the return of the TV series.
The Legacy of Akira Toriyama
We have to address the "vibe" of the new content. Toriyama was the North Star. Even when he wasn't drawing every panel, he was providing the character designs and the plot beats. Toyotarou was his hand-picked successor for the manga, but the anime is a collaborative beast.
There is a sense of nervousness in the fandom. Can Dragon Ball stay "Dragon Ball" without the creator? I’d argue yes. We saw it with the Super Hero movie—even though he wrote it, the execution relied on a massive team of creators who grew up idolizing his work. The DNA is baked in. The humor, the weirdness, the sudden shifts from comedy to planet-shattering stakes—that's all part of the blueprint now.
Where to Watch and What to Track
Right now, your main hubs for new episodes of Dragon Ball are Crunchyroll and Hulu. If you're looking for the most up-to-date announcements, you have to follow the official Dragon Ball website (dragon-ball-official.com). They started doing these "Dragon Ball Battle Hour" events where they drop the actual trailers.
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Don't trust every Twitter account with a "Goku" profile picture claiming they have "inside info." Most of them are just recycling old rumors for engagement. The actual announcements usually happen at Jump Festa in December or during special Toei anniversary streams.
Actionable Steps for the Dragon Ball Fan
If you feel like you're in a drought, here is exactly what you should do to stay ahead of the curve. Don't just sit and wait.
- Read the Manga: Start from Chapter 42. That’s where the Dragon Ball Super anime ended. You have over 60 chapters of pure gold to catch up on. It will make you appreciate the anime even more when it finally drops because you'll know the "true" version of the story.
- Watch the "Sand Land" Series: It’s another Toriyama work. It’s short, it’s brilliant, and it gives you a feel for his storytelling style outside of the "power level" trap. It’s on Disney+/Hulu.
- Monitor the "Daima" Release: This is the litmus test. If Daima performs well—and it likely will—the announcement for the Super continuation will follow shortly after.
- Ignore the "2024 Return" Rumors: We are already past that. We're looking at a late 2025 or early 2026 window for any major TV series news beyond Daima.
The franchise is in a transitional phase. It’s moving from being led by its creator to becoming a legacy brand managed by a dedicated committee. It’s similar to what happened with Star Wars or Marvel, but with a much tighter grip on the core aesthetic. The new episodes of Dragon Ball aren't just coming; they're being crafted to ensure the series survives for another forty years. Patience is a virtue, but in the world of Saiyans, the payoff is usually worth the wait.
Focus on the official channels, enjoy the high-fidelity animation of the upcoming projects, and dive into the manga. The story hasn't stopped; it’s just catching its breath before the next transformation.
Key Takeaways for Staying Current
- Dragon Ball Daima is the current priority for Toei Animation.
- The Moro and Granolah arcs are fully written and ready for adaptation.
- Official news typically breaks at Jump Festa or Dragon Ball Battle Hour.
- The shift to seasonal production is likely for future releases to maintain quality.
- Toyotarou continues to lead the manga's creative direction.
Stay tuned to the official site and keep your scouter ready. The next era of Dragon Ball is going to be different, but the heart of the series—the pursuit of self-improvement and the thrill of the fight—isn't going anywhere.