Update: Toei Animation has released a statement on the report to Anime News Network saying it “is not true at this moment.”
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The original story appears as published below.
Dragon Ball Super is doing better than ever, and it seems the anime is ready to take its next step. After setting out its first film, a brand-new report coming from the NATPE says Toei Animation is ready to make new episodes of the series.
Recently, the media goup held an annual convention down in Miami which gathered international television executives. The National Association of Television Program Executives hosted NATPE Miami, and World Screen was there to cover news from foreign companies. It was there the trade magazine spotlighted news coming from Toei Animation, and you can read what World Screen had to say about the future of Dragon Ball Super below:
“The company is also making more episodes of Dragon Ball Super, a Japanese fantasy martial arts action series in the Dragon Ball media franchise that follows Goku in the aftermath of Majin Buu’s defeat and as God of Destruction Beerus awakens.”
According to this report, it would seem Toei Animation has plans to continue Dragon Ball Super‘s anime series. The NATPE spotlight goes on to reference the company’s current work on titles like Saint Seiya: Saintia Sho, One Piece, and Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro.
So far, no official comment has been given by the studio about the report. ComicBook.com has reached out to Toei Animation for comment.
For fans skeptical about this report’s source, World Screen does have a history backing its reputation. The 30-year-old trade is an authority on international media, and the NATPE is legit as well. The event is a well-known licensing convention that draws in international companies looking to show off their IPs for licensing. If Toei Animation wanted to show off its catalog, the confirmation of Dragon Ball Super‘s continuation would be a great way to entice investors, and the franchise is a hit for the company.
Still, there is a real possibility the licensing convention isn’t referring to the production of entirely new episodes. As presented by fans, the NAPTE magazine refers to Dragon Ball Super as having only 67 episodes. Clearly, the series has more than that under its count. This discrepancy may mean the episodes mentioned by World Screen are those being dubbed internationally, but most dubs (such as the English one) have cleared that mark. Even Toei Animation’s JP and U.S. sites bear outdated production information for the series, so is a chance the organization is also outdated with its numbers. For now, fans are still waiting for official confirmation or denial to ease their minds with this report. However, it is impossible to deny the popularity of Dragon Ball Super, and the franchise is still bringing in all sorts of cash.
After all, Dragon Ball Super: Broly has proven how lucrative Goku is and can become. The film has already grossed more than $88 million worldwide. The film is the third highest-grossing anime movie to screen in the U.S., and its limited release has earned $22 million domestically so far.
Are you surprised by this comeback? Or did you expect to see the series return? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
Dragon Ball Super: Broly is now out in theaters in Japan and the U.S. You can read ComicBook.com’s spoiler-free review of the film here. Dragon Ball Super currently airs its English dub on Adult Swim during the Toonami block Saturday evenings at 9:30 p.m. It is also available to stream on Funimation and Amazon Video. The Japanese language release is available to stream on FunimationNOW, VRV, and Crunchyroll.
