Dragon Ball Exec Explains the Anime’s New Global Focus

There comes a time when we must all leave our nests. Time stops for no one, and just as humans must grow in real life, the same goes for our favorite pop culture icons. From Mickey Mouse to Iron Man, most of our faves have spread their wings by now. When it comes to anime, this same truth applies, and now one Dragon Ball exec says Goku’s global reach has only just begun.

The whole thing came to light recently in Japan as Nikkei posted an interview with Akio Iyoku. The man will be familiar to Dragon Ball diehards as they’ve worked on the franchise for years. As one of the anime’s executive producers, Iyoku helped bring about Dragon Ball’s resurgence years ago, and their work is not done.

Speaking with Nikkei after the new year, it was there Iyoku spoke about Dragon Ball’s ambitions. As the manga nears its 40th anniversary this fall, Iyoku and the Dragon Ball team are eager to raise the story’s profile. So to do that, Dragon Ball will make a conscious effort to put global fans first.

“Unless we leap out of Japan, where the market is limited, like the Monkey King, and fight our way across the globe, we will not be able to get the best of the world,” the executive shared. “The US has recognized the potential of Japanese anime and is spending huge sums of money to acquire it.”

Of course, Dragon Ball has not been shy about its global interests as of late. In fact, the entire anime industry is looking beyond its domestic borders for fans. By 2027, reports suggest Japan’s domestic audience will command just 2% of the overall anime market in terms of viewership. As technology grows, anime has become easier to stream, and it has certainly found its foothold stateside. Much of Goku’s success in the past decade comes on the heels of international fans. And moving forward, those fans will have more work to do in keeping Goku’s reputation afloat. 

What do you think about this latest Dragon Ball preview? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

HT – Supa Chronicles