Dragon Ball Is Tied Down by Power Struggle Following Creator’s Death: Report

It has been several months since the world lost one of its greatest manga artists. Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, died in March to the dismay of millions. In the time since his passing, fans around the world have been asking what the future of Dragon Ball will look like. Now, a new report from Japan suggests the IP is wading through uncertain territory due to internal disputes.

The report surfaced in Weekly Toyo Keizai as the publication followed up on Dragon Ball in the wake of Toriyama’s death. As the report lays out, a dispute over Dragon Ball has arisen. Shueisha, the longtime head of Dragon Ball, is reportedly at odds with Akio Iyoku, a close friend to Toriyama who has guided the IP for years now.

The magazine breaks down the discord thanks to an anonymous insider at Shueisha. The trouble began in 2023 with Iyoku left his position as the head of the Dragon Ball Room, an organization at Shueisha dedicated to expanding Toriyama’s IP. He went on to found his own company called Capsule Corporation that specializes in IP management. As Weekly Toyo Keizai understands, the move was surprising to most at Shueisha, and Iyoku’s leave has since spawned a power struggle. If the report is right, Capsule Corporation wants to assume control of Dragon Ball, but Shueisha is holding steady to prevent itself from losing the IP.

“Toriyama-sensei was also dissatisfied with Iyoku being removed [from Shueisha] as he trusted him the most. Chairman Horiuchi of Shueisha event went directly to Toriyama’s residence,” the insider at Shueisha told the magazine. As this power divide became known within the industry, companies like Bandai Namco who license Dragon Ball were put in a hard position, and this put even more pressure on the Shueisha vs Iyoku front.

“Iyoku-san, who was Toriyama-sensei’s spokesperson, became independent but the rights to the [Dragon Ball] manga were managed by Shueisha. It was unclear who to consult regarding matters related to the original work.”

As you can imagine, the sudden passing of Toriyama has only further complicated the issue. Between Shueisha and Iyoku, there is also the artist’s family to think of. For the time being, it seems the future of Dragon Ball is hazy at best given its current power struggle.

What do you make of this Dragon Ball report? Where do you want the IP to go moving forward? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!