When Is Dragon Ball Daima Set (and How It Ties to the Buu Saga)

Dragon Ball Daima has sparked a new era of the Dragon Ball franchise with a new anime as part of the franchise’s 40th anniversary celebration, and with a story from late creator Akira Toriyama, the new anime fits right into the current timeline of the Dragon Ball series. Although the End of Z is technically where the Dragon Ball franchise timeline is supposed to come to an end, fans have gotten to see new projects fleshing out everything that happened in between. This included the events of Dragon Ball Super, and now also includes Dragon Ball Daima as part of the overall canon.

Dragon Ball Daima is setting out Goku on a whole new adventure through the Demon Realm now that he and the rest of his friends have been turned into children, and fans had been wondering about its place in the overall timeline. But thanks to information given in the first couple of episodes, Dragon Ball Daima confirms that it takes place right after the events of the Majin Buu arc. But to be more specific about its actual place in the timeline, it’s also right before the events of the Battle of Gods arc that kicks off Dragon Ball Super.

Is Dragon Ball Daima Canon?

The first question to answer is that yes, Dragon Ball Daima is officially part of the canon. Whether or not you like the idea that Goku has been turned into a kid version of himself for this new adventure, it’s still very much an official part of the story. It’s also unfortunately the final canonical addition to Dragon Ball from creator Akira Toriyama himself as he worked on the story’s development and designed the new characters seen in the series before his untimely passing. So without a doubt, Dragon Ball Daima is very much official and we’re not looking at another Dragon Ball GT situation.

It also firmly fits within every canonical Dragon Ball entry as well without wrecking what came before or after either. As demonstrated in the premiere, the newest Supreme Demon King Gomah watches the events of the Majin Buu arc play out on Earth after the previous king, Dabura had gone missing. Noticing that he was being controlled by Babidi’s magic, Gomah had watched the rest of the events play out and saw Goku and the others defeating Majin Buu. Threatened that they might take aim at the Demon Realm next, Gomah heads to Earth to enact his plan. But where exactly in the timeline does it land?

Where Dragon Ball Daima Fits After Majin Buu Arc

Beyond the unclear window of just being after the Majin Buu arc and before Battle of Gods (as Beerus and Whis clearly have not made their debut), Dragon Ball Daima actually gives a few clues as to how long ago the Majin Buu arc took place. In the first episode, Goku and the others are gathering for Trunks’ ninth birthday party. He was likely close to eight years old during the events of the Majin Buu Arc (as it’s about that long since the Cell arc when he was born). And it wasn’t long ago that Goku and the others used the Dragon Balls to make the Earth forget about Majin Buu.

It’s what’s being talked about during the premiere as well, and Neva confirms this when he notes that the Dragon Balls had just been used to grant a wish. This would have placed it shortly after the six months that Goku had asked Buu to wait while they waited for the Dragon Balls to be usable again after the Majin Buu fight. If Trunks has just turned nine, then the events of this anime are about a few months to a year since the end of the Majin Buu arc. So it’s an even more direct sequel to Dragon Ball Z chronologically than Dragon Ball Super ever was.

Not only is Dragon Ball Daima a firm part of the overall Dragon Ball canon, it’s also the next story in the timeline. And likely when it’s over, it’s not like it’s going to throw out everything that has happened since in Dragon Ball Super. Future entries in the Dragon Ball franchise won’t have Akira Toriyama at the helm to differentiate what will or won’t be canon, so fans can rest easy knowing that his final story is indeed moving the entire franchise forward despite seeming like it’s going back to square one.