Ever since Dragon Ball Daima’s concept was introduced to shonen fans, many long time Z-Fighter enthusiasts couldn’t help but think of a past “Grand Tour.” Dragon Ball GT might not have been canon, but its influence and legacy has long been a part of the shonen franchise, especially when it comes to elements like Super Saiyan 4. In a new interview with the latest anime’s producer, Akio Iyoku, explains that Daima was specifically created as a way to re-introduce the original series that transformed Son Goku into his younger self once again.
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To start, producer Akio Iyoku confirmed that the latest anime was made specifically for Grand Tour fans that had originally grown up with the spin-off, “I was conscious of the generation in their early 30s and older who have grown up and have children. I wanted to make an anime that parents and children could watch together. They are the generation that watched ‘Dragon Ball GT‘ as children. I was conscious of that, and my attempt to create a new anime series like ‘GT’ became the starting point.”
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Dragon Ball Daima’s Grand Tour
In a shocking twist, Ikoyu revealed that the original plan for Daima was to follow in GT’s footsteps by only making Goku transform into a child. Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama came up with the idea to have the entire cast transformed, as the producer explains, “Dragon Ball GT” is an original story TV anime that aired from 1996 to 1997, and has something in common with “DAIMA” in that Goku goes on a great adventure in a tiny form. Adult Goku is cool, but the tiny Goku is not only cool, but also cute, and has a different charm. One of the highlights of “DAIMA” is the action scene where tiny Goku fights using his Nyoibou stick.”
Ikoyu continues, “A big theme of this work is to have a wider audience, and although this is in hindsight, I feel that by making Goku smaller, the entry point has become wider. I never thought that everyone would be small, but of course it was Sensei’s idea. ‘GT’ means ‘Grand Touring’, and we are trying to depict an adventure in ‘DAIMA‘ as well. It will have a different flow and form from ‘Super‘, where Goku steadily improves his strength. Even though Goku is small, the sight of him fighting by leaps and bounds using his Nyoibou stick looks fresh, and it will show a different appeal from ‘Super‘.”
Dragon Ball Daima Season 2?
With Dragon Ball Daima’s grand finale set to arrive later this month on February 28th, many fans have been left wondering whether a second season is in the works. While the anime’s producer did not reveal whether the mini Z-Fighters’ journey through the Demon Realm will continue, Iyoku did confirm that the franchise will continue for quite some time in the future. In the interview, Akio expects that Dragon Ball will continue for decades following the tragic passing of Akira Toriyama.
“Producing anime and games takes time, but we’re steadily preparing for the future. We want to expand the franchise even further…There’s no doubt Dragon Ball will continue for decades to come. We’re still coming up with various plans, brainstorming many things and will keep moving forward. I want to continue giving it my all alongside [Goku voice actor Masako] Nozawa-san.”
