Update: A new statement from Akira Toriyama regarding Dragon Ball Super has got fans excited about the anime’s continuation. The franchise’s official website for the 20th film has a statement from the creator which Kazenshuu translated. The artist writes, “Now then, the animated version on TV will be ending for the time being…,” leaving fans curious of whether the show will continue.
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If you head over to social media, there is a good chance you will see someone bring up Dragon Ball Super. Up until today, anime fans were led to believe the anime was coming to a full-on end. This month will see its final episode air as Goku and Jiren wrap their fight at the Tournament of Power, but that isn’t going to be the end of Dragon Ball Super.
No, the series will live on. Toei Animation has confirmed there is more left in store for the franchise.
Earlier today, fans were told the stunning news after the first poster for Dragon Ball’s new movie went live. The key visual shows Goku front and center against a white background, and Toei Animation went on to reveal some new information about the little-known film. Rather than being a prequel or spinoff, the studio confirmed the movie will take place after Dragon Ball Super and act as a new arc of sorts.
“From its contents, it turns out to be the next episode of the TV animation Dragon Ball Super,” Toei Animation wrote in a newly released statement. “It will be the first time a movie has been named Dragon Ball Super.”
Toei Animation is not the only Dragon Ball expert confirming the continuation. Akira Toriyama, the creator of the franchise, released his own statement connecting the anime series to the upcoming Dragon Ball movie.
“The Dragon Ball Super movie this time aroundwill be the next story that takes place after the anime that’s currently on TV,” Toriyama added.
So far, there are few details about the film’s story or whether it will be broken down into a new anime series later on. Fans have long theorized that Toei Animation would eventually do films based on Dragon Ball Super to give its television staff time to expand the show itself. The studio has kept quiet about such rumors, but this new announcement about Dragon Ball Super‘s film continuation has the fandom wondering if their fan-theories were right all along.
Dragon Ball Super airs on Crunchyroll Saturday evenings at 7:15 p.m. CST. Adult Swim airs the English dub during its Toonami block Saturday evenings at 9:30 p.m, and is now available to stream on FunimationNOW and Amazon Video.
Are you ready for more Dragon Ball? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!