‘Dragon Ball Super’ Staffers Address ‘Dragon Ball Z’ Tie-In Rumors

When Dragon Ball Super was first announced, fans of the franchise had right to be concerned. The taste of Dragon Ball GT and Dragonball Evolution were all too fresh, leaving fans jaded by the idea of a new cash-cow series. Since its debut, Dragon Ball Super has appeased Dragon Ball Z fans, and there are those who want even more throwbacks to the 1990s classic.

However, fans shouldn’t expect the Dragon Ball Super staff to spill any tie-ins ahead of time.

Recently, an anime convention in Barcelona brought two staffers from Dragon Ball Super in to talk about the anime. Kimitoshi Chioka and Hiroyuki Sakurada did an interview with Misión Tokyo about the show’s future, and the pair were asked whether a few specific Dragon Ball Z tie-ins were being eyed behind the scenes.

As you can see below, the director and producer shied away from confirming anything outright:

Dragon Ball Super’s “Universal Survival” saga is part of the recent simulcast agreement that sites like Crunchyroll and Funimation have scored. Dragon Ball Super airs on Crunchyroll Saturdays at 7:15 p.m. CST. Toonami airs the English dub on Adult Swim Saturdays at 11:30 p.m.

The Knock-Downs

Thanks to fans, English-speaking otakus can sift through some of the duo’s specific answers to Misión Tokyo. As you can see here, Chioka and Sakurada were asked directly whether heroes like Yajirobe would reappear, but the staffers simply said that decision would be up to whatever is in Akira Toriyama’s draft.

As the interview continued, the pair gave the ‘Draft’ answer a few more time. When they were asked if Cell would return or why Gohan had become less important, they differed to Toriyama’s story outlines. The same went for how Goten and Kid Trunks will factor into the anime’s future and if any more tail-based transformations would appear.

The Maybes

Chioka and Sakurada were not afraid to pass questions off by drafting them, but the pair did give different answers for a few queries. When the duo were asked if another One Piece crossover special could happen, they said such an episode isn’t impossible. The same answer was given when Misión Tokyo asked if another History of Trunks or Bardock special could happen.

So far, Dragon Ball Super has yet to roll out any specials like those seen with Dragon Ball Z. The anime’s most recent special simply contained Goku’s long-awaited battle with Jiren, but fans have asked Toriyama to expand the anime with specials for some time now. There are many who’d love to see Universe 6 expanded up with a special or even the Gods of Destruction if given the chance. So, if fans are lucky, Toriyama may be mulling over the pleas behind the scenes these days.