Dragon Ball Daima to Mark Akira Toriyama's Death With Unexpected Tribute

At New York City Comic Con in 2023, Dragon Ball Daima was announced to be Goku and company's next anime adventure, and fans reacted with intrigue when they learned series creator Akira Toriyama played a heavy role in its development. Less than six months later, however, Toriyama passed away on March 1, 2024. The news left the worldwide anime and manga community in shock and mourning, and the weeks that followed were filled with an outpouring of appreciation and admiration for the man and his many iconic creations.

In October 2024, Dragon Ball Daima, Akira Toriyama's final vision for his long-running series, finally premiered, and countless fans tuned in to see what the franchise's instantly recognizable cast of characters would be getting into this time. Throughout its concise 20-episode run, the anime has served an incredibly fresh and enjoyable viewing experience that offers something new while paying homage to Dragon Ball's long, storied past. Now, with the series' finale just around the corner, Daima is set to pay one last unexpected tribute to its creator.

Dragon Ball Daima Will Conclude on the Anniversary of Toriyama's Death

The Final Episode's Credits Will Roll on March 1

Dragon Ball Daima's final episode is set to premiere on February 28. The episode's title, "Zenkai", has sparked rumors and speculation about just what the finale will have in store for Earth's greatest heroes in their climactic battle with the evil ruler of the Demon Realm. Zenkai, a term that translates to 'full recovery', has played a factor in Dragon Ball from its earliest sections, acting as a trait which allows Saiyans to increase their strength exponentially once experiencing a near-fatal injury.

Goku in front of the Demon Realm's Third Demon World.

It's Official: The Biggest Anime Episode of 2025 Belongs to Dragon Ball Daima

Dragon Ball DAIMA secures its spot as the highest-rated anime episode of 2025 so far on IMDb, easily surpassing the series' top scores of the past.

Posts

It's all but been confirmed the series' finale will be action-packed and high energy, but another subject has caused intrigue throughout the franchise's ever-growing fan base. The episode is set to premiere at 11:40 pm in Japan, and end just after midnight on March 1, meaning the series will come to a close on the one-year anniversary of Akira Toriyama's death. Whether this was planned by the networks or higher-ups at Toei Animation is unconfirmed, but regardless, the anime will be paying one final tribute to its legendary creator.

The Future Remains Uncertain for Dragon Ball

The Direction of the Series Without Akira Toriyama Is Still Uncertain

Akira Toriyama over a panel from the Cell Games in Dragon Ball

When Dragon Ball Daima comes to a close with its upcoming finale, the franchise will no longer have any active anime or manga series to hold fans over. Following Toriyama's passing, the Dragon Ball Super manga was put on an indefinite hiatus, and a rights dispute over the series has held it there ever since. A special one-shot chapter was released this February in order to fill out the upcoming physical volume release, but the manga returned to its inactive status shortly after. However, it does seem that plans are in place for the franchise to continue forward.

Goku and friends fly away from attacking Gendarmerie troops.

Series' producer Akio Iyoku confirmed in a recent interview that, "there's no doubt Dragon Ball will continue for decades to come," before ensuring the series' creative team was steadily planning for the future. Until any official confirmation of upcoming projects is revealed, fans won't want to miss Dragon Ball Daima's finale, and take part in the anime's final tribute to its creator and manga master, Akira Toriyama.