Akira Toriyama’s passing has left a deep scar on the fans’ minds. He was like a godfather in the anime and manga industry. The Dragon Ball franchise is his creation, and standing in 2024, the franchise is worth more than $23 Billion. For the last four decades, he has given his heart and soul to the franchise. Even before his death, he was busy with the production of Dragon Ball DAIMA.
Everything was going fine, but suddenly, tragedy struck on March 1st, 2024. While the fans were grieving, there has been an ongoing issue surrounding who will inherit the franchise and what the future holds for the franchise. The dispute has sent the industry into chaos. Several names have come up regarding inheritance, but there is no proper conclusion.
Inheritance Issue Grasps The Dragon Ball Franchise After Akira Toriyama’s Death
Late Akira Toriyama’s passing was a saddening event, but it left the potential gold mine without any owner. Since then, several names have come up who were close to the late Mangaka who could be the new owner. Many believe Toyotarou to be the one to inherit the franchise since Toriyama sensei chose him to continue the manga. Moreover, Toyotarou used to write a doujinshi named Dragon Ball AF. It could be one of the reasons why he was chosen to be the protégé.
《Latest magazine》 The industry is in chaos over the money that Dragon Ball will produce in the future. Many people, including Capsule Corporation Tokyo as well as Shueisha, are involved in disputes regarding Dragon Ball. The wishes of Mr. Toriyama's family are most important. pic.twitter.com/q394xNmfuo
— sandman (@sandman_AP) July 19, 2024
On the other hand, there is Shueisha, who holds the publishing rights of the manga. They could also inherit the multi-billion dollar franchise. The owner of Capsule Corporation Tokyo, Akio Iyoku, is the former right-hand man of Toriyama sensei. He is also a potential inheritor of the Dragon Ball franchise. According to Shueisha’s Weekly Magazine, there might be many suitors, but everything should be done to keep the welfare of the late Akira Toriyama’s family.
Late Toriyama sensei was married and had two children. They could also be the owner, since technically, a father’s properties go to his family if he has not mentioned anything separately in their will. It remains a concerning issue grasping the entire industry. Apart from inheritance, there is also the issue surrounding the vision of the franchise.
What Does Dragon Ball’s Future Hold?
Dragon Ball DAIMA is scheduled to release in the fall. The fans were pretty excited to see Goku and Vegeta return as kids, but now everything is in shambles. Even though Toyotarou is the protégé, he might need some guidance to follow in his footsteps. Dragon Ball GT was the last time when the late Toriyama sensei was not involved with the franchise. The series failed miserably, and since then, no one has dared to do anything without him.
But the current situation is different from Dragon Ball GT. It is not clear where the franchise will go after DAIMA. The manga has been on an indefinite hiatus. Everything seems to have hit the brakes after the news. Toyotarou used to draw the characters and put them in the story. Akira Toriyama sensei worked only on the crucial scenes.
By the looks of it, until a proper successor of the franchise is named, there might be no Dragon Ball anime or manga in the future. One of the worst things about the dispute is that it could lead to a power struggle between the potential inheritors. Whatever happens, it should not hurt the late Mangaka’s family. It is what he would have wished for.
Dragon Ball is available on Crunchyroll.
