Dragon Ball fans have been a bit worried about the franchise since the death of Akira Toriyama in 2024, and that reaction is perfectly understandable, given the indefinite hiatus of Dragon Ball Super and legal battles concerning the rights to produce the series. However, it was recently revealed that Dragon Ball obliterated a world record in earnings, showing that the franchise has plenty of life left in it.

Dragon Ball has been on the minds of fans in recent months, with the release of Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, the airing of Dragon Ball Daima, as well as the brief return of Dragon Ball Super in one-shot form. But both Daima and Super were worked on by Toriyama, and now that he's gone, who will decide what Dragon Ball is? It's a question that's had some fans concerned for the future, feeling that without Toriyama, the series can't go on. However, Toriyama's death has had little to no impact on the success of Dragon Ball, as the franchise continues to rake in the cash.

Dragon Ball Breaks Earnings Records in FY2025

The Franchise Topped Itself to Become the Most Profitable

According to figures recently released by Bandai Namco, Dragon Ball made 190.6 billion Yen between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, equal to about $1.3 billion dollars USD. It's the first IP to make that much money in a single year, setting records. Dragon Ball was followed on the list by Gundam, at 153.5 billion Yen ($1.05 billion USD), and One Piece, at 139.5 billion Yen ($955.7 million USD). This was the first year that Bandai Namco had a property making more than 150 billion Yen in one year, and both Dragon Ball and Gundam managed to do it at the same time.

The record income is certainly impressive, and goes to show that interest in Dragon Ball is still at a very high level. With so much money to be made off of Dragon Ball, there's no way that the franchise is left alone for long. Even if legal issues continue to be a problem for Dragon Ball as a franchise, if partner companies like Bandai Namco are making this much money off Dragon Ball alone, then one can only imagine how much revenue it's generating for all the companies who get a piece of the pie.

Dragon Ball's Record Proves That Fans Need Not Worry

Concerns About the Franchise's Future After Toriyama Have Kept Fans Up

Uncertainty is never a good thing for a franchise, and Dragon Ball has been very much wrapped up in it for the past year. Even before Toriyama's death, though, Dragon Ball was having some issues. The legal battles between Shueisha and Capsule Corp Tokyo, for example, date back to 2022, when Toriyama's former editor, Akio Iyoku, left Shueisha, founding Capsule Corp Tokyo and becoming a representative of Toriyama. Toriyama's death has only complicated things further, and that's believed by many fans to be the reason why there has been no word of new Dragon Ball projects on the horizon.

Shueisha is, of course, worried about losing their share of Dragon Ball money, and has been fighting to retain control, but aren't really in a position to actually create anything new so long as the franchise's fate is undecided. However, fans worried about this situation probably don't need to be. No matter who wins out in the end, they'll undoubtedly be producing more Dragon Ball content. There are already unconfirmed rumors of a movie in the works (a follow-up to Super Hero), even despite the current situation.

All of that aside, Dragon Ball is popular and remains so because of its lovable characters, captivating action, and imaginative world-building. Neither Shueisha nor Capsule Corp Tokyo want to do anything to risk damaging that, and both parties have a vested interest in keeping fans as happy as possible. Daima was in production for a long time, predating the legal conflict, which might explain how that series was able to be released, and that series definitely lived up to Dragon Ball's best traits, particularly its creative and unique setting in the Demon Realm.

Fans Should Dragon Ball's Lowest Points

Dragon Ball Has Been Through Rougher Spots Than This

The history of Dragon Ball has seen some dark periods, such as the time between GT and Battle of Gods, when no new Dragon Ball manga or anime was in production at all for almost two decades. Still, the franchise remained heavily popular, both in Japan and beyond it, and the Dragon Ball Super revival was gladly welcomed by fans around the world when it finally returned. While the present situation may seem comparable to that era, there's no reason to think that fans are facing a ten-year drought of content again. All involved parties want Dragon Ball to return ASAP.

As far as Dragon Ball Super is concerned, the series seems to officially be in the hands of Toriyama's successor, Toyotaro, who wrote the one-shot chapter 104 by himself, and was already the primary writer for the series, with Toriyama only offering basic plot structures, characters, and ideas. Toyotaro is well-equipped to handle producing Dragon Ball Super without Toriyama's guidance, though it might be a bit emotionally difficult after having spent so many years working on it together with Toriyama.

Interest in Dragon Ball remains high, and fans are willing to spend money on the franchise. So long as that remains true, Dragon Ball won't be going anywhere. Legal problems may have stalled the franchise out for the moment, but Bandai Namco's new record profits prove that there's a hunger for Dragon Ball products out there. A plethora of Dragon Ball games, anime, and manga still await fans in the future, so long as they can be patient through this rough patch for the franchise. New enemies, allies, and abilities all lay waiting on the other side, so fans should just hang in there and let Dragon Ball return at its own pace, as the reward will be worth it.