Franchise · Anime
Dragon Ball
Akira Toriyama's shonen classic is Bandai Namco's cash engine, proving that a decades-old anime IP can out-earn most Hollywood studios once you stack games, merch and mobile gacha on top of it.
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· Bryan Ke
Sun Wukong faces Son Goku in FIFA 2026 poster ahead of China v. Japan match
A poster showing Chinese mythological character Sun Wukong preparing to square up against “Dragon Ball” franchise hero Son Goku ahead of China and Japan’s match at FIFA 2026 has emerged. Chinese sports site Dongquidi created and first shared the unofficial poster on Chinese…
· Ryan General
Voice actors from ‘Dragon Ball,’ ‘Cowboy Bebop’ and others speak out against AI
A group of 26 prominent Japanese voice actors, including Ryusei Nakao (the voice of Frieza in “Dragon Ball”), Koichi Yamadera (Spike Spiegel from “Cowboy Bebop”) and Romi Park (Edward Elric from “Fullmetal Alchemist”) have launched a campaign called “No More Unauthorized…
· Bryan Ke
‘Dragon Ball,’ ‘Gundam’ voices to be turned into Chinese, English by AI for voice assistance
Japanese talent agency Aoni Production has partnered with AI firm CoeFont to adapt voices of “Dragon Ball” and “Gundam” characters into Chinese and English for non-anime uses. Announced on Monday, the collaboration features 10 voice actors, including Son Goku’s voice actress of…
· Bryan Ke
English-dubbed ‘Dragon Ball Daima’ coming to US theaters
An English dubbed version of “Dragon Ball Daima” is set to premiere in U.S. theaters a month after the release of its English subtitled version on streaming platforms. Toei Animation reportedly teamed up with Fathom Events for the premiere, which will run for three days from…
· Bryan Ke
Trailer for last ‘Dragon Ball’ series of late creator released
Toei Animation released the main trailer for “Dragon Ball Daima” on Sept. 3, briefly teasing the next adventure for Son Goku and his friends. “Dragon Ball Daima,” set to release on Oct. 11, features Goku, Shin and new characters Glorio and Panzy as they embark on a journey…
· Bryan Ke
Saudi Arabia set to open ‘Dragon Ball’ theme park
The world’s first and only “Dragon Ball” theme park is coming to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Qiddiya Investment Company, the firm behind the project, announced its plan for the park in March. What to expect: Encompassing a 500,000-square-meter area, the “Dragon Ball” theme park will…
· Bryan Ke
Uncensored ‘Sailor Moon’ English dub to debut at Cartoon Network
An uncensored English dub of “Sailor Moon” will appear on TV for the first time this week as part of Adult Swim’s Toonami anime block on Cartoon Network. Key points:
· Michelle De Pacina
World’s first ‘Dragon Ball’ theme park to be built in Saudi Arabia
The Qiddiya Investment Company has unveiled plans to construct the world’s first “Dragon Ball” theme park in Saudi Arabia. Key points:
· Michelle De Pacina
How Jackie Chan and late ‘Dragon Ball’ creator Akira Toriyama inspired each other
“Dragon Ball,” which will mark its 40th anniversary later this year, traces its roots back to the inspiration of the iconic action star Jackie Chan. The kung-fu manga: In a 1995 interview with Japan’s Bird Land Press, manga artist Akira Toriyama expressed his admiration for…
· Bryan Ke
‘Dragon Ball’ creator Akira Toriyama dead at 68
Legendary manga artist Akira Toriyama, best known for the “Dragon Ball” franchise, has died at the age of 68. What happened: Toriyama died from acute subdural hematoma on March 1, the official “Dragon Ball” website announced on Friday. The condition involves bleeding near the…
· Bryan Ke
Anime film restorer reveals reason why ‘Sailor Moon’ has a pink ‘aesthetic’
A possible explanation has been given as to why the 2000s DVD version of the classic “Sailor Moon” series has a pink tint “aesthetic,” a topic recently sparked discussions on social media. Driving the conversation: X user @kane_hisa kicked off the conversation in a post on Jan.…
· Michelle De Pacina
Video: The ‘Dragon Ball’ musical performance that attracted over 350M live viewers
The Dragon Ball musical performance by Chinese youth dance troupe O-DOG at Bilibili’s New Year’s Eve gala in China attracted over 350 million live viewers. The performance: The performance, celebrating the 40th anniversary of “Dragon Ball” and the lunar Year of the Dragon,…
· Bryan Ke
‘The Boy and the Heron’ becomes 4th highest-grossing anime movie in US
Studio Ghibli’s latest film, “The Boy and the Heron,” reached another milestone in the United States after it surpassed “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero” on the list of highest-grossing anime movies at the U.S. box office. Newest achievement: “The Boy and the Heron” recorded $39.6…
· Ryan General
Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ live-action series hits No. 1 in 84 countries
“One Piece captures the essence of its beloved source material with a charmingly big-hearted adaptation that should entertain longtime fans as well as patient newcomers,” reads Rotten Tomatoes’ critics’ consensus
· Carl Samson
California Thai restaurant’s dish so spicy it caused ‘chemical burns,’ lawsuit alleges
A woman is suing a Thai restaurant in San Jose, California, over a spicy appetizer that allegedly gave her “permanent bodily injuries.” The allegations: Harjasleen Walia, a neurologist, tried the “Dragon Balls” appetizer at Coup de Thai in Los Gatos on July 15, 2021, according…
· Carl Samson
NFL star and anime fan Jamaal Williams lives out childhood dreams in Japan
NFL running back Jamaal Williams is realizing his childhood dreams on vacation in Japan. A trip to remember: Williams, a player for the New Orleans Saints, is a known lover of anime — especially “Naruto.” The self-proclaimed “First Swagg Kazekage” and anime “nerd” is known for…
· Daniel Anderson
XG’s Maya and Harvey reference ‘John Wick,’ Super Saiyans in new cypher video ‘Two Tens’
Maya and Harvey of the Japanese girl group XG released a cypher video set to the beat of “Two Tens” by Cordae and Anderson .Paak. The release serves as a follow-up to their previous cypher tape releases and was first showcased during their U.S. music festival debut at Head in…
· Daniel Anderson
Michael B. Jordan reveals how ‘Naruto,’ ‘Dragon Ball Z’ and other anime influenced ‘Creed III’
“Creed III” director and star Michael B. Jordan made sure to inject anime influences into his new film as much as possible. In a recent interview with Polygon, Jordan, 36, divulged just how much of “Creed III” was inspired by various anime he grew up watching.
· Ines Shin
Godzilla egg? Large, mysterious metal sphere beached in Japan fuels wild speculation
A giant metal ball measuring 5 feet wide has washed up in Hamamatsu City, Japan, leaving authorities questioning its origin. Earlier this week, authorities in Hamamatsu City were notified of the mysterious giant ball having washed up on Enshuhama beach.
· Ines Shin
Gohan and Piccolo join ‘Fortnite’ in second ‘Dragon Ball Super collaboration
Son Gohan and Piccolo have come to “Fortnite” as part of the game’s second collaboration with “Dragon Ball Super” On Monday, the official “Fortnite” Twitter account tweeted the date Jan. 31, 2023, along with a picture of a Red Ribbon ship flying over the “Fortnite” battle royale…
Anime → Toei Animation
Anime connects to Sony, Toei Animation, and Bandai Namco through streaming, studios, licensing, merch, and games.
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