The director of ‘Daima’ confirms a major legend about Akira Toriyama’s creation of ‘Dragon Ball’
When Akira Toriyama passed away, the mangaka was working on new incomplete works that fans will likely never get to know.
Akira Toriyama’s sudden passing on March 1, 2024, left manga fans, especially those of ’Dragon Ball’, in shock. At the time, the franchise was preparing for the release of its new anime, ’Dragon Ball Daima’. Toriyama left behind an unparalleled legacy in manga, anime, and video games, but it was also said that he passed away while enthusiastically working on several incomplete projects that fans may never get to see.
Toriyama completed the script for ‘Dragon Ball Daima’
Many wondered if Toriyama had enough time to finish his work on ’Dragon Ball Daima’, a production he was deeply involved in, handling writing, character design, and supervision. According to Yoshitaka Yashima, the anime’s director, Toriyama completed the script before production began.
This bittersweet revelation confirms that ’Dragon Ball Daima’ will go down in history as the last fully realized ’Dragon Ball’ story created by Toriyama himself. Yashima stated, “Toriyama-sensei wrote the story himself... He had already completed it from the beginning, so our job was to bring his ideas to life.”
A legacy that leaves questions
The anime, which premiered late last year, concluded its 20-episode run earlier in 2025. Despite being completed by Toriyama, the ending of Daima leaves fans with unresolved questions. Key plot points remain open, and the team is not shown leaving the Demon Realm. It seems Toriyama intended this as a foundation for future stories rather than a definitive conclusion.
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