Celebrating 40 Years of Dragon Ball with Exciting New Releases: Everything Announced!

Dragon Ball 40th Anniversary Event Highlights

2026 marks a significant milestone as it celebrates 40 years since Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball first appeared in Japan. The Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri took place over the weekend at the expansive Makuhari Messe near Tokyo, offering fans an array of activities, including exclusive merchandise, live contests, and exhibits of original artwork.

Major Announcements Following Akira Toriyama's Legacy

The event featured key announcements about the future of Dragon Ball, especially following the passing of its creator. Here are the most exciting highlights:

New Anime Series: Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol

The celebration kicked off with a discussion between Masako Nozawa, the voice of Son Goku, and Akio Iyoku, the series executive producer. They unveiled a special video with music composed by Hans Zimmer, celebrating the series' evolution. The climax of the video was the announcement of a new anime series, Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol, which will adapt the Moro Arc from the manga. Fans can expect to see this new series, featuring Goku and Vegeta, by 2027.

New Anime: Dragon Ball Super: Beerus

In an additional reveal, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus was announced, a remake of the original arc, slated for Fall 2026. This enhanced version aims to be more faithful to the manga, with improved visuals and more intense battles.

Upcoming Game: Age 1000

Masayuki Hirano, the producer for Dragon Ball Games, presented an exciting trailer for a new game project titled Age 1000. This project has been in development for seven years, with contributions from Toriyama. A mysterious character in Capsule Corp gear was teased, but further details will be shared during the Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026 on April 18-19 in LA.

Massive DLC for Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero

Producer Jun Furutani teased a significant upcoming DLC for Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero, set to release this summer. The DLC promises new playable characters and features a theme song by series veteran Hironobu Kageyama. For those eager for content, a free DLC mode will launch on January 26.

What Lies Ahead for Dragon Ball Fans

Despite the loss of Akira Toriyama, the Dragon Ball franchise has a bright and exciting future ahead. With these upcoming projects, fans are certainly in for an amazing ride.

Source: IGN