Dragon Ball Superhas been largely dormant since the passing of Akira Toriyama in March 2024, though producer Akio Iyoku maintains that the future of the franchise is bright. Sitting down to speak about the series on the Japanese radio broadcast,All Night Nippon, Iyoku touched onDragon Ball’s past and future, making the claim that new announcements regardingupcoming works may come within the next year. Though that was the extent of any information about future projects, he also gave some insight into past works,including the main inspiration behindDragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
The film, which achieved excellent box office success upon release in 2022, was somewhat of a risk for the franchise. Choosing to focus on characters other than Goku and Vegeta for the first time in decades, the movie centered itself on Piccolo and Gohan, giving both some much-needed attention. According to Iyoku, the decision to set the focus away from the series' leading Saiyans came about simply becausethe producer asked Toriyama what they should do with the fan-favorite Namekian, after he had fallen so far behind the rest of the cast.
Iyoku and Toriyama Share a Favorite Character
Both Creator and Producer Are Big Fans of Piccolo
It is well documented thatAkira Toriyama’s favoriteDragon Ballcharacter was Piccolo, and following Iyoku’s appearance on the radio broadcast, he revealed that he is a big fan of the Namekian warrior as well. Piccolo,the series' first ‘villain turned hero’ before Vegeta stole the spotlight, is beloved by fans around the world for both his heroics and character growth. However, after becoming an honorary member of the Son family and transitioning fully to the side of good, he was largely left to fall behind the series' other fighters.
Luckily for fans, Toriyama and Iyoku were also partial to Piccolo, and decided that they needed to do something with him in order to return the fighter to relevance.Dragon Ball Super: Super Herocame along and did just that, providing both Piccolo and Gohan with shiny new transformations, and placing them back at a level of strength that is comparable to Goku and Vegeta. Though the original manga is currently on hiatus,it is set to return in 2025and will likely feature both characters in major roles.
Piccolo and Gohan May Become Major Characters Once More
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Has Returned Piccolo and Gohan to Their Former Glory
Until the events ofDragon Ball Super: Super Hero, fans had criticized what the series had done with both Piccolo and Gohan. Once two mighty warriors that played key roles in the franchise’s biggest fights,both became sidelined when Goku and Vegeta reached godhood. Now that they possess strength on equal footing with Earth’s greatest heroes,Dragon Ball Superwould be wise to feature Piccolo and Gohan heavily in any upcoming confrontations. The original manga left off with Gohan training Broly on Beerus' planet, which is more screen time than the hybrid Saiyan has had throughout the series.
10 Reasons Dragon Ball’s Piccolo Truly Deserved The Title Of Akira Toriyama’s Favorite Character
The Dragon Ball creator was quoted saying Piccolo is his favorite character in the series, and when the Namekian is around Gohan, it’s easy to see why
Black Frieza promises to be an extremely powerful opponent, and the Earthlings will need all the help they can get in the inevitable showdown. Though Goku has and always will be the franchise’s main character,Dragon Ball Superhas returned Piccolo and Gohan to their former glory, and both Akio Iyoku and Akira Toriyama are to thank for that. The series is set to return with a special one-shot chapter this year, signaling that Earth-shattering battles are still to come.
Dragon Ball Super
Cast
Dragon Ball Super is an anime series set after Majin Buu’s defeat. It follows Son Goku, now a radish farmer, as peace prevails until Beerus, the God of Destruction, appears. Seeking to challenge a legendary warrior, the series revisits events from two Dragon Ball Z films before exploring alternate universes.
