It's been months since the Dragon Ball Daima finale premiered, and it marked the end of an era. That would be the final Dragon Ball anime created and developed by franchise creator Akira Toriyama before his death. Many fans, even lapsed DBZ devotees, were excited to see the franchise return. Now that it's over, one of Toriyama's former bosses is giving their brutally honest opinion of the anime.
Notable manga figure Kazuhiko Torishima, credited with discovering Toriyama, is now speaking out and sharing his blunt stance on his former employee's final works. In an interview with Yubo and Mashirito’s KosoKoso Broadcasting Station, Torishima shared his thoughts about the direction of the Dragon Ball franchise and had some harsh words for Dragon Ball Daima (via @sandman_ap) in particular:
It would be better to produce a Vegeta story than Dragon Ball Super. Dragon Ball Daima was a trash anime.
That's a big statement to make, but Kazuhiko Torishima has made similar comments like this before. As GameRant reported months ago, he also criticized Attack on Titan, which some would say is one of the best modern anime series, and said it had no long-term appeal. Still, to make such a public condemnation of Akira Toriyama's final contribution to the art form is bold, given how beloved he was by fans and creators alike.
Speaking of Toriyama's work, the finale of Dragon Ball Daima premiered alongside a cryptic update from the makers of Dragon Ball Super. The latter's manga went into hiatus in March 2024 following Toriyama's passing, and despite dropping one new chapter in February of 2025, no new chapters are planned for the rest of the year.
There are still many questions about what the future holds for Dragon Ball after Toriyama's passing. The original series spawned successful spinoffs and remains in demand, with new merchandise and video games being produced frequently. Toei Animation made Dragon Ball: GT, which Daima seemingly retconned while borrowing elements from it, with Super Saiyan 4 being a big one.
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The comments Torishima made about Dragon Ball Daima might be upsetting to some, though I can't say I disagree with his thoughts about making a Vegeta-centric spinoff. I would love to see the Saiyan prince get a standalone adventure where he's able to fully shine as a hero rather than play second banana to Goku, who ultimately sweeps in to save the day when he falls short.
I also don't think any proposed spinoff should come at the expense of Dragon Ball Super, which was a fun reminder of just how much fun it was to watch Dragon Ball Z back in my adolescence. Basically, I'm fine with this beloved anime franchise continuing however it can, provided the producers don't try to make another live-action movie like Evolution.
Stream Dragon Ball Daima and other previous entries in the franchise on Crunchyroll. There are plenty of other great shows to check out on the streaming platform, so those who haven't watched anime in a while and would like to get back in should check it out.
