Could Dragon Ball really come to an end? There’s a sense of unease among creators as they grapple with the possibility that the Dragon Ball franchise might be nearing its conclusion, given the debate surrounding the questionable Dragon Ball GT.
Devoted anime enthusiasts are well aware that GT, rather than being a favorite segment of the series, holds a less favorable position. Originally, the creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, intended to conclude the saga with Gohan defeating Perfect Cell; however, events unfolded differently in the storyline.
From 1996 to 1997, “GT” aired on television, and this show was more focused on child-friendly humor as opposed to the serious tone of Dragon Ball Z. Despite being nearly three decades old, viewers are still debating whether it’s worth watching, and in a sense, its creators share this sentiment.
Through an engaging conversation on the Torishima podcast featuring three past editors of the Dragon Ball manga, we’ve unearthed the real reason behind the creation of GT – a truth that resonated with our long-held beliefs.
Dragon Ball GT definitely wasn’t a passion project
Instead of Dragon Ball GT being a creative choice by Toriyama, it was a result of demands from the show’s broadcaster. It seems unusual for such a popular series to be concluded when there’s an opportunity to continue, even if it goes against the creators’ original intentions for their work.
In the podcast episode, it’s mentioned that Kenji Shimizu, then-president of Fuji Television, was in charge of several shows, including Dragon Ball Z. At a gathering around the same period when it was believed Dragon Ball Z was ending, he reportedly stated, “Dragon Ball simply can’t conclude. It just can’t.
Because the higher-ups were indecisive about setting definite completion dates for Dragon Ball projects, we ended up with Dragon Ball GT instead.
The basic idea behind GT was straightforward; it stood for “Gran Turismo.” However, it didn’t take long for people to criticize it. Why? Because it turned out to be both a commercial and critical disappointment. It got nicknamed “Goku Time” due to its excessive focus on Goku rather than the many other characters available. To make matters worse, even Japan had to express their apologies to Toriyama-sensei over how poorly it was perceived.
Indeed, it aligns with what we’ve long understood about Toriyama – he had no real interest in creating manga, but found himself compelled by financial necessity. The creation of Dragon Ball almost didn’t happen due to a missed deadline for Weekly Shonen Magazine, yet fortuitously, a later call helped bring our beloved anime into being. This notion was further emphasized in a speech he delivered not long before his passing.
Although fans have softened their criticism towards GT compared to before, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the series has become widely adored now. Interestingly, Akio Iyoku, one of the executive producers of the Dragon Ball franchise, admitted that GT was a source of inspiration for the latest installment, DAIMA.
It turns out that DAIMA aimed at appealing to the adult fans who grew up with GT, and luckily, there’s a substantial number of them. Fortunately, you can stream both GT and DAIMA, along with other Dragon Ball shows, on Crunchyroll.
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2025-03-26 15:20