Latest news with #AkiraToriyama
Tokyo Weekender
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
World's First Dragon Ball Store To Open in Tokyo This Autumn
Originally released in November 1984, Dragon Ball remains one of Japan's most popular manga series. It, therefore, shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to hear the franchise is now getting its own store. The news was announced via the company's official website on Sunday. It's all part of Dragon Ball 's 40th anniversary celebrations, which kicked off last November. At the time of writing, few details have been released about the store. What we do know is that it is slated to open in Tokyo this autumn and will feature limited-edition goods that will only be available at the shop, in addition to other must-have items for fans. More information, such as the exact location and opening date, will be announced on the official website soon. Fans were, unsurprisingly, excited about the news. 'There will definitely be something I want,' posted one user on X. 'Somewhere near or around Tokyo Station would be good. I'm looking forward to hearing the location announcement,' wrote another. There were also comments from people overseas on the official website. 'Really hoping that this will be open when I'm there in October!' posted one person. About Dragon Ball Originally serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine Weekly Sh o nen Jump between 1984 and 1995, Dragon Ball was inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West . It follows the adventures of Son Goku as he explores the world in search of seven mystical Dragon Balls. When all are gathered, these magical orbs summon a wish-granting dragon . Along the way, he and his comrades come face to face with various villains. Akira Toriyama, who created the series, sadly passed away last year. Tributes poured in from around the globe, including from French President Emmanuel Macron who posted a photo of a signed picture he received from Toriyama on Instagram . On Sina Weibo, Jackie Chan thanked Toriyama 'for creating so many classic works,' adding that 'they will last forever.' Creed star Michael B. Jordan posted 'thank you for everything.' Related Posts Dragon Ball Creator Akira Toriyama Passes Away at 68 Tributes From Around the Globe Pour in for Akira Toriyama Dragon Ball Theme Park To Open in Saudi Arabia
SoraNews24
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
World's first Dragon Ball Store announced, opens before end of year
Dragon Ball celebrates a milestone anniversary with its first ever dedicated shop stocked with items you can't get anywhere else in the world. Dragon Ball is a big franchise. Though it started as a manga, the anime adaptation of Akira Toriyama's sprawling intergalactic martial arts epic started airing less than two years after the first chapter was published, and there have now been more than 20 Dragon Ball theatrical anime, dozens of video games, and one live-action Hollywood version that many fans of the source material are still trying to scrub from their memories. One thing there hasn't been, though, is an entire shop just for Dragon Ball merch. That's going to be changing, though, as the franchise's official website has announced that the first-ever Dragon Ball Store will be opening in Japan soon. As one of the most continually popular anime franchises of the past four decades, Dragon Ball merch, in and of itself, isn't all that hard to find in Japan. Between the series' long history, fanbase that stretches from little kids all the way up to adults, and the fact that new Dragon Ball anime and manga are still being made, though, there are far too many cool Dragon Ball items to fit into a sub-section of a general anime specialty shop, so the Dragon Ball Store should boast an especially wide selection. The announcement also promises that the shop will have limited-edition merch that won't be available anywhere else in the world. ▼ So far, the closest thing there's been to a Dragon Ball store is the Jump Shop, where it shares space with the other titles from manga publisher Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump anthology. With Japan's passionate fan communities, plus a large number of visiting foreign travelers being fans of the otaku arts, there are shops for some of the most prominent publishers and production houses, such as Nintendo and Studio Ghibli. Dedicated shops for individual series, though, are less common, and are often popup affairs. The Dragon Ball Store's announcement makes no mention of it being a limited-time event, however, so it looks like it'll be joining the Pokémon Center as one of the few individual series with its own permanent store. Currently, the only opening date/location information that's been revealed is that the Dragon Ball Store will be open this coming fall and be located somewhere within Tokyo, though the city's high-tourism neighborhoods of Shibuya, Akihabara, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro seem the most likely. Source: Dragon Ball official website via Hachima Kiko Top image: Dragon Ball official website Insert image ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Geek Culture
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
World's First Official 'Dragon Ball' Store Goes Over 9,000 In Tokyo This Fall
Kamehameha! It's a wonder how Dragon Ball, one of the most beloved names in pop culture, hasn't gotten an official store after all this time, but things will soon change. In celebration of the franchise's 40th anniversary, Shueisha and Toei Animation have announced the opening of the first Dragon Ball store in the world later this year. In celebration of the DRAGON BALL 40th AnniversaryAnnouncing the world's first "DRAGON BALL STORE"! To open in Tokyo, fall of 2025https:// #DragonBall40th #dragonball #ドラゴンボール — DRAGON BALL OFFICIAL (@DB_official_en) July 13, 2025 The aptly-titled Dragon Ball Store is scheduled to launch in Tokyo, Japan, in the fall of 2025, featuring 'must-buy' items for fans that include limited-edition goods available nowhere else. Other information, such as the merchandise lineup and its exact location, will be unveiled 'shortly'. The well-loved franchise joins JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in welcoming a world's first store, with the latter coming to the sixth floor of Shibuya PARCO in Tokyo later this month. Created by the late Akira Toriyama, the Dragon Ball manga ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1992 across 42 volumes. The first half was adapted into a 153-episode anime in 1986, while Dragon Ball Z continued the story from 1989 to 1996. The series is considered to be the most iconic part of the franchise, bringing memorable arcs focusing on Saiyan, Frieza, Majin Buu, and more to life. To date, it has sold over 160 million copies in Japan and 260 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling manga series to date. Prior to Toriyama's unfortunate passing, the industry legend was reported to be working on the Dragon Ball Super manga, which went on a semi-hiatus, and the Dragon Ball: Daima anime that aired last October. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. akira toriyama Dragon Ball Store dragon ball z Japan
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The legendary super saiyan 5 form that never happened in Dragon Ball
This god-tier Dragon Ball form never made it into the anime, but fans thought it did for over a decade. Here's the crazy tale behind Super Saiyan 5. Ever since Super Saiyan was first introduced in Dragon Ball Z, the Dragon Ball franchise has been famous for its powerful and flashy transformations. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now From Super Saiyan to Ultra Instinct, each evolution has upped the ante in Goku's largest, most glorious battles yet. One evolution that fans were clamoring to see never truly existed — Super Saiyan 5. While Super Saiyan 5 was never actually adopted into the official series, it has gone down in internet history due to a convincing fan art design that went viral across the web in the late-90s. For years, Dragon Ball fans across the globe assumed it was a tangible, future addition to the Dragon Ball narrative. Join us as we explore how Super Saiyan 5 went on to become the most legendary Dragon Ball rumor of all time and why it's still discussed by fans to this day. What is super saiyan 5? The Legendary Transformation That Never Was Super Saiyan 5 had long been assumed to be the next progression in Goku's transformation following Super Saiyan 4, which was featured in Dragon Ball GT. Though GT was never officially sanctioned by Dragon Ball's original creator, Akira Toriyama, it was a time that still provided fans with plenty of thrilling news to geek out over. Even after GT began airing, a black-and-white fan-drawn illustration of a new transformation in particular began circulating online. It featured Goku with long, flowing silver locks, luminous eyes and a crazed appearance, a dramatic and fearsome transformation. The picture was so convincing that fans thought it was actual concept art for a completely new show. The reality couldn't have been more opposed. The truth behind the super saiyan 5 hoax How an Anime-Inspired Fan Drawing Outfoxed Millions The widely circulated Super Saiyan 5 image Truth be told, that legendary Super Saiyan 5 pic was really fan art, made by Spanish artist David Montiel Franco way back in 1998. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now When he sprung that character to life at the tender age of 17, his name wasn't Goku, but Tablos. The illustration ended up being featured in a Spanish video game magazine named Hobby Consolas. Because the art was so close to their likeness to canon Dragon Ball characters and designs, many fans were totally and utterly duped. Fake screenshots, episode guides, and even posters started making the rounds online, all stating that Super Saiyan 5 was real and came from a new anime named Dragon Ball AF. What is Dragon Ball AF? The Little Ho-Jo that Could— The Bogus Sequel That Turned Into a Mondo Myth The 'AF' in Dragon Ball AF was never meant to be explained. Other fans assumed it meant After Future or Alternative Future. Looking closely though, rumors started circulating that this was going to be a *sequel* to GT, with characters like Gohan and Vegeta receiving powerful new forms along with Goten. Another production material teaser from a fan production group, Studio Tomita, inspired some beautifully crafted fan art that was so convincing, folks assumed they were the new animation production studio working on the series. Except, once again, it was entirely fan-made. How fans kept super saiyan 5 Alive Fan manga is not just a testament to dedication, but to the incredible power of community. Even after the jig was up, the fascination with Super Saiyan 5 continued. Rather, it did the opposite – it led to works such as Dragon Ball AF created by fans, such as Toyble, who many know today as the same artist who officially draws Dragon Ball Super's manga — Toyotarou. This inspired other creators, such as Young Jiji, to produce popular AF-themed manga that would further the adventures of Goku, Vegeta, and their children. These tales included tremendous new levels of power, imaginative fresh foes, and naturally, the mythical Super Saiyan 5 transformation. Their status as fan works didn't disqualify them from reaching audiences around the world and creating a legacy synonymous with the source material. Unofficial doesn't mean untested, untried, or of poor quality. Super saiyan 5's legacy in the Dragon Ball universe The Fan Revolution That Wouldn't Die While Dragon Ball Super may have formally moved the franchise forward with new transformations like Super Saiyan Blue and Ultra Instinct, Super Saiyan 5 remains near and dear to many fans' hearts. It stands for the incredible power of imagination and how fans can create a culture with their admiration and creativity to expand a franchise. Even today, most Dragon Ball fans vividly recall the first time they saw the silver-haired Goku and fell for the hoax. Super Saiyan 5 might have been a hoax, but it turned into a legend — and it's testimony to the fact that fan communities are stronger than any one official work. Where to watch Dragon Ball If you've been itching to get into the saga of Dragon Ball or just want to check out these official transformations, you can stream Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super on Crunchyroll, Funimation, or Hulu.
Digital Trends
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (May 23-25)
There's nothing better than an extended weekend to treat yourself to some guilt-free gaming time. Memorial Day means a ton of us get a whole extra day to chill out and explore the best games on PlayStation Plus, which just so happen to have added a huge chunk of titles. We've got multiple dangerous open world games, RPGs, and more to pick from, making this one of the hardest weeks I've had in narrowing down my recommendations to just three. That's a great problem to have and only means you will easily find a game that clicks with you. Even though we've got a three-day weekend, there's no time to waste, so here are the three best new PlayStation Plus games you need to be playing. Sand Land Akira Toriyama is most famous for creating the Dragon Ball universe, but that wasn't his only creation. Sand Land was one of his last projects, but has that trademark Toriyama look and feel. This is an open world RPG where you play as the Fiend Prince Beelzebub on a big adventure in search of the Legendary Spring in the desert world of Sand Land. Don't expect huge energy beams and cosmic-level clashes here. The majority of your time will be spent piloting and fighting inside all sorts of charming and creative vehicles. You can even collect resources to build and customize your own vehicles to suit your needs. Plus, since this game covers the relatively short story, you can jump right in and understand exactly what's going on. Recommended Videos Sand Land is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Enhanced Edition All of us PlayStation fans still can't get our hands on Stalker 2 just yet, but we can at least be prepared when it eventually does come to PS5 with the brand new bundle of the first three games fully remastered. If you're unfamiliar with the franchise, you're exactly who this package is made for. The Stalker games invite you to investigate the deadly Zone, an alternate version of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. These games are meant to be hardcore and incredibly unforgiving. At the same time, the systems and AI are such that every situation is unique. You won't hear any two people's experiences mirror each other in this game. If you can put yourselves into your character's shoes and really roleplay, this survival FPS trilogy will easily become your next obsession. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Battle Engine Aquila Anyone who has been reading these recommendations regularly knows I can't help but include a classic game whenever possible. This week, there was only one to pick from, but I was instantly intrigued because it has to be one of the very few remaining PS2 games I'd never heard of. Battle Engine Aquila is a vehicular combat game where you pilot the titular mech in massive battles. Your Battle Engine can swap between an airborne and land mode to trade off more mobility and speed for stronger weaponry. You can choose between multiple Engine types for each mission, each of which is ranked to encourage you to replay them for a better score. There's not much story going on in the game itself, so just enjoy this one for the technical combat and novelty. Battle Engine Aquila is available now on PS5 and PC.
