In the anime and manga realm, One Piece has been the undeniable face of the industry for well over two decades. It seems the trends, tropes, and popularity charts follow whatever Luffy and the Straw Hats are getting up to in One Piece, and recent reports have revealed the series will be entering a three-month hiatus in January 2026.
The break will allow other shows the opportunity to step into the spotlight, though fans have begun speculating that one of anime’s most successful titles will be the one to take advantage. Dragon Ball has been all but inactive since the conclusion of 2024’s Dragon Ball Daima, and now is the perfect time for a return.
One Piece’s Extended Break Opens the Door for Dragon Ball’s Return
One Piece and Dragon Ball are two of Toei Animation’s biggest titles in history, and with the former entering hiatus, fans have begun looking at Dragon Ball for new announcements. The series has been stagnant since Akira Toriyama’s passing in 2024, and Toei’s schedule seems to be lining up for a return.
Further adding to speculation is the scheduled Dragon Ball event taking place this coming January in Japan, which will host any and all information about projects across the franchise, including games, anime, and more. Though it’s somewhat unlikely that an anime will be announced and then begin airing shortly after, a surprise reveal can’t be ruled out.
Updates surrounding the franchise have been few and far between since the conclusion of Dragon Ball Daima earlier this year, and though nothing has been reported on the strained relationship between Shueisha and Dragon Ball‘s anime team, fans are already speculating whether Dragon Ball Super will finally return.
Dragon Ball Remains One of Anime’s Most Valuable Franchises, Despite Its Inactivity
A New Toei Report Reveals Dragon Ball Is Still incredibly Successful
Despite being silent for nearly the entirety of 2025, Toei Animation’s most recent financial report revealed Dragon Ball as their second-highest grossing franchise of the year, behind only One Piece by roughly one billion yen. Digimon finished in third place, trailing Dragon Ball by nearly 11 billion yen.
Without much of anything to profit from, Toei is still benefiting greatly from the Dragon Ball IP, and would likely want to capitalize on its massive global fan base sooner than later. There’s no better time for the four-decade-old titan of the industry to return, and One Piece‘s extended hiatus is giving Dragon Ball the perfect opportunity.
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- First Episode Air Date
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April 26, 1989
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
