When Akira Toriyama passed away in March 2024, Dragon Ball DAIMA was in the final stages of production. What makes this anime title special: this is the last work Toriyama directly supervised and approved, from character design to overall plot.
Plot: When Heroes Become Children
A spell from the Demon Realm world turns Goku, Vegeta and their teammates into children, but retains the strength and intelligence of adults. This is Toriyama's way of bringing freshness without breaking the already complex power scaling.
Demon Realm, The Undiscovered World
Demon Realm is a parallel dimension that has existed in Dragon Ball lore for a long time but has never been explored in depth. DAIMA dedicated most of the 20 episodes to building this universe: the social structure of Demons, the history of the Demon King Supreme, and the hidden relationship between the Demon Realm and the origins of the mythical Super Saiyan.
Glorio, DAIMA's Breakout Character
If DAIMA has one thing that exceeds expectations, it is Glorio, a royal Demon mixed with aristocratic arrogance and deep loyalty. Glorio's character development from rival to ally was done so well that many viewers assumed he outshine Goku in some episodes.
Quality Animation And Music
Toei Animation has clearly invested more in DAIMA than Dragon Ball Super. The battle scenes are choreographed better, the colors are more creative. Norihito Sumitomo's soundtrack evokes both the nostalgia of Dragon Ball Z and a modern sound.
Score: 8.2/10, Worthy Legacy
Dragon Ball DAIMA isn't perfect, but it's the best Dragon Ball since Z's peak years, and the most beautiful farewell fans could hope for from Toriyama.