A new report reveals the extent of the dispute between Shueisha and Akio Iyoku over the future of late author Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball after Iyoku leaves Shueisha in 2023. The copyright holders are reportedly at a loss as to who to consult, with some hoping that the Toriyama family could decide.
As translated by X (formerly Twitter), Toyokeizai's new “Dragon Ball: The Battle for Rights After the Author's Death” reveals a long-standing copyright dispute between Shueisha and Akio Iyoku. Iyoku is considered Toriyama's right-hand man, while Shueisha holds the copyright to the Dragon Ball manga. A supposed Shueisha insider notes that Iyoku “always focused on serving the author” but was difficult to work with, and that he had a “condescending attitude” toward anime production companies and television networks. Their differences in opinion led to Iyoku being removed as head of Shueisha's Dragon Ball Division in 2022, where he first took over in 2016. This led to him leaving and founding Capsule Corporation Tokyo – another company that oversees the development of the Dragon Ball IP. Insiders say Dragon Ball creator Toriyama also disagreed with Iyoku's firing.
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Ownership of the Dragon Ball franchise becomes more complicated after Akira Toriyama's death
Although these comments came from an unnamed source, Toyokeizai is considered a reliable channel. The insider's comments reveal that Dragon Ball copyright holders like Bandai Namco are currently in a difficult position, unsure of who to consult about developments. “Meetings about Dragon Ball have been held with ‘all relevant parties’ invited, including representatives from Iyoku and Shueisha, making coordination very tense,” the insider said. Toriyama's unfortunate passing has further complicated the long-standing dispute. Some industry representatives are said to be looking to his family to resolve the issue.
Shueisha and Capsule Corp's Akio Iyoku May Not See Eye to Eye on Dragon Ball's Future
The insider's words align with comments Iyoku has made over the years. When stating that the current state of Dragon Ball must change, Iyoku added, “Adopting what is popular now does not increase the likelihood of success. I will not be influenced by current trends, but will create works that I feel will be 'good enough.'” This may be a reference to the insider's account of Iyoku's rejection of the metaverse and AI, as seen in the image above. Both have attracted widespread attention but have often proven to be hoaxes or unpopular with fans.
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Akio Iyoku wants to fix Dragon Ball's declining popularity overseas
Iyoku's divorce from Shueisha was also surprisingly public. He pointed to Dragon Ball's decline in popularity overseas, saying, “When I became the head of Shueisha's Dragon Ball Department in 2016, I had no idea what was really going on. Seven or eight years ago, I went to a big event in Brazil called CCXP. I was told that Japanese anime was very popular in South America, but there was a difference from what I had heard. The response from fans was very weak.” His belief that Dragon Ball should expand internationally motivated his decision to announce Dragon Ball Daima at New York Comic-Con. CBR recently published an interview with Iyoku at NYCC 2023, further corroborating the insider's account. Dragon Ball Daima will be the focus of SDCC 2024, where a new trailer was recently released.
Dragon ball
Dragon Ball tells the story of a young warrior named Son Goku, a strange boy with a tail, who embarks on a journey to become stronger and learns of the Dragon Balls, which, upon collecting all 7 Dragon Balls, can grant any wish.
Created by Akira Toriyama
First movie Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Ruby
Latest movie Dragon Ball Super: Super Heroes
First TV show Dragon Ball (1986)
Upcoming TV Shows Dragon Ball DAIMA
First episode air date April 26, 1989
Cast Sean Schemmel, Laura Bailey, Brian Drummond, Christopher Sabat, Scott McNeil
Summary
Dragon Ball is a manga series created by author/illustrator Akira Toriyama, beginning with Dragon Ball in 1984. The series originally began as a serialized manga in Weekly Shonen Jump for nearly a decade before expanding into the most popular anime series today. Dragon Ball has since been adapted into two anime series, one of which is Dragon Ball Z, the most popular series in the entire Dragon Ball series. The series has continued to expand the lore through films, video games, and subsequent television series, such as Dragon Ball Super and the more recent Dragon Ball Super Heroes. Dragon Ball primarily revolves around Son Goku, a being known as a Saiyan, and his friends as they face intergalactic threats and search for the Dragon Balls. When all seven of these balls are collected, they can be used to summon a legendary dragon that can grant wishes to anyone who collects them. The Dragon Ball series continues to be one of the most popular and beloved anime series of all time, with over forty different countries broadcasting it and having had a huge impact on Western culture as a whole.
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Source: Toyokeizai via X (formerly Twitter)