Toei's Grand Mana Ritual: Chasing Global Domination & (Maybe) More Dragon Ball?
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Anime legend Toei Animation has unveiled its 'Vision 2030,' a grand plan to triple new IP creation, expand globally with new studios, and embrace next-gen tech like AI, potentially leading to a long-awaited continuation of *Dragon Ball Super*.
Right, gather 'round, mates, because Toei Animation – the legendary studio behind, well, pretty much half our childhoods with *Dragon Ball* and *One Piece* – just dropped a scroll of prophecy, or as they call it, their 'Vision 2030' document. And fair dinkum, it's a big one, aiming to transform them into a global anime powerhouse within the next five years.
Now, this isn't just a minor patch update; this is a full-blown expansion pack. According to the original intel from Francesco Cacciatore at Polygon (who spotted fan translations by folks like @Venixys on X), Toei's got two main quests: massively expanding their global presence and levelling up with next-gen tech and innovations.
They're planning to *triple* the creation of new IP, with a whopping 25 of those birthed overseas in North America, China, and Europe. To support this ambitious undertaking, they're chucking around 20 billion yen (that's a lot of gold coins, mate!) over five years to build two or three new studios in Asia. Essentially, animation created outside Japan is set to become a whole new pillar of their business. Imagine that – local legends crafting stories in the Toei style!
On the tech front, the document mentions the usual suspects: motion capture, AI (cue ominous synth music, just kidding!), but with a reassuring nod to keeping 'the role of the artist' front and centre. Good on 'em for that, because we've all seen what happens when the algorithms go rogue, eh? There's also talk of a 'new model for production and management' to make creating new works smoother and more efficient. Sounds a bit like optimizing your build order for max output.
Now, if you're anything like me, your ears probably perked up at 'new production model' and 'efficiency' right about when someone whispered 'Dragon Ball'. Fans have been absolutely ravenous for new content, especially a continuation of *Dragon Ball Super* since it went on hiatus in 2018. While *Dragon Ball Daima* was a bit of a mixed bag – a spin-off with some… *peculiar* continuity – the *Super* manga still has a couple of arcs ripe for adaptation. Could this be the secret project waiting to be unleashed during the Genkidamatsuri event in January? A wizard can dream, can't he?
Speaking of the big hitters, *One Piece* is also switching things up, moving from weekly episodes to a seasonal model, airing about 26 episodes a year. It's a huge shift for the series, which, alongside *Dragon Ball*, has been Toei's golden goose, often showcasing the studio's innovative chops and quality. These changes could very well be part of that 'new production model' in action, making room for those ambitious new IPs.
Toei, bless 'em, are the OGs of Japanese animation, the oldest surviving studio. But let's be honest, they've been a bit like a wise old wizard sticking to their favourite spells (*Dragon Ball*, *One Piece*, *Pretty Cure*), sometimes struggling to conjure up fresh magic like the younger studios such as MAPPA or Wit. This 'Vision 2030' feels like a genuine attempt to shake off the dust and embrace a more chaotic-good approach.
One particularly intriguing detail from the document is the plan to weave in regional cultures and local artists. That could be a real game-changer, reversing the current flow where anime impacts the West, but not so much the other way 'round. Imagine the unique flavour that could bring to future productions!
But let's be real, the burning question for most of us, like a Spirit Bomb charging up, is still: WHERE'S THE NEXT *DRAGON BALL* ANIME, TOEI? Your move, wizards.
Tags: Anime, Gaming Industry, Global Expansion, Dragon Ball, One Piece
Original article: Polygon