Dragon Ball returns… and it’s bigger than ever!
Dragon Ball marks its 40th anniversary with exciting surprises!
André Ramos
1/25/26, 7:34 PM
Updated on
1/25/26, 8:39 PM
Dragon Ball returns… and it’s bigger than ever!
Dragon Ball never dies — it just goes on hiatus, only to come back with three announcements at once and break the internet.
Between an anime return, a “definitive” version of a movie, a mysterious new game, and fresh DLC for Sparking! Zero, Akira Toriyama’s franchise has once again shown why it remains one of the biggest heavyweights in Japanese pop culture.
The announcement that shook fans the most was, without a doubt, Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol — the official return of the DB Super anime.
After years of silence following the Tournament of Power, the anime is finally coming back to adapt what happens next in the manga. The Moro arc is the starting point, though there’s still no confirmation that it’s the only arc currently in production. Either way, this marks the first step toward having Dragon Ball back on TV on a continuous basis again — and that alone is something that we can all get excited about.
The Galactic Patrol arc is also one of the most distinct storylines in DB Super, featuring a more strategic and unconventional threat, less focused purely on “who hits harder.” If adapted well, it could become one of the strongest phases of modern Dragon Ball anime. And I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoiling anything for those who haven’t read the manga.
As if that weren’t enough, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus was also revealed, described as the ENHANCED version of Battle of Gods.
All signs point to this being the definitive edition of the movie that kicked off the modern era of Dragon Ball — with updated animation, possible visual refinements, and a more up-to-date presentation, almost as if they’re bringing the beginning of Super up to today’s technical standards.
It’s a move that makes perfect sense: Beerus is one of the most important characters of the series’ modern phase, and this film was literally the turning point for the franchise after years of dormancy.
What about videogames?
Then we have the most intriguing announcement of them all: Dragon Ball Age 1000.
It’s a brand-new videogame that, according to what was shown, has already been in development for six years. The detail that instantly sent fans into speculation territory was the reveal of a character designed by Toriyama himself — something that automatically gives the project a whole different weight.
It’s slated for 2027, and as expected, the rumors have already started. Some believe it could be Xenoverse 3, but for now that’s pure speculation and community wishful thinking. There’s absolutely no official confirmation pointing in that direction.
Still, a completely new Dragon Ball game, featuring an original Toriyama-designed character and in development for this long… this isn’t just some random spin-off. Everything points towards this being a major project.
There were also updates for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, with the announcement of new DLC that goes far beyond simply adding characters. Alongside new playable characters, players can expect alternate costumes, new combat moves, new arenas, and even additional single-player modes, significantly expanding the game beyond traditional versus play.
The 2026 roadmap already offers a glimpse of what’s next, with Mission 100 Mode scheduled for winter and a Survival Mode planned for spring — both arriving as free updates — in addition to the paid DLC itself set for summer. A clear sign that post-launch support for the game is far from slowing down.
Dragon Ball hasn’t just come back — it’s back in full “we’re taking over again” mode. With the anime returning, movies being remade, and new games on the horizon. For a series celebrating its 40th anniversary… it’s in better shape than many modern franchises could ever dream of.