"DAIMA Betrays Dragon Ball" Akira Toriyama’s Editor Hated Dragon Ball DAIMA

Akira Toriyama’s original editor for Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball, Kazuhiko Torishima, recently attended Napoli Comicon, where he spoke candidly about his problems with the manga industry and modern Dragon Ball. Torishima has never been shy in his criticisms, but he's become more open about what he really thinks about Dragon Ball following Akira Toriyama’s death. In a YouTube live stream from 2025, Torishima outright called Dragon Ball DAIMA, “some kind of crappy anime.”

Almost one year since Torishima first called out Dragon Ball DAIMA, he’s once again shared his feelings on Akira Toriyama’s final work and refused to hide his disdain at Napoli Comicon. X user @XMathemagicianX reported on the panel, but his lack of direct sources was initially skeptical. However, Torishima himself has since acknowledged the thread on his official account, lending credibility to his criticisms on Dragon Ball DAIMA's quality.

Akira Toriyama's Original Dragon Ball Editor Can't Believe Dragon Ball DAIMA Got Made

During his panel at Napoli Comicon, Kazuhiko Torishima was painfully blunt when the topic of discussion became Dragon Ball DAIMA's quality. Torishima is reported to have said, “DAIMA betrays Dragon Ball. It's slow, stupid, and the first episode is useless. I have no idea how it was approved in the first place.” Torishima also supposedly called the anime “s***,” and said that “everyone at Toei hates me,” for his criticisms.

Kazuhiko Torishima clearly does not care for modern Dragon Ball, and has expressed his dissatisfaction with Toyotarou’s Dragon Ball Super manga multiple times in the past. Although the anime hasn't had as much staying power as the Dragon Ball Super anime or its movies. Dragon Ball DAIMA was well received by critics and fans alike. The anime blended early Dragon Ball’s love of adventure with DBZ’s flashy action, all while sporting the most fluid animation in the series and strong art direction.

Torishima’s critique of Dragon Ball DAIMA does make sense when examining the period of Dragon Ball he contributed to. Torishima was Akira Toriyama’s editor on the manga from the start of the series until around the early Saiyan Saga. He's also the man responsible for the Dragon Ball Z anime. Torishima infamously hated how the Dragon Ball anime adapted Goku and Demon King Piccolo’s final battle, inspiring him to bring on a new team to handle the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament and then rebrand the anime into a proper sequel series, DBZ.

Why Dragon Ball DAIMA Betrays Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball

Torishima’s time on Dragon Ball is defined by Toriyama’s willingness to let time pass. The Dragon Ball manga evolved with every single story arc. As Goku grew up and matured, so did the manga’s tone. Even though the stakes got higher, the series remained easy to read and had a strong sense of pace thanks to Akira Toriyama’s clean art and dynamic paneling. Even after leaving the series, Torishima was the one who encouraged Toriyama to make Cell the real villain of the Androids Saga, after being disappointed with Dr. Gero and Androids 17 & 18.

Dragon Ball DAIMA slides back in time, betraying one of the manga's most defining features. The story is set in an inconsequential period of Dragon Ball history, turns Goku into a child again, and is obsessed with fan service. The original manga never cared about giving fans what they wanted (to the point Toriyama killed Vegeta on Namek once he realized fans liked him so much). DAIMA, on the other hand, made Super Saiyan 4 canon and gave Vegeta Super Saiyan 3, despite breaking continuity with Dragon Ball Super. Gomah himself is also one of the franchise’s blandest villains; a far cry from Piccolo, Vegeta, Frieza, and Cell.

Dragon Ball DAIMA moves at a much slower pace than Akira Toriyama's manga (though it’s worth mentioning this is a problem Dragon Ball Z also had). The first episode is essentially a recap designed to play on fans’ nostalgia, so it's easy to see where Torishima is coming from when he calls it “useless.” Back in 2025, Torishima outright said that Toei and Toriyama should have made a Vegeta anime instead of Dragon Ball DAIMA. Even though the anime was written by Akira Toriyama himself, it's clear Torishima has no love for Dragon Ball DAIMA or modern Dragon Ball.

Source: X (@XMathemagicianX)