For years, Dragon Ball fans have debated where Dragon Ball Daima fits in the series timeline. Was it a spin-off? A side story? Or something completely new?
Now, we finally have the answer straight from the people who made it — and it changes everything we thought we knew about the franchise.
A Secret Connection Hidden in Plain Sight
In newly translated Blu-ray commentary, Dragon Ball Daima creative trio — directors Aya Komaki and Yoshitaka Yashima, and producer Akio Iyoku — revealed that the anime is a direct and canonical sequel to Dragon Ball Z legendary Buu Saga.
Akio Iyoku, who also served as one of Akira Toriyama’s closest collaborators and the head of Capsule Corp Tokyo, confirmed that Toriyama himself designed Daima’s story as a continuation — not an alternate tale. The team intentionally started the anime with flashbacks to the Buu Saga to remind fans where everything began.
They wanted to send a clear message: this isn’t just nostalgia — this is the next chapter.
The Moment the Puzzle Came Together
Fans who watched Daima’s opening episode noticed something familiar — scenes of Goku, Vegeta, and the final battle against Majin Buu replaying on a screen. What most didn’t realize is that this wasn’t just fan service.
That very screen was being watched by the new villains, Demon King Gomah and his loyal subject Degesu. The staff worked hard to recreate the Buu Saga moments frame by frame, blending Toriyama’s old magic with a modern, cinematic touch. Director Aya Komaki explained that their goal was to make Daima feel like “a new Dragon Ball,” but still spiritually connected to the classic era that defined generations.
It wasn’t about changing history — it was about continuing it.
Toriyama Unfinished Vision Lives On
Producer Akio Iyoku shared more details that deepen this revelation. According to him, Akira Toriyama’s original outline for Dragon Ball Daima only went halfway through the story. When the anime production started, the team had scripts for about nine or ten episodes — the rest came later, written personally by Toriyama himself while the anime was already being made.
Director Yoshitaka Yashima recalled reading the outline and realizing it was set directly after Majin Buu’s defeat. “I understood where it took place,” he said, “but I was curious how it would unfold afterward. The sensei’s outline only went halfway — we had to wait to see how the story would shape itself.”
That statement alone proves how hands-on Toriyama was — even in his later years, he was still crafting the world he built decades ago.
A Bridge Between Z and Super
With this confirmation, Dragon Ball Daima officially takes place right after the Buu Saga, bridging the gap between Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super.
This also explains why certain transformations, like Super Saiyan 4 or God forms, don’t exist in Daima’s timeline. The world hasn’t reached that point yet. Goku and Vegeta are still grounded in their Z-era powers — a deliberate choice by Toriyama to preserve that sense of old-school adventure and heart.
For long-time fans, this timeline clarity answers one of the biggest questions in modern Dragon Ball history. Daima isn’t a reimagining — it’s a missing piece.
Fans React: A Love Letter to the Old Dragon Ball
Since its release, Dragon Ball Daima has been praised as a return to roots. The humor, the lighthearted tone, and the warm character moments all echo early Dragon Ball — while its story pushes forward the legacy of Z.
Critics and fans alike have called it a love letter to Toriyama’s original spirit. And now that we know it’s canonically tied to the Buu Saga, it feels even more special — like Toriyama left fans one final gift that connects every era of Dragon Ball together.
Toriyama Last Words Through Daima
Perhaps the most emotional part of this revelation is realizing that Dragon Ball Daima was Akira Toriyama’s last fully written project before his passing. His fingerprints are on every scene, from Goku’s youthful energy to Gomah’s mysterious menace.
Through Daima, Toriyama seemed to remind the world why Dragon Ball became timeless — because at its heart, it’s about growth, friendship, and finding light even in the darkest battles.
And now, thanks to the people who knew him best, fans can finally see Daima as what it was always meant to be: the true sequel to Dragon Ball Z.
