‘Dragon Ball Z’ Remake Is Possible, Says Series Character Designer

Over the years, Dragon Ball has inspired many other anime shows and continues to have a huge fanbase. However, after the passing of its legendary creator, Akira Toriyama, the franchise has been put on hold, including Dragon Ball Super and the recently finished Dragon Ball Daima.

Despite the uncertainty, animator and Dragon Ball character designer Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru believes a remake could still happen. In a recent interview with DB Times, Nakatsuru shared his thoughts on the future of the series.

During the Made in Asia Spring 2025 event in Belgium, he was asked if he would take part in a possible Dragon Ball remake. He responded positively, saying, “If I could contribute something and be useful in some way, I would love to.” However, he also mentioned that younger creators might want to take the story in a fresh direction. “If we were to start again from the Dragon Ball manga… perhaps younger people would want to completely re-adapt it. This would probably offer new possibilities.”

Nakatsuru believes that a remake will happen someday, though he doesn’t think his involvement is necessary. “Since I think it will happen one day… I also think that whether I participate or not is not that important. Perhaps what matters most is that everyone can enjoy the franchise for as long as possible.”

He also hopes that new creators might bring fresh ideas that could even go beyond what Toriyama imagined. “And maybe, in this way, some will be inspired by Toriyama-sensei’s work and… we could even see a creation that goes beyond even Toriyama-sensei’s imagination… and still, perhaps, enjoy it.”

While nothing is confirmed, Nakatsuru’s words give fans hope that Dragon Ball will continue to evolve in the future.