Fear of Dragon Ball Z’s End Led to the Creation of Dragon Ball GT, Reveals Former Editor
The end of Dragon Ball Z sparked major uncertainty behind the scenes, ultimately leading to the creation of Dragon Ball GT, one of the franchise’s most divisive installments. In a recent episode of the Japanese podcast KosoKoso, former Dragon Ball editors Kazuhiko Torishima, Yu Kondo, and Fuyuto Takeda shared insights into the series’ history and how Akira Toriyama’s decision to conclude it shook the industry.
Fear of Dragon Ball Z’s End Led to the Creation of Dragon Ball GT, Reveals Former Editor
According to the editors, Toriyama initially intended to end Dragon Ball with Gohan’s victory over Cell. However, he was persuaded to continue for one more arc, leading to the Majin Buu Saga. As Dragon Ball Z approached its conclusion, anxiety grew among editorial teams and animation studios about losing one of Japan’s biggest TV hits.
Fuyuto Takeda disclosed that one of his most difficult tasks was informing the company that Dragon Ball could end at any time, making it impossible to plan for the future without it. Kenji Shimizu, now the president of Fuji Television, publicly voiced his concern about Dragon Ball Z ending, even stating: “Dragon Ball can’t end. It just can’t.”
With the franchise’s fate hanging in the balance, those involved sought a way to continue the story post-DBZ, leading to the development of Dragon Ball GT—a name inspired by “Gran Turismo.” Over time, however, “GT” became an ironic reference to the series’ mixed reception, with critics and fans deriding it for sidelining other characters in favor of Goku.
Despite the controversy, Akira Toriyama supported Dragon Ball GT and even illustrated Super Saiyan 4 Goku for the series’ DVD release. Additionally, GT’s influence still lingers in the franchise, with Dragon Ball Daima drawing inspiration from those who grew up watching the 1990s anime.
via Kosokoso
