What Is Dragon Ball DAIMA? Toriyama’s Final Gift to Fans
If somebody told you back in 2023 that the next Dragon Ball anime would shrink Goku down to kid-size again and send him on an adventure through the Demon Realm, you’d probably think it was a bad fan theory. But that’s exactly what Dragon Ball DAIMA delivered — and honestly? It worked way better than anyone expected. This wasn’t Super 2.0 with escalating power levels and universe-ending threats. Dragon Ball DAIMA was something different. Something that felt genuinely personal to the man who created it all.
Dragon Ball DAIMA is an original anime series that ran from Fall 2024 through Spring 2025, spanning 20 episodes. It was created by Akira Toriyama himself — and tragically, it became his final major project before his passing in March 2024. That fact alone makes this series significant, but DAIMA doesn’t need sympathy points. It stands on its own as one of the most refreshing entries we’ve gotten in years.
The premise is straightforward but wild in true Dragon Ball fashion: a wish made on the Black Star Dragon Balls transforms Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the crew into child-sized versions of themselves. Goku ends up transported to the Makai — the Demon Realm — a place that’s been referenced throughout Dragon Ball lore but never fully explored. There, he teams up with a Demon Realm native named Glorio and sets off on an adventure to reverse the wish and take down the villain responsible: a cunning little demon lord named Gomah.
If you’re wondering where DAIMA fits in the broader timeline, check out our Dragon Ball watch order guide for the full breakdown. But the short version? Toriyama described DAIMA as an original story — think of it as its own thing rather than stressing about exact timeline placement.
The Story: A Return to Classic Dragon Ball Adventure
Here’s what surprised me most about DAIMA: it actually feels like the original Dragon Ball. Not Z. Not Super. The original. And I mean that as the highest compliment possible.
For the past two decades, the Dragon Ball franchise has been locked in an arms race of power scaling. Every arc needs a bigger threat. Every transformation needs to top the last one. Ultra Instinct, Ultra Ego, Beast Gohan — it’s been a constant escalation that, while exciting, sometimes lost the heart of what made Dragon Ball special in the first place. If you’ve followed the Dragon Ball Super power scaling debate, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Dragon Ball DAIMA throws all of that out the window. Instead of another tournament arc or another “strongest fighter in the multiverse” villain, we get Goku exploring an entirely new world. The Demon Realm — the Makai — is massive, strange, and full of creatures and environments we’ve never seen before. There are multiple layers to it, each with its own ecosystem and power structure. It’s genuine worldbuilding, something the franchise hasn’t prioritized since the original series.
The pacing is deliberately slower than what modern Dragon Ball fans might expect. Episodes spend time on exploration, puzzle-solving, and character interactions rather than rushing from fight to fight. When combat does happen, it hits harder because of the buildup. The fights carry weight and context. Some of the battle sequences in the Demon Realm absolutely deserve a spot on any list of the best anime fights of all time — especially the later episodes where the animation team clearly went all out.
Gomah, the main villain, is a fascinating departure from what we’re used to. He’s not a hulking brute or a godlike entity. He’s small, scheming, and politically motivated. Gomah rules through manipulation and cunning rather than raw power, which makes him a different kind of threat for Goku. You can’t just punch your way through political corruption, and watching mini-Goku navigate that was genuinely entertaining. For fans who love their antagonists complex, Gomah is a refreshing addition to the franchise’s long history of memorable baddies — though whether he cracks our list of best anime villains of all time is a debate for another day.
The story also benefits from being a tight 20 episodes. No filler. No padding. Every episode moves the plot forward or develops characters in meaningful ways. After years of weekly anime that drag arcs out for dozens of episodes, DAIMA’s focused storytelling felt like a breath of fresh air.
Goku’s New Look and the Character Dynamics of DAIMA
Let’s address the elephant in the room: kid Goku is back. And yes, it gave a lot of fans Dragon Ball GT flashbacks. The internet had a collective meltdown when the first trailers dropped showing a tiny Goku running around. “Not this again,” was the general sentiment. But here’s the thing — Dragon Ball DAIMA handles it completely differently than GT did.
In GT, kid Goku felt like a gimmick that the show itself seemed embarrassed about. In DAIMA, the transformation is central to the plot and actually matters. Goku’s reduced size affects his fighting ability. He has to be smarter, more resourceful. He can’t just overpower everything. Toriyama clearly designed this version of Goku with intention — it’s not a regression, it’s a challenge that forces our favorite Saiyan to adapt.
The art style deserves special attention here. Dragon Ball DAIMA features character designs that feel like pure Toriyama. Not the slightly off-model look of some Super episodes. Not the over-polished sheen of the Broly movie. These designs look like they jumped straight off Toriyama’s sketchpad, and that’s because many of them literally did. The man was deeply involved in the visual direction of DAIMA, and it shows in every frame. The character expressions are more playful and exaggerated. The Demon Realm creatures have that classic Toriyama weirdness — the kind of inventive, slightly goofy designs that made the original Dragon Ball world feel so alive.
Glorio is the standout new character. As Goku’s companion through the Demon Realm, he serves as both guide and foil. He’s knowledgeable about the Makai’s politics and dangers, but he’s also hiding his own motivations. The dynamic between cheerful, punch-first Goku and the more cautious, strategic Glorio creates great dialogue and some genuinely funny moments. It reminded me of the Goku-Bulma dynamic from the very first Dragon Ball arc — two very different people forced to work together on a wild adventure.
Vegeta fans might be a little disappointed — he’s present but not the co-lead. Dragon Ball DAIMA is Goku’s show through and through. But when Vegeta does get his moments, they’re strong. Seeing a child-sized Vegeta absolutely furious about being shrunk is comedy gold that the series mines repeatedly without it getting stale.
The supporting cast from the Demon Realm adds a lot of flavor. The series populates the Makai with characters who have their own agendas, cultures, and power hierarchies. It feels like a lived-in world rather than just a backdrop for fights. Toriyama always had a gift for making side characters memorable with minimal screen time, and that talent is on full display here.
The Soundtrack: An Unexpected Highlight
I need to take a moment to talk about the music because DAIMA’s soundtrack is phenomenal. The score leans into orchestral and world-music influences that perfectly complement the exploration-heavy tone. Battle themes hit hard when they need to, but the quieter tracks — the ones that play during moments of discovery in the Demon Realm — are genuinely beautiful.
The opening and ending themes were both strong picks that grew on the fanbase quickly. If you’re someone who appreciates anime music, DAIMA absolutely belongs in the conversation alongside the best anime soundtracks out there. The composers understood the assignment: this wasn’t supposed to sound like Super or Z. It needed its own musical identity, and it got one.
Is Dragon Ball DAIMA Canon? The Great Fan Debate
Oh boy. If there’s one topic that has dominated Dragon Ball forums, Reddit threads, and anime Twitter since DAIMA aired, it’s this one: is Dragon Ball DAIMA canon? And honestly, the answer is complicated — which is exactly how Dragon Ball has always been.
Here’s what we know for certain. Akira Toriyama created DAIMA as an original story. He was heavily involved in the plot, character designs, and overall direction. This wasn’t a Toei-driven project that slapped Toriyama’s name on it for marketing — the man was genuinely passionate about this series and poured significant creative energy into it during the final years of his life.
Toriyama himself described DAIMA as existing in something like an alternate timeline or side story. It’s not designed to slot neatly between existing arcs. The Black Star Dragon Balls, the specific version of the Demon Realm we see, and certain character details don’t perfectly align with established continuity from Super or even Z. And you know what? That’s okay.
The Dragon Ball “canon” has always been messy. The original manga is the baseline, but then you have Z filler, the movies, GT (which Toriyama supervised but didn’t write), Super (which he outlined), and now DAIMA. Trying to force everything into one coherent timeline is a losing battle that fans have been fighting for decades.
My take? DAIMA is as canon as you want it to be. Toriyama made it. He clearly cared about it. The story doesn’t contradict anything in a way that breaks the franchise. Whether you slot it into your personal Dragon Ball headcanon or enjoy it as a standalone adventure, you’re not wrong either way.
What I will say is that arguing about canon status shouldn’t distract from actually enjoying the show. DAIMA tells a complete, satisfying story in 20 episodes. It doesn’t need to be “canon” to be good. Some of the best Dragon Ball content — like the Bardock special or certain movie storylines — exists outside strict canon, and fans love it anyway.
The fan community has mostly settled into two camps: those who consider DAIMA a fun side story and those who want it integrated into the main timeline. Both camps agree on one thing, though — it’s a quality series that respects the source material. And in a franchise that’s had its share of questionable spinoffs, that consensus is worth a lot.
Why Dragon Ball DAIMA Matters: Toriyama’s Final Chapter
There’s no way to discuss Dragon Ball DAIMA without acknowledging the bittersweet reality that surrounds it. Akira Toriyama passed away in March 2024, and DAIMA represents his final significant contribution to the franchise he created over 40 years ago. That context inevitably colors how fans experience the series.
But here’s what makes DAIMA special beyond the emotional weight: you can feel Toriyama in every aspect of it. The playful tone. The inventive creature designs. The humor that ranges from silly to surprisingly clever. The way fights are choreographed around creative problem-solving rather than just raw power. This is quintessential Toriyama, and watching DAIMA, you understand why this was the project he chose to spend his final creative years on.
Toriyama had spoken in interviews about wanting to return to the adventurous spirit of the original Dragon Ball. He loved the exploration, the discovery, the sense of a big world full of weird and wonderful things. Super had its merits, but it was firmly in the Z mold — battles, transformations, escalating threats. DAIMA was Toriyama’s chance to go back to what he loved most about his own creation.
And that passion is infectious. You can feel it in the way the Demon Realm is built out with layers, each more imaginative than the last. You can see it in the character designs that overflow with personality. You can hear it in dialogue that sounds like classic Toriyama — witty, slightly absurd, and always human despite being about aliens and demons.
For the anime industry more broadly, Dragon Ball DAIMA also demonstrated something important: you don’t have to go bigger to go better. In an era of power creep and spectacle escalation, DAIMA proved that scaling down can be more compelling than scaling up. A smaller, more focused story with genuine heart will always resonate with audiences. The anime community in 2024 and early 2025 embraced DAIMA warmly, and its reception suggests fans were hungry for exactly this kind of return to fundamentals.
The series also showed how a legacy franchise can honor its roots without being trapped by nostalgia. Dragon Ball DAIMA isn’t a rehash of old storylines or a greatest-hits compilation. It’s something new that captures the feeling of classic Dragon Ball while telling a completely original story. That’s an incredibly difficult balance to strike, and Toriyama pulled it off.
Animation and Production Quality: Toei Steps Up
Let’s be real — Toei Animation’s track record with Dragon Ball has been… inconsistent. For every beautifully animated episode of Super, there was one that looked like it was drawn during a lunch break. Dragon Ball DAIMA doesn’t have that problem. The production quality is consistently strong across all 20 episodes.
The decision to make DAIMA a shorter, more focused series clearly helped. Instead of spreading resources across 130+ episodes like Super, Toei concentrated their talent on 20 episodes. The result speaks for itself. Character animation is fluid and expressive. Background art in the Demon Realm is detailed and atmospheric. Fight choreography is dynamic and easy to follow — no more static beam struggles that last three episodes.
The Demon Realm environments are a particular highlight. Each layer of the Makai has a distinct visual identity, from bioluminescent forests to crystalline caverns to sprawling demon cities. The art team clearly had a blast designing these locations, and the variety keeps the adventure feeling fresh throughout the series’ run.
There are a few episodes in the middle stretch where the animation dips slightly — a common reality of weekly anime production — but even DAIMA’s “off” episodes look better than a lot of what passes for acceptable in the industry. The climactic battles in the final arc are genuinely stunning, with sakuga moments that had anime fans clipping and sharing scenes across social media for weeks.
It’s worth noting that The series was simulcast on Crunchyroll, making it easily accessible to the global fanbase. The international reception was overwhelmingly positive, with many Western fans praising the series for bringing back the adventure-focused storytelling they’d been missing.
What Dragon Ball DAIMA Gets Wrong
No series is perfect, and Dragon Ball DAIMA has its shortcomings. Being a fan doesn’t mean ignoring legitimate criticisms — it means engaging with them honestly.
The biggest complaint from the community is the treatment of non-Goku characters. Vegeta, Piccolo, and the rest of the Z-fighters get shrunk along with Goku, but most of them are sidelined for large portions of the story. If you’re a die-hard Piccolo fan (and there are dozens of us), DAIMA doesn’t give him nearly enough screen time. The focus on Goku and Glorio’s partnership means other beloved characters become supporting players at best.
The 20-episode count, while keeping things tight, also means some plot threads feel rushed toward the end. Gomah’s defeat, in particular, comes together a bit quickly after episodes of careful buildup. An extra two or three episodes could have given the climax more breathing room. the show’s pacing is mostly excellent, but the finale feels slightly compressed.
Some fans also felt the tonal shift was too dramatic. If you came expecting Super-level battles and high-stakes drama, the lighter, more comedic adventure tone might have left you cold. This is more a matter of expectations than a genuine flaw — DAIMA is very clear about what it’s trying to be — but it’s a valid reaction that affected some viewers’ enjoyment.
The canon ambiguity, while I’ve argued it doesn’t matter, is also a legitimate frustration for fans who care about continuity. The series introduces lore elements — particularly around the Demon Realm and the Black Star Dragon Balls — that don’t fully reconcile with existing material. For continuity-focused fans, that’s genuinely annoying, and no amount of “just enjoy it” will fix it.
Final Verdict: Should You Watch Dragon Ball DAIMA?
Absolutely yes. Whether you’re a lifelong Dragon Ball fan or someone looking to dip into the franchise for the first time, DAIMA is worth your time.
For veteran fans, this is a chance to experience Akira Toriyama’s final creative vision for the world he built. DAIMA captures the spirit of the original series in a way nothing else has managed since. It’s fun, it’s creative, it’s beautifully animated, and it respects the source material while doing something genuinely new. Watching it, you’ll remember why you fell in love with Dragon Ball in the first place.
For newcomers, DAIMA works surprisingly well as a standalone experience. You’ll get more out of it if you know the characters and their history, but the core story — kid goes on an adventure in a strange world with a new friend — is universal. It’s a great entry point that might inspire you to explore the rest of the franchise.
Here’s my quick scoring breakdown:
- Story: 8/10 — Tight, focused, and refreshingly different from modern Dragon Ball
- Characters: 7.5/10 — Goku and Glorio shine; supporting cast underused
- Animation: 8.5/10 — Consistently strong with standout moments in the final arc
- Soundtrack: 9/10 — One of the best in Dragon Ball history, full stop
- Overall: 8/10 — A worthy sendoff from the master himself
Dragon Ball DAIMA isn’t the biggest or most bombastic entry in the franchise. It’s not trying to be. What it is — a heartfelt, beautifully crafted adventure that channels the pure joy of Toriyama’s original vision — is something far more valuable. In a franchise defined by going bigger, DAIMA proves that sometimes the boldest move is going smaller.
If you’re looking for more anime to watch after finishing DAIMA, check out our picks for the best Winter 2026 anime — there’s plenty of great stuff airing right now.
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