Dragon Ball continues to be one of the most iconic and enduring anime & manga series in the world, raising the question many fans have is it still ongoing? After decades since its original release, Dragon Ball has evolved through multiple arcs, spin-offs, new series, and changes in its production team. As of mid-2025, the franchise is alive-but it’s complicated, with some parts continuing and others on pause. Here’s a look at the current status, what’s ongoing, and what fans can expect.
What’s Meant by Ongoing in Dragon Ball
The Dragon Ball franchise includes various media the original Dragon Ball manga and anime, its sequel series like Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super (both manga and anime), various movies, and newer series like Dragon Ball Daima. When people ask if Dragon Ball is still ongoing, they usually refer to whether new canonical stories are still being published or aired, especially in the Super timeline, which extends the story beyond Dragon Ball Z.
Current Status of the Manga Dragon Ball Super
The Dragon Ball Super manga is not currently being released on a regular, monthly schedule. It has been on hiatus since Chapter 103, which was published on March 20, 2024. After that chapter, there was no firm date announced for the next chapters, in part because of the passing of creator Akira Toriyama.
However, Dragon Ball Super is not officially ended. Evidence suggests there are more chapters planned for example, Volume 24 (released in April 2025) and related spine art (on the covers of multiple volumes when placed together) indicate that the story is intended to continue.
Chapter 104 and What It Means
After almost a year without new material, Chapter 104 of Dragon Ball Super was released in February 2025. This was a special one-shot, focusing on Goten and Trunks, which serves to resume the manga after the hiatus. Even though this single chapter has appeared, there is still no confirmed schedule for continuous monthly chapter releases.
What About the Anime Side?
The Dragon Ball Super anime ran regularly until 2018. There has been no official confirmation of a new season (Super Part 2) or continuation of the anime as of mid-2025. Meanwhile, a newer anime series, Dragon Ball Daima, premiered in October 2024 and concluded its run of 20 episodes on February 28, 2025. This suggests that while the Super anime is paused, the franchise is exploring alternative anime storytelling to keep the Dragon Ball world active.
Factors Behind the Current Hiatus
Several reasons have contributed to the break in regular chapters, especially for the manga
- The passing of creator Akira Toriyama in March 2024. Toriyama had been involved in story outlines, character designs, and overall supervision of Dragon Ball Super, though Toyotaro handled the drawing.
- The need for the team to mourn, to plan the direction of the story without Toriyama’s direct input, and adjust to changes in creative leadership.
- The production of Dragon Ball Daima, which likely required resources, coordinating staff, and attention from both Toei Animation and other collaborators.
- The general challenges of long-running serialized works maintaining quality, keeping the story fresh, and balancing fan expectations. This is common in big franchises.
What Fans Can Expect Going Forward
Even though there is no strict monthly schedule right now, there are strong signals that the Dragon Ball Super manga will continue-though possibly irregularly. Some things to keep an eye on
- Announcements from V-Jump magazine or Shueisha about new chapters. These are usually reliable sources for Dragon Ball Super updates.
- More one-shot chapters or special releases (like Chapter 104) which may bridge arcs or set up future storylines.
- Possible new anime adaptations of Dragon Ball Super arcs, though none have been confirmed yet. Fans hope for Part 2 or something similar in the future.
- Merchandise, movies, or spin-offs may continue to fill the gap. Franchises like Dragon Ball often use different media to expand the universe even when the main serialized story is paused.
Is Dragon Ball still ongoing? The answer is yes, but with important caveats. The manga Dragon Ball Super has been on hiatus since March 2024 following the death of its creator Akira Toriyama, yet it has not been canceled. A special chapter (104) marked its return in early 2025, hinting at more to come. The anime, however, is not currently active in the Super timeline, with no clear word on its return. Dragon Ball Daima has taken a recent slot in the anime lineup, showing that the franchise is far from dormant. Fans should expect more Dragon Ball stories, though perhaps not always on a predictable schedule.