Dragon Ball GThas long been the franchise’s most controversial anime series, and now, a new interview withDragon Ballmanga editor Fuyuto Takeda reveals the anime’s true origin story. In an interview between formerDragon Balleditors translated and summarized on X by user@Venixys,Takeda confirms thatDragon Ball GTwas largely born out of a need to keepDragon Ballgoing at all costs.
According to Takeda’s recall, as the ending ofDragon Ball Zrapidly approached, future Fuji TV president Kenji Shimizu told Takeda, “Dragon Ball can’t end. It just can’t”. This led to a long discussion that eventually led to the idea forDragon Ball GT, with theGTshort for Grand Turismo. Gran Turismo is a type of race also called endurance racing that is meant to test a vehicle’s durability, clearly indicating thatGTwas intended to be a long journey that would cover a great deal of distance.
Dragon Ball GT Was Created Out Of Necessity
Dragon Ball Z’s End Was A Big Cause For Concern
Takeda recalls that during the final phase of Dragon Ball, He would inform the company that the series could end within a certain number of episodes, but that it could also go on longer. This created uncertainty, but since it was Dragon Ball, he was given flexibility that other titles wouldn’t have been granted. However, the lack of a clear endpoint made it difficult to plan for what would come next, and when it became clear the series was truly ending, concern spread everywhere, from editorial departments to TV broadcasters.
Takeda specifically remembers a Tezuka or Akatsuka Awards party where Kenji Shimizu (now president of Fuji TV), said to him insistently, “Dragon Ball can’t end. It just can’t”. After a long discussion, that pressure led to the birth of the idea for Dragon Ball GT.
Even though there was always a time lag between the manga and the anime, they still had to prepare in advance for what would follow. So when Toei asked how to continue the series, the answer became: GT, which stands for Gran Turismo.
Although over time a rumor spread that GT stood for Gomen Ne, Toriyama-Sensei (“Sorry, Master Toriyama”), that’s just an urban legend. Toriyama himself basically said “We’ll make a story about space travel in Gran Turismo style and let’s call it GT.”
Though it’s far from surprising given the massive impact of the franchise, it’s clear that the ending ofAkira Toriyama’s originalDragon Ballmanga and the subsequent ending of its animeadaptation presented a unique form of crisis both to the production staff at Toei Animation and to the anime’s Japanese broadcasting home, Fuji TV. Given the massive amount of revenue the series was generating, Shimizu’s insistence that “Dragon Ball can’t end. It just can’t.” makes sense.
While the quality of the product made in response to the crisis ofZ’sending is debatable, the desperation of all involved certainly castsDragon Ball GTin a new light. On paper, many of its creative choices make sense as a continuation of theDragon Ballstory. According to Takeda, it was actually Toriyama himself who suggested the series be a space adventure. This sense of adventure andturning Goku into a kid again would later be revisited inDaima.
The Spirit Of Dragon Ball GT Survives To This Day
For Better Or Worse, The Anime’s Legacy Looms Large
Dragon Ball GTwas definitely controversial at the time of its release, with many fans feeling the loss of Toriyama’s creative voice. Now, though, fans have definitely softened on it. While this could very well be due to the rose-collored glasses of nostalgia, it’s also possible thatDragon Ball GTno longer being the lastDragon Ballanime produced has meant the anime series now carries less weight. There are even some fans who feel likeGT’sending is betterZ’s, so it’s clear the follow-up series has grown on people.
Perhaps the biggest sign that opinions have changed aboutGTis the response toDragon Ball Daima.Daimaborrowed many elements fromGTand has largely been met with a positive reception by fans.
A Year After Akira Toriyama’s Death, Dragon Ball Is Honoring Its Creator With a Touching New Tribute
The latest volume of Dragon Ball Super has just been released, and inside is a touching tribute to the late creator of the legendary series.
Now, for better or worse, the mindset of “Dragon Ballcan’t end” seems to be taking a pause as fans and producers reckon with thepassing of Akira Toriyama.Dragon Ball Daimais over,Dragon BallSuperis on indefinite hiatus, and if there are any other anime projects in the works, they’re not known to the public. The reasons for this are complex and multi-faceted, but there is a kind of irony to be found in the contrast between whereDragon Ballis now and where it was whenDragon Ball GTwas created.
