This year was a big year for the Dragon Ball franchise, but the franchise is primed to get even bigger as the 2026 TV schedule gets into full swing. Toei Animation is hosting a big celebration for the franchise in the new year, and what better way to celebrate what's coming than by appreciating some festive lights honoring Goku and Vegeta ahead of the holidays?
As the two most popular characters in Dragon Ball, it's no surprise this impressive Christmas display decided to highlight Goku and Vegeta locked in battle. What threw me for a loop was the impressive work that went into having Shenron watch them in the background, which really made this entire thing so much more over the top. Take a look:
I love how the creator chose to have Goku's Kamehameha clash with Vegeta's Big Bang, and create a big ball of energy that's just hanging there before the inevitable explosion. I'm still amazed by how they managed to get Shenron up there, however, and if that were my house, I'd leave it up year-round. I'm not sure what the HOA would have to say about that, but hopefully they'd also be Dragon Ball Z fans.
Unfortunately, Dragon Ball doesn't have any movies that can be added to the list of best Christmas movies, but the original series' dub was just added in HD recently to Crunchyroll. For those who want to mix up their holidays with a bit of action and one of the best classic anime of the 80s, this is the definitive one to watch.
With the holidays being the final big event leading into the new year, I do wonder what the big plan is for Dragon Ball going forward. Dragon Ball Daima was the last project the late creator Akira Toriyama worked on, and since then, we haven't seen any word that the anime Dragon Ball Super or Daima would return.
As one of the biggest anime franchises of all time, it's wild to think that Toei would stop making new series for Dragon Ball. Goku is a hero that's ranking up there in pop culture with many current Marvel heroes, and probably even some DC ones. Given Superman's recent spike in popularity, I'll avoid that comparison, but we all know who would win if they ever had to fight.
Ultimately, 2026 should bring a clear picture of what the future for Dragon Ball looks like going forward. I'm imagining we'll either get news that Dragon Ball Super will return with new episodes, or maybe even that a live-action series or movie is in development. It's one of the few major anime shows left that hasn't had a successful attempt, lest we forget that awful movie from many years ago.
I'll put my speculation on hold in the meantime and continue to enjoy what Dragon Ball we do have on Crunchyroll. Check it out, as well as other acclaimed anime on the streaming platform, and get ready for the new year!
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