During New York Comic Con 2023, Toei Animation made a significant announcement regarding the next installment of the expansive Dragon Ball franchise, a series titled Dragon Ball: Daima. Surprisingly, this new series showcases Goku and his companions in a much younger and tinier form.

Monica Rial, renowned as the English voice of the tech-savvy Bulma in Dragon Ball Super, assumed the role of the moderator for a special Dragon Ball panel at the event. In a playful manner, she quipped about taking a break from her “hotheaded Saiyan hubby,” Vegeta, for the weekend. Rial added to the excitement by teasing an “exclusive new video, not disclosed anywhere else.” Ian Sinclair, the English voice of Whis, Beerus the Destroyer’s right-hand figure, was also present, and he had never seen the featured footage before.

Fans, along with Sinclair, were given a sneak peek of a special teaser for the new series, Dragon Ball: Daima, which marks the 40th anniversary of the franchise. This story, created by Dragon Ball’s original mastermind Akira Toriyama, introduces a unique Dragon Ball narrative that has never been explored in the franchise. Remarkably, characters such as Goku, Bulma, Piccolo, Yamcha, and others have been transformed into adorable, pint-sized versions of themselves. The series is scheduled for release in the fall of 2024.

Before Dragon Ball enthusiasts could voice their bewilderment and questions, it became clear that answers would remain elusive for some time. Akio Iyoku, an executive producer of Dragon Ball who was present at the event, remained secretive about the transformation, stating, “Yes, it’s very curious. There are some things I can’t say… Akira Toriyama has been deeply involved beyond his usual capacity in the character design and artwork and more.”

A letter from Toriyama, displayed on the panel screen, provided some insight into the plot development while still leaving many questions unanswered:

“DAIMA” is a made-up term… in English would be something like “Evil.”

Due to a conspiracy, Goku and his friends are turned small. In order to fix things, they’ll head off to a new world! It’s a grand adventure with intense action in an unknown and mysterious new world. Since Goku has to make up for his petite size, he uses his Nyoibo (Power Pole) to fight, something not seen in a long time. I came up with the story and settings, as well as a lot of the designs. I’m actually putting a lot more into this than usual.”

Sinclair sought clarification regarding another mystery, asking, “Is Whis going to be in it?” Iyoku replied, “I’m not going to say no, but maybe, but I’m going to say Bulma’s in it.”

The panel also teased Dragon Ball video games and card games, a role-playing video game based on Toriyama’s property, Sand Land, the release of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero on home and digital platforms (scheduled for November 11), and the return of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods to movie theaters (on October 17 and 18) with an additional 20 minutes of bonus content.

Iyoku emphasized, “Dragon Ball: Daima. Dragon Ball: Daima. Dragon Ball: Daima, please remember this name.”

The panel concluded with a video message from Masako Nozawa, the iconic Japanese voice actress for Goku, who, even at her advanced age, delivered her signature KamehameHAAAAAAA pose. This marked the end of Toei’s Dragon Ball panel at New York Comic Con 2023, but fans can stay updated with Polygon’s coverage of all the event’s news, trailers, and highlights.