Dragon Ball‘s first anime is almost four decades old at this point, and one of the modern series’ animators is interested in rebooting the beloved series for a new generation. Though Dragon Ball is still going strong as a franchise, there’s no doubt some of the series’ older episodes and movies haven’t aged as well as some would hope. One prolific Dragon Ball animator, however, sees potential in a reboot of the series, potentially animating it from scratch.
According to a Tweet from Dragon Ball fan account DBsHype, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero animator Chikashi Kubota recently revealed his interest in working on a potential Dragon Ball remake, should Toei Animation ever decide to embark on such a project. Kubota even mentioned his enthusiasm for the idea to Norihiro Hayashida, producer of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero film, further fueling speculation that a Dragon Ball reboot is possible.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Animator Wants a Reboot
Kubota’s name may not be immediately recognizable to all Dragon Ball fans, but his contributions to the world of anime are undeniable. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and skillful animation work, Kubota has lent his talents to a number of beloved series, including One-Punch Man and Corpse Princess.
Notably, within the Dragon Ball franchise, Kubota worked on Dragon Ball Super: Broly as a key animator and on Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero as the animation director. Since Dragon Ball’s return in the form of Super, these two films are clearly the most highly praised out of the four most recent movies. Therefore, unsurprisingly, it’s not difficult to see why Kubota’s potential involvement in a Dragon Ball remake is exciting. His experience working with the blend of 2D and 3D animation that the last two Dragon Ball movies have utilized so effectively would make him an essential component of Dragon Ball’s theoretical reboot. Kubota’s passion for the Dragon Ball franchise is evident in his work. His contributions to Dragon Ball Super: Broly, including the standout fight scene between Broly and Gogeta, were praised by fans and critics alike for their impressive animation quality and attention to detail.
Dragon Ball’s Remake Could Fix The Original’s Planning Problem
Of course, the idea of a Dragon Ball remake is still purely speculative at this point, and there’s no indication that Toei Animation or Shueisha have any plans to revisit the franchise in this way. That being said, the fact that Kubota is expressing interest in the idea only serves to stoke the fires of fandom speculation even more. Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama is well known for his style of writing often referred to as ‘discovery writing’ wherein he doesn’t plan very far ahead, only working with loose story beats at any given time. Because of that, the Dragon Ball canon can be seen as a bit unorganized and lacking when it comes to things like foreshadowing. A potential Dragon Ball reboot would have the chance to string together plot threads in new and dynamic ways that build even more tension and hype.
In the end, only time will tell whether a Dragon Ball remake will ever see the light of day. One thing is for sure, however. With demonstrably talented animators like Chikashi Kubota expressing their enthusiasm for the project, the chance for a potential Dragon Ball anime reboot is sure to keep building.
Source: DBsHype