Dragon Ball fans, get ready to celebrate: Akira Toriyama’s legendary franchise has just achieved a feat no Bandai Namco property has ever matched. The 2024-2025 financial year saw Dragon Ball soar to unprecedented heights, smashing revenue records and leaving iconic rivals like Gundam and One Piece in its wake. But what powered this explosive growth-and can the series keep up the Super Saiyan pace?
The latest Bandai Namco financial report reveals Dragon Ball pulled in a monumental 190.6 billion yen (about $1.23 billion)-the highest ever annual haul for any of the company’s franchises. That’s not just a win, it’s an annihilation of the competition: Gundam generated 153.5 billion, and One Piece, despite its surge in popularity, reached 139.5 billion.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Bandai Namco |
| Release Date | April 2024 – March 2025 (fiscal year) |
| Genres | Action, Fighting, Mobile, Anime Adaptation |
| Platforms | Multi-platform (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Mobile) |
Let’s break down how Dragon Ball’s 2025 success story unfolded—and why the next chapter might look different.
Much of this year’s record performance comes down to a perfect storm of releases. October 2024 saw the arrival of Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, a long-awaited arena brawler that instantly sold over 3 million copies across all platforms in its first day. The same month, fans were treated to the premiere of Dragon Ball Daima, an anime set after the climactic Boo saga, reigniting series hype worldwide.
It didn’t stop there. In January 2025, mobile hit Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle celebrated its tenth anniversary with special in-game events and content drops—further driving engagement and spending. All of this combined for a year that left even Bandai Namco’s other juggernauts playing catch-up.
What’s truly remarkable is that Gundam and One Piece also broke their own records this year. Gundam jumped from ¥145.7B to ¥153.5B, and One Piece leapt to ¥139.5B—signaling a blockbuster year for Bandai Namco overall. But Dragon Ball’s 50 billion yen leap over last year’s results is historic.
However, can the franchise sustain this breakneck pace? Bandai Namco’s own forecasts suggest 2026 will see Dragon Ball’s revenues dip back to around 150 billion yen—a 40 billion drop. That’s still an industry-defining number, but it may open the door for Gundam to reclaim the top spot if its own 2026 projections (near 160 billion yen) come true. With no new anime or major games currently announced, a cooldown year seems likely.
Could this change? Absolutely, if a new Dragon Ball Super anime is greenlit or another blockbuster game emerges. For now, Bandai Namco is stoking the flames with fresh DLC for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot centered on Daima, but fans are watching closely for bigger news. Dragon Ball’s influence on pop culture and gaming is as strong as ever—its ability to break its own limits is, fittingly, almost Saiyan-like.
TL;DR: Dragon Ball crushed Bandai Namco’s 2025 revenue charts, driven by Sparking! Zero, Daima, and Dokkan Battle’s anniversary. While a decline is forecast for 2026 due to a lighter release slate, the franchise’s record-breaking year cements its status as a cultural and commercial titan.
Source: Bandai Namco via GamesPress
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