Toei Animation is a leading Japanese animation studio responsible for some of the most popular anime franchises ever created. Founded in 1948, they’ve animated iconic series like One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Sailor Moon, along with numerous other hugely successful shows.
For years, Dragon Ball and One Piece have been Toei’s most successful properties. While Dragon Ball traditionally earned the most revenue, One Piece surpassed it significantly in the last fiscal year.
One Piece Has Dethroned Dragon Ball as Toei’s Most Profitable Franchise In Latest Fiscal Year
Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece first appeared in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in July 1997, and quickly gained popularity, leading to an anime series by Toei Animation two years later. Around the same time, Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama in 1984, was already incredibly successful. Many considered Dragon Ball the originator of the shonen genre, and Toei Animation had been animating it since 1986.
These two series have consistently earned millions in revenue and continue to grow in popularity. They are Toei’s most valuable properties, consistently ranking among the studio’s top performers. For a long time, Dragon Ball was the clear leader, but One Piece has gained ground and become equally successful.
Toei Animation’s latest financial report, released on May 12, 2026, shows that One Piece significantly outperformed Dragon Ball in the last fiscal year (starting March 2026). One Piece generated $179.6 million in revenue, while Dragon Ball reached $134.2 million. These two franchises are far ahead of all others; the third-highest earner, Digimon, only brought in $20 million, demonstrating the powerful hold One Piece and Dragon Ball have on the market.
One Piece Tops in Domestic Licensing, Overseas Film, and Overseas Licensing
Toei’s latest fiscal report covering the last year categorizes three main revenue streams, notably:
- Domestic licensing
- Overseas film
- Overseas licensing
The majority of revenue for both Dragon Ball and One Piece comes from international licensing deals. One Piece earned 12.5 million yen from these deals, while Dragon Ball brought in 11.3 million yen. One Piece saw an increase in this area compared to last year, but Dragon Ball experienced a decline. International film revenue also significantly boosted One Piece, rising from 8.8 million to 10.2 million yen. In contrast, Dragon Ball‘s international film revenue decreased from 6.5 million to 4.3 million yen.
When looking at sales within Japan, both One Piece and Dragon Ball saw a small dip from about 6 million to 5 million units. Despite this, One Piece remains the best-selling series, and Dragon Ball holds onto second place. To put that into perspective, each of these two series individually outsells every other Toei series combined.
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One Piece and Dragon Ball Will Stand As The Main Pillars Of Toei Animation in 2026
Toei Animation’s biggest hits, One Piece and Dragon Ball, set a high standard for the quality of their new projects. Currently, the One Piece anime is adapting the Elbaf arc, and it’s been a strong adaptation overall, with the main issue being some uneven pacing. The first part of the Elbaf arc will consist of 13 episodes, and another 13 episodes are planned for release later this year.
Following the sad passing of creator Akira Toriyama in 2024, the release of new Dragon Ball manga and anime episodes slowed down, with Dragon Ball Daima being the most recent project. However, Toei Animation has recently announced exciting plans for the future of the Dragon Ball series, with projects scheduled to launch in 2026 and continue into 2027.
I’m so hyped! At the Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri event in January 2026, they announced a ton of cool stuff! We’re getting a brand new anime remake of the Beerus saga this year, and then they’re remaking Resurrection ‘F’! But that’s not all – they’re also planning a continuation of the story called Dragon Ball: The Galactic Patrol! Apparently, these two series – the remakes and The Galactic Patrol – are going to be Toei Animation’s big focus going forward, which sounds amazing!
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2026-05-15 04:34