The two most well-known sequels to Dragon Ball Z are GT and Super, but there’s another one created solely by Akira Toriyama that’s so much weirder.
While certain corners of the Dragon Ball fandom maintain the perpetual argument over the true sequel to Dragon Ball Z – whether it’s Dragon Ball GT or Dragon Ball Super – they’re completely overlooking the first (and decidedly much weirder) DBZ sequel that was made exclusively by Akira Toriyama. On GT, Toriyama worked alongside an animation studio, and with Super, he’s currently working with Toyotarou. But a third DBZ sequel was just pure, unadulterated Toriyama: Neko Majin Z.
Neko Majin (which evolved into Neko Majin Z) is an eight-chapter manga series written and drawn by Akira Toriyama. The series stars members of the Neko Majin race, which is a species of magical cats who love playing games and learning martial arts. The most committed to the study of martial arts was Neko Majin Z who shared many traits with Goku, and even went on a few playful adventures with the Saiyan warrior.
During the ‘Z’ era of Neko Majin, a number of additions to the wider Dragon Ball lore were included. It’s here that it’s revealed Frieza had a son before he died named Kuriza, plus the series introduced another Super Saiyan named Onio. In a weird way rooted solely in self-parody (not canon), Neko Majin actually drove the plot forward following the completion of Dragon Ball Z, albeit in a way that was much more focused on eccentric humor as opposed to high-octane action.
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Neko Majin Z takes place after ‘End of Z’ & before GT!
Even though it’s essentially nothing more than a gag-manga, Neko Majin Z actually fits into the wider Dragon Ball timeline pretty well. It’s been established that Super takes place immediately following the Majin Buu Saga, and its storyline will presumably feed right into DBZ’s Peaceful World Saga (otherwise known as ‘End of Z’), while GT takes place five years after ‘End of Z’. That means there are five years between Z and GT that’s completely open for storytelling – and Neko Majin Z fits in that slot perfectly.
This means that Dragon Ball fans don’t have to argue about yet another sequel to DBZ, because this one can coincide with the other two just as naturally. Of course, that’s only if one wants to consider Neko Majin Z canon (as it’s officially not), and it’d be understandable if some Dragon Ball fans would like to not address it at all, as it’s decidedly weird while making light of everything Dragon Ball took seriously. But, if fans did want to include it, there’s a spot in the series canon where it fits perfectly.
Neko Majin’s Dragon Ball Legacy Stretches Beyond Toriyama’s Solo Series
Neko Majin Z has also appeared in Dragon Ball Heroes, Super Dragon Ball Heroes, and others!
While the main characters (and a few new ones) from Dragon Ball Z regularly appeared in Neko Majin, Neko Majin Z returned the favor on more than one occasion. Though never in an official anime or manga, Neko Majin Z has ventured into the world of Dragon Ball through video game appearances in games that include Dragon Ball Heroes, Super Dragon Ball Heroes, and Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2. Plus, characters like Kuriza have been crossing over into DBZ games for years, including the fan-favorite Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 where Kuriza is available as a Frieza skin.
Neko Majin is a gag-manga/DBZ self-parody that openly mocks beloved aspects of the original Dragon Ball series. Not only that, it’s generally just really weird, and firmly sits outside the established canon. However, it can’t be denied that Neko Majin is felt in the wider Dragon Ball mythos, not only by its perfect timeline placement, but also in its legacy. That’s why Neko Majin Z – the only Dragon Ball Z sequel made exclusively by Akira Toriyama – can even be considered a sequel at all (not just a parody), and that’s also why it’s so much weirder than GT or Super.
