10 Action Anime That Tried To Be The Next Dragon Ball & Failed

The media franchise Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama in 1984, got its wild popularity for a reason. The story of a young boy and his friends in search of the legendary seven Dragon Balls, which can make any wish come true, became a true breakthrough in the shounen and action genres and set a high bar for its numerous successors.

Naturally, every anime creator dreams of reaching the level of Dragon Ball's success and often looks to the franchise for inspiration. But as it turns out, it is not so easy to piggyback on a mere comparison to a big title and rip off its plot and characters. You have to deliver.

Here are ten anime that tried desperately to fill Dragon Ball's shoes, but were never destined to reach its greatness.

Shaman King (2001-2002)

The story, set in a world where some people called shamans can summon spirits and make them fight, seems pretty classic and promising. But the original manga adaptation disappointed many viewers with its poor pacing and action scenes, as well as non-existent character development. On top of that, anime fans say that Shaman King has one of the worst endings ever.

My Bride Is a Mermaid (2007)

This anime is full of references to Dragon Ball, but never reaches its quality. The story of a hapless teenager who is rescued by a mermaid and forced to become her husband is quite compelling and funny at first, but quickly loses its shine with repetitive performances and clichéd characters. By the finale, everyone grows so annoying that it is impossible to root for them.

Toriko (2011-2014)

If Dragon Ball is considered by millions to be the perfect manga adaptation, Toriko has done its source material extremely dirty. Set in a world where food and new flavors are everything, the story revolves around a chef in search of ingredients unknown to humanity. In the adaptation, the creators added unnecessary filler storylines and characters, and toned down the gore, which didn't sit well with the original fans.

Hero Tales (2007-2008)

Taito was born with powers that can help him defeat an evil military ruler of the country whose only goal is to find the sacred sword that can turn any man into a god. The shounen action series had a promising idea, but lost it completely in the chaos of its own universe, which seems to have no logic at all.

Zatch Bell! (2003-2006)

With its premise (a boy and his demon fight other demon masters for the title of king), Zatch Bell! could have easily become the next Dragon Ball, but any illusions viewers had were shattered by the repetitive, generic fights and cheap plot devices. Those who praise the show tend to be nostalgic fans who watched it when they were kids.

Project ARMS (2001)

This series is the black sheep of the shounen genre. The story, in which students have nanomechanics installed in their bodies and must escape from an evil organization, is more grounded than the usual formula and offers interesting Alice in Wonderland references and exciting designs. Nevertheless, it failed to be the pioneer like Dragon Ball and left viewers with mixed feelings.

Flame Of Recca (1997-1998)

The protagonist of Flame Of Recca and his journey to become a modern-day ninja and master his power to control fire is very similar to Son Goku and created quite a stir in the 1990s. But it never matched the benchmark of Dragon Ball. It is not as diverse or complicated, and the characters sometimes feel like cardboard cutouts. No wonder the anime wasn't even finished.

Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (2003-2005)

The story of a warrior who fights off bald men with his nose hair tried to parody Dragon Ball and other popular anime. But the fourth-wall breaking humor and bizarreness didn't help it become the next big thing in the genre. It seems viewers didn't appreciate the show's creative approach.

The God of High School (2020)

The God of High School is clearly inspired by Dragon Ball, with its high school fighting tournament whose grand prize is a wish granted to the winner. And at first, anime fans really thought the show had the same vibe. But as the plot (which is basically non-existent) unfolded, more and more viewers got confused and dropped watching. At this point, it can only be recommended if you like to watch fights without any kind of explanation or plot development.

Good Luck Girl! (2012)

The show not only gives a few nods to Dragon Ball, it also shares its comedy style. And many viewers actually enjoyed the watch. But the story of the confrontation between a human girl blessed with luck and a goddess of poverty had too weak a plot to be anything more than a one-binge series.