The future of Dragon Ball will be revealed at a huge new 40th anniversary fan event in January 2026

dragonball genkidama matsuri 2

A large-scale fan event has been announced to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the popular manga Dragon Ball.

“Dragon Ball Genkidama Matsuri” will be held at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, on Sunday, the 25th of January, 2026.

makuhari messe webp

This festival is being billed as the climax of the 40th-anniversary celebration and will feature a variety of new content and stage presentations.

dragonball 40th

Admission to the event is free, but will be limited to a “complete invitation-only” system, with attendees chosen via a pre-registration lottery.

The main stage will host a “New Developments Super Announcement! Genkida Stage Part 1 & 2,” which are expected to include two major announcements with respect to plans for the future of the franchise.

This presentation will feature the legendary voice actress Masako Nozawa (the voice of Son Goku) and the executive producer of Dragon Ball DAIMA, Akio Iyoku, who will announce new developments for the Dragon Ball franchise.

Masako Nozawa
Masako Nozawa

A “Genkidama Matsuri Special Live Stage” will be held, featuring a live performance from Hironobu Kageyama, the singer of many of the most iconic theme songs from the anime series, including “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA.”

Hironobu Kageyama
Hironobu Kageyama

The venue will also feature a number of booths for various Dragon Ball games.

A demo area for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO will be available, allowing visitors to play the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game using the Joy-Con 2’s motion controls to perform attacks like the “Kamehameha.”

dragonball sparking zero screenshot

Booths for other popular titles such as Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle, Dragon Ball Legends, Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra, and Dragon Ball Super Divers will also be present.

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Other attractions include an exhibition of Gashapon, Ichiban Kuji, and arcade prizes, as well as the latest information on the “V Jump” x “S.H.Figuarts” collaboration.

dragonball genkidama matsuri 1

Exclusive, original merchandise will also be sold at the event.

The first wave of the lottery for free admission tickets began on Friday, the 17th of October.

More details can be found on the Dragon Ball Genkidama Matsuri official website.

This post may contain affiliate links, and Essential Japan may earn a commission if you purchase through them.

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