Dragon Ball Hilariously Returns Thanks to Cartoon Network Revival

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Following the conclusion of this year’s Jump Festa, fans of Dragon Ball are eagerly anticipating next month’s “Genki Dama Festival.” This event promises to reveal what’s next for the franchise, especially after its limited presence at the recent Shonen Jump event. Interestingly, Dragon Ball has seen a resurgence thanks to a series originally on Cartoon Network now available on Hulu. While Goku and his friends don’t make a direct appearance, the world created by Akira Toriyama – and the concept of fusion – is finding a new audience.

I recently watched an episode of The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball that was full of fun nods to Dragon Ball. In the episode, called “The Synthesis,” two characters, Nicole and Yuki, go to their daughters’ career day hoping to make a good impression, but things don’t go as planned. They end up fusing together – just like characters do in Dragon Ball using both the fusion dance and Potarra earrings! They even created a new character, “Nicoshida,” and the animation style briefly shifted to look like classic anime, complete with a narrator who sounded straight out of Dragon Ball Z. It was a really clever and entertaining tribute to the series.

Gumball went above and beyond with their new references to Dragon Ball!

— Hype (@DbsHype) December 22, 2025

Dragon Ball Fusions For The Win

When Anais and Masami’s mothers combine their powers, the daughters respond by fusing together as well, challenging their moms to a fight. Gumball and Darwin try to do the same, but comically fail – thankfully, they don’t end up fused into something weird! The mothers and daughters then engage in an epic battle, reminiscent of the action-packed shonen style of Akira Toriyama’s work, with the fight taking them from Earth to outer space. In the end, everyone reconciles, and Anais and Masami playfully assure their mothers that their love isn’t dependent on their strength. The Gumball series is known for its anime references, but this Dragon Ball-inspired episode might be its most overt yet.

Good news for fans! The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball has been renewed for two more seasons, meaning we’ll likely see even more of the show’s signature humor and references. While previous seasons aired on Cartoon Network, the new seasons will probably be available exclusively on Hulu. Hulu hasn’t announced a release date yet, but fans are eagerly awaiting the return of Gumball and his adventures.

Did you catch these funny Dragon Ball references? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/hulus-revival-of-a-cartoon-network-classic-is-already-back-with-a-new-season-just-months-after-its-premiere/embed/#

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2025-12-23 21:10