A theme park based on Japan’s Dragon Ball manga franchise will be built in Saudi Arabia’s new high-end tourist attraction of Qiddiya City just outside Riyadh, and will be the perfect way for fans to not only experience Goku’s world, but also remember its creator Akira Toriyama, who passed away earlier this year in March.
What to expect from the upcoming Dragon Ball theme park in Saudi Arabia
The 500,000-square-metre (125-acre) park will allow fans to “live the adventures at the heart of the action, experiencing the journey from the first Dragon Ball series to the latest Dragon Ball Super”, according to a press release by the Qiddiya Investment Company. Feel free to go Super Saiyan for your love of the manga series here.
First serialised in 1984, Dragon Ball is one of the best-selling manga franchises of all time and has spawned countless anime series, films and video games.
Toriyama’s death this month from a blood clot on the brain sparked an outpouring of grief from around the world, including tributes from French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin.
In a press release on the official Dragon Ball website, authorities in Qiddiya did not give an opening date for the park and also did not say how much construction would cost. The statement said the attraction would be split into seven themed zones based on the magical dragon-containing balls that are central to the series.
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The park will have at least 30 rides and include a 70-metre (230-foot) dragon at the centre of the site, it said. The Qiddiya “entertainment city” project, featuring high-end theme parks, motorsport facilities and a safari area, is under construction near the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Shares of Toei Animation, which produced the Dragon Ball anime series, surged 6.7 percent on March 22.
This story was published via AFP.
(All image credits: Supplied)
