Dragon Ball Theme Park Rumored for Paris Suburbs; Toei Animation Denies Authorization
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
French media outlets recently reported that France and Saudi Arabia would collaborate to build a Dragon Ball theme park near Paris, sparking widespread excitement. The reports originated from a cooperation memorandum signed during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud's visit to Paris on September 25, which outlined approximately 60 billion euros (about 540 billion Hong Kong dollars) in investments for three theme parks near Paris. However, Toei Animation, the sole copyright holder of the Dragon Ball franchise, has issued a statement denying any knowledge of or authorization for the Paris project. The company clarified that its officially announced Dragon Ball theme park is exclusively planned for Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia, revealed in March 2024.
Key Points
- French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud signed a cooperation memorandum on September 25 covering three theme parks worth 60 billion euros
- French regional officials publicly announced "Dragon Ball is coming to the Île-de-France region" and claimed the park would rival Disneyland in scale
- Toei Animation released an official statement declaring it has granted no authorization and possesses no knowledge of the alleged Paris Dragon Ball theme park
- The company confirmed the only authorized Dragon Ball theme park was announced in March 2024, to be located in Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia
- The media renders used in reports were sourced from Toei's original March 2024 announcement materials for the Saudi project
- President Macron is known as an anime enthusiast and famously performed the Kamehameha pose with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi earlier this year
- The official memorandum only described one theme park as a "Japanese anime theme park" without specifying any particular intellectual property
Why It Matters
This incident highlights how unofficial statements and enthusiastic speculation by officials can lead to inaccurate media reporting, potentially damaging the reputation of intellectual property holders. For Hong Kong fans of Dragon Ball, the clarification underscores that the nearest authorized theme park destination remains in Saudi Arabia, not Europe, and any future announcements should be verified through official Toei Animation channels .
This incident highlights how unofficial statements and enthusiastic speculation by officials can lead to inaccurate media reporting, potentially damaging the reputation of intellectual property holders. For Hong Kong fans of Dragon Ball, the clarification underscores that the nearest authorized theme park destination remains in Saudi Arabia, not Europe, and any future announcements should be verified through official Toei Animation channels .