No discussion of Dragon Ball media is complete without acknowledging the elephant in the room: live-action adaptation. Dragonball Evolution (2009) is frequently cited as one of the worst adaptations in cinematic history, a rare misstep that creator Akira Toriyama famously distanced himself from. However, the upcoming live-action series from Netflix (rumored to be in development) suggests the industry is ready to try again, hoping to replicate the success of One Piece .