World’s First ‘Dragon Ball’ Theme Park Will Be Built In Saudi Arabia

The world’s first Dragon Ball theme park will be built in Saudi Arabia, in Qiddiya, an entertainment and tourism project outside the capital of Riyadh.

Pitched as an adventure with main character Son Goku and his friends, the Dragon Ball theme park will have more than 30 attractions and cover over 500,000 square meters (5.4 million square feet).

The park, the first of its kind, will feature seven different areas that recreate iconic localations from the original series, like the Kame House, Capsule Corporation, and Beerus’ Planet.

The Qiddiya Investment Company and Toei Animation made the announcement, just a few weeks after the death of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. The QIC and Dragon Ball maker Toei recently formed a “long-term strategic partnership.”

The BBC reported there was some criticism of the park due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. Saudi is diversifying away from its hydrocarbon-reliant economy and has been investing heavily in entertainment.

Toriyama passed away on March 1 at the age of 68, leaving behind a storied legacy that includes one of the most influential mangas, as well as the beloved Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z anime series.

Dragon Ball was first published in 1984, with other top manga artists like One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda and Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto pointing to elements of Dragon Ball as an inspiration for their own work.