A new Dragon Ball TV series has been announced: Dragon Ball Super will debut this July and will run as a weekly series at 9:00 a.m. on Fuji TV, taking the time slot of the Dragon Ball Kai TV series. The story and characters will be developed by original manga author Akira Toriyama himself and will star veteran voice actress Masako Nozawa.

The “Dragon Ball SSSS” website provided quotes from the cast and production staff in conjunction with the announcement, most of which was also reiterated and translated in an English-language press release from Toei Animation:

Toei Animation Begins Production on Dragon Ball Super

Drawn From a Plot By The Brand’s Original Creator, Dragon Ball Super Is The First New Series In

Eighteen Years TOKYO (April 28, 2015) – Toei Animation has announced production on Dragon Ball Super (Japanese title; tentative for English release), the first all-new Dragon Ball television series to be released in 18 years. Following the recent events of the hit feature film, Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’, Dragon Ball Super will debut in Japan in July 2015. Reuniting the franchise’s iconic characters, Dragon Ball Super will follow the aftermath of Goku’s fierce battle with Majin Boo, as he attempts to maintain earth’s fragile peace. Overseen by Dragon Ball’s original creator, Akira Toriyama and produced with Fuji Television, Dragon Ball Super will draw on its historic past to create a bold, new universe welcoming to fans and endearing to new viewers. Introduced as a manga in Weekly Shonen Jump (published from SHUEISHA Inc.) in 1984, Dragon Ball has evolved into a globally beloved brand. Seen in more than 70 countries, with over 230 million copies of its comic books sold, Dragon Ball remains one of the most popular anime series of all time. “Having loved Dragon Ball since childhood, it is very exciting to be a part of this project,” said Osamu Nozaki, producer for Fuji Television. “Mr. Toriyama has developed a plot that’s not only a dream come true for Dragon Ball‘s millions of fans, but one that will foster in a new generation of viewers.” “When I joined Toei Animation, one of my first assignments saw me working on the production of Dragon Ball Z,” said Atsushi Kido, producer for Toei Animation. “While there for only a short period of time, being a part of the series left a lasting impression. We look forward to carrying on Dragon Ball‘s tremendous legacy, bringing audiences a brand new Dragon Ball with the same sense of heart and commitment that went into past Dragon Ball productions.” “I’ve used the word ‘cho’ (super) in so many commercials, games and other media, it is fantastic that the long awaited Dragon Ball Super will finally begin,” said Masako Nozawa, Japanese voice actress of Dragon Ball’s Son Goku, Son Gohan and Son Goten. “I hope that this series will last a long time and have the same impact around the world as its predecessor.”

Much like with the arcade and PlayStation 2 fighting game Super Dragon Ball Z, the chō in the new TV series’ title (ドラゴンボール超) is accompanied by a sūpā pronunciation as Dragon Ball Super.

The new TV series will be directed by Kimitoshi Chioka, whose only work with the franchise thus far was as a story boarder in Battle of Gods, and will be produced by Osamu Nozaki (Fuji TV), Naoko Sagawa (Yomiko Advertising), and Atsushi Kido (Toei Animation). While Nozaki and Sagawa were both recent producers for Dragon Ball Kai, Kido served a short time as an assistant producer during the production of Dragon Ball Z.

Fans are sure to question whether or not this new series’ timeframe will overlap or lead into Dragon Ball GT. While the new series is said to pick up in a period of peace following the battle with Majin Boo, there is not yet any word on the specific timeframe (for example, a year in the “Age” calendar) that the story may take place. The 2013 and 2015 theatrical films — Battle of Gods and Revival of “F”, respectively — have both taken place in the ten year time skip between the defeat of Majin Boo and the 28th Tenka’ichi Budōkai. Toei Animation’s various guide books place the events of Dragon Ball GT as beginning in Age 789, five years after the events shown at the end of the original manga.