Eighteen years after the end of Dragon Ball GT, a new Dragon Ball series is set to debut this summer. Titled Dragon Ball Chou (meaning Super), series creator Akira Toriyama will return to run the show.

The news is a bombshell for fans of the series, both in Japan and in the States. Dragon Ball Z, the sequel to the original Dragon Ball, is one of the most recognizable animes in the world, spawning movies, video games, and merchandise to the point of ubiquity. Recent movies like Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' , which hits theaters earlier this month, have only stoked the series' popularity.

Update 1:30pm ET: In an official statement released by Toei Animation, the Japanese voice actress for Goku, Masako Nozawa, expressed excitement for the new project. "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," she said. "I hope that this series will last a long time and have the same impact around the world as its predecessor."