Japanese Rights Holders Deny Authorizing €6 Billion Dragon Ball Theme Park in France

Announcement of the Cergy-Pontoise complex

On 24 August 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman jointly announced a protocol of agreement to construct three theme parks in Courdimanche, near Cergy-Pontoise in the Val-d'Oise department, 35 kilometres northwest of Paris. The project involves a €6 billion investment funded through Qiddiya Investment Company, an entity owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. Macron stated that the multi-year development would create 22,000 direct jobs, while Île-de-France regional president Valérie Pécresse later cited an estimate of 20,000 jobs.

Following the announcement, French regional officials linked one of the planned parks directly to the Japanese manga franchise Dragon Ball. Pécresse published a video on TikTok incorporating the official franchise logo and telling followers that Son Goku would receive a dedicated park in the Paris metropolitan region. A week later, the Île-de-France regional council reinforced the claim by publishing the statement in an official press release on its website, despite initial skepticism reported by Le Monde regarding the absence of formal intellectual property authorization.

Denials from Japanese rights holders

Japanese copyright owners moved quickly to reject claims that any licence had been granted for a French location. On 31 August 2026, animation studio Toei Animation, which holds the rights to the anime adaptation, issued a formal denial in response to international media reports.

Neither our company, nor any of the companies holding rights to this property, have granted a licence in connection with this project, and we are aware of no elements pointing in that direction.

The dispute broadened on 4 September 2026 when a spokesperson for manga publisher Shueisha stated the company had nothing to do with the French development. Bandai Namco Entertainment, another commercial rights holder for the property, declined to comment to Agence France-Presse.

Regional response and project origins

Appearing on BFMTV on 4 September 2026, Pécresse insisted that the lack of current licensing agreements would not halt the broader theme park initiative. She noted that she had worked on the concept for 18 months and described the €6 billion commitment as a positive signal for global tourism that could not be refused.

It is a matter of negotiating rights with rights holders, it is the responsibility of project promoters who will do so calmly.

The concept originated during a bilateral meeting in Riyadh in December 2024, when Macron and the Saudi crown prince discussed a shared interest in Japanese animation, specifically Dragon Ball Z.

Licensing complexity and community reactions

Qiddiya Investment Company adopted a cautious position, confirming only that discussions remain underway with international brand owners holding entertainment licences. While QIC previously obtained rights to build a Dragon Ball theme park in Saudi Arabia, no agreement exists for France. Matthieu Pinon, editor-in-chief of Otaku Manga, observed that Japanese rights holders manage intellectual property under strict guidelines, requiring detailed negotiations covering brand philosophy as well as financial arrangements. The manga series has sold 260 million copies worldwide in its 40-year history as of 2024. In Courdimanche, local merchants and residents expressed optimism that licensing delays would eventually be resolved. In Japan, media commentators noted mixed public sentiment, with domestic fans questioning why such a large-scale park had not been established in Japan first.