Fans of high energy battles and golden hair are about to get a destination of their own as French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announce a staggering seven billion dollar investment in a new theme park complex. Planned for the north of Paris, the project will consist of three separate amusement parks, featuring a centerpiece dedicated to the legendary Japanese anime series Dragon Ball Z. Macron described the move as a landmark event for French tourism, suggesting that nothing of this scale has been attempted in the region since the opening of Disneyland Paris.
The deal comes on the heels of a state visit by the Saudi Crown Prince and highlights an unexpected common ground between the two world leaders: a deep passion for manga. By leveraging these interests, Macron hopes to further his Choose France initiative, which aims to draw massive foreign investments into the country to stimulate economic growth. Beyond the excitement for anime fans, the project carries significant weight for the local economy, with expectations that it will create upwards of 20,000 new jobs once operational.
This aggressive push into themed entertainment isn’t happening in isolation, as Europe is currently seeing a surge in luxury leisure development. Across the channel, Comcast recently pledged eight billion dollars to build Universal’s first European resort near London, while Disney continues to pour billions into expanding its global footprint. However, some analysts remain cautious given history; reports indicate that Disney has yet to fully recoup its original multi-billion dollar investment in Paris after three decades. Despite those risks, France is betting big that the enduring global popularity of Goku and his companions will be enough to make this ambitious venture a success.