"Dragon Ball Super (Manga)" Official Discussion Thread

[Doctor.]

^ Well no, I can certainly agree with recognizing the art for what it is, and that the value can certainly be allocated by the individual.

Then I don't understand why you used the Picasso example in the first place.

But the example Doctor uses with Picasso is the acknowledgement of that art and its contributions.

Because that's the only objective thing one can say about Picasso's art. That it's important in the history of art, it was influential and it was innovative for the time.

Saying "Picasso's art is great" or "Picasso's art is terrible" is almost entirely subjective, which is why I had a problem with your argument that saying that Picasso's art was bad was being ignorant. It's not, because it isn't an objective truth that Picasso's art is good. Just like it's not an objective truth that Toyotaro's manga is technically solid (or technically bad, as I said, in my opinion).

The problem is, some won't do that about the Super manga.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but lets not act as if you are respecting the art or artist in a similar fashion to how we would other divisive artists.

It isn't really relevant whether or not I respect the art or the artist, because we were talking about the internal quality of the product, not the external circumstances or other such factors.

You were acting like it's an objective truth that Toyotaro's manga isn't technically bad, and I took issue with that because it's NOT an objective truth, it's YOUR subjective opinion that it's not technically bad, which is at the same level as MY subjective opinion that it is bad.

[HeroR]

That's definitely part of it for me. The anime has so much padded bullshit to make it seem like it's enough of a story for a weekly series. It drives me insane!

To me, the only padding in the anime was the second trip to the past and maybe the Gohan episode with Trunks. Everything else wasn't drag out in my opinion. And if we're using BS padding to make it enough story, you can make the same argument about the Android/Cell Saga, which only went on for as long as it did because of plot contrive reasons and all the characters, both heroes and villains, being moronic. That saga easily could have ended several times before it did. The same with the Buu Saga to a lesser extent. Heck, as much as I like the Freeza fight, a lot of the battle with Freeza could have been trim.

[TheMikado]

^ Well no, I can certainly agree with recognizing the art for what it is, and that the value can certainly be allocated by the individual.

Then I don't understand why you used the Picasso example in the first place.

But the example Doctor uses with Picasso is the acknowledgement of that art and its contributions.

Because that's the only objective thing one can say about Picasso's art. That it's important in the history of art, it was influential and it was innovative for the time.

Saying "Picasso's art is great" or "Picasso's art is terrible" is almost entirely subjective, which is why I had a problem with your argument that saying that Picasso's art was bad was being ignorant. It's not, because it isn't an objective truth that Picasso's art is good. Just like it's not an objective truth that Toyotaro's manga is technically solid (or technically bad, as I said, in my opinion).

The problem is, some won't do that about the Super manga.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but lets not act as if you are respecting the art or artist in a similar fashion to how we would other divisive artists.

It isn't really relevant whether or not I respect the art or the artist, because we were talking about the internal quality of the product, not the external circumstances or other such factors.

You were acting like it's an objective truth that Toyotaro's manga isn't technically bad, and I took issue with that because it's NOT an objective truth, it's YOUR subjective opinion that it's not technically bad, which is at the same level as MY subjective opinion that it is bad.

OK so now I think I can see where the issue lies. It appears you believe that all art is inherently subjective and that as an absolute truth. I wholeheartedly disagree. Not all art is subjective and worthy of praise by someone regardless if someone finds its appealing. Across cultures and history things such as symmetry, color, patterns, etc have been found to be consistent in all forms of art implying, there there is at least a baseline competency required for art to not be considered "bad".
In this case if you subscribe to Clive Bell's philosophy too broadly you may arrive at that conclusion but I dont think thats whay was meant. Anyone individual can connect differently with the same piece of artwork. I don't think his philosophy was meant to measure the technical aspects of a work of art but its emotional impact on individuals. This may be where we have to agree to disagree, but I do believe there is a baseline competency that needs to be achieved to elevate something above "bad".

[Doctor.]

OK so now I think I can see where the issue lies. It appears you believe that all art is inherently subjective and that as an absolute truth. I wholeheartedly disagree. Not all art is subjective and worthy of praise by someone regardless if someone finds its appealing. Across cultures and history things such as symmetry, color, patterns, etc have been found to be consistent in all forms of art implying, there there is at least a baseline competency required for art to not be considered "bad".

This is why I said "almost entirely subjective", not "entirely subjective". There are certain objective bases, sure, but after that, it's subjective.

In literature, for instance, you can say that a work is "bad" if it contains a lot of grammatical and syntax errors. That much is objective. But after that, the eloquence, the poetry, the plot, the characters, everything else is subjective. I'm sure there are properly written books that you find bad based on these aspects I pointed out.

This may be where we have to agree to disagree, but I do believe there is a baseline competency that needs to be achieved to elevate something above "bad".

It depends on where you draw the line for this "baseline competency", which, again, is another argument which also depends on subjectivty.

The argument you're using only promotes needless positivity (in the sense that we must respect every product as long as they reach a bare minimum level of objective quality) and denies criticism and debate.

[TheMikado]

OK so now I think I can see where the issue lies. It appears you believe that all art is inherently subjective and that as an absolute truth. I wholeheartedly disagree. Not all art is subjective and worthy of praise by someone regardless if someone finds its appealing. Across cultures and history things such as symmetry, color, patterns, etc have been found to be consistent in all forms of art implying, there there is at least a baseline competency required for art to not be considered "bad".

This is why I said "almost entirely subjective", not "entirely subjective". There are certain objective bases, sure, but after that, it's subjective.

In literature, for instance, you can say that a work is "bad" if it contains a lot of grammatical and syntax errors. That much is objective. But after that, the eloquence, the poetry, the plot, the characters, everything else is subjective. I'm sure there are properly written books that you find bad based on these aspects I pointed out.

This may be where we have to agree to disagree, but I do believe there is a baseline competency that needs to be achieved to elevate something above "bad".

It depends on where you draw the line for this "baseline competency", which, again, is another argument which also depends on subjectivty.

The argument you're using only promotes needless positivity (in the sense that we must respect every product as long as they reach a bare minimum level of objective quality) and denies criticism and debate.

I think that's where I think we have to agree to disagree. I believe discussion can be had and certainly criticism on the things one personally objects to. My issue is that I believe the manga does show a bare minimum/baseline level of competency while the content of it are definitely open for debate. Like I said, from a technical standpoint, I don't find the manga to be "bad". The preferences of what people don't like can be debated all day long. I think there has to be a separation between those two aspects. Not liking an artistic decision, in my mind, does not make a work "bad" from a technical stand point. All I've been saying is that from a baseline competency standpoint the manga isn't "bad" on a technical level. That's all I've been saying. When measured again that baseline and the expectation of what would be considered the minimum level to overcome being "bad", I say the manga has surpassed this. If it hasn't then I would ask what the criteria to make it "not bad" on a technical level baseline would be.

[Doctor.]

I think that's where I think we have to agree to disagree. I believe discussion can be had and certainly criticism on the things one personally objects to. My issue is that I believe the manga does show a bare minimum/baseline level of competency while the content of it are definitely open for debate. Like I said, from a technical standpoint, I don't find the manga to be "bad". The preferences of what people don't like can be debated all day long. I think there has to be a separation between those two aspects. Not liking an artistic decision, in my mind, does not make a work "bad" from a technical stand point. All I've been saying is that from a baseline competency standpoint the manga isn't "bad" on a technical level. That's all I've been saying. When measured again that baseline and the expectation of what would be considered the minimum level to overcome being "bad", I say the manga has surpassed this. If it hasn't then I would ask what the criteria to make it "not bad" on a technical level baseline would be.

I can say this much, that it's objectively decently drawn because the anatomy in display is correctly drawn. But that's really the furthest you can say about the manga not being bad from a technical standpoint. Any other argument, mine or yours, will end up being entirely subjective.

[TheMikado]

I think that's where I think we have to agree to disagree. I believe discussion can be had and certainly criticism on the things one personally objects to. My issue is that I believe the manga does show a bare minimum/baseline level of competency while the content of it are definitely open for debate. Like I said, from a technical standpoint, I don't find the manga to be "bad". The preferences of what people don't like can be debated all day long. I think there has to be a separation between those two aspects. Not liking an artistic decision, in my mind, does not make a work "bad" from a technical stand point. All I've been saying is that from a baseline competency standpoint the manga isn't "bad" on a technical level. That's all I've been saying. When measured again that baseline and the expectation of what would be considered the minimum level to overcome being "bad", I say the manga has surpassed this. If it hasn't then I would ask what the criteria to make it "not bad" on a technical level baseline would be.

I can say this much, that it's objectively decently drawn because the anatomy in display is correctly drawn. But that's really the furthest you can say about the manga not being bad from a technical standpoint. Any other argument, mine or yours, will end up being entirely subjective.

That's fine and all I'm really saying. I think his paneling, shading, etc. are all fine too. Not amazing but not actually bad at all compared to many other manga. He meets the baseline of not being "bad' on a technical level. That's all I really have to contribute.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

That's definitely part of it for me. The anime has so much padded bullshit to make it seem like it's enough of a story for a weekly series. It drives me insane!

To me, the only padding in the anime was the second trip to the past and maybe the Gohan episode with Trunks. Everything else wasn't drag out in my opinion. And if we're using BS padding to make it enough story, you can make the same argument about the Android/Cell Saga, which only went on for as long as it did because of plot contrive reasons and all the characters, both heroes and villains, being moronic. That saga easily could have ended several times before it did. The same with the Buu Saga to a lesser extent. Heck, as much as I like the Freeza fight, a lot of the battle with Freeza could have been trim.

Yeah I don't quite understand the padding issue people seem to have for this arc. Most of the episodes in the anime felt natural, the Gohan episode might not have drove the story but it was much needed regardless of it being or not being in the outline it needed to be there. The only episodes I say that felt slighly unnecessary was the episode after Trunks transformation when they go back for the Mafuba but luckily they were back pretty soon and the episode Black fused (that was the only episode I had the dragging feeling). A huge example of unnecessary padding would be wasting a whole chapter on a flashback], the opposite of drivng a story forward... As a prologue that's fine but in the midst of an arc when you're on a tight monthly schedule poor choice by Toyo and now the Manga arc has suffered. The mystery of Black and Zamasu nah not important at all we'll just breeze through that but a flashblack that's tooo important need a whole chapter that way we can have lots of Z throwbacks!

Honestly the Manga arc to me is as if someone is just listed bullet points or like someone put together a highlight reel it doesn't feel complete, lack of development tension etc. You build this villain up so much to then make a whole chapter about him getting his ass kicked I don't know it's just very unsatisfying and it sucks cuz his art is great. I can sympatise with the fact it's a monthly schedule in one chapter he gets out Toei get 4 episodes out but some of choices and general writing as been poor, I do wish it'd be like our comic books where he draws and someone else scripts.

[HeroR]

Yeah I don't quite understand the padding issue people seem to have for this arc. Most of the episodes in the anime felt natural, the Gohan episode might not have drove the story but it was much needed regardless of it being or not being in the outline it needed to be there. The only episodes I say that felt slighly unnecessary was the episode after Trunks transformation when they go back for the Mafuba but luckily they were back pretty soon and the episode Black fused (that was the only episode I had the dragging feeling). A huge example of unnecessary padding would be wasting a whole chapter on a flashback], the opposite of drivng a story forward... As a prologue that's fine but in the midst of an arc when you're on a tight monthly schedule poor choice by Toyo and now the Manga arc has suffered. The mystery of Black and Zamasu nah not important at all we'll just breeze through that but a flashblack that's tooo important need a whole chapter that way we can have lots of Z throwbacks!

Honestly the Manga arc to me is as if someone is just listed bullet points or like someone put together a highlight reel it doesn't feel complete, lack of development tension etc. You build this villain up so much to then make a whole chapter about him getting his ass kicked I don't know it's just very unsatisfying and it sucks cuz his art is great. I can sympatise with the fact it's a monthly schedule in one chapter he gets out Toei get 4 episodes out but some of choices and general writing as been poor, I do wish it'd be like our comic books where he draws and someone else scripts.

Are you talking about the Future Majin Buu flashback? Because in the manga that was important since Future Dabura wiping out the Kais was the reason why he chose that timeline, even if I find this plot point silly.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

Yeah I don't quite understand the padding issue people seem to have for this arc. Most of the episodes in the anime felt natural, the Gohan episode might not have drove the story but it was much needed regardless of it being or not being in the outline it needed to be there. The only episodes I say that felt slighly unnecessary was the episode after Trunks transformation when they go back for the Mafuba but luckily they were back pretty soon and the episode Black fused (that was the only episode I had the dragging feeling). A huge example of unnecessary padding would be wasting a whole chapter on a flashback], the opposite of drivng a story forward... As a prologue that's fine but in the midst of an arc when you're on a tight monthly schedule poor choice by Toyo and now the Manga arc has suffered. The mystery of Black and Zamasu nah not important at all we'll just breeze through that but a flashblack that's tooo important need a whole chapter that way we can have lots of Z throwbacks!

Honestly the Manga arc to me is as if someone is just listed bullet points or like someone put together a highlight reel it doesn't feel complete, lack of development tension etc. You build this villain up so much to then make a whole chapter about him getting his ass kicked I don't know it's just very unsatisfying and it sucks cuz his art is great. I can sympatise with the fact it's a monthly schedule in one chapter he gets out Toei get 4 episodes out but some of choices and general writing as been poor, I do wish it'd be like our comic books where he draws and someone else scripts.

Are you talking about the Future Majin Buu flashback? Because in the manga that was important since Future Dabura wiping out the Kais was the reason why he chose that timeline, even if I find this plot point silly.

That further enhances my point more or half a chapter for that plot point. It's not even a important plot point to begin with to waste half a chapter on.

[Noah]

The manga was entertaining for a while, but since Goku vs. Hit things are not the same and the only thing that kept me reading was the power consistency over what was presented in the anime. Now that is f***** up, I don't care much anymore.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

Here's the anime list of excess padding for you who were denying its prevalence. I got lazy with the details as time went on, but I assure you it's accurate.

47-Lettuce farming, everything on Beerus' Planet except Zeno foreshadowing. For the most part, nothing that happened in the present mattered.
48-Pilaf explains math. The episode drags ass getting Trunks to the past, as well as getting a Senzu to Trunks, which happened to be the only important things that episode even attempted. Also, Pilaf and co.'s reactions take up far too much time. This episode was about half padding.
49-More Pilaf Gang antics. Fantastic fish sausage scene. Side characters talk about Trunks for a few minutes. Dabra fight (didn't tie to anything in the anime). Not as much as last time, still far too padded.
50-Black unnecessarily destroys time machine, sets up half a dozen unnecessary episodes. This one didn't have much padding itself, though.
51-Literally the entire episode.
52-I understand that a lot of people like this episode, but all of the development is artificial, the only time it ties in is during another time-filler scene. This one is pretty much entirely padding as well.
53-There are a few minutes total of Zamasu's development, the rest is padding.
54-This is a tricky one. The story demands that Trunks trains with Vegetation, but this doesn't really fit with that. I hesitantly say this one is almost entirely padding, too, the only exemption being Zamasu's scenes.
55-This one's pretty good, no unnecessary padding.
56-Same
57-In fights like this, it's hard to judge it by the same criteria, seems good though.
58-Mostly padding.
59-Unnecessarily dragged out buildup. Almost entirely padding until the last 5 minutes or so.
60-Almost entirely padding. Goku Black reveals his identity, so that's neat, I guess.
61-Mostly padding up until the Trunks bit at the end.
62-Almost entirely padding, other than the Mafuba scene
63-Some padding throughout, but not too much.
64-Entirely padding other than the Mafuba/merging scenes.
65-Drags its ass through, but nothing is ridiculously unnecessary.
66-Oddly uneven padding, but not too much.
67-Not much padding.

Luckily, I made notes last time I watched through. The story could have been condensed into an arc half as long, and with room to spare. Or, more preferably, a movie. Whatever your opinion on it is, the anime arc was padded half to death. It's an indisputable fact.

[LightBing]

Here's the anime list of excess padding for you who were denying its prevalence. I got lazy with the details as time went on, but I assure you it's accurate.
[spoiler]47-Lettuce farming, everything on Beerus' Planet except Zeno foreshadowing. For the most part, nothing that happened in the present mattered.
48-Pilaf explains math. The episode drags ass getting Trunks to the past, as well as getting a Senzu to Trunks, which happened to be the only important things that episode even attempted. Also, Pilaf and co.'s reactions take up far too much time. This episode was about half padding.
49-More Pilaf Gang antics. Fantastic fish sausage scene. Side characters talk about Trunks for a few minutes. Dabra fight (didn't tie to anything in the anime). Not as much as last time, still far too padded.
50-Black unnecessarily destroys time machine, sets up half a dozen unnecessary episodes. This one didn't have much padding itself, though.
51-Literally the entire episode.
52-I understand that a lot of people like this episode, but all of the development is artificial, the only time it ties in is during another time-filler scene. This one is pretty much entirely padding as well.
53-There are a few minutes total of Zamasu's development, the rest is padding.
54-This is a tricky one. The story demands that Trunks trains with Vegetation, but this doesn't really fit with that. I hesitantly say this one is almost entirely padding, too, the only exemption being Zamasu's scenes.
55-This one's pretty good, no unnecessary padding.
56-Same
57-In fights like this, it's hard to judge it by the same criteria, seems good though.
58-Mostly padding.
59-Unnecessarily dragged out buildup. Almost entirely padding until the last 5 minutes or so.
60-Almost entirely padding. Goku Black reveals his identity, so that's neat, I guess.
61-Mostly padding up until the Trunks bit at the end.
62-Almost entirely padding, other than the Mafuba scene
63-Some padding throughout, but not too much.
64-Entirely padding other than the Mafuba/merging scenes.
65-Drags its ass through, but nothing is ridiculously unnecessary.
66-Oddly uneven padding, but not too much.
67-Not much padding.

Luckily, I made notes last time I watched through. The story could have been condensed into an arc half as long, and with room to spare. Or, more preferably, a movie. Whatever your opinion on it is, the anime arc was padded half to death. It's an indisputable fact.[/spoiler]

Agreed. The first two thirds of episode 60 and episode 65 are the worst offenders to me.

We'll find out in a couple of weeks but it seems the whole Mafuba detour is exclusive to the anime, which I would call significant padding and came at the expense of turning various characters incompetent.

Mainly the villains, first Black and Zamasu let Trunks escape after he "sacrifices" himself to let the others escape. This should have never happened logically, worst is that they didn't even try to come up with a scenario to justify this. Next episode Trunks is safe; Black and Zamasu are chilling in their vacation house. It's as if the last few episodes had never happened.

Then the result of the Mafuba itself: Goku forgets the seal and ridicules this whole plot point(his own character included); Zamasu after being on the receiving end of the only technique that could defeat him and Black, decides to turn to fusion and you know turn, put the threat in a single package which is much easier to seal.
Sure now Zamasu knows about the Mafuba, therefore making it much less likely to work with the plus of turning much stronger. But he still increased the odds of being captured significantly.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

We'll find out in a couple of weeks but it seems the whole Mafuba detour is exclusive to the anime, which I would call significant padding and came at the expense of turning various characters incompetent.

It was crucial to Zamasu's fusion in the anime, even if it adds a little fat, so I didn't count the Mafuba under "excess padding".

[LightBing]

We'll find out in a couple of weeks but it seems the whole Mafuba detour is exclusive to the anime, which I would call significant padding and came at the expense of turning various characters incompetent.

It was crucial to Zamasu's fusion in the anime, even if it adds a little fat, so I didn't count the Mafuba under "excess padding".

Wasn't the fusion already in their plans? I'm pretty sure that's the case. It still had a role but I wouldn't call it crucial for the fusion.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

Wasn't the fusion already in their plans? I'm pretty sure that's the case. It still had a role but I wouldn't call it crucial for the fusion.

Before they fused, they said something to the affect of "the time is ripe", meaning that it always existed as a contingency. However, it didn't appear to be something they were going to do regardless. They fused because Immortal Zamasu was terrified of being sealed away again.

[LightBing]

Wasn't the fusion already in their plans? I'm pretty sure that's the case. It still had a role but I wouldn't call it crucial for the fusion.

Before they fused, they said something to the affect of "the time is ripe", meaning that it always existed as a contingency. However, it didn't appear to be something they were going to do regardless. They fused because Immortal Zamasu was terrified of being sealed away again.

The last chapter of the manga strongly implies that the fusion is part of the Zero humans plan, with all the importance given to Black's body and it's growth. Of course the anime might not have implied much, so I might be fusing(pun intended) the sources together.
Out of all the problems in the Mafuba plot point, Zamasu being scared into fusing is actually plausible. I don't have that much of a problem with it, resolving the problem by brute force is a way, even if it's not the wisest for the reasons I stated previously.

Next chapter will be interesting. I really hope the Mafuba is absent. Vegetto could be the catalyst, makes sense to me. Either that or even Black in Rosé, assuming he gets it next chapter, still won't be enough to defeat Goku and Vegeta.

[samuo2]

Whether or not you agree with that, keep in mind; Toyotaro's manga is promotional, it's not prioritized. It's not even the only thing he's working on, and he cranks out 40 pages a month, that's a lot! You absolutely can't expect a manga with less pages per month than Toriyama's to compete with an anime that moves 5 times quicker than the original.

I don't think anyone holds it to an unrealistic standard, everyone knows it's just a promotional manga. We can understand the situation and circumstances that he's in, but that doesn't mean that we can't criticize it.

I permit my-self to return on these points.

Where guys have you ever see that Toyotarô's manga was announced as a promotional one?
I searched both in News and the Guide of Kanzenshuu, no one talks about a 'promotional manga'.

[spoiler][/spoiler]
Source

[spoiler][/spoiler]
Source

The sentences are clear 'manga adaptation' and nothing else.
The 'promotional manga' statu of Toyotarô's manga is a pure fans speculation and come from 2 things:its monthly publication and his BoG part rushed, which was the only rushed part by the way.
Does a monthly publication means necessarily 'promotional' ? No. The only exemple that comes in mind (I don't read that much manga) is the manga adaptation of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Both Dragon Ball Super and Neon Genesis Evangelion mangas just tell their own version of the story, with an overall consistent without the necessity to check out the anime version. However, it seems impossible for some people to accept that it can be monthly published and having the statu of stand-alone manga.

Defaults of a manga doesn't reconsider it's statu too. You can't put it in a case just because the story isn't what you expected or you think there is missing elements, it's called personal gusts.

Call Toyotarô's manga 'promotional' has something degrading and change your way of judging/criticise it (in French 'criticise' isn't pejorative only, it can be both negative or positive).

[Jinzoningen MULE]

Where guys have you ever see that Toyotarô's manga was announced as a promotional one?

It premiers monthly as part of a promotional magazine, that it's a promotional product isn't even in question. If it were the central product, it would likely be in a weekly magazine.

[Ajay]

Where guys have you ever see that Toyotarô's manga was announced as a promotional one?

Just the fact it's in V Jump says it all.

Further explanation from VegettoEX:

We knew it was only a companion, promotional piece from the start and can still consider it that for a variety of reasons, many of which have been outright stated, but others you just need to look at it in context to understand:

It's published in V-Jump

V-Jump is a monthly publication, and is Shueisha's multimedia-focused magazine (primarily for video game coverage, but also to help promote their various properties). It's not where their properties LIVE, it's where their properties get PROMOTED. V-Jump has decent circulation, but it's not a primary location that Shueisha publishes manga within. The big one is, obviously enough, Weekly Shonen Jump; that's where Dragon Ball was originally serialized, and it's where all the actual heavy-hitters go. If you're big-time, you're not in V-Jump. You're in V-Jump if you're supplementing or promoting something else. It's for spin-offs and sequels, not main products.

It's written by a different artist under a pseudonym

Toyotaro is not Akira Toriyama. I mean, that's totally obvious, but it's an important point. Sure, we know Toriyama's not really interested in writing major manga series anymore (particularly on a strict weekly schedule), but that someone else is handling the manga adaptation speaks volumes. You can promote it's new Dragon Ball, but you can't promote that it's new Dragon Ball direct from the pen of the original author himself. That already knocks it down a peg. Regardless of Toyotaro's talent and what Toriyama says about him, at the end of the day, he's just not Toriyama. Furthermore, he doesn't even have his own real name - he's just a semi-anonymous figurehead for Shueisha to trot out.

It's not a stand-alone product in and of itself

The earlier Battle of Gods manga chapters jump all over the place, and though it's a continuing story, for a little bit there it doesn't literally go from the exact same setup/scene to the next appropriate scene on a chapter-by-chapter basis. Once you get past that, you suddenly skip an entire story arc. Unless you understand what the Dragon Ball Super manga is, and can contextually place it among the other stuff going on and being released, it's not the easiest thing in the world to follow. Sure, you can fill in the holes on your own, but an actual story doesn't get written that way when it's supposed to stand on its own.

We were told it was a "comicalization" from the start

Right with the first chapter, Toyotaro said:

Getting to see a new DB anime series every week makes me too happy! With this comicalization, I want to make my own small contribution to the excitement, so everyone please check out the manga, too!

You have to read between the lines there a little bit, but not so much that it's not clear: the manga isn't the main product here.

Sooooooooo...

Yes, Toyotaro's comic seems to, in some ways, be its own independent adaptation of Toriyama's scripts/plot-points. Toyotaro gets to do his own thing from time to time, adding his own flourishes, focusing on certain aspects, and telling the series of events in slightly different ways. At the end of the day though, he and his product are in the position of supporting something else.