Dragon Ball Super: Manga Chapter 103 - Official Discussion Thread

[nineko]

It was hard to avoid all the spoilers (I actively avoided this forum for the past few days), because I wanted to read the chapter in a legit way and be surprised of it, and now that it's finally released in the Shonen Jump app, I gotta say that I loved it, best chapter in a long while.

Sure, there still are many fighting scenes, but they don't overstay their welcome (unlike those in the Granolah arc), it was a wise move to have Goku wrap his match (or "duel", as Vegeta said), and have Vegeta ask for his turn after Broly, to keep things short, and it was nice to see all those happy Saiyans in the aftermath of what I presume became an impromptu battle royale.

Good interactions between the characters, too, I always like when dialogues are in line with the expected personalities, I can totally see why Vegeta is happy to see so many thriving Saiyans around him, being the prideful prince that he is. A few years ago all he knew was that his planet was destroyed and there were only four of them left (though he should have technically know about his brother, so five), and now there's a bunch of pure and half (and quarter) breeds to make his beloved race stronger than ever. And he'll want to be stronger than all of them, of course.

Also, Lemo is growing on me as a character, he's probably the politest person in the dragon world.

I'm not one who usually writes long essays, especially because English isn't my native language, but yeah, I really liked this chapter. I'm conflicted about what to expect in the future because of what happened recently, and I'm sorry if I'm being this enthusiastic at a time which might seem inappropriate, but... I genuinely enjoyed this chapter and I do look forward to see what they have in store.

★★★★★ would read again.

[Issei189]

The fight scenes of UI Goku vs Beast Gohan were good. Gohan looked pretty badass with Beast's lightning bolts around him in the panels. Anyways, It also was good to Broly finally having control of his SS form at will and that moment of Pan interacting with Goku at the end was heart warming.

[AliTheZombie13]

I don't know if this really needs to be spoilered, but since the chapter isn't officially out, might as well be safe.

Spoiler:

I've seen a lot of controversy on Twitter and other sites about Goku forgetting Pan and I'm really conflicted on the whole thing. If it is just a pun about Pan's name meaning 'bread', and Goku getting confused, then that's fine. But if that isn't the case, and the intention of the line is just that Goku completely forgot Pan existed, then that's really disappointing and frustrating. It's not funny, it just makes Goku's character as a whole worse, and I really wish Super would stop doing stuff like this.

Spoiler:

The scene indicates that he forgot about her, yeah. It felt unbelievably stupid.

Spoiler:

I keep hearing arguments that Goku forgetting Pan was something that was done to somehow connect it to GT, since he also forgets her there. And I'm like... that never happened in GT? Him not recognizing her is something completely different from him forgetting about her existence altogether.

[kemuri07]

Hard not to associate that chapter title with recent events and the relationship between Toriyama and Toyotarou.

I'm looking forward to seeing if this chapter will include some kind of tribute.

nothing major. Just a note by the english language team that they are deeply sorry about Toriyama's passing.


This was fine. I've been mildly enjoying these epilogue chapters if only because it does focus on these lovable characters goofing off with each other.

[JulieYBM]

It's a bit of a 'whatever' chapter, but I felt like the ending silent montage was done well and captured a good mood. Gokuu forgetting who Pan is is such a bad and pointless moment, it doesn't really do or say anything and isn't even funny.

Hopefully everyone on Toyo-tarou's team gets to rest for a while.

[eledoremassis02]

It's a bit of a 'whatever' chapter, but I felt like the ending silent montage was done well and captured a good mood. Gokuu forgetting who Pan is is such a bad and pointless moment, it doesn't really do or say anything and isn't even funny.

Hopefully everyone on Toyo-tarou's team gets to rest for a while.

I feel like that montage would be a great way to end the manga. They've well past the point of explaining how any of this lines up with EOZ so if it stopped now, that would be a good way to do it (if they didn't delay the whole Frieza thing).

[SSGpotota]

Goku and Gohan's fight felt a little bit too long for me, but it was cool nonetheless, and I loved how Broly got excited.
Also, he finally controls SSJ Green! (I hope it's actually still green)
I always thought Cale would get involved somehow in teaching Broly how to control it, but Gohan makes sense too. It all happened too quickly tho, I would have loved something slow and gradual that takes 2/3 of an arc to achieve.
I don't know how to take Goku forgetting about Pan. For now my reaction is the same as Vegeta's.
Funny that after seing this powerful beings beating each other up, Magenta is like "We still have Red Pharmaceuticals, right? So let's keep making pharmaceuticals..."
The ending was really heartwarming...
It will be hard to wait, but Toyotaro definitely deserves a good break to rest. The pressure must be agonizing, but I always liked Super despite all its flaws.
I think the manga is in good hands.

[JulieYBM]

It's a bit of a 'whatever' chapter, but I felt like the ending silent montage was done well and captured a good mood. Gokuu forgetting who Pan is is such a bad and pointless moment, it doesn't really do or say anything and isn't even funny.

Hopefully everyone on Toyo-tarou's team gets to rest for a while.

I feel like that montage would be a great way to end the manga. They've well past the point of explaining how any of this lines up with EOZ so if it stopped now, that would be a good way to do it (if they didn't delay the whole Frieza thing).

They'll probably still want to do at least one more story arc to wrap up Freeza, but I also wouldn't be surprised if Toy-tarou did an adaption of Daima before then. My concern is that they'll be non-commital and non-decisive about really trying to create an ending and new character arcs without Toriyama there to add so-called legitimacy to what they come up with.

[Jack Bz]

I actually really enjoyed this chapter and think it's definitely the closest thing to a good ending the manga as a whole has had. If it wasn't for Freeza of course.

But Goku forgetting Pan. Honestly it makes sense with how he spends his time but it makes me feel bad. And definitely feels incongruous with Z as Goku and Pan were portrayed as extremely close there.

Apparently the hiatus is only 1 month long! That's interesting.

[Koitsukai]

Well what do you know? Broly finally turned SS, it wasn't that hard. He just needed to be told to hold it before snapping, after taking a beating, lol. No need for any deep stuff, and it makes sense because he is a prodigy, he learns on the spot.
This chapter was fun, Broly and Gohan was a surprise, and the battle royale as well. They really had Gohan fight literally every inmigrant available, one after the other.
UI Goku at full power was so interesting to see, specially because people were complaining about how boring UI had been looking lately.

Good that the RR guys are seeking greener pastures, that company has already offered everything it could.

That Pan joke, smh, well that's hardly a joke, it's just sad. Humor is subjective, but damn... if Goku will end up looking like an idiot, at least do your best, man. Because that's nobody's best. I know we like DB thus we can't read, but at least respect our sense of humor. Toyo.
DB's humor really went downhill, considering I couldn't stop laughing with the original story and now, the latest joke is this: Goku forgetting, not just neglecting, his family. They really went to town with the "Goku gives 0 fucks about his family" concept, uh?".

The uplifting ending was really well done, reminded me of EoZ anime when Goku and Pan have some ice cream and a good time. This would be the best way to jump to EoZ... too bad the Granola arc existed, and Black Freeza is still a loose end. Boy, that arc is still a source of troubles.
Also, no Tori-bot????? what the hell???

[FortuneSSJ]

Piccolo was Toriyama's favourite character.
Pan's teacher was one of the last designs from him.
The last page is like saying goodbye to Toriyama.

[Mr Baggins]

My thoughts this month are virtually the same as the last two months.

As standalone material, it's a good chapter. The character interactions are still snappy and zany fun, and I like that it subverts the expectations of people that wanted a clear-cut "win" from one of these characters by just having everyone disappear into a cartoonish puff of smoke that left them all too exhausted to keep fighting. Endearing bit with Pan at the end there too.

As an epilogue to Super Hero specifically, these chapters kinda blow. The prologue did a much better job of tying into the arc's story. This is superfluous in comparison, and mainly feels like an extended advertisement for Sparking! ZERO. Don't get me wrong: I can't wait to entertain myself with all these dumb fantasy match-ups when that comes out, but a video game, this is not.

It just depends on one's framing, I guess. I sorta wish these chapters were an epilogue to the manga as a whole instead, Freeza be damned, because they read much better under that context. With all these doofuses vying for the top spot, the Oracle Fish's prophecy simply referred to the rivals we made along the way. Fin.

_______________________

As I said in the other thread, my readership from here on out is contingent. If Toriyama was posthumously involved in the next story arc or it's at least announced to be the final arc, I'll keep reading the manga on a monthly basis after it returns from its hiatus.

Otherwise, I think the Moro and Granolah arcs are enough to tell us what the series looks like with Toyotaro at the helm, and it's just not good enough for me to keep up with actively. That's not to say I won't eventually pick it back up – Toyotaro is about as close to Toriyama's writing style as anyone will get, even if that isn't nearly as close as I'd like, so I'll probably marathon everything I missed after the manga is over if it does indeed become a Toyble-only affair.

It's been a mostly fun ride, either way. I'm still somber over Toriyama leaving us two weeks after the news broke, but his work will always be with us. I'm more excited for Daima than anything right now, which I feel has the potential to blow Super out of the water.

[Gt91]

The last few chapters were amazing. Finally fights and interactions we've wanted to see for a long time.
I hope that from the next chapter/narrative arc we have a new starter point to give the right weight to all these characters, especially Broly, Goten and Trunks.

[nineko]

Piccolo saying goodbye in the last page is like saying goodbye to Toriyama.

I actually had to read those panels twice, because I didn't even notice the teacher at a first glance, and I thought that Piccolo was looking at us, breaking the fourth wall.

[Koitsukai]

Wait, Pan has light-coloured eyes now? in SH she had black eyes like in GT and EoZ.

[Hugo Boss]

Despite some loose ends, I think this chapter gave a decent closure to the Super Hero theme, presenting a good amount of potential super heroes that could rival the gods (nice observation, Beerus-sama). There was a clear build-up for Broly, and, as predicted, not that Goku and Vegeta were unfit for this purpose, far from that, but Gohan was the one who could help him out the most in this journey. I’m glad they made this interaction happen.

And, on top of that, it was close to Saiyan Day (March 18th). You can tell the characters were very satisfied at the end of their battle royale. Props for respecting Goku, Gohan and Broly. Not so much for the Saiyan prince, who I felt was oddly sidelined, but I guess he had to be sacrificed for the sake of the protagonists.

I also was waiting for some kind of payoff for Goten and Trunks by having them fusing perfectly. It would tie greatly with the prologue chapters and would be a redemption for the consecutive use of those silly fat jokes. I’m not a fan of stupid-Goku moments either. The editors really need to revise these details before release, they have long overstayed their welcome.

Anyway, good stuff with Goku’s ultra instinct and more exposition about Gohan’s beast. I liked they left that duel undecided in respect for Goku. Made me reread the first tournament arcs with Roshi, specially the 21th and 22nd. And finally the last panels, who were touching given the circumstances, I must admit. If this was saved for the real end of Dragon Ball Super, it would be feel perfect.

★★★★ chapter for me.

[Koitsukai]

Also, there are some panels where Goku looks way off, like when Goku explains why he stopped fighting Gohan... those are the things Toriyama used to correct, fuck me

[Rafa Fast]

I really loved this one, just disappointed that Carmine and 15 didn't do anything, why did they go there? There was absolutely no point to put them in these chapters.
But it was very fun chapter and I really felt it was made to celebrate Toriyama's legacy, everyone's having fun fighting and a peaceful time, i felt Toyotaro had fun drawing it too, the last panels with no dialogue really gave me finale vibes, and even though Piccolo was saying goodbye to the teacher I think it was also intentional to say goodbye to the reader and Toriyama at the same time, and really liked the message in the ending. May this break be good for Toyotaro to rest and decide what he'll be doing ^^

Wait, Pan has light-coloured eyes now? in SH she had black eyes like in GT and EoZ.

Not light-coloured and it was always like that since the beginning of the arc, as the lines represent a darker color for the iris, it's accurate to what you see in Super Hero movie, which wasn't like GT and EoZ.

[super michael]

This was a great chapter, so we see how Beast form is different compared to UI. Gohan managed to hit UI Goku when he is going all out.
Broly learns to control his power and transform without going berserk thanks to Gohan. Gohan and Broly are similar in how they power up.

Then in the end Goten, Trunks, Gohan, Goku, Broly and Vegeta they have a battle royal battle style, which they end up all on the floor satisfied.

On earth Pan test her powers against Goku and then end up racing against each other.

This was a 10/10.

I wonder how long the break will last. Although Toyotaro should take a long break, since I am sure it must have been hard on him knowing Toriyama died.

[picc]

Well what do you know? Broly finally turned SS, it wasn't that hard. He just needed to be told to hold it before snapping, after taking a beating, lol. No need for any deep stuff, and it makes sense because he is a prodigy, he learns on the spot.

That part was funny to me. It was basically

Broly: Help, I can't go SSJ without going nuts
103: Okay, know how when you're about to go SSJ, you go nuts?
Broly: Yeah
103: Why don't you try.... not going nuts?
Broly: Oh shit!!

I mean, appreciated the speed it happened with and am glad it happened so fast, but that tickled me. It seemed like AT was trying to hurry it up before things got worse and said fuck it.

Anyway, I loved the chapter from start to finish. Hate that its going on hiatus and maybe ending. Praying AT left notes for them to continue on with his vision.