"Dragon Ball Super (Manga)" Official Discussion Thread

[Bardock God of Time]

thank u Batman!

I guess it's still a waiting game with the manga. As much hopium as I would love to inhale, I don't believe that things are resolved yet with the manga and that he'a already drawing next chapters. His twitter bio change is super obvious hint that he's trying to make things happen (maybe with Torishima and Iyoku's help, maybe not) and that it is a very difficult if he felt the need to publicly hint at it. If he was already drawing next chapters, he wouldn't have put up that bio at all IMO, what would be the point if manga was restarting within the next 2-3 months

I also don't think anything is being drawn, but I do believe discussions are being held about when, and especially how to continue the manga. Fans gave him and Toei a lot of leeway as a result of Toriyama's name being attached to their work (unlike GT which got thrown under the bus even when it did things right), but that's not a luxury they will have moving forward. Everything he does moving forward will be put under a magnifying glass by both fans and critics, and honestly, I wouldn't exactly blame him if he decided to walk away. If the team behind GT was ripped to shreds as a result of Toriyama's lack of involvement, just imagine what he and the others will have to deal with now that he's not involved as a result of passing away.

Very true BUT - they may easily say "based on Toriyama draft" for whatever that Black Freeza saga is and it would not only be logical but very plausible too, then people would instantly accept it as the final Toriyama-involved Super arc and the finale of the whole era. Now, what comes after that would be a harder sell, but that's a whole different discussion what to even do with this franchise post-EOZ

I'd like to think Toriyama had some notes and rules regarding Frieza. I'd imagine Frieza is one of Toriyama's favorite villains as he keeps coming back, if they were to do a Black Frieza arc...would Toriyama have wanted Frieza to die or be hakai'd?

I can't see Frieza being redeemed. I also can't see Frieza becoming a Beerus type character either, imagine Frieza showing up to Bulma's birthday or the End of Z World Tournament lmao.

Personally I'd love to see Frieza's race origins and if there's more of his people out in the universe and Frieza's son Kuriza. Maybe get Frost involved in this arc?

[angeldreamZ004]

Not sure if this is the right thread for this to be posted, but I still would like to share it anyway. The Official DB site started a poll at Goku Day where you can vote for which is your favorite DBS manga cover art. They say the most voted cover art will receive a new version drawn by Toyotaro himself in August. My vote goes to Volume 15 cover art.

https://en.dragon-ball-official.com/dra ... 1778475960

It's also interesting to note how this also features the back cover art of the volumes, and I'm pretty sure this is the first time we're seeing the actual original illustrations without that blue filter.

[Gapudo]

I'm reading the Trunks and Goten saiyamen arc. It sucks, but it's still Dragon Ball

Anyway, how can Trunks be afraid of ghosts when Gotenks literally shot ghosts out of his mouth? Makes sense?

[angeldreamZ004]

I guess this pretty much confirms the hiatus will continue into August as well
https://x.com/sekai_db/status/2057121662563152284?s=12

[The Dark Knight]

I guess this pretty much confirms the hiatus will continue into August as well
https://x.com/sekai_db/status/2057121662563152284?s=12

I highly doubt we'll get any major updates until Jump Festa later this December.

[angeldreamZ004]

The Dark Knight I personally think that Jump Festa when it comes to new big Dragon Ball announcements, had a questionable track record in the latest 4 / 5 years.
The last big announcement for a long time was in the 2021 edition (JF 2022), where the second trailer for Super Hero was revealed + the movie's release date. Then at the 2024 edition (JF 2025) there was the announcement for the Special One Shot chapter of Super.
But aside from that, the other editions all featured Toyotaro illustrations only, or some extra details on Daima such as Toriyama's designs for a few characters in the 2024 edition.
All other big Dragon Ball Anime-Manga-Games announcements were made in regular V-Jump maganizes or through other official sources and events.

1-The Super Hero Highschool Arc was announced in the V-Jump January 2023 Edition (November 2022)
2-Sparking Zero was announced in DB Games Battle Hour March 2023.
3-Daima was announced at New York Comic Con 2023.
4-Super Beerus and The Galactic Patrol were announced on Genkidamatsuri this year.
5-Victory Uchida's statement about the Super manga not returning in 2025 was made at the Jump Victory Carnival on July 2025.

I think the pattern tells us that we could get major updates prior to Jump Festa.

[sangofe]

I guess this pretty much confirms the hiatus will continue into August as well
https://x.com/sekai_db/status/2057121662563152284?s=12

I highly doubt we'll get any major updates until Jump Festa later this December.

Would make sense for the manga to come back at the start of DBS Beerus or DBS Galactic Patrol arc.

[angeldreamZ004]

I hope it will be when DBS Beerus starts, or before its premiere just like how the first chapter was released a month prior to the anime's first episode.

Though I fear the fact that the franchise's main animation sector can work more independently from the manga now since the Capsule Corp Tokyo took over can indicate that we may be getting an ongoing anime during the hiatus of the manga.

Of course, you can argue that this already happened with Daima, but it's important to note that this still hasn't happened with any animation under the “Super” brand. The original Super anime started and ended + the two movies were released back when the manga was still ongoing. Since the manga stopped, we entered a limbo of new “Super” anime / movies as well. 

So maybe this is a good sign we may be getting the manga's return this fall as well, aside from Toyotaro himself to be seemingly uninterested in waiting till late 2027 to resume the serialization (supposedly when The Galactic Patrol will start)

[The Dark Knight]

I hope it will be when DBS Beerus starts, or before its premiere just like how the first chapter was released a month prior to the anime's first episode.

I think we would've gotten an announcement about its return by now if that was the plan, but I guess they could still announce something at next month's San Diego Comic Con.

[angeldreamZ004]

The Dark Knight but isn't Comic con only used for Akio Iyoku to reveal new trailers of Animated Projects? I don't recall that event being used for any manga related announcements.

[PhantomSaiyan]

Surprised I haven't seen anyone posting this, but here's Toyotaro's old man Goku illustration

I enjoy how it pays homage to that one off Toriyama drawing of an older Goku, I think he did a real good job on this.

[Koitsukai]

I like it, but I feel he is too jacked. I mean look at those veins, he's BP must be through the roof.

[Bardock God of Time]

I like it, but I feel he is too jacked. I mean look at those veins, he's BP must be through the roof.

Goku gonna get the Heart Virus again

[PhantomSaiyan]

I like it, but I feel he is too jacked. I mean look at those veins, he's BP must be through the roof.

That's how veins look in the summer, even on non jacked people lol

[Vegard Aune]

Surprised I haven't seen anyone posting this, but here's Toyotaro's old man Goku illustration

I enjoy how it pays homage to that one off Toriyama drawing of an older Goku, I think he did a real good job on this.

Most interesting thing to me here is once again that Toyotaro at least talks as if the story is going to continue.
"And even now, in 2026, Dragon Ball still hasn't ended! Toriyama-sensei, we might just actually see Goku looking like this someday!"


...I have to imagine Shueisha's non-committal-ness is not fun for him, either. Even if he wanted to try and do something else, he might feel somewhat locked down by the fact that he doesn't know if or when he's gonna be called back to draw DBS again.

[kiarasuraru]

...I have to imagine Shueisha's non-committal-ness is not fun for him, either. Even if he wanted to try and do something else, he might feel somewhat locked down by the fact that he doesn't know if or when he's gonna be called back to draw DBS again.

I feel bad for him in all honesty. He's in a very rock and hard place right now, and no matter how much "muh Toriyama successor" people keep throwing around, it is very clear that Toyo is very low in the totem pole and has no real influence on anything. I find it almost cute how some people genuinely believe he actually has a say on how the franchise will continue from now on.
He's just one of the many artists under Shueisha's payroll, and probably even on the "wrong side of history", considering Iyoku and CC were the ones who came out winning during the rights clusterfuck, at that too.
Hell, I'd even say that whole "Toriyama's Official Successor™" thing is keeping him, uh, trapped?, typecasted?, something like that. People only want/expect/hope for more Dragon Ball from him, and not because it's from "him" but because at the moment the Super manga getting out of hiatus is the only certain way known for Super to continue. Because, let's be honest now here, no one is bending themselves over looking forward to a Toyotaro Original Work.
It's not like the man's starving or anything. Probably. But it's certainly not a good spot to be in terms of career advancement.

[Trouser]

I feel bad for him too. I'm curious if Toriyama left something, some notes, designs, etc. but I don't care about Toyotarou's involvement at all.

[The Dark Knight]

Tite Kubo is returning to Weekly Shonen Jump for a new Bleach arc. Considering that One Piece may be over by the end of the decade, is it unreasonable to expect Dragon Ball may be moved to their primary magazine to fill in the gap left behind by Oda ? Considering that Jump has been struggling this entire decade to get a hit series off the ground, having Dragon Ball, Bleach, and maybe even Hunter X Hunter running alongside each other will buy them time to find the next big hit.

He's just one of the many artists under Shueisha's payroll, and probably even on the "wrong side of history", considering Iyoku and CC were the ones who came out winning during the rights clusterfuck, at that too.

Toyotaro is so insignificant (I don't mean this in a disrespectful way) in the grand scheme of things that he wasn't even mentioned, much less credited, for the arc he drew and wrote from the ground up when its anime adaption got announced; that's how low he is in the overall hierarchy of this franchise. The really bad thing about this is that if he can't get credited for the Moro arc, then that means he's not getting paid for it either. I know that working on the Dragon Ball franchise is the ultimate dream for every fan, but if you've been working on something for nearly 15 years (Toyotaro started his career on the Heroes manga back in 2012) and still have no career advancement options or recognition from your superiors, then it might be time to look for other opportunities. Between his excellent skills as an artist and being able to say he was mentored (if even in a limited capacity) by THE Akira Toriyama, I assume companies in Japan would be lining up to work with him. In the long run, he would be better off putting his skills into something original he can take ownership over and get properly recognized and compensated for.

[Cipher]

Tite Kubo is returning to Weekly Shonen Jump for a new Bleach arc. Considering that One Piece may be over by the end of the decade, is it unreasonable to expect Dragon Ball may be moved to their primary magazine to fill in the gap left behind by Oda ? Considering that Jump has been struggling this entire decade to get a hit series off the ground, having Dragon Ball, Bleach, and maybe even Hunter X Hunter running alongside each other will buy them time to find the next big hit.

He's just one of the many artists under Shueisha's payroll, and probably even on the "wrong side of history", considering Iyoku and CC were the ones who came out winning during the rights clusterfuck, at that too.

Toyotaro is so insignificant (I don't mean this in a disrespectful way) in the grand scheme of things that he wasn't even mentioned, much less credited, for the arc he drew and wrote from the ground up when its anime adaption got announced; that's how low he is in the overall hierarchy of this franchise. The really bad thing about this is that if he can't get credited for the Moro arc, then that means he's not getting paid for it either. I know that working on the Dragon Ball franchise is the ultimate dream for every fan, but if you've been working on something for nearly 15 years (Toyotaro started his career on the Heroes manga back in 2012) and still have no career advancement options or recognition from your superiors, then it might be time to look for other opportunities. Between his excellent skills as an artist and being able to say he was mentored (if even in a limited capacity) by THE Akira Toriyama, I assume companies in Japan would be lining up to work with him. In the long run, he would be better off putting his skills into something original he can take ownership over and get properly recognized and compensated for.

Toyotaro's lack of credit (and presumably royalties) heading into animated adaptions of creative work that is now largely his is one of the really ugly parts of the Super manga having been work for hire under an existing Shueisha brand.

On the one hand, it's what he signed on for, and in some ways it's no different to the Toei creators of original characters that have gone on to be used and reused in Dragon Ball ancillary media.

On the other hand, it kind of is different, and is something that just doesn't rear its head very often as direct cross-media adaptations of legacy manga series are still a relatively recent and uncommon thing, with I think bits of Boruto being the only ready comparison.

I'm also about 1,000 times less interested in seeing the Super manga return in a format where Toyotaro is just executing an Iyoku or studio-based story. Whatever your feelings on it, the Super manga quickly morphed into something that was very heavily to at points essentially fully his, and I hope he gets the chance to play it out largely on his own terms.

[angeldreamZ004]

In no way trying to defend the billion dollar companies here, but if I want to be fair, then I would have to consider saying things such as “Toyotaro has no recognition from superiors” or “Toyotaro didn't advance in his career” as not really true.

Outside of the manga, Toyotaro did art for games, such as Legends, where you can even see his name credited in the title screen.
The one and only Heroes game to have a release outside of Japan was the same game to have a villain designed by him.
They gave attention to his art so it could become official figures, in the package of one of them they even allowed to have his signature.
In the official DB Site and accounts, they often post about his art as well, they even made a poll recently encouraging fans to vote for their favorite “DBS manga cover illustration by Toyotaro” so he can make a new art to celebrate. Actually in the DB site itself his name is credited as well.
The special S.H.Figuarts collection was promoted by including a short manga illustrated by him.

So they are definitely interested in making Toyotaro's name more recognized and spoken as well, you can throw a few other stuff there as well, such as his commentaries for the Weekly Dragon Ball News, there is some effort on their part.

Of course, it's still not enough, it's not really proportionate to the effort Toyotaro himself puts in at all, and there's the odd situation of the Moro arc anime announcement, but who knows the stormy reasons behind it. It's important to note though that “Original Work by Toriyama” can sound very misleading, but more likely they just want to credit Toriyama for the original series creation, and not specifically Super or the Moro Arc. Of course, Toyotaro should have been credited as well, that's a problem, which is why I said it's still not enough.

Something very important I have to say though and I think everyone should talk more about, is that this case is not the worst when it comes to crediting Toyotaro. It's actually the official English translation for the Dragon Ball Super Manga, which explicitly always credits Toriyama directly as the story writer, and Toyotaro being responsible for the art only. And it seems to be a problem not only with the official English translation, I checked a few other languages as well, which, my bad, I don't know if there are different versions of them with different sources, but they seem to have the same problem.

That is a lot worse and more misleading than anything regarding the Moro arc anime adaptation and definitely doesn't help in Toyotaro getting more recognized outside of the Dragon Ball scene, if fans want to complain about the mistreatment, then they should focus more on the manga and its translation, because it's where the root of the problem begins, the lack of his name in the announcement for DBS the Galactic Patrol is just an extension of that. Capsule Corp Tokyo may be unable to do anything about it, that's a possibility, and it's Shueisha's fault (or not, could be both, we don't know)
-
Also that new 100th art of his me drew it! project looks really good as always (the amount of veins can look weird, but I appreciate how he always adds more details), I love how he's going through quite obscure stuff, would like to see his take on some of the original DBZ Gaiden characters.