Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission

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Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission
First page of the debut Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission chapter
ドラゴンボールヒーローズビクトリーミッション Doragon Bōru Hīrōzu Bikutorī Misshon
Author	Toyotarō
Publisher	Shueisha
Publication	V-Jump
Demographic	Shōnen
Manga Series
Original Run	V-Jump November 2012 issue to Super Dragon Ball Heroes: Path of Heroes ―HEROES MEMORIES― (21 September 2012 - 29 August 2024)
Chapters	30 (List of Chapters) + bonus chapters
Volumes	Currently uncollected

Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission is a promotional manga series written by Toyotarō, in coordination with Bandai Namco Entertainment, that ran in earnest for over two years in Shueisha's monthly V-Jump magazine (from 2012 to 2014), with supplemental and finale chapters released sporadically throughout and after.

The series follows a group of young protagonists as they enter the game world of Dragon Ball Heroes, while not-so-subtly explaining new game mechanics and showcasing new cards to readers in the process.

Plot

Beat rushes to his local arcade to play the latest mission of Dragon Ball Heroes. Beat is sent into the game itself by Sora, a Capsule Corp. battle navigator, where he is joined by various heroes. Beat befriends several characters over the course of the series (Note, Erito, Froze, etc.). The group competes in various tournaments, collecting new cards and friends along the way. The "real world" is soon thrust into danger, however...

History

Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission debuted with a two-page chapter 21 September 2012 in the November 2012 issue of Shueisha's monthly V-Jump magazine. While early chapters did not necessarily segue directly into one another each subsequent month, the story became more and more of a standard serialization as it continued onward. Chapters were initially of varying length, generally between two and nine pages each. Beginning in 2014, chapters lengthened to 15-17 pages, focusing on a continuing story arc for the characters. Each chapter focuses on then-current or upcoming additions (new cards, abilities, characters, etc.) in the arcade game.

The series went on an announced hiatus after 28 monthly chapters, presumably for Toyotarō to focus on the three-chapter introductory Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' manga adaptation (which ran in the April, May, and June 2015 issues of V-Jump), almost immediately then followed by the Dragon Ball Super "comicalization" (which itself ran in earnest for about nine years before its own extended hiatus).

In addition to several extra chapters printed in supplemental booklets such as the Jump Victory Carnival official guidebooks provided to event attendees, the series received a 29th chapter in the Bandai Official 5th Anniversary Fanbook: Dragon Ball Heroes 5th Anniversary Mission guide book released in November 2015. Leading up to the book's release, all 28 of the standard chapters were posted online for free.

The series received its final send-off with a three-page 30th chapter in the Super Dragon Ball Heroes: Path of Heroes ―HEROES MEMORIES― guide book released in August 2024.

• 
  November 2012 issue of V-Jump with the debut chapter of Victory Mission
• 
  Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Victory Book, the mail-away bonus from the October 2013 issue of V-Jump with a bonus Victory Mission chapter introducing Gotenks: Adult
• 
  Bandai Official 5th Anniversary Fanbook: Dragon Ball Heroes 5th Anniversary Mission, released in November 2015, with the 29th chapter of Victory Mission
• 
  Super Dragon Ball Heroes: Path of Heroes ―HEROES MEMORIES― guide book., released in August 2024, with the 30th and final chapter of Victory Mission

"Toyble" relays a message regarding the future of his "AF" comic

Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission is the debut work from Toyotarō. Upon the series' original release, comparisons between newcomer "Toyotarō" and Japanese fan manga artist/author "Toyble" were prevalent. In an August 2013 release of "Dragon Ball AF", Toyble stated:

…So, due to a variety of circumstances, I have been unable to continue drawing Dragon Ball AF.
But it’s a work I feel an attachment to, since I did get my start writing with it, and all.
No matter how many years it takes, I intend to keep writing.
I hope you’ll find it in your hearts to look on it fondly.
— Toyble, 10 August 2013

The message was published alongside the silhouette of a character (clearly that of Beat from Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission), as well as dialog within "AF" itself from Yi Xing Long stating that Toyble, the ruler of this world, cannot continue the story because he has begun something else instead, along with a mention of a card battle (another clear nod to Dragon Ball Heroes).

Characters

Major characters

• Beat (ビート, Bīto): The main character of Victory Mission. Designed as a male, Saiyan, Hero-type avatar character from the original arcade version of Dragon Ball Heroes, Beat's name can be interpreted in two ways: first and foremost, it would appear to be a vegetable-based pun on "beet" (since he uses a Saiyan avatar), but it can also be a reference to a musical "beat", setting up the naming scheme that carries through to the main female characters who are introduced in subsequent chapters.

• Note (ノート Nōto): The secondary protagonist of Victory Mission, and a Saiyan Hero-type avatar-user along with Beat. Like Beat, she trains with Sora at the Dragon Ball Heroes Research Center and aspires to be the strongest player of the game. Her name is a play on musical "notes", and sets up a name pun series that will be carried onward in the sixth chapter with another female character, perhaps in spite of Note being designed to resemble a female "Hero"-type Saiyan avatar from the arcade version of Dragon Ball Heroes.

• Erito (エリト Erito): A play on "elite", a type of avatar character from the original arcade version of Dragon Ball Heroes. Erito himself is a male, Saiyan, Elite-type avatar character from the original arcade version of Dragon Ball Heroes.

• Froze (フローズ Furōzu): A play on "froze", another word relating to the cold similar to Freeza, Coola, King Cold, Chilled, etc. The character's avatar is designed with a Hero-type Freeza Clan style of playable avatar characters from the original arcade version of Dragon Ball Heroes, though the "actual" character of Froze himself is human. Though shy and emotionally distant, Froze demonstrates himself to have an unmatched love for the Dragon Ball Heroes arcade game, holding even low-power and common cards dear. His father often uses English introductions, and Froze himself frequently employs full English phrases.

• Kagyu (カギュー Kagyū): A serious and sharp-minded Heroes competitor, Kagyu is the reining champion of the national Strongest Hero Tournament, and a user of the Namekian Berserker-type avatar. His name is taken from a less common reading of "蝸牛" (kagyuu), meaning "snail," aligning the character's name with those of previous Namekian characters.

• Kabra (カブラ Kabura): A play on the prototypical magic word "kadabra," and part of a double name-pun with his partner, the Neko Majin Abra. The character's avatar is designed after the Hero-type Majin playable avatar character from the arcade version of Dragon Ball Heroes, though the character himself is human.

Supporting characters

Battle Nagivators

• Sora (ソラ Sora): A play on 空 (sora), which is the final kanji in the name of the main character from Dragon Ball, Son Goku (孫 悟空 Son Gokū). Sora is a Dragon Ball Heroes officiator known as a "Battle Navigator," and runs the ''Dragon Ball Heroes'' Research Center where Beat and Note spend much of their time. Sora's appearance is obviously modeled on Goku as a Super Saiyan. The Victory Mission version of Sora is based on a live-action counterpart used in Dragon Ball Heroes promotional material.

• Yoshito-kun (よしとくん Yoshitokun): A Dragon Ball Heroes engineer, commentator and occasional tournament participant. As a participant, Yoshito-kun uses the Elite-type Majin playable avatar character from the arcade version of Dragon Ball Heroes. The Victory Mission version of Yoshito-kun is based on a live-action counterpart used in Dragon Ball Heroes promotional material.

• Tsubasa (ツバサ Tsubasa): A Heroes-officiating Battle Navigator and ally of Sora. When the Evil Dragons break lose inside the Heroes arcade game's virtual Battlefields, he recruits top competitors to help stop them. Tsubasa's appearance bears resemblance to the adult version of Gotenks. The Victory Mission version of Tsubasa is based on a live-action counterpart used in Dragon Ball Heroes promotional material.

• Momo-chan (ももちゃん Momochan): Sometimes referred to by the full title of "Battle Princess Momo-chan", Momo-chan is Battle Navigator like Tsubasa and Sora, and helps recruits top Heroes players to stop the Evil Dragons. Momo-chan wears a large ribbon in her hair, giving her a visual resemblance to Note. The Victory Mission version of Momo-chan is based on a live-action counterpart used in Dragon Ball Heroes promotional material.

Additional Dragon Ball Heroes Members

• Abra (アブラ Abura): First appearing as an ordinary cat in tow with Kabra, Abra's true form is that of Neko Majin V (ネコマジンV Nekomajin V), a rather talentless Neko Majin who is cursed to take on the form of a house cat after losing his Majin Orb until he commits what he considers to be 1,000 good deeds. To take his word for it, Abra may be the grandson of Z, the protagonist of Akira Toriyama's Neko Majin Z manga. His name is taken from the prototypical magic words "abra kadabra," forming a combination name pun with his friend and owner, Kabra.

• Nico (ニコ Niko): An artificial human Elite-type avatar-user who enters the national Strongest Hero Tournament along with her siblings, Nimu and Genom. Her grandfather is Dr. Auto. Her name is taken from potential readings of the numbers "two" and "five" in Japanese, connecting her to the numbering scheme used by the artificial humans in the original series.

• Nimu (二ム Nimu): An artificial human Hero-type avatar-user who enters the national Strongest Hero Tournament and faces off against Beat and co. His siblings are Nico and Genom, and his grandfather is Dr. Auto. His name is taken from a potential reading of the numbers "two" and "six" in Japanese, connecting him to the numbering scheme used by the artificial humans in the original series.

• Genom (ゲノム Genomu): An artificial human Beserker-type avatar-user who enters the national Strongest Hero Tournament along with his siblings, Nico and Nimu. Though he originally seems to aid his siblings in their plan to allow Dr. Auto to use the Dragon Balls sealed in the Heroes Battlefield, he reveals he has plans of his own. His name is likely taken from the English word "genome," in connection with his avatar bearing resemblance to the genetically engineered artificial human Cell.

• Salaga (サラガ Saraga): A Berserker-type Majin avatar-user who is possessed by the Evil Dragons after turning up for the re-opened Strongest Hero Tournament, itself a sham organized by the Evil Dragons to lure in victims. He does battle with Kabra in a battlefield modeled after the ancient Kaioshin Realm. His name is a play on the magic words making up the lyrics of "Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo" in Disney's Cinderella—in particular the line "salaga-doola"—sharing a name theme with Bibbidi, Bobbidi and Boo in the original manga, as well as a magic-word theme with Kabra and Abra.

Other Characters

• Beat's Mom (ビートの母 Bīto No Haha): Beat's study-minded mother, concerned about her son prioritizing games over school. In both visuals and personality, Beat's Mom is modeled after Chi-Chi.

• Beat's Grandfather (ビートの祖父 Bīto No Sofu): Beat's grandfather, who lives with him and his mother. Beat's Grandfather has an inherent trust in his grandson's ability to tell the difference between right and wrong, and often sides with him in arguments. Though he encourages Beat to keep up with his studies, he also harbors a love of Dragon Ball Heroes and will create opportunities to challenge his grandson at the game. Visually, Beat's Grandfather is based on Grandpa Gohan.

• Dr. Auto (Dr.オート, Dr. Ōto): An otherwise kindly scientist who co-opts the Heroes game machines' dimensional-transfer properties to create a functioning time machine. Dr. Auto travels to the past to retrieve the long-vanished Dragon Balls, but inadvertently takes them from an era in which they are about to release the Evil Dragons, causing Sora to trap him and the Dragon Balls within a Heroes virtual battlefield. He is the grandfather of Nimu, Nico and Genom. His name is based on "auto-," a prefix commonly used to refer to machinery, in reference to his mechanical skills.

Chapters

Original Serialization

#	Chapter Title	Pages	Publication	Issue Date	Sale Date
1	Mission 1: The Fiendish Janenba-Baby!!	2	V-Jump	November 2012	21 September 2012
2	Mission 2: Bursting Forth!! Super Ability!!	2	V-Jump	December 2012	20 October 2012
3	Mission 3: The Mightiest Heroine, "Note"!!	9	V-Jump	January 2013	21 November 2012
4	Mission 4: A Rival Appears?!	7	V-Jump	February 2013	21 December 2012
5	Mission 5: The Last Spot For the Finals	7	V-Jump	March 2013	21 January 2013
6	Mission 6: Clash! Beat vs Froze	4	V-Jump	April 2013	21 February 2013
7	Mission 7: The Fate of the Championship	8	V-Jump	May 2013	21 March 2013
8	Mission 8: Froze's Secret	5	V-Jump	June 2013	20 April 2013
9	Mission 9: The Battle for Area Representative Begins	4	V-Jump	July 2013	21 May 2013
10	Mission 10: Astounding! The Artificial Human Avatars	6	V-Jump	August 2013	21 June 2013
11	Mission 11: The Battle to Determine the Strongest Hero	8	V-Jump	September 2013	20 July 2013
12	Mission 12: The Day Sora Vanished	5	V-Jump	October 2013	21 August 2013
13	Mission 13: A Sinister Shadow Approaches	7	V-Jump	November 2013	21 September 2013
14	Mission 14: Shenlong(?) Appears!!	7	V-Jump	December 2013	21 October 2013
15	Mission 15: Seven Evil Dragons	10	V-Jump	January 2014	21 November 2013
16	Mission 16: Formed! The Dragon Ball Heroes!!	7	V-Jump	February 2014	21 December 2013
17	Mission 17: Disciples of the Evil Dragons	16	V-Jump	March 2014	21 January 2014
18	Mission 18: Amazing! The Super Class Upgrade	15	V-Jump	April 2014	21 February 2014
19	Mission 19: "King's" Choice!!	15	V-Jump	May 2014	20 March 2014
20	Mission 20: A Surprising Helper	17	V-Jump	June 2014	21 April 2014
21	Mission 21: Froze's Determination	15	V-Jump	July 2014	21 May 2014
22	Mission 22: Fiendish! Mind Break	15	V-Jump	August 2014	21 June 2014
23	Mission 23: Single Blow of Wishes	15	V-Jump	September 2014	19 July 2014
24	Mission 24: Evil Dragons Crowd In!!!	15	V-Jump	October 2014	21 August 2014
25	Mission 25: The Demon's Surprise Attack!!!	15	V-Jump	November 2014	20 September 2014
26	Mission 26: Heroes Defeated	15	V-Jump	December 2014	21 October 2014
27	Mission 27: Hero Mission	15	V-Jump	January 2015	21 November 2014
28	Mission 28: Dark Dragon	15	V-Jump+	February 2015	20 December 2014

Supplemental Chapters

#	Chapter Title	Pages	Publication	Issue Date	Sale Date
n/a	Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission in "Battle of Gods"	1	V-Jump	May 2013	21 March 2013
n/a	(untitled)	9	Saikyō V-Jump Festa 2013 Official Guidebook	2013	20 July 2013
n/a	Away Mission	5	Saikyō Jump	December 2013	02 November 2013
n/a	Explosive Birth!! Gotenks: Adult	20	Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Victory Book	n/a	November 2013
n/a	Victory Mission Extra Story	10	Saikyō Jump	July 2014	04 June 2014
n/a	(untitled)	10	Jump Victory Carnival 2014 Official Guidebook	2014	19 July 2014
29	Mission 29: Beat Awakens	10	Bandai Official 5th Anniversary Fanbook: Dragon Ball Heroes 5th Anniversary Mission	n/a	19 November 2015
30	Mission 30: Onward To The Next Hero	3	Super Dragon Ball Heroes: Path of Heroes ―HEROES MEMORIES―	n/a	29 August 2024