Dragon Ball Super Artist Hints at Possible Manga Comeback
Fans of the Dragon Ball Super manga have been holding onto hope for its return for the past two years since the last chapter of the main storyline was released. A one-shot chapter appeared a year later, but it was merely a flashback celebrating the release of the final volume, leaving the series’ status uncertain even with the recent announcement of a reboot for the Dragon Ball Super anime. However, Toyotaro, the artist behind the manga under the guidance of the late Akira Toriyama, has given fans another reason to remain optimistic about a potential comeback.
On March 21, Toyotaro updated his X profile bio, stating, “Everything is for the return of the series.” While this shouldn’t be interpreted as an official confirmation of Dragon Ball Super’s return, it certainly offers fans something to hold onto. Over the past two years, Toyotaro has stayed active, creating monthly illustrations of Dragon Ball characters for V-Jump. Recently, he illustrated a three-page manga to accompany a history book for the SH Figuarts collection.
The Dragon Ball Super manga occupies a unique position within the franchise. Despite its dedicated fanbase, it often feels overshadowed. Launched alongside the anime, the manga sometimes seemed like a secondary product due to its slower release schedule and the overwhelming popularity of the show. In reality, both the manga and anime were designed to adapt Toriyama’s original story concepts in different ways. Toriyama typically provided Toyotaro with an outline for the plot and characters, retaining final approval over the finished work. As Toyotaro gained Toriyama’s trust, he was allowed more creative freedom, but the unfortunate passing of Toriyama left Dragon Ball Super in a state of uncertainty.
The manga faced challenges as it had to adapt the content of the Dragon Ball Super movies upon their release, but it also introduced original arcs that advanced Goku and his friends’ story in ways fans appreciated. For instance, the Moro Arc, which has been confirmed for the anime’s return, first debuted in the manga. The Granolah the Survivor Arc concluded on a significant cliffhanger before the manga was compelled to adapt the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero story, which felt like an extended wait for fans.
The rumored disputes over the franchise’s rights following Toriyama’s passing, combined with the focus on the anime, including Dragon Ball Daima and the upcoming return of Super, leaves the manga’s future shrouded in mystery. Yet, Toyotaro is keeping the flame of hope alive. His statement, “Everything is for the return of the series,” could reflect his dedication to reviving the Dragon Ball Super manga or serve as a subtle hint that news may be on the way. The pressing question for the future of the Dragon Ball franchise is who will carry on Toriyama’s creative legacy. While Toyotaro may not be able to match his mentor, fans of the Dragon Ball Super manga believe he deserves the opportunity to try.
