Dragon Ball Super was one of the most popular anime ever, bringing the adventures of Goku and friends back to screens around the world for the first time in years. While the anime ended on a particularly epic note, there’s lots more material left for the series to adapt, so fans can’t help but wonder: will Dragon Ball Super ever return?

Most Recent Dragon Ball Super News

Akira Toriyama’s Passing Disrupted Dragon Ball Plans

When it comes to recent Dragon Ball news, the big headline remains the passing of Akira Toriyama. When Toriyama died on March 1, 2024, the Dragon Ball Super manga, which he worked on alongside artist Toyotarou, was put on an indefinite hiatus following the next chapter’s release. The manga had just finished adapting its own version of the Super Hero movie, and was preparing to start a new arc, believed by many fans to focus on Frieza and his mysterious new form, Black Frieza. While there have been indications that the manga will continue at some point, it’s currently unknown how long it will remain on hiatus, and who will take over Toriyama’s role as writer.

While nothing has been confirmed, there are rumors that the Black Frieza saga will be Dragon Ball Super‘s last, something that seems even more likely with Toriyama’s passing.

More Dragon Ball Super Hasn’t Been Confirmed

The Hit Series Has Not Yet Been Confirmed for a Continuation

It’s important to be aware that there is no official confirmation of a continuation of Dragon Ball Super‘s anime. There have been persistent rumors in 2023 and 2024 about the series coming back, but nothing has been publicly stated. As noted above, the Dragon Ball Super manga is still running, but is currently on an indefinite hiatus following the passing of Akira Toriyama. Given Dragon Ball‘s incredible popularity, many fans expect Super to return at some point to adapt the manga arcs which have not yet been animated. It’s possible that the anime will wait for the manga to conclude before adapting any further material, which would mean a fairly long wait.

In the meantime, fans can look forward to Dragon Ball DAIMA, which is set for release in Fall 2024. DAIMA was worked on heavily by Toriyama before his passing, making this anime series his final gift to fans. It’s unlikely that any news about a potential return of Dragon Ball Super will be made public before DAIMA debuts, however, so as not to distract from the new series.

The Characters of a Continued Dragon Ball Super

Goku and Friends Return, with New Allies and Enemies

Needless to say, any continuation of Dragon Ball Super will see all of fans’ favorite Z Fighters make a return. They will also have new villains to face, such as the ancient magician Moro, the revenge-driven Granolah, and the Heeters, a family of planet dealers who worked with Frieza in the past. Included among their number is Gas, an incredibly powerful warrior whose skills will put Goku and Vegeta’s power to the test. Even Frieza himself will make an appearance, wielding new power that dwarfs what Goku and Vegeta are capable of.

There won’t just be new enemies, however. Fans can expect to see Broly taking on a slightly larger role, now living on Beerus’ world, as seen in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. A special flashback offers fans some time with Goku’s father, Bardock, during his heyday. And, of course, it just wouldn’t be Dragon Ball without taking some of those villains and turning them into new friends. The series will even introduce a new wish-granting dragon for the first time in years!

The Story of a Continued Dragon Ball Super

Dragon Ball Super Could Adapt New Manga Arcs and Films

While the Dragon Ball Super anime ended with the Tournament of Power, the Dragon Ball Super manga, which began as an adaptation of the anime, continued on. Fans can look forward to at least two never-before-animated story arcs: The Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga and the Granolah the Survivor Saga.

The Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga focuses on a villain known as Moro, an ancient magician held captive by the Galactic Patrol who escapes in a prison break. Moro is a very different sort of villain than the type that Goku usually faces, forcing the team to strategize and adapt in new ways. The story reveals some surprising new details about Buu, as well as revelations about the Angels like Whis. Goku will also demonstrate some amazing new powers in this arc, cementing it as a fan-favorite.

The Granolah the Survivor Saga focuses on Granolah, a renegade bounty hunter working with the Heeters who has a grudge against the Saiyans and aims to become the strongest in the universe, making him a natural adversary for Goku. Granolah’s motivations are sympathetic, but his grudge drives him to some regrettable actions. Can Granolah let his desire for vengeance go before it destroys him?

Additionally, the return of Dragon Ball Super could adapt the stories of the two recent movies, Dragon Ball Super: Broly and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, in the same way that the series previously adapted Battle of Gods and Resurrection ‘F’. Such an adaptation of Super Hero might be particularly interesting, since it was animated in CGI originally. The Dragon Ball Super manga does include some new content related to the Super Hero story arc, ensuring that any such adaptation will be more than a simple rehashing of the movie.

While it’s understandable that fans want to see the remainder of Dragon Ball Super animated, it seems like it will be a while before there are any new developments on that front. Most fans seem to believe that the yet-to-be-adapted material will be adapted at some point, if for no other reason than Dragon Ball‘s absurd level of popularity, so it may just be a matter of waiting before the series returns. Dragon Ball Super may yet come back one day, but for now, at least, no one knows when that day will come.