Dragon Ball Super’s Future After Creator Akira Toriyama’s Passing Confirmed

Fans of Dragon Ball Super have been in mourning since the sudden passing of series creator Akira Toriyama, and since then the manga’s future has been in doubt. While it originally appeared to continue on schedule, the series was soon placed on an indefinite hiatus as the magazine V Jump decided on its future, with no sign if it would return.

Now, a statement from the official Dragon Ball website has seemingly confirmed the series will be returning eventually, although there is still no window as to exactly when fans can expect the next saga of the hit manga to begin. Dragon Ball Super won’t be losing its place in the magazine in the interim, however, as the announcement states that the series’ artist, Toyotarou, will be contributing special illustrations and providing exclusive information, with the next issue focusing on the Red Ribbon Army.

Dragon Ball Super’s Artist Reveals More About the Series Before its Return

The website suggests that upcoming issues will contain some exclusive information on the series’ characters and lore, particularly that related to the Super Hero arc, which just concluded in the last manga chapter released. Included in the announcement is a sketch of Gevo, son of Dr. Gero and the apparent model for Android 16, seen during the Android saga of Dragon Ball Z. Gevo has never been featured in the manga directly, so additional information on this mysterious figure is sure to be welcomed by fans.

The future of the manga still remains unclear in some ways; it’s still unknown who will succeed Toriyama as the writer for Dragon Ball Super. Despite that uncertainty, this news at least confirms that the manga has a definitive future lying ahead of it. Fans were particularly looking forward to the next arc, which would seemingly feature Black Frieza, who was first teased back at the end of the Granolah the Survivor Saga over a year ago, in August 2022. Hopefully, Toriyama left some notes behind detailing his plans for Black Frieza and the content of this upcoming story arc.

What Storylines Dragon Ball Super Needs to Address When it Does Return

While Dragon Ball Super‘s last chapter had an oddly conclusive note to it given the circumstances, there are still plenty of plot threads that need to be resolved before the manga can truly end. Broly, for example, was recently brought into the manga fold via the Super Hero arc, and was shown training alongside Goku and Vegeta on Beerus’ world. It would be great to see Broly reach a point where he can fight alongside his fellow Saiyans, as he’ll clearly make a powerful ally whose help will be invaluable in the coming battles.

Of course, the biggest storyline which needs to be addressed is Black Frieza. This new transformation of Frieza was introduced back in chapter 87, where he appeared and not only killed the previous major villain, but wiped the floor with Goku and Vegeta before inexplicably leaving them alive. It’s clear Frieza has some sort of plan in the works, and Goku and Vegeta may have a role to play in this plan, but the manga shifted directly into the Super Hero arc after this, leaving Black Frieza unaddressed and at large.

Many fans were eager to see a return to the Black Frieza storyline now that the Super Hero arc has concluded, but Toriyama’s sudden passing has put a halt to the next arc’s beginning. While there’s no guarantee the next arc will deal with Black Frieza directly, it’s far too big of a plot point to be ignored for long. When Dragon Ball Super returns, fans will no doubt have Black Frieza first and foremost in their minds.

Why Toyotarou is the Perfect Artist to Continue Toriyama’s Legacy With Dragon Ball Super

Toyotarou has been the artist for Dragon Ball Super for its entire run, assisting Toriyama, who was still writing the major storylines and helping with character design. Prior to working on Super, Toyotarou was a massive Dragon Ball fan himself, and knows the series inside and out. He worked on Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission from 2012-2015, where he also did the writing in addition to the art. Later, he was selected for the manga adaptation of Resurrection ‘F’, before finally being chosen to work with Toriyama directly on Dragon Ball Super.

Given that Dragon Ball Super has been running since 2015 with Toyotarou providing the art the whole time, there’s really no one better suited to continue the series in Toriyama’s absence. He’s had almost a decade of experience working directly with Toriyama, and his understanding of the franchise at this point is second to none. From working with Toriyama, Toyotarou’s skills as an artist have improved dramatically, leading to the high-quality work fans know and love today.

While no one will ever replace Toriyama, Toyotarou is the person in the best position to pick up the torch and carry it on into Dragon Ball‘s future. As someone who was essentially hand-picked to be his successor, trusting in Toriyama’s decision to work with Toyotarou seems like the best way to honor what the series was while allowing it to continue on for as long as needed.

While it may not be as satisfying as a full return, Dragon Ball fans will at least still be receiving new and interesting information on the popular series in the coming months. Toyotarou worked closely with Toriyama on Dragon Ball Super for years, so he surely has some fun facts and insight to share with fans in these monthly releases. Toyotarou’s continued involvement with the series is surely a good sign for Dragon Ball Super fans, and the continued release of information should help tide fans over until the manga can get back on its feet.

Source: Official Dragon Ball website

Read on MangaPlus