"Dragon
Ball Super" fans have reason to celebrate, as the future of the series
seems secure with the release of Special Chapter 104 in February and the
upcoming arrival of Volume 24. This new volume, which will go on sale in Japan on April 4, 2025,
suggests that the manga, originally written by the late Akira Toriyama and
illustrated by Toyotarou, will continue to delight fans for the foreseeable
future.
As the
release date approaches, social media has been flooded with promotional images
for the highly anticipated Volume 24. One of the most notable features Black
Frieza on the back cover, hinting that he will be the ultimate threat Goku and
his friends will face, as reflected on the main cover. However, what
has drawn the most attention is the spine illustration, which doesn't end, but
rather extends, hinting that more volumes are on the way. This suggests that
new chapters will soon arrive, now under Toyotarou's full creative control.
Uncertainty
surrounding "Dragon Ball Super" arose following the sudden death of
Akira Toriyama in March 2024. The legendary creator's final animated project, "Dragon Ball
Daima," which aired 20 episodes between October 2024 and February 2025,
celebrated the franchise's 40th anniversary, though it wasn't initially
conceived for that purpose. Meanwhile, the "Dragon Ball
Super" manga was on hiatus for nearly a year after adapting the 2022
"Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" film, with Chapter 103 being
Toriyama's final written work. This conclusion to the film arc felt
like a symbolic passing of the torch to Toyotarou, his chosen successor.
February
20, 2025 marked the return of the manga with Special Chapter 104, which
explored how Trunks and Goten became superheroes inspired by their eco-friendly
idol, Clean God. While some fans enjoyed the nostalgic references and
the canonical introduction of anime-original characters, others considered it a
generic premise, still stuck as a prologue to the 2022 film. Nonetheless,
the chapter offered an intriguing glimpse into the direction the franchise
could take under Toyotarou's direction.
The
cover of Volume 24, which features Ultra Instinct Goku, Ultra Ego Vegeta, Beast
Gohan, Piccolo Orange, and the Legendary Super Saiyan Brolu, has generated
mixed reactions. Some
fans were surprised by the more crude and realistic depictions of the Z
Fighters, a departure from Toriyama's signature art, while most applauded the
clear distinction Toyotarou is making with respect to his mentor. With this
release, "Dragon Ball Super" fans eagerly anticipate what's to come
in this new era led by Toriyama's creative heir.
