The loss of Akira Toriyama is still being felt in the anime community to this day as the Dragon Ball creator and his work helped influence so many stories in its wake. Thanks to the release of Dragon Ball Super’s 24th manga volume, artist Toyotaro shared several interesting facts about the chapters that made up this compilation. One of the biggest was one of the final conversations the artist had with his sensei Toriyama and what he had wanted for one of the last stories that he helped to create. Even with Toriyama gone, his influence on the world will be felt for quite some time to come.
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In a new Afterword in Dragon Ball Super Volume 24, Toyotaro states, “The Saiyamen X origin story that I was able to include at the end of this volume is a manga adaptation with additional details, based on a text written by Toriyama-sensei. While working on Saiyamen X as a prequel to the Super Hero arc, Sensei shared a story with the note, ‘It’s up to you whether this gets used in the main story or not.’ I felt it would be too much of a waster to leave it out, so I wanted to adapt it into a manga.”
Toyotaro then continued after being handed the shonen reins by Akira, “However, since the Super Hero arc’s prequel was limited to three chapters, I had no choice but to abandon the idea. Instead, I was allowed to draw three chapters covering events after the birth of Saiyamen X. As we reached the conclusion of the Super Hero arc, this was a story I just couldn’t leave untold. I was fortunate enough to have my request granted, allowing me to present it as a one-shot. Thank you for reading. With this the Super Hero arc is officially complete!’
[RELATED: Dragon Ball Super Brings Back Frieza With New Look (Is the Manga Returning?)]
What Comes Next For Dragon Ball?
As of the writing of this article, no news has been revealed regarding the continuation of Dragon Ball Super’s manga. While the series has been hinted to continue, it’s anyone’s guess as to when new chapters will arrive and if Toyotaro will be handling both the writing and artistic duties moving forward. With the Super Hero Arc now officially over, there are many different avenues that the series could explore.
Perhaps one of the biggest elements to explore is the Demon Realm, fleshed out in the recent anime Dragon Ball Daima. During this spin-off series which took place after Dragon Ball Z, Vegeta achieved Super Saiyan 3 and Goku achieved Super Saiyan 4, two transformations that we have yet to see in Dragon Ball Super proper. Of course, there is also the major problem of Frieza and his ultimate transformation to contend with, meaning that the Z-Fighters might be in store for the biggest battle of their lives.
Want to stay in the loop when it comes to the Z-Fighters? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on all things Dragon Ball and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.
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Image courtesy of Universal Pictures
