The Dragon Ball Super manga.

When we talk about the Dragon Ball Super manga, we are referring to the canonical continuation of the original Dragon Ball manga, scripted by Akira Toriyama and drawn by Toyotaro (who was chosen by Toriyama himself as his successor).

It is mainly defined by being the canonical continuation of the original work, as the script is written by the same author. In March 2024, the sensei Toriyama passed away, but he directly participated in the first 24 volumes. After these, Toyotaro and his editors, along with the ideas not fully realized by Toriyama in his lifetime, are the ones continuing the story.

The Dragon Ball Super manga features a series of distinct characteristics and peculiarities that define it well.

The Canonical Continuation of the Original Manga

This has already been mentioned, but it is essential. While other official works extend the original Dragon Ball story, Dragon Ball Super is the only canonical continuation, as Akira Toriyama was the primary writer of its story.

The Birth of This Story

It is also important to understand how this story and manga came to be. Dragon Ball Super follows Battle of Gods and Resurrection of F, both movies written by Toriyama and considered canonical sequels to his manga, despite being released under the Dragon Ball Z brand.

Due to their success, Akira Toriyama was asked to continue the series. However, this time he would not have to handle the artwork. Instead, he would focus solely on storytelling, providing sketches, and making necessary corrections.

Toyotaro Takes the Pencil

Toriyama personally selected Toyotaro, formerly known as Toyble, to succeed him as the artist for the Dragon Ball Super manga. He took him under his wing as a disciple, and they worked so well together that Toyotaro even contributed ideas to the master. They collaborated on character designs, with Toriyama always making final adjustments. After more than 100 chapters, Toyotaro has proven himself worthy of his role.

Differences Between the Manga and Anime

It is well known that the anime quickly outpaced the manga. While both followed the general storyline outlined by Toriyama, he was far more directly involved in the manga. As a result, the manga progressed at a slower pace but maintained a more consistent and coherent narrative. Although the main events align, there are significant differences between the two versions.

Two Formats and Editions

The Dragon Ball Super manga can be enjoyed in two formats and two different editions in Japan: as a magazine, originally released monthly in Shonen Jump, and in the form of volumes or Tankōbon. The latter has two editions: the "regular" black and white edition and the "color" edition, which has not yet been published in Spain.

This is the edition we bring to you here, reflected in the listings below, and as the publisher Planeta had to leave its small mark on this collection.

The "Super" Series and the Magazine Format

For nostalgia or marketing reasons, Planeta brought back the Comic Book format with Dragon Ball Super and, in addition, took the risk of numbering this collection, continuing the numbering from the original Dragon Ball magazine format. It ended at number 211, and the new collection starts at number 212, also adding an independent and new numbering.

In addition to maintaining the numbering and format, they mimicked the old Red Series, creating an edition that, in appearance, is a copy of the original. With this, they aim for those who completed the White/Red or Yellow/Blue series, or even a mix of both, to continue the collection in this new format and keep adding numbers.

The Tankōbon Format

With this format, there was no innovation; instead, the original Japanese design was respected. Unlike what happened with the original manga and its tankōbon in Spain, the Dragon Ball Super editions do include a dust jacket and some curiosities provided by Toyotaro.

Here is a sample of some covers from different issues or volumes of other Dragon Ball collections published in Spain.