‘Dragon Ball Super’ Manga To Resume This Christmas With ‘Super Hero’ Film Prequel Arc Starring Goten And Trunks

Goten (Masako Nozawa) and Trunks (Takeshi Kusao) are shocked to see Goku (Masako Nozawa) alive and well at the World Tournament in Dragon Ball Z Episode 291 "Goku's Next Journey" (1996), Toei Animation via Blu-ray
Goten (Masako Nozawa) and Trunks (Takeshi Kusao) are shocked to see Goku (Masako Nozawa) alive and well at the World Tournament in Dragon Ball Z Episode 291 "Goku's Next Journey" (1996), Toei Animation via Blu-ray

Ever since the Saiyans’ fight against Granolah concluded with a rather ‘black’ ending, Dragon Ball fans have been starving for the next arc of Akira Toriyama and Toyotaro’s Super series – and luckily for them, Santa is bringing them an early Christmas present.

Gohan (Masako Nozawa) rescues Gotenks (Masako Nozawa / Takeshi Kusao) as the latter taunts Cell Max (Norio Wakamoto) Broly (Bin Shimada) is itching to face-off against Goku (Masako Nozawa) and Vegeta (Ryo Horikawa) in Gohan (Masako Nozawa) is ready to do whatever it takes to get his daughter back in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), Toei via YouTube

Gohan (Masako Nozawa) rescues Gotenks (Masako Nozawa / Takeshi Kusao) as the latter taunts Cell Max (Norio Wakamoto) in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), Toei via YouTube

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On November 20th, the series’ official Japanese website announced that Dragon Ball Super would at long last return to serialization just in time for Christmas, beginning with its new “Super Hero” arc in the December issue of Shueisha’s V-Jump magazine.

Goten (Masako Nozawa) and Trunks (Takeshi Kusao) join the fight against Cell Max (Norio Wakamoto) in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), Toei via YouTube

Goten (Masako Nozawa) and Trunks (Takeshi Kusao) join the fight against Cell Max (Norio Wakamoto) in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), Toei via YouTube

Set to focus on Goten and Trunks – who in a piece of concept art illustrated by Toyotaro can be seen standing back-to-back wearing tokusatsu-esque hero costumes – the arc will see the “the chaotic half-saiyan duo turn into heroes who protect the city”.

Dragon Ball news-centric Twitter account @DBSHype also reported that, as per V-Jump editor Victory Uchida, the two will eventually complete their new ensembles with their own unique masks.

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Goten and Trunks as illustrated by Toyotaro in the key visual for Dragon Ball Super’s upcoming Super Hero arc (2022), Shueisha via Dragon Ball Official Website

Additionally, in this month’s “Special Interval” of V-Jump, Toyotaro himself confirmed that the upcoming arc will pick up in the aftermath of Granolah’s defeat and “will cover the story of the movie Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, starting with a prequel before the main story.”

“We hope you’re excited to wait and see what kind of an adventure it will be!!” he exclaimed, as translated by another Dragon Ball news Twitter account, @DBSChronicles.

Toyotarou

@DBSChronicles via Twitter

RELATED: Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Production Team Explains Return Of Red Ribbon Army, Teases Debut Of Teenage Gotenks

Turning to the two new forms debuted within the film, “Orange Piccolo and Son Gohan Beast,” Toyotaro added, “The new transformations were so cool.”

Still on the subject of new forms – arguably Dragon Ball’s raison d’etre at this point – the artist also clarified the differences between Goku’s Ultra Instinct and True Ultra Instinct Sign transformations.

Piccolo and Gohan witness Goku's control of Ultra Instinct Sign in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 59 "Activate Ultra Instinct -Sign-" (2022), Shueisha, Words and art by Toyotaro. via Digital Issue

Piccolo and Gohan witness Goku’s control of Ultra Instinct Sign in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 59 “Activate Ultra Instinct -Sign-” (2022), Shueisha, Words and art by Toyotaro. via Digital Issue

“Goku fights using various super saiyan forms, and has also learned Ultra Instinct,” said Toyotaro. “This is the ultimate form in which Goku can dodge any attack without thinking but, it puts tremendous stress on the body.”

In comparison to this ‘base’ form of the ability, the mangaka explained that Ultra Instinct Sign (True) is “was called ‘sign,’ during its early days, but in order to bring it closer to perfection, he continued his training, and in the fight against Gas, Goku was able to find a way to use this black-haired state, which could be activated even while carrying his emotions.”

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@DBSChronicles via Twitter

Strangely, with Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero‘s upcoming canonization in the manga, this leaves the insanely popular Dragon Ball Super: Broly as the only post-revival film to not receive any sort of proper illustrated adaptation.

Broly (Bin Shimada) is itching to face-off against Goku (Masako Nozawa) and Vegeta (Ryo Horikawa) in Gohan (Masako Nozawa) is ready to do whatever it takes to get his daughter back in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), Toei via YouTube

Broly (Bin Shimada) is itching to face-off against Goku (Masako Nozawa) and Vegeta (Ryo Horikawa) in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), Toei via YouTube

Instead, the events of Broly’s arrival to Earth are simply summarized as being “the next spot of trouble caused by Freeza” following the Tournament of Power.

“Suffice it to say our two saiyans emerged from those events stronger than ever,” Toriyama and Toyotaro briefly noted in narrating the scene.

Broly manga

Dragon Ball Super Chapter 42 “Battle’s End and Aftermath” (2018), Shueisha. Words by Akira Toriyama and Art by Toyotaro

However, it’s possible Broly’s story could end up being a tale for another time.

Until the series’ ends, there’s always the possibility that we could see it canonized in either a future arc or via flashbacks.

A Super Saiyan God form Goku (Masako Nozawa) meets Broly (Bin Shimada) in combat for the first time in Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2019), Toei Animation via Blu-ray

A Super Saiyan God form Goku (Masako Nozawa) meets Broly (Bin Shimada) in combat for the first time in Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2019), Toei Animation via Blu-ray

Dragon Ball Super makes its caped return to serialization via Shueisha’s Manga Plus and Viz Media’s Shonen Jump apps on December 20th.

Piccolo's (Toshio Furukawa) powered up state proves to be a match for Gamma 1 (Hiroshi Kamiya) in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), Toei via YouTube

Piccolo’s (Toshio Furukawa) powered up state proves to be a match for Gamma 1 (Hiroshi Kamiya) in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), Toei via YouTube

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