The artist behind the Dragon Ball Super manga revealed series creator Akira Toriyama’s final suggestion for what may be the manga’s last chapter for the foreseeable future.
According to Anime News Network, Dragon Ball Super announced the series’ hiatus following Toriyama’s passing on March 1. Dragon Ball Super’s hiatus makes sense when you take into consideration that Toriyama served as a supervisor to Toyotarou and would often give input on the manga’s drafts. While it’s unknown when the manga will continue its serialization, Toyotarou shared Toriyama’s final suggestion for chapter 103.
Dragon Ball Super chapter 103, A Legacy Toward The Future, ostensibly bookends the aftermath of the 2022 Gohan and Piccolo-centric 3DCG-animated animated film, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. The 45-page chapter starts off as a Saiyan battle extravaganza. The chapter features a sparring match between an Ultra Instinct Goku and Beast Mode Gohan and a skirmish between Gohan and Broly before escalating into a free-for-all adding Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks into the mix.
However, the thematic throughline of the chapter, as its title lampshades, centers on Goku entrusting the next generation of heroes to defend the Earth after he passes on. This culminates with Goku meeting up with his granddaughter (whom he forgot existed), Pan. Luckily for her, Pan is being mentored by Goku’s first major rival, Piccolo. just like her father was. The final moments of the chapter sees Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, and Pan fly off toward what’s likely to be yet another grand adventure.
実は103話の最終ページ
僕が描いたネームだと全員そのまま背を向けて飛び去っていました「ピッコロが幼稚園の先生に向けるようにさようならの挨拶をする風に」
というのが先生の最後の修正でした
（※勝手にネーム載せられないのでイメージで描き直してます）
僕は入稿後に訃報に触れました。
↓ pic.twitter.com/YQX6kOJMqQ— とよたろう (@TOYOTARO_Vjump) March 28, 2024
In an X/Twitter post, Toyotaro uploaded a side-by-side recreation of his draft of the chapter’s final page and Toriyama’s suggestion. In Toyotraou’s version, Piccolo and company fly into the sky with their backs facing the reader. Toriyama’s suggestion, which transpires in chapter 103, instead sees Piccolo turn around and wave goodbye to Pan’s kindergarten teacher, Janet, before joining the Saiyans.
Fans were quick to point out that Toriyama’s suggestion — while providing Piccolo moments of characterization and shipping fuel with Janet — also meta-narratively serves as the Namekian saying goodbye to Dragon Ball Super’s readers on Toriyama’s behalf. This fan-crafted revelation of Toriyama’s final suggestion hits home all the harder when you take into account that Piccolo was his favorite character.
“Mr. Toriyama. Thank you very much for your hard work. It’s been 9 years since we worked together,” Toyotarou wrote. “It was a miraculous time. Thank you very much. I humbly pray for your soul to rest in peace.”
Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow them on Twitter @ShinEyeZehUhh.
