Dragon Ball is a franchise that needs no introduction, being one of the most instantly recognizable anime and manga series ever created. However, for many fans, Dragon Ball Super, especially its manga incarnation, remains a mystery, as despite being highly praised, getting into it can often seem overwhelming due to the nature of its release and its confusing links to the original Dragon Ball canon.
Dragon Ball Super began serialization in 2015 in the pages of V Jump magazine. The series is written by Dragon Ball franchise creator Akira Toriyama. However, unlike previous manga, another creator, Toyotarou, is drawing the art. This series starts six months after the defeat of Majin Buu, with the entire thing being set between the end of Dragon Ball Z's Majin Buu arc and the ten-year time skip seen at the very end of Dragon Ball Z. During this time, Goku and his friends go through many different events, including a battle with a revived Frieza, an inter-dimensional fighting tournament, an encounter with rogue Saiyan Broly, and a revival of the Red Ribbon Army.
Super's New Characters And Forms
Of course, with any new Dragon Ball media comes new characters. And Dragon Ball Super has introduced some fantastic ones. This includes Goku Black, an evil antagonistic version of Goku who acts as the main antagonist of the Future Trunks Saga. Another great new character is Dr. Hedo, the grandson of Dr. Gero and Vomi, who plays a massive role in the Super Hero saga and is one of the most morally complex characters in the franchise.
On top of this, the core characters fans love from Dragon Ball Z are back for Dragon Ball Super. So, expect to spend plenty of time with Goku, Vegeta, Trunks, Piccolo, and Bulma. One great returning character is Beerus, who becomes a regular character in this series after previously appearing in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F.' His expanded role leads to him and Whis, his assistant, becoming two of the most enjoyable and memorable characters in the franchise due to their comic double-act nature. Another really cool returning character is Broly. This fan-favorite character debuted in Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan but has since been held back by his dubious canon status. However, Dragon Ball Super brings a version of the character back, adding him to the main roster, which changes Goku and Vegeta's dynamic in several ways and leads to plenty of fascinating drama.
As is tradition, Dragon Ball Super has also introduced many new forms for its returning characters. This includes Goku getting access to Super Saiyan God form, which builds to Super Saiyan Blue. The latter power is only available when a Super Saiyan God with godly ki goes into Super Saiyan mode, giving the user a massive power boost that allows them to take down mighty foes with ease. However, the most notable new power is Goku's Ultra Instinct form, a godly form that lets Goku fight without thinking, letting him avoid blows unconsciously.
Fans of Vegeta will be glad to know he also gets access to many new forms. Like Goku, he also gets access to Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan Blue forms. He also gets unique transformations, including Super Saiyan God SS Evolved and Prince of Rage Vegeta. However, Vegeta's most impressive new state is called Ultra Ego. Ultra Ego is as powerful as, but diametrically opposed to Goku's Ultra Instinct, allowing Vegeta to tap into the energy of a God of Destruction, letting him deal massive damage and survive powerful attacks. And it isn't just the heroes who get access to new forms, as the Dragon Ball Super manga sees popular villain Frieza transform into Golden Frieza. This super-powered form and the boost in power it gives makes Frieza one of the most dangerous beings in the universe and leads to some memorable and exciting fights.
How To Start Reading Dragon Ball Super
When first getting into Dragon Ball Super, the main stumbling block new fans face is the strange history of the Dragon Ball Super anime. Launching in 2015, the anime version of Dragon Ball Super ran for 131 episodes before finishing in 2018. This means it didn't cover much of the story, only reaching the manga's 42nd chapter before it ended. However, on top of the anime, there are also two movies set within Super's continuity, but these films are handled very differently in the manga. The first, 2018's Dragon Ball Super: Broly, introduces Broly, a crucial character in Super's ongoing story. However, the manga opted to skip over the movie entirely, summarizing the entire thing in a quick splash page. The second movie, 2022's Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, is the opposite, as the manga features a massively expanded version of the movie's story. Making it very hard for newcomers to work out what they need to watch. However, it is generally accepted by fans that those interested in Super should read the manga from the start and only check out the movies as a fun extra.
Thankfully, getting into the manga is much easier. At the time of writing, Dragon Ball Super has 98 chapters, covering nine sagas. These are, in order, God of Destruction Beerus Saga, Universe 6 Saga, Future Trunks Saga, Tournament of Power Saga, Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga, Granolah the Survivor Saga, and the currently running Super Hero Saga. While it is a decently sizable time investment to get through it all, it moves at a stunning pace, meaning it doesn't feel like a chore. Plus, while the art is in black and white, Toyotarou's artwork perfectly balances emotion, detail, and clarity, making it an easy read, even for readers new to black-and-white manga.
Luckily, there are several ways to read the manga, making it very accessible. In America, the manga is distributed by Viz Media via their Shonen Jump service and by Shueisha via their Manga Plus service. Both services allow readers to read the first and the latest chapters of the series for free. However, users who want access to all the chapters must pay a subscription fee. For Viz's Shonen Jump, this fee is around $2.99 a month. Those who wish to read the whole thing via Manga Plus will have to pay either $1.99 per month for the basic package or $4.99 for the premium one, which would also get them access to all other Dragon Ball titles. This means that, for fans who enjoy digital reading, catching up on Dragon Ball Super isn't that expensive.
Readers who prefer the volume format are also catered for. At the time of writing, 19 volumes are available, containing everything up to chapter 84. In America, each book retails for around $7 per digital volume and $10 for the paperback versions. The downside of this method is that not only is it expensive, but it is also slow, with new books hitting shelves very infrequently. For example, the latest volume, the 19th, hit American shelves on September 5th, 2023, and volume 20 (which will cover chapters 85 to 88) isn't scheduled for release until February 6th, 2024.
Another major stumbling block for newer readers is working out how much previous Dragon Ball media they need to tackle before Super. While Super clearly expects viewers to be familiar with Dragon Ball, the first few chapters do a great job of reintroducing the characters and their relationships and setting the scene for what is to come. Because of this, any reader with base-level Dragon Ball or general battle shonen familiarity could read Dragon Ball Super without foreknowledge of the franchise. This hypothetical reader may need to look up some minor characters during the later arcs to understand why they are present, dulling the impact of some scenes. However, a lack of knowledge wouldn't ruin their enjoyment of the series or leave it incomprehensible.
Dragon Ball Super is a fantastic manga series that lovers of Dragon Ball will adore. While it can seem intimidating, those who give it some time will find one of the most exciting and action-packed Dragon Ball stories ever written. Plus, this story introduces many fun new characters and develops existing characters that fans know and love, building on their relationships in enjoyable and logical ways. Plus, if a reader can ignore the anime and its confusing release history, then the manga becomes surprisingly easy to follow, as the story is told well and paired with some stunning art that captures all the franchise's signature excitement.
