Dragon Ball Super: Toyotaro Is Proud of Creating Black Frieza, But His Favorite Character Is This One

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With each passing day, enthusiasts eagerly await positive updates on the Dragon Ball Super series, anxiously counting down for the much-anticipated Black Frieza storyline. Yet, it seems that fans may have to be patient for a bit longer than initially thought.

Despite some Dragon Ball fans expressing disapproval over the direction that Dragon Ball Super has gone, the show has significantly broadened the manga’s world and introduced numerous engaging storylines and characters. Lately, Toyotaro discussed his favorite character, which could catch some viewers off guard.

Toyotaro Created Black Frieza

Recently, Toyotaro attended Paris Japan 2025, where he revealed his ongoing work on an original manga. This one-shot, expected to be published in V-JUMP within a few months, has already been uploaded as a draft on the magazine’s official website. Notably, this one-shot was critiqued by Kazuhiko Torishima, a renowned former editor of Dragon Ball, who is known for his blunt feedback.

In brief, Toyotaro recently addressed various queries about the long-awaited return of Dragon Ball Super. During this conversation, he expressed his immense satisfaction in crafting Black Frieza, an exceptionally potent transformation of the original antagonist. It is said that Black Frieza’s power is indescribable, rivaling the Gods of Destruction and surpassing all Z Fighters in their strongest forms.

Toyotaro’s Favorite Dragon Ball Super Character Is An Original One

  • Toyotaro’s favorite character is Granolah.
  • Toriyama immediately accepted the character concept, but asked a few fixes.

Toyotaro is responsible for designing Frieza’s latest transformation, leaving fans on the edge of their seats in anticipation for what might become the Black Frieza Arc. However, it’s not Frieza that Toyotaro favors; instead, his preferred character is an entirely original one named Granolah. In Volume 16, Toyotaro shared that he made numerous adjustments to Granolah’s original design before Toriyama eventually approved it. During Japan Expo, Toyotaro mentioned that even though there were changes, Toriyama swiftly endorsed the character concept. He probably requested only a few tweaks for refinement.

In the thrilling Granolah the Survivor Arc, I find myself captivated by the character, Granolah. He’s not just any survivor; he’s the lone beacon that emerged from the horrific massacre of the Cerelian race, perpetrated by Frieza’s Saiyan Army after they overtook the Cereal planet. Remarkably, Bardock was the one who rescued him, which is quite a twist given Bardock’s portrayal in other media.

Regardless, Granolah’s unwavering desire for vengeance against Frieza, driven by his longing to avenge his people, has not gone unnoticed. The cunning Heeters have skillfully capitalized on this emotion, manipulating Granolah to serve their own purposes.

Dragon Ball Super News Unlikely to Surface in 2025

Although Toyotaro shared exciting news about potentially continuing Dragon Ball Super, editor Victory Uchida cautioned fans not to expect a comeback in 2021. Uchida repeatedly emphasized that there are no plans for the series to resume this year, and he did not provide any additional details on future developments.

It’s likely that Toyotaro will consider Torishima’s suggestions and make some adjustments to his one-shot, “Last Samurai,” which is scheduled for release in an upcoming issue of V-JUMP. On the other hand, the fate of Dragon Ball Super remains undecided.

Is the DB Super Manga Canceled?

Individuals who prefer to focus on the positive aspects might find solace in the fact that neither Toyotaro nor Uchida have declared that the Dragon Ball Super manga has been terminated. Despite going on a break in March 2024, following reports about Toriyama’s passing, the manga briefly resumed with a new chapter in February 2025. However, since then, there have been no updates, causing fans to wonder if the manga might be ending.

In simpler terms, Toyotaro stated that it’s feasible for the Dragon Ball Super series to carry on in Toriyama’s absence, as he (Toyotaro) was responsible for writing the story and then sending it to Toriyama for approval. On certain instances, Toriyama would send his stories to Toyotaro for review, where suggestions could be made, and they were either approved or not. Since a portion of the story originated from him, Toyotaro perceives that proceeding without Toriyama wouldn’t be simple, but it might still be achievable.

— DBTimes via Venixys

It appears Toyotaro expressed optimism about carrying on with the series without Toriyama, but it’s evident that doing so won’t be a walk in the park. This suggests Toyotaro might still be grappling with devising the subsequent story arcs. Given the hints dropped about the Black Frieza Arc, it’s doubtful the series will conclude without addressing this plot point. Moreover, there have been reports indicating that Shueisha and Capsule Corporation Tokyo are embroiled in a legal dispute over Dragon Ball franchise rights, which may potentially delay the resumption of Dragon Ball Super in the short term.

Dragon Ball Super is available to read on V-JUMP, in English and Spanish.

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2025-07-20 17:11