Toyotaro Returns to Draw New Dragon Ball Manga for the S.H. Figuarts Collection

The Dragon Ball Super manga may still be on hiatus, but its artist hasn't gone anywhere. Toyotaro, the illustrator behind the Dragon Ball Super manga, has been confirmed to draw a brand new manga installment as part of the upcoming S.H. Figuarts 200th figure collection book. The announcement, which surfaced on Dragon Ball's official channels, confirms the special manga will arrive on October 23rd, 2026. The collection book itself is already an impressive package. Titled DRAGON BALL S.H.Figuarts Collection, the book catalogs the entire history of Bandai's S.H. Figuarts Dragon Ball figure line, which recently hit the 200-figure milestone. It comes paired with a brand new poseable figure of Son Goku based on one of Akira Toriyama's classic illustrations from a 1989 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump. The figure, called SON GOKU "ONWARDS TO ADVENTURE," features completely new sculpting and state-of-the-art joint engineering.

What We Know About the New Manga

Details on the manga's content remain thin for now. According to reports, the new installment will feature characters including Gohan Beast, Demon King Piccolo, Great Ape Vegeta, and new takes on classic Goku forms. Whether this is a standalone story, a series of vignettes, or something else entirely hasn't been clarified. What we do know is that Toyotaro himself is drawing it, which is significant given how quiet things have been on the manga front.

For fans who have been waiting for any sign of life from the Dragon Ball Super manga, this announcement is a mixed bag. On one hand, Toyotaro is officially back at the drawing board for Dragon Ball. On the other, this isn't the manga continuation that fans have been asking for since the series went on hiatus.

Where the Manga Left Off

The last stretch of the Dragon Ball Super manga adapted the events of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, the 2022 film that put Gohan and Piccolo in the spotlight. Toyotaro went beyond the movie's story, adding bonus chapters that showed Gohan Beast testing his new power against Goku, a sparring match with Broly, and even a confrontation involving Vegeta's Ultra Ego form. After those chapters wrapped, the manga simply stopped. No new arc was announced. No timeline for a return was given. V Jump confirmed earlier this month that there is still no return date on the books. That silence has been frustrating for readers, especially since the anime side of Dragon Ball is ramping up in a big way. But the fact that Toyotaro is actively drawing new Dragon Ball content suggests he hasn't stepped away from the franchise. Whether this S.H. Figuarts project leads to something bigger remains to be seen, but at the very least, it confirms that the artist behind Dragon Ball Super's manga is still very much in the game.

A Promotional Project, but Still Notable

Let's be clear about what this is: a promotional manga tied to a figure collection book. It's not a serialized chapter. It's not the Moro Arc or the Granolah Arc in print form. But Dragon Ball has a long history of bonus manga and special one-shots that end up being genuinely fun reads. If Toyotaro is putting Gohan Beast and Demon King Piccolo in the same story, that alone is worth paying attention to.

The bigger picture for Dragon Ball in 2026 is looking strong, even without the manga's return. Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, the enhanced edition of the original Dragon Ball Super anime, has reportedly finished production and is set to premiere in Fall 2026. Beyond that, Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol has been confirmed as the next major anime project, adapting the fan-favorite Moro Arc for television. And on the gaming side, Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026 is coming April 18-19, where more details on AGE 1000, the brand new Dragon Ball game featuring a world, story, and original characters created by Akira Toriyama before his passing, are expected.

When, Not If

With all of this momentum, the manga's return feels less like an "if" and more like a "when." Toyotaro drawing new content for the S.H. Figuarts collection is a small but meaningful signal. The artist is active. The franchise is expanding. And there are still major story arcs in the manga, like the Granolah Arc and its introduction of Vegeta's Ultra Ego, that have never been animated. For now, fans can look forward to October 23rd for the collection book and its special manga. And if nothing else, it's a reminder that even during a hiatus, Dragon Ball never really stops.