How To Read The Dragon Ball Super Manga (2024)

Dragon Ball Super needs no introduction, being the latest installment in the legendary and eternally popular Dragon Ball franchise. Written by Akira Toriyama and illustrated by Toyotaro, this series picks up six months after the defeat of Majin Buu and sends Goku and his friends on a whole new slew of adventures. However, there is a massive difference between Dragon Ball Super and the previous mainline Dragon Ball manga series, and it concerns their anime adaptations. The Dragon Ball Super anime series concluded in 2018, meaning looking to continue the Dragon Ball Super story must read the manga.

Dragon Ball Super is currently at a fascinating point. Since chapter 91, the manga has been telling an expanded version of the story found in the 2022 film Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. The core part of this storyline concluded in Chapter 100, titled "Burst Forth!—Light of Death!" Most fans thought a new arc would start in the following chapter, but that wasn't the case, with chapters 101 through 103 acting as an epilogue to the Super Hero plotline. The Super Hero arc's grand finale finally came in chapter 103, when Goku and Gohan's long-awaited sparring match led to an all-out battle royale between Saiyans.

Updated by Brett Cardaro, May 30, 2024: While the Dragon Ball Super manga still remains on a hiatus, new information has finally been released by Shonen Jump and the Dragon Ball official website that offers fans something to look forward to. In anticipation of the release of the latest chapter of the Dragon Ball Super manga, this article has been updated with the most up-to-date information regarding the current manga hiatus and expected release dates for future chapters.

How Is Dragon Ball Super Released?

Dragon Ball Super's Release Is Relatively Consistent, Especially Compared To Other Manga

Chatper 103 was a fitting end for the Super Hero Saga, and a great tribute to the late Akira Toriyama, whose passing is still being felt by fans. While the direction the series will take from here is uncertain, fans can rest assured that they're in good hands with Toyotarou, whom Toriyama once told in a joint interview with V-Jump that "maybe there are people who can imitate my pictures, but not many artists can pull off an entire chapter the way you can!"

With Super Hero's epilogue finally coming to a close, the Dragon Ball Super manga is moving slowly toward a new saga, with some lines seeming to drop hints about what is to come. This is doubly exciting as before the release of the Super Hero movie, Akira Toriyama hinted that the story was getting very close to the time-skip seen at the end of Dragon Ball Z, meaning that the next arc of Dragon Ball Super could potentially be its last. Fans who want to see the epic conclusion of the Super storyline will want to be ready when it starts, especially as Dragon Ball Super isn't getting a weekly anime adaptation right now, making the manga the only way to experience the story for the foreseeable future.

Unlike other popular shōnen manga series, Dragon Ball Super is not serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. Instead, it is published in V Jump magazine and has been since it launched in 2015. Unlike Shōnen Jump, which publishes an issue every week, V Jump is published monthly. V Jump usually arrives on Japanese store shelves on the 21st of every month. However, the release date is brought forward a few days if the 21st is Saturday, Sunday, or a public holiday. In rare situations, V Jump may move its release date for other reasons. For example, the magazine has previously upped an issue's release date, so it's on shelves in time for Jump Festa, a massive industry event. Thankfully, these delays tend to be communicated in advance on V Jump's social media channels and in the pages of the previous issue.

Dragon Ball Super is Currently on a Hiatus — But That's Normal

DBS Has Gone on Multiple Hiatuses in the Past, And The End of the Super Hero Arc Was an Ideal Breaking Point

Following the release of Dragon Ball Super Chapter 103, "Legacy Toward the Future," the series announced that it would be going on a hiatus. Even before the loss of Akira Toriyama, the series going on a hiatus was partly to be expected by fans. The Super manga has been known to go on a hiatus at the end of a big story arc, so with the conclusion of the Super Hero arc in Chapter 103, a hiatus is entirely normal.

Hiatuses are nothing new for the Dragon Ball Super manga; previous hiatuses have even left fans without a new chapter for several months. Before the current hiatus, the most recent hiatus came in August 2022, when the manga took a four-month break following the release of chapter 87, "The Universe's Strongest Appears." Toriyama said he was taking this hiatus to plan out the next arc, and, when the manga returned with chapter 88 in December 2022, the High School Saga began in earnest.

Though there is no officially announced return date from Super's current hiatus, the official V-Jump website tells fans that, while the series is "on a hiatus," they should be patient and "wait for it resuming." In light of series creator Akira Toriyama's passing, and the fact that the Super Hero arc has finally come to a close, it shouldn't come as a shock that the series might take a brief hiatus to give the staff that worked so closely with Toriyama time to mourn, as well as to plan out the next arc. Hiatuses like these are usually announced ahead of time on Dragon Ball Super's official social media channels, meaning that they shouldn't take fans by surprise when they do happen.

Dragon Ball Super's Plans For Continuing Through the Manga's Hiatus

V Jump is Releasing a "Dragon Ball Super Interval Special" in Each New Issue Until the Manga Returns

Despite the DBS manga remaining on hiatus, Shonen Jump and Toyotarou still have some plans for content to keep fans talking while the series gears up for its next arc. As has been done during past breaks, V Jump is running a "Dragon Ball Super Interval Special" that includes a special image drawn by Toyotarou, as well additional information on the characters and stories of previous arcs in the manga.

The two latest interval specials were released in April and May of 2024. The April Dragon Ball Super Interval Special featured a special feature about Gevo, Dr Gero's son and the template for Android 16, who was hinted at in the Super Hero arc. The May Interval Special centered around Gohan Beast, with new art depicting the saiyan's newest and most powerful form. With no confirmed release date for the manga's next chapter, it's unclear how long the Interval Specials will continue, but according to the official Dragon Ball website, "Until the Dragon Ball Super manga returns to start its new story, Jump will feature illustrations and commentary from Toyotarou, plus special features that'll make reading the SUPER HERO arc even more fun!"

Where & When to Read the Dragon Ball Super Manga

When the series does finally return, it will be as easy as ever for American fans to read Dragon Ball Super. As V Jump magazine is owned by Shueisha, most of its titles are included in the firm's deal with Viz Media. Because of this, American fans can read the series via the Viz Media Shōnen Jump website or its companion app. One of this app's benefits is that it releases chapters within hours of them becoming available in Japan, so fans don't need to worry about social media spoilers.

One thing to note is that Viz Media's site releases new chapters just after midnight in Japan. As Japan Standard Time is ahead of all American time zones, American fans get new chapters the day before V Jump's street date. For example, if V Jump launches on the 21st of the month, American readers can read the newest chapter on the 20th. It should be noted that Viz's uploads may get slightly delayed, so fans who visit the site the moment a new chapter is meant to come out may need to refresh the page a few times before it shows up.

Viz Media Release Time By Time Zone

The Viz Media Shōnen Jump app allows readers to read the first and three most recent chapters for free, making it a great way to try out or keep up with the series. However, fans who want to read the other chapters must sign up for a monthly premium membership, which costs around $2.99.

Viz Media isn't the only option available, as Dragon Ball Super can also be read on Shueisha's Manga Plus app. Like Viz Media's service, Manga Plus allows readers to check out chapters one, two, and three and the newest three chapters without paying. Manga Plus also has a "First Read Free" system, where users can read every chapter of some titles, including Dragon Ball Super, for free. However, each chapter can only be read once. To get unlimited free reading, users must buy a monthly membership, which costs $1.99 for the standard or $4.99 for the deluxe.

For fans of physical media, Dragon Ball Super also offers collected volumes, but these volumes are pretty far behind the current serialized chapter. The last volume released, Volume 20, starts with chapter 85, "To Each His Own Answer," and ends with the 88th chapter, "Super Heroes are Born," meaning that fans who only read collected volumes will need to wait a while before they can enjoy the end of the Super Hero arc.

Dragon Ball Super 2024 Release Schedule

Unlike similar manga, like One Piece, Dragon Ball Super has maintained a strict release schedule with few deviations. This is best seen by its 2023 schedule:

So far, 2024 has followed the same pattern, with chapters released on or just before the 21st of the month in Japan. So far this year, the following chapters have been released:

Given that Dragon Ball Super is currently on an indefinite hiatus, the June issue of V Jump will not include Super. If the series continues in the following month, that would make Chapter 104 set for release in July, though there is no confirmed release date at the current time.

If the schedule from 2023 is repeated in 2024, then fans of Dragon Ball Super can expect release windows for new chapters to fall on or around the following days:

Of course, it should be noted that all of this is subject to change. Fans who want to keep up with the latest Dragon Ball Super manga news can check social media or the Viz Media website to stay abreast of potential release date changes or fluctuations.

While Dragon Ball Super has an unusual release schedule due to the decision to serialize it in V Jump, it is still easy to follow. Plus, the monthly schedule means that fans have plenty of time to read each chapter, meaning it's hard to fall behind or miss chapters. It is also a breeze for fans to enjoy, as due to Viz Media and Manga Plus, Americans can enjoy every moment along with their Japanese counterparts, making Dragon Ball Super an international event, no matter where the story goes next.

Dragon Ball Super

TV-PG

Anime

Action

Adventure

With Majin Buu defeated half-a-year prior, peace returns to Earth, where Son Goku (now a radish farmer) and his friends now live peaceful lives.

Release Date

January 7, 2017

Cast

Masako Nozawa , Takeshi Kusao , Ryô Horikawa , Hiromi Tsuru

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

5