Dragon Ball Super’s Manga Return Gets Disastrous Update

Published Nov 13, 2026, 7:00 PM EST Umair is a contributor for the ScreenRant anime section. He has always been enthusiastic about pop culture. Whether it's anime, movies, TV shows, manga, manhwa, video games, or pop music, he is always tuned in. From the classic Dragon Ball to the underrated Dororo, he has a broad knowledge of the most. When he's not writing, you may find him editing on his favorite anime, movie, or pop star on his Instagram. Ever since the Dragon Ball Super manga went on indefinite hiatus in March 2024 following the passing of legendary creator Akira Toriyama, a full comeback still looked like a sure bet. Apart from the standalone Goten and Trunks prequel one-shot released as chapter #104 in February 2025, the manga has remained silent. However, illustrator Toyotarou kept hopes alive with monthly V Jump sketches, special posters, and his August 2026 assurance to fans that "everything is for the return of the series." But that optimism just hit a massive brick wall. Thanks to a messy corporate tug-of-war and a shocking lineup change for Jump Festa 2027, a full manga return suddenly looks like it could be stalled for years. The red flags started waving when Shueisha revealed the promotional poster for Jump Festa 2027, scheduled for December 19-20. For the first time since the series began, Goku was completely absent from the artwork. The situation escalated on November 2, when Shueisha quietly updated the event's Jump Original Art World gallery, removing Dragon Ball Super entirely and handing its exhibition spot to the Metaphor: ReFantazio manga adaptation. With Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball SD, and Dragon Ball Super Divers all missing from the Jump Festa gallery, Toriyama's historic Bird Studio building in Kiyosu closing and being demolished in October, and the IP rights dispute between Shueisha and Akio Iyoku's Capsule Corporation Tokyo still dragging on behind closed doors, the future of the Dragon Ball Super manga is looking bleaker than ever. Shueisha Quietly Wiping The Dragon Ball Manga From Jump Festa Is A Massive Red Flag At the center of this blackout is a bitter rights dispute that goes back to May 2023. That's when Akio Iyoku, the former head of Shueisha's internal "Dragon Room" and Toriyama's trusted longtime executive producer, left the publisher to found his own company, Capsule Corporation Tokyo. Since Toriyama's passing, the multi-billion-dollar franchise has been awkwardly split between two camps: Shueisha held onto the manga and print rights, while Iyoku's company took the reins of the anime and games. It's exactly why the screen side of the franchise is thriving right now with Dragon Ball Daima, the Dragon Ball Super: Beerus remake, and massive games like Sparking! ZERO, while the manga remains frozen in a 21-month content drought. But the real bombshell lies in what's happening with Toriyama's estate. In October 2026, Toriyama's historic orange Bird Studio building in Kiyosu was officially demolished. Just before the crews moved in, Toyotarou made a quiet personal trip to the residential neighborhood to leave a signed autograph at a nearby café, paying his respects to his mentor's legendary workspace. However, there was already a major shift happening behind the scenes. Corporate filings show that on August 1, 2026, Bird Studio quietly relocated its registered headquarters from Kiyosu to a condo in Tokyo. Even more telling is the studio's new corporate structure. Bird Studio's five-person board of directors now includes two members of the Toriyama family and three executives, including Akio Iyoku himself, who also sits on the board of Capsule Corporation Tokyo. The Messy Boardroom War Could Actually Force Dragon Ball Super To Leave V Jump Altogether The recent overlap in leadership only adds fuel to the growing rumours that Toriyama's estate is consolidating its rights under Iyoku's banner rather than Shueisha's. If Shueisha and Capsule Corporation Tokyo can't find a way to share the franchise, there's a real possibility that Dragon Ball Super could eventually leave V Jump altogether and relaunch in a new magazine or digital platform run by Iyoku's team. The biggest tragedy is that the story itself is nowhere near finished. Ultra Instinct Goku, Ultra Ego Vegeta, and Beast Gohan still have the massive threat of Black Frieza hanging over them, and Toyotarou was personally trained by Toriyama to carry the torch. There's clearly plenty of story left to tell, but none of that matters until the people running the franchise settle their differences. For now, fans are left waiting for the executives in the boardroom to decide who gets to publish the next chapter of Dragon Ball Super Release Date 2015 - 2018 Network Fuji TV Directors Ryota Nakamura, Masanori Sato, Kenichi Takeshita, Takao Iwai, Hideki Hiroshima, Masato Mitsuka, Kazuya Karasawa, Ayumu Ono, Takahiro Imamura, Tatsuya Nagamine, Kôjiro Kawasaki, Kouji Ogawa Cast Masakazu Morita Whis (voice) Masako Nozawa Son Goku/Goku Black/Son Gohan/Son Goten (voices) Dragon Ball Super is an anime series set after Majin Buu's defeat. It follows Son Goku, now a radish farmer, as peace prevails until Beerus, the God of Destruction, appears. Seeking to challenge a legendary warrior, the series revisits events from two Dragon Ball Z films before exploring alternate universes. Writers Ryu King, Hiroshi Yamaguchi Franchise(s) Dragon Ball Main Genre Anime Seasons 1 Number of Episodes 131 Creator Akira Toriyama Streaming Service(s) Hulu, Crunchyroll Studio Toei Animation Based On Manga MyAnimeList Score 7.46