Dragon Ball Super Volume 24 hit store shelves across Japan on April 4th!

To commemorate the release of the highly anticipated new volume, we interviewed the manga's co-creator Toyotarou himself! And what's more, the interviewer is none other than Dragon Ball superfan Maria Makino from Morning Musume '25!

In other words, this article is more than just a meet-up of a manga author and a pop star, but a discussion between two dedicated followers of Akira Toriyama's works. Make sure to keep reading to find out about their love of Dragon Ball!

Two Dragon Ball-Loving Elementary Schoolers Turn Their Passion Into a Career!

Maria Makino (hereafter Makino): It's a pleasure to be here today!

Toyotarou: Thanks for having me.

Makino: Of course, I've been reading the volume releases of Dragon Ball Super too, but what left the strongest impression on me was the artwork displayed at Jump Festa 2025. It was super flashy and seriously cool! You could see the back view of Gohan shooting the Makankosappo: Special Beam Cannon while also capturing everyone's close-up expressions—so much was captured in just that one piece!

Jump Festa is a major annual event
where you can fully experience the charm of Jump.
Makino has been attending it for three years!

Toyotarou: Thank you! I listened to the radio program you appeared on to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Dragon Ball. I really felt your love for the series.

All Night Nippon - Dragon Ball 40th Anniversary Special
aired on January 1st, 2025.
Featured a gathering of Dragon Ball fans, including Makino.

Makino: Yes! I started watching Dragon Ball when I was in elementary school after my father rented a tape of it. I grew to like the series even more after watching reruns of the anime. When did you first fall in love with Dragon Ball?

Toyotarou: I also came across the series when I was a child and read it as it was being serialized. Even when the kids in my class were playing dodgeball outside, I always drew pictures of Goku on the blackboard. I've kind of just continued doing the same thing even as an adult (laughs).

Makino: I also loved tracing Goku and dreamed of becoming a manga creator. Did you also want to become a manga creator when you were that age?

Toyotarou: I certainly had aspirations, but I had the impression that becoming a manga creator required overcoming a lot of big hurdles, so I didn't think I could actually make it. Now, though, I've somehow managed to turn it into a profession.

Makino: It's amazing that you were able to turn something you love into your job.

Toyotarou: Being an idol is often seen as a dream job too, right?

Makino: Well in my case, rather than liking idols, it's more that I liked Morning Musume and really wanted to join that group.

Piccolo & the Majin Buu Arc!

Makino: Who's your favorite character?

Toyotarou: If I had to choose, it'd be Goku, but it's difficult to choose just one. I tend to end up liking the character I'm drawing at the time the most. For example, during the SUPER HERO arc, there were times when it was Trunks, Piccolo, Gohan...

Makino: There were a ton of characters who were active during that arc! Since I want to marry Piccolo, I was really happy to see so many different sides of him in the SUPER HERO arc.

Dragon Ball Super

Toyotarou: Toriyama also said Piccolo was his favorite character. Piccolo took on a supporting role early on, and after merging with Kami, he became a sort of knowledgeable character who helps the story progress too. He's definitely a really cool character.

Makino: While he has that cool side to him, he also shows his flustered side in the Majin Buu arc. I really grew to love him because of that contrast.

Toyotarou: I had the impression that people who like Piccolo started liking him around the Saiyan arc.

Makino: I really love the Majin Buu arc itself. There are so many enjoyable moments, like when Gotenks uses his different techniques, or when Majin Buu (Good) makes his house—those scenes are just so cute. While I enjoy the intense battles with lots of twists and turns, like in the Frieza arc, they also tend to make me feel sad...

Dragon Ball

Toyotarou: The Majin Buu arc has an amazing richness in its characters and variety of developments. I heard that the series started with the intention of that arc being the final story, so I think Toriyama just felt free to do whatever he wanted in the end. Also, in terms of art style, I like the Majin Buu arc the most. I based my art on Toriyama's style from that period.

Makino: Dragon Ball Super is a continuation from the Majin Buu arc, after all.

Toyotarou: I'm trying my best to make sure that the arcs feel as naturally connected as possible.

Toyotarou's Drawing Process!

Makino: Ever since I was in elementary school, I've loved drawing. So, I wanted to ask about your drawing process.

Here's a picture of Gogeta drawn by Makino!

Makino: I've seen videos of you drawing with a mechanical pencil, but are all your works drawn with traditional tools?

Toyotarou: I create art using analog and digital methods.

Toyotarou: So, like that, I go back and forth between analog and digital about twice.

Makino: Ah, I see! I'd been wondering how the main lines looked to be drawn traditionally but there were also lines that looked like they couldn't have been done that way.

Toyotarou: Everything from the coloring onwards is done digitally, either with cel-like anime coloring or brush coloring which has a strong shadow gradation. Anime coloring is easier to do, but using the brush coloring technique makes the art feel more impactful, so I use that one when I have the time.

Left: Brush coloring example. Right: Anime coloring example

Makino: So, the coloring is all done digitally. The brush coloring is definitely very detailed, so much so that I could look at it for hours without getting bored!

The SUPER HERO Arc Finally Concludes in Volume 24!

Makino: Getting back to Dragon Ball Super, let's talk about the SUPER HERO arc that started in volume 20 and is finishing up with the latest release, volume 24. There were a lot of scenes I really liked in the movie, like when Piccolo went to pick up Pan from school. But my favorite scene is from volume 23, when Gohan uses the Makankosappo: Special Beam Cannon!

At the beginning of the interview,
Makino talked about how overwhelming
the exhibit depicting this scene at Jump Festa 2025 was

Toyotarou: It's monochrome in the books, but a color page in the original magazine print. Often the color insert spreads are just an illustration of characters and are unrelated to the main story. The Makankosappo: Special Beam Cannon scene though, I was able to get it in there as a color page without breaking the flow of the action, which I'm pretty proud of.

Makino: The way that impactful artwork was inserted into the manga so naturally was great!

Toyotarou: Drawing that illustration was really fun. I love when I get to draw cool things in a cool way, and when there's a clear direction for me to follow, I can do it with ease. It makes me happy when people praise those scenes.

Makino: Since volume 23 covers the story up until after Cell Max's defeat, I assume volume 24 is the story after the events in the movie?

Toyotarou: Stuff that wasn't in the movie like Goku and Gohan's showdown will be in volume 24.

Dragon Ball Super

Toyotarou: In Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO, Piccolo becomes Orange Piccolo, and Gohan becomes Beast, right? Considering that, between Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, and Broly...don't you wonder who's the strongest?

Makino: Totally! There is a scene where Vegeta beats Goku, but it's not really clear who's number one in that group.

From "Dragon Ball Super"

Toyotarou: Right you are. I actually ended up drawing the showdown on Beerus' planet depicted in volume 24 after asking Toriyama about that very question around then. Of course I'd prefer if you read the book to learn more, but there's a reason I included that scene...although I'm afraid Piccolo isn't there.

Makino: The cover of that volume has everyone in their strongest forms, right?

Toyotarou: Like I said before, I wanted to depict the rivalry between the five of them, and that cover illustration was born from that. I worked like crazy on that cover, and I don't think I'll be willing to devote so much time to a cover again in the future. Also, on the back side, there's Black Frieza, who's also part of the power level conversation.

Makino: Oh, so he is! This Lord Frieza is so shiny, it makes you want to touch him to see what he feels like.

Toyotarou: And amongst everything else, I didn't expect Shimorekka would wind up being on the spine...

Dragon Ball
This character appears
in the Galactic Patrol Prisoner arc.
He acts as Moro's subordinate,
but ends up being taken out by Moro himself...

Toyotarou: The characters appearing on the spine art are decided and drawn several volumes in advance, so I hadn't thought that I'd end up in a situation where the front cover features powerhouses and the spine art features a total weakling... Incidentally, I've already drawn the future spine art characters, which I hope everyone will get to see soon.

Final Comments

Makino: Do you have anything to say to readers who are looking forward to the new release?

Toyotarou: It took a whole year before we could finally release volume 24, so it has the same passion that would normally go into multiple volumes. In addition to the normal content, we spent a little bit more time on the cover and the bonus section, so you're getting a bit more bang for your buck. Please consider giving it a read! What about you, Ms. Makino? Anything to add?

Makino: Yes! I'd like to recite my favorite line from Cell! "Hah hah hah hah! Ten more seconds and the earth will be history! ...I guess we'll call the game a draw!"

Dragon Ball
Makino's favorite line, which she also
recited on stage at the Nippon Budokan.
It was a perfect impression of how the line was delivered
in the anime, so it's a shame we can't show you a video.

Toyotarou gave Makino a hand-drawn
illustration as a gift!

Photography: Atsushi Wada