REVIEW: ‘Dragon Ball Super,’ Volume 9

Are you a dub watcher of the Dragon Ball Super anime? Sad that the Tournament of Power is over? Are you desperately checking forums to see when more information about season two will be announced? Well, Dragon Ball Super Volume 9 is here to the save day like a new Sayian form when all seems lost. Mangaka legend himself, Akira Toriyama brings readers to the tale end of the anime’s run and into new adventures for the Z Fighters. Toriyama is joined by illustrator Toyotarou as publisher Viz Media brings the arc to English publication.

Dragon Ball Super Volume 9 consists of chapters 41-44 that will take readers to the end of the Universal Survival Saga and into the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga. The events of Dragon Ball Super: Broly are not in the manga but they are mentioned in a couple of pages during the transition between the two sagas. Chapter 41 picks up right as the battle between Goku and Jiren comes to its climax. The two continue their fight as time runs out in the Tournament of Power which will decide which universe will be wiped from existence.

To this point in the Universal Survival Saga, Jiren has looked essentially unbeatable. His calm determiner essentially gone as the Z Fighters from the seventh universe attempt to defeat the last remaining opponent from the eleventh universe. However, Goku shatters his limits once again and begins to taking steps to go deeper into his new form, Ultra Instinct. The other participants are amazed as Goku separates his consciousness from his body and begins to truly fight like a god. Finally, Jiren looks to be mortal after all as panels are filled with fights and counters that only animation could improve on.

As is the case with many new forms in the Dragon Ball universe, Goku cannot maintain his form and is overtaken by Jiren’s power. While Goku is almost tossed from the arena, Vegeta comes in with a clutch save. The two finally band together and team up to take on Jiren. Their combined onslaught also is enough to overcome Jiren. However, when more of Jiren’s backstory is revealed, he takes it up a notch and overwhelms the two sayians.

To this point, much of what occurs is scene in the anime. However, the exploration of Jiren’s backstory and what he will use his wish from Super Shenron if he emerges victorious differs slightly. It is never explicitly stated in the anime what Jiren will use his wish on. All we really gather is that his wish is selfish compared to the wishes from other universes. In the manga, we do get a deeper dive into what his wish would be and why it is important to him. It is certainly something I wish we would have gotten in the anime to make Jiren just a little more sympathetic than they try to make him out to be.

By the end of chapter 42, we have our victor as well as many of the scenes we are given in the anime. Android 17 and Frieza are able to pull off their master plan in which Frieza pushes Jiren, Vegeta, and Goku all out of the ring all making 17 the last member standing. 17 wishes the universes back in an unselfish act which ultimately turns out to be outcome the Grand Zenos hoped for. All seems to be right again as normalcy resumes. That is until Buu is captured unexpectedly.

Buu’s capture takes readers into the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga that has not appeared in the anime. I hadn’t delved into any of this saga myself without the anime or an English translation. After the two introductory chapters given with 43 and 44, I very intrigued. We learn that Buu is captured by the Galactic Patrol. The believe that a powerful warrior he absorbed as Majin Buu is the only way to stop a new threat to the universe, an ancient magic user named Moro.

As they tend to, Goku and Vegeta tag along for the adventure when it is made aware there is some powerful to defeat. To this point in the manga, we haven’t truly seen what kind of power Moro has. All we really know is that he millions of years old, can eat planets, and has a really kick ass character design. I won’t go into too many more of the specifics given we are moving past the anime but as a life-long Dragon Ball fan, I am not quite sure how the Goku and Vegeta are going to beat this new foe. He is ancient. He is ruthless. He is something our sayian duo hasn’t faced before.

Dragon Ball Super Volume 9 truly serves as the perfect volume for any fan who wants to get into the Dragon Ball Super manga and has just been anime watcher to this point.  It is perfectly split between what fans know from the anime and what looks to be a fascinating arc with element of magic and lore that we haven’t seen in some time in the Dragon Ball universe.  Further, the art is exactly what longtime fans can expect as the anime has always been very true the manga art style. Scenes are tense without the long pauses for exposition which are common in the anime. I could really hear the voices of my favorite characters and every the pew of every ki blast jump off the panels. I spent way more time that I can care to admit going back and looking at the panels from the volume and the corresponding episodes to see how well Toyotarou’s art was brought to life.

Dragon Ball Super Volume 9 is the first Dragon Ball manga I have picked up in awhile. Despite that, I am so glad I did.  Dragon Ball Super Vol 9  injected a new sense of anticipation that I haven’t felt for the franchise since the anime ended. Moro is scary and I can’t wait to know more. Given we have no idea when season two of the anime is coming, this is the perfect time for anime fans and English manga fans a like to keep up with this fandom that growing longer than Snake Way.

Dragon Ball Super Vol 9 will be available from online book sellers on June 2, 2020.

IMAGES: DRAGON BALL SUPER © 2015 by BIRD STUDIO, Toyotarou/SHUEISHA Inc.