The long-awaited Jump Festa 2025 is officially underway in Japan, andDragon Ballfans are curiously watching on in hopes of any updates regarding the currently on-hiatusDragon Ball Supermanga. Though the wait may be tough to endure, series artist, Toyotarou,has shared all-new artwork of Black Friezato hold fans over during the wait forSuper’s return. The drawing is Black Frieza’s first appearance in nearly two years, since his original manga debut.
Frieza’s arrival and subsequent beatdown of both Goku and Vegeta startled fans whenDragon Ball SuperChapter #87 was initially released. However, the series quickly shifted focus on its adaptation of the anime film,Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, andBlack Frieza was ultimately sidelined. Nevertheless, Toyotarou has returned to share a new look at the villain’s epic power-up, in celebration of Jump Festa’s arrival.
Black Frieza Looks Better Than Ever in New Official Artwork
Frieza is the proud owner of five different transformations, putting the evil space tyrant on par with Goku and Vegeta in just how many different forms he can assume. His latest, and the one featured in Toyotarou’s commemorative drawing,is aptly called Black Frieza, and remains the most mysterious of the bunch. Only being featured in a few short pages ofDragon Ball Super’s manga,Frieza transforms, one-shots both Goku and Vegeta at full-power, then detransforms and leaves.
Even After 2 Years, Dragon Ball Has Yet to Address Its Biggest Cliffhanger
The Dragon Ball franchise has left fans wondering when will Frieza become relevant again, two years after his return.
Toyotarou’s newest drawing also sheds light on the exact color scheme of the Black Frieza form. Going by the name of the transformation, it was easy to assume what color Frieza would be taking on, but the newest look at the villain features a distinct shine that was not prominent in the original manga debut.Frieza appears almost platinum in the drawing, similar to the appearance of his non-canon brother, Metal Cooler.
Dragon Ball Super’s Eventual Return Will Prominently Feature Black Frieza
Black Frieza May Be Dragon Ball Super’s Final Villain
Following the death ofDragon Ball’s legendary creator, Akira Toriyama,Dragon Ball Super’s manga was put on sudden hiatus, and has yet to return.The future of the franchise is largely uncertainwithout its author at the helm, but whileSuperhas been on break, the fresh and excitingDragon Ball Daimahas filled the void left by the manga’s absence. Unfortunately, the two series' do not cover the same material, and Black Frieza has been returned to the sidelines indefinitely.
WhenSuperdoes finally return, fans can expect Black Frieza to feature in a prominent role, as the series strongly hinted towards his being the final villain before the stoppage. The evil space dictator filling the role of antagonist once more inDragon Ball’s final battle before the ‘end of Z’ would be a poetic closing to a series which focuses on the two strongest Saiyans. UntilDragon BallSuperis officially announced, however, all fans can do is speculate and enjoy some fresh new art from Toyotarou.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
