Even with the Dragon Ball Super manga still on hiatus following the tragic passing of legendary creator Akira Toriyama, illustrator Toyotaro has been doing an amazing job keeping the fandom fed. The manga artist continues to share official sketches and artwork, jumping between nostalgic callbacks like Goku's final timeskip design and unseen illustrations. Now, Toyotaro has released a new illustration centered on Vegeta's family history that fans have been waiting nearly 40 years to see.
The artwork serves as a new alternate cover for Dragon Ball Super volume 19, putting Vegeta, Bulma, and their children front and center instead of the usual Goku-focused lineup. But the real surprise is hiding in the reflection beneath them. Following the cover's theme of showing the characters' parents through their reflections, Bulma's reflection reveals Vegeta's mother for the first time. Her face is still cheekily hidden behind King Vegeta's cape, but her hairstyle and the royal family crest on her armor are enough to finally give fans a proper look at the woman behind the Saiyan Prince's royal bloodline.
Toyotaro Delivers A Long-Awaited Saiyan Queen Reveal In Official Dragon Ball Art
Akira Toriyama spent years filling in the tragic history of the Saiyan race, from King Vegeta’s ruthless rule to Frieza wiping out nearly the entire species. Yet one huge part of the royal family was always left untouched: Vegeta’s mother. For almost 40 years, fans have wondered what the Saiyan Queen was actually like. Was she just as cold and tyrannical as her husband, or did she have a softer side similar to Goku's mother, Gine? Toyotaro’s new artwork, revealed in Dragon Ball Super: My Favorite Cover Poll, finally gives fans something to work with, even if it comes with one very frustrating catch.
Hidden in the puddle beneath Vegeta, Bulma, and their family, Toyotaro has slipped in the first official look at the Saiyan Queen. While Vegeta’s reflection shows King Vegeta, Bulma is mirrored by the mysterious Saiyan Queen, finally putting Vegeta’s mother into an official Dragon Ball illustration after nearly four decades. Toyotaro still refuses to give everything away, cleverly placing King Vegeta’s cape over her face, but her spiky Saiyan hair, armor, and royal crest can all be seen.
It is only a partial reveal, but for a character Dragon Ball has somehow kept completely out of sight for this long, even that feels huge. Better yet, Toyotaro has now given Vegeta’s mother an actual design to work with, opening the door for the manga to properly introduce her and finally fill in another missing piece of Vegeta’s past.
The Official Art Cements Tarble In The Royal Family Tree Alongside Vegeta
But the Saiyan Queen is not the only surprise hiding in that reflection. Toyotaro also brings Vegeta’s younger brother, Tarble, into the family picture, a character whose place in Dragon Ball canon was debated for years after his debut in the 2008 special Dragon Ball: The Return of Son Goku and Friends! His weak fighting ability led King Vegeta to exile him to a distant planet, which ironically kept Tarble far away when Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta.
While a quick name-drop by Nappa during a flashback in the 2018 Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie officially cemented his canon status, this new artwork completely locks him into the royal family tree. The best part is the contrast between the two generations. In the present, Vegeta is smiling while holding his daughter Bulla, while his own father is shown gripping young Tarble by the scruff of his neck in the reflection.
That tiny detail says a lot about how far Vegeta has come. The same Saiyan Prince who grew up under King Vegeta’s harsh rule now has a completely different relationship with his own children. After nearly 40 years of unanswered questions, one small piece of artwork has given Dragon Ball fans more Saiyan family lore to talk about, while making the wait for the manga’s return feel even longer.
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 MoritaWhis (voice) -
Masako NozawaSon Goku/Goku Black/Son Gohan/Son Goten (voices)
WHERE TO WATCH
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
