Dragon Ball Reveals Rare Shonen Jump Artwork Not Found in the Actual Manga

Dragon Ball‘s website has revealed a nearly 40-year-old image of Goku and his Flying Nimbus dating back to 1985 — a piece of artwork that was only exclusively released in that week’s issue of Weekly Shonen Jump.

The image of Goku was recently resurfaced on the official Dragon Ball website as part of the ongoing Toriyama Archives series. The Archives showcase old and unique Toriyama artwork for just 24 hours before it re-enters the vault, with this recent edition showcasing an incredibly rare title page of Goku riding on Kinto’un (in English, the Flying Nimbus). Readers can check out the image and its background below.

A Newly Resurfaced Image of Goku and His Flying Nimbus Is a Rare Shonen-Jump Exclusive

The cover page was featured in Weekly Shonen Jump 1985 Issue No. 12, released on Feb. 19, 1985. The Dragon Ball site gave the following background: “This title page showcases Goku riding on Kintoun in search of Kamesennin. As this issue featured a giveaway, a different, newly drawn illustration was used for the actual Dragon Ball comic. That means this is a unique title page that you can only find in this particular Weekly Shonen Jump issue!”

Shonen Jump‘s 1985 Issue 12 came only a few months after Dragon Ball‘s start in late 1984. The title page corresponded to Chapter 12, which, while lacking in the series’ trademark action, marks the chapter where Chi-Chi first falls in love with Goku following numerous misunderstandings. Goku was again the feature of another recent archival release, striking a confident pose referencing one of Toriyama’s rarer one-shot manga, ‘SONCHOH,’ released in the same chapter.

Dragon Ball Daima and Sparking Zero Both Premiere This October

While the Toriyama Archives allow fans to relive Dragon Ball‘s origins, many are also looking ahead to the future, with October marking a massive month for the franchise. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero dropped a new Android Saga trailer ahead of its Oct. 11 release date, and Toriyama’s final anime involvement with the series, Dragon Ball Daima, recently received its latest trailer. While no televised release date has been confirmed, Daima‘s world premiere date was confirmed for October’s highly anticipated Daimatsuri special event.

Dragon Ball Chapter 12, in which the Goku and Kintoun title page appeared, can be seen in Volume 2 of the manga. VIZ licenses the series in North America, which depicts Goku and Bulma tracking down the sixth and seventh Dragon Balls. Meanwhile, The Ox King tasks them to find Kame-Sen’nin, with Yamcha, Pu’ar and Emperor Pilaf standing in their way.

Dragon Ball

Son Gokû, a fighter with a monkey tail, goes on a quest with an assortment of odd characters in search of the Dragon Balls, a set of crystals that can give its bearer anything they desire.

Author

Akira Toriyama

Artist

Akira Toriyama

Release Date

November 20, 1984

Genre

Adventure , Fantasy , Comedy , Martial Arts

Chapters

519

Volumes

42

Adaptation

Dragon Ball (1986)

Publisher

Shueisha, Madman Entertainment, Viz Media

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Source: Dragon Ball official website