Dragon Ball Reveals Rare 30-Year-Old Gohan vs. Majin Buu Artwork for Shonen Jump

Resurfaced artwork from Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama showcases a nearly 30-year-old full-color manga page depicting the showdown between Gohan and Majin Buu — one of the most renowned fights in the franchise up until that point.

The Aug. 20 edition of the Toriyama Archives, a project spotlighting rare and iconic Toriyama artwork, revealed the full-color draft page from Weekly Shonen Jump 1995 Issue No. 5-6. Via the official Dragon Ball English website, the page was drawn on Jan. 5, 1995, spotlighting Gohan vs. Super Buu’s second form, Fusion Buu — the pure-evil form of Majin Buu after consuming both Innocent Buu and later, Gotenks. As shown below, Super Buu dominates Gohan, taunting him, “What’s wrong?” and “Try harder.”

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The site also provided the following description: “This spectacular full-color page showcases the scene in which Gohan challenges Majin Buu, now transformed by having absorbed Gotenks and Piccolo! The color here really brings Gohan to life as he fights, wearing the same uniform as Goku, with the fate of Earth hanging in the balance!” The image was available on the Dragon Ball website for just 24 hours before it reentered the vault.

Buu would later add Gohan to his body count, firmly establishing himself as one of Dragon Ball‘s most evil villains. His childlike approach to murder set him apart from most other opponents, with examples of his cruelty including turning Chi-Chi into an egg and smashing it, turning his good side into chocolate and eating it, and wiping out most of Earth. Buu would be the final villain of Dragon Ball; he would later reincarnate into Uub, with his training arc with Goku set after the events of Dragon Ball Super and Daima. Other recent Toriyama Archives re-releases include a younger Gohan and Goku going for a father-son Bugatti ride and a sketch from 1990 depicting the “fierce battle” between rivals Vegeta and Goku.

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VIZ Media licenses the Dragon Ball manga franchise in North America, describing Dragon Ball Z Volume 25 where Buu and Gohan face off: “Shorn of his last vestiges of goodness, the djinn Boo is now pure, undiluted evil! With a single wave of his hand he kills six billion people, leaving only the heroes in Kami-sama’s sky palace alive…but for how long? Inside the palace, Goten and Trunks merge into Gotenks, the only being in the world who might match Boo in raw power. But luckily there’s more than one world. On a faraway planet, Gohan and Goku are preparing for their turn to fight…to save the devastated earth before the planet itself is blown away!”

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