Goku Gets A One-Punch Man Makeover In Dragon Ball Collaboration Project
One-Punch Man artist Yusuke Murata commemorates Dragon Ball's 40th anniversary with a fun redesign of the cover artwork for Volume 12.
The artist behind One-Punch Man has redesigned a classic Dragon Ball manga cover for the series' fans.
For Shonen Jump's ongoing Dragon Ball "Super Gallery" project, Yusuke Murata redrew Akira Toriyama's cover artwork for Volume 12, which originally depicted Goku, Master Roshi, Yamcha and Krillin riding inside a yellow van. Murata's version has a more chaotic atmosphere, with Roshi racing alongside two other drivers while Goku follows on foot. X (formerly Twitter) user Shonen Jump News (or @WSJ_manga) showcased Murata's artwork for their followers.
Shonen Jump included Murata's cover as part of its Dragon Ball "Super Gallery," a commemorative event for the franchise's ongoing 40th anniversary celebration. In August 2021, Shonen Jump announced that it would publish 42 classic Dragon Ball covers redesigned by prominent manga artists from all over Japan. The gallery's debut entry was submitted by Masashi Kishimoto, creator of the hit shonen franchise Naruto. Additional participants thus far have included One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, Tite Kubo (Bleach), Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man), Tatsuya Endo (Spy x Family) and Hirohiko Araki (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure), among others. The final submission is slated for publication in November 2024.
DRAGON BALL Volume 12 by Yusuke Murata (Eyeshield 21).
— Shonen Jump News (@WSJ_manga) December 26, 2023
This is part of the DRAGON BALL Super Gallery Project to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the series. Every month, different mangaka will redesign one of the 42 covers of the series until November 2024. pic.twitter.com/3XC2n7xfro
Although Murata is best known for his 2012 manga remake of ONE's famous webcomic, he has illustrated a number of different works over the course of his career. From 2002 to 2009, Murata collaborated with Riichiro Inagaki on the popular sports manga Eyeshield 21. This series revolves around a high school freshman named Sena Kobayakawa who constantly finds himself being ordered around by his classmates. One day, a universally feared student named Hiiruma forces Sena to join the school's football team, where he develops a new reputation as the team's star running back. Studio Gallop (Initial D) later adapted the manga into a 145-episode anime series.
Toei Animation also has big plans for Dragon Ball's 40th Anniversary. Currently, the studio is working on a brand-new animated series called Dragon Ball Daima, which is going out of its way to bring the franchise back to its roots. The plot revolves around a mysterious spell that has transformed Goku and his friends into children, causing them to embark on a new journey to find who is responsible. In Daima's reveal trailer, fans got to witness the return of young Goku wielding his iconic red power pole. Although Toei has not yet revealed a specific release date for the anime, it is slated to premiere in the Fall 2024 season.