After nearly eight years out of television, Dragon Ball Super is finally making its comeback. As part of its 40-year anniversary celebrations, Toei Animation confirmed a brand-new anime titled Dragon Ball Super Galactic Patrol, which will finally see one of its most popular unanimated story arcs come to life. The series is set to come out this fall.
The previous Dragon Ball Super anime series ended in 2018 after merely three years of on-air history, concluding well before it could adapt several major story arcs that would follow in Toyotarou’s manga series. Finally, in Galactic Patrol, we can look forward to seeing these story arcs adapted, starting off with what fans have dubbed the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga, largely under Toyotarou’s direction.
Goku, Vegeta, and the full Z-Fighter ensemble reunite
From a chronological perspective, Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol takes place between Ages 780 and 781 and follows after the events of Dragon Ball Super: Broly. The series also takes place after the Tournament of Power Arc, reuniting Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the Z-Fighters, as fans have been eagerly awaiting for some time. Unlike some of the more individual-based storylines, this one brings the entire ensemble together as the main characters, reminiscent of the series at its best.
“This will be the story following the “Universe Survival Arc” of the anime Dragon Ball Super, which aired between 2015 and 2018. It also appears in the manga Dragon Ball as the ‘Galactic Patrol Prisoner Arc.’ The main character, Son Goku, and Vegeta, work together with the members of the Galactic Patrol, the peacekeepers of the galaxy, to begin a SUPER scale battle against a new enemy, ‘Planet-Eater’ Moro!” As the official anime synopsis says.
The actual premise for the story promises an out-of-this-world conflict as Goku and Vegeta team up with the Galactic Patrol, the protectors of the universe, in order to take down a brand-new villain described as Moro, the Planet-Eater. The demon wizard possesses incredible magical potential and has the ability to drain energy from planets in order to sustain his own life force, making him one of the most formidable antagonists in Dragon Ball Super history.
It is still unknown whether Toei Animation plans to adapt Galactic Patrol as a seasonal anime series or a feature-length film; however, there is a strong possibility it might end up as a series, considering the extensive storyline, which consists of 26 chapters and is therefore too long to feature as a standalone film. It might also mean a new era where there is a focus on long-form storytelling, as is the case with One Piece.
The reveal was made at the Dragon Ball Genki Dama Festival, which featured legendary voice actress Masako Nozawa and Dragon Ball producer Akio Iyoku in attendance. Iyoku confirmed during the reveal that production is currently in motion, though a specific date was never given. Early signs, such as a cinematic teaser video set to Hans Zimmer scores, hint at a high degree of care being taken with the production.
Looking ahead, Galactic Patrol also opens the door for more adaptations, including one of my favorite sagas: Granolah the Survivor. After exploring new ground with Dragon Ball Daima and advancing the timeline with Super Hero, this Super saga is a welcome nostalgic move. For fans who’ve been waiting nearly a decade to see the Moro Arc brought to life, Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol represents more than a comeback—it represents a long-promised continuation of the series, finally ready to reclaim its spot on the screen.
