Toyotarou has unveiled a new illustration of an elderly Son Goku to celebrate the 100th installment of his Toyotaro Tried Drawing It! series, a special Dragon Ball project that has been running since 2018. Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol sequel anime was recently announced, as well as the Beerus remake coming in Fall 2026.
The new commemorative artwork imagines what Goku might look like in old age, complete with white hair, a mustache, a walking staff, and a weathered version of his iconic orange gi.
The artwork is based on an elderly Goku sketch originally drawn by late Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama for an essay manga included in the 1989 book Dragon Ball Z Anime Special. The essay was later republished in Dragon Ball Chogashu (Dragon Ball Super Art Book).
In the original essay, Toriyama jokingly commented on the uncertainty surrounding the future of the series, asking questions such as, “When will Dragon Ball end?” and suggesting that Goku might one day become an old man like the one depicted in the drawing.
Nearly four decades later, that prediction still has not come true.
The text accompanying Toyotaro’s new illustration reads:
“This was drawn based on the image of an elderly Goku that Toriyama-sensei created for an essay manga included in the 1989 book Dragon Ball Z Anime Special.
At the time, Dragon Ball was still being serialized, and it was drawn alongside comments such as, ‘When will Dragon Ball end?’ and ‘Maybe Goku will become an old man like this someday.’
Thirty-seven years later…
As of 2026, Dragon Ball still hasn’t ended!
Toriyama-sensei!
Maybe someday we’ll actually get to see Goku like this!”
The illustration was released as part of the 100th entry in the Toyotaro Tried Drawing It! project, which originally focused on characters that had not appeared in Dragon Ball Super. As the series expanded, the feature evolved into a more freeform space where Toyotaro could explore alternate character concepts, hypothetical scenarios, and lesser-known figures from Dragon Ball.
Alongside the new artwork, Toyotaro also looked back on several of his favorite illustrations from the project’s first 100 entries, including imagined future versions of characters, original takes on movie villains, and alternate story concepts that could only exist outside the main manga.
DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 3 is also set to release in 2027.
Source: Dragon Ball Official Website
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