'Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol' marks franchise’s anime return: Everything known so far

Dragon Ball Super is set to return to television with Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol, a new anime project announced as part of the franchise’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

The series will mark the first animated Dragon Ball Super project since the release of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero in 2022. Although its story takes place chronologically before that film, Galactic Patrol is positioned as the next direct anime adaptation of the Dragon Ball Super manga, bringing previously unanimated material to the screen.

Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol is set between Age 780 and 781, following the events of Dragon Ball Super: Broly. For long-time fans, this places the story after key Dragon Ball Z timelines, including events referenced in Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks. The saga adapts what manga readers know as the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Arc.

According to the official synopsis, the story follows the Universe Survival Arc and sees Son Goku and Vegeta team up with the Galactic Patrol, the galaxy’s peacekeeping force, to face a new threat known as “Planet-Eater” Moro. The arc reunites the Z-Fighters in a way reminiscent of the Tournament of Power, focusing heavily on legacy characters.

While Toei Animation has not formally confirmed whether Galactic Patrol will be a television series or a feature film, the scope of the arc suggests a full anime season. The manga storyline spans 26 chapters, making it significantly larger than previous arcs adapted into films.

The central antagonist, Moro, is an original creation by Toyotarou. Described as a demonic wizard, Moro is capable of absorbing planetary energy to extend his life and later develops the ability to sense Dragon Ball locations, making him one of the most formidable villains in the series.

Although no release date has been confirmed, the announcement has renewed expectations for further Dragon Ball Super adaptations, including later unanimated manga sagas.