Nobuhiro Watsuki of Rurouni Kenshin to Illustrate Next Chapter in Dragon Ball Super Gallery Project

On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the Dragon Ball Super Gallery Project announced its next participant: Nobuhiro Watsuki, the esteemed creator of Rurouni Kenshin. This information was unofficially confirmed by the reliable anime and manga news source, @WSJ_manga (Shonen Jump News).

The contribution from the Rurouni Kenshin mangaka will mark the 40th entry in the project, following the 39th entry by My Hero Academia’s Kohei Horikoshi. The news regarding Watsuki’s participation emerged after the reveal of Horikoshi’s contribution, which was also shared by Shonen Jump News earlier today.

Nobuhiro Watsuki of Rurouni Kenshin poised to be among the final three contributors in the Dragon Ball Super Gallery Project

Having selected the 13th volume for his contribution, Kohei Horikoshi leaves Nobuhiro Watsuki with the options of choosing between the first volume, the 30th volume, or the 42nd and concluding volume for his artwork. As of this writing, it remains unclear which volume Watsuki will choose; however, there is speculation within the community that he may opt for either the first or 30th volume cover. This speculation arises following the recent passing of creator Akira Toriyama, suggesting that the cover of volume 42 holds symbolic importance as the last entry.

Likewise, the cover of volume 30 possesses its own symbolic weight, featuring beloved characters from the series alongside a heartfelt message of gratitude to fans. Many believe this cover could serve as a second-to-last entry. Given this context, it seems plausible that Watsuki’s contribution may ultimately be a redrawn version of the first volume cover.

Additionally, it is speculated that Eiichiro Oda, the renowned author and illustrator of One Piece, will conclude the Dragon Ball Super Gallery Project with his interpretation of the volume 42 cover, a notion stemming from the well-documented mentor-student dynamic shared between him and Toriyama. While Masashi Kishimoto, who also had a close relationship with Toriyama, launched the project with his entry, these predictions remain speculative and have not been confirmed as of this article’s publication.

Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin manga premiered in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in April 1994 and concluded in September 1999. Since then, it has intermittently returned with continuations, starting from 2012. The manga was originally adapted into a television anime in 1996, and a new adaptation began airing in 2023, with its second season set to debut on Thursday, October 3.

Akira Toriyama’s iconic Dragon Ball manga first appeared in Weekly Shonen Jump in November 1984 and ran until May 1995. Tragically, Toriyama passed away on March 1, 2024, due to an acute subdural hematoma. The upcoming Daima anime will be the last project to feature significant involvement from Toriyama in its production.

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