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Fans of Dragon Ball are in for a nostalgic treat as they revisit a cherished piece of Goku’s past, one that never actually made it to the series’ storyline. The latest revelation from the franchise offers a delightful glimpse into a childhood moment that Goku, the beloved Saiyan hero, never experienced.
The excitement stems from a recent release in the Toriyama Archives on the official Dragon Ball website. Enthusiasts were introduced to a rare calendar illustration dating back nearly 40 years. This particular artwork, which first appeared in the 1987 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump No. 5, depicts a youthful Goku joyfully sprinting with a school backpack, accompanied by his friend Krillin not far behind.
The image was presented with a descriptive caption: “Here we have a timetable that was on the last page of the bonus calendar within this issue. It depicts Goku with a school backpack, something we wouldn’t see otherwise in the main story. Everything, from the numbers and days of the week down to the calendar grid, was drawn by Akira Toriyama himself!” This exclusive illustration offers fans a rare look at a whimsical what-if scenario in the Dragon Ball universe.
The image was shared with a caption reading, “Here we have a timetable that was on the last page of the bonus calendar within this issue. It depicts Goku with a school backpack, something we wouldn’t see otherwise in the main story. Everything, from the numbers and days of the week down to the calendar grid, was drawn by Akira Toriyama himself!” The full illustration can be seen below.
Dragon Ball Sends Goku & Krillin to School in Official Rare Art Reveal
Image via Shueisha
Goku has been the heart of the Dragon Ball franchise from the very beginning. An evolution of Toriyama’s previous Dragon Boy concept, Goku made his debut as a wide-eyed and boisterous, if wildly dangerous young child. After accidentally killing his adoptive father, the young Goku’s journeys brought him into the lives of the likes of Bulma, Yamcha, Master Roshi and Krillin, each of whom helped shape his future.
In the decades that followed, Goku grew into the beaming hero that fans know and love today. And, even though Goku has lost his life at multiple points throughout the franchise, he has always made his way back to the forefront of Dragon Ball across almost each and every single iteration of the series.
Fans can look forward to seeing Goku return to the spotlight once more (hopefully) some time next year with the release of Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol. The upcoming anime series will adapt the fan-favorite Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga from the Dragon Ball Super manga, although what exactly that looks like still remains to be seen.
In January, a press release from Shueisha noted that Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol is “set for production,” implying that the series was still in development at the time. The press release described Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol as “the next arc in the Dragon Ball Super anime,” and stated that the series will pick up after the events of the Universal Survival Arc which concluded in 2018.
Unfortunately for Dragon Ball Super fans, it will be quite some time before they get to see Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol, and that isn’t the only project they are waiting for. Last month, it was confirmed that the Dragon Ball Super manga is still on hiatus, with the series being completely absent from the April 2026 V Jump special, leaving readers with just a cover image of Gogeta to sate their cravings for more of their favorite manga.
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- First Episode Air Date
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April 26, 1989