On Tuesday, December 20, 2022, the much-anticipated return of the series after a sabbatical of several months was signalled with the publication of Dragon Ball Super chapter 88. The return issue is equally impressive, setting up Goten and Trunks’ first major conflict as superheroes without wasting any time. Despite the fact that this makes Dragon Ball Super chapter 88 a very lengthy and involved issue, it is also a very exciting and joyous one. Having the Red Ribbon Army appear to be back in a very unexpected turn for the series, but it also feels like a return to form. The issue’s tone, in general, also calls back to the golden days of Goku’s early exploits.
In this, the 88th chapter of Dragon Ball Super, we get a few quick updates before we go on to brand-new storylines.
On the first full-colour page of Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88, Goku, Whis, Beerus, and the Oracle Fish sit down to supper on Beerus’ planet. Even though Vegeta is there, he looks to be staring far away from the rest of the group. The death of Gas and their defeat at the hands of Black Frieza, the narrator says, opened Goku and Vegeta’s eyes to the “huge power disparity” between them and their adversary. It appears to annoy Vegeta the most, as he scowls at it while seeing Black Frieza in the sky. To beat Frieza before the series returns to Earth, the narrator states they are continuing their training. Then a double-page colour spread from Dragon Ball Super chapter 88 is displayed, which has Trunks and Goten in their superhero clothes, Mai in what seems like a high school student attire, Krillin in his police outfit, Dr Hedo, and other characters. Another colour page follows in Dragon Ball Super chapter 88, with Goten and Trunks announcing themselves as the clean-up heroes and stating their slogan. It is often believed that Trunks is Saiyaman X-1 and Goten is Saiyaman X-2 in their unique capacities. After striking a stance, they declare, “We’re here to tidy up.”
We then jump to Mosquito Town, West Capital, and the jewellery district there. When Trunks and Goten arrive, the robbers are just exiting the getaway car with their booty in tow. As the robbers attack a jewellery store in broad daylight, Trunks and Goten remark on how brazen they are. The criminals go on to state that Goten and Trunks’ heroic deeds have only recently begun and thus far appear to be localised to the West Capital district. When the biggest brute in the room threatened to show them, Trunks snatched the revolver out of his hand, crushed it, and tossed it in a bag, urging the thug to learn how to properly dispose of trash. Then, in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88, Trunks and Goten use their superior hand-to-hand combat skills to quickly dispatch the thieves, collecting knives and other weapons along the way. As Goten appears to really lament, their new gimmick is around “tidying up the city,” in the physical and figurative senses.
Not long later, the two prevail when they kick their adversaries into the sign for the jewellery store, bringing it crashing down on them and forcing them to surrender. When the cops come, the two give each other a thumbs up and announce, “cleanup: complete.” They then go to an adjacent roof and hide there until the authorities leave. The two then congratulate each other on a job well done, before proclaiming that the greatest part was their “amazing pose” after successfully foiling the criminal’s plot. Here it is revealed that the two are trying to model themselves after “Clean God,” who appears to be a video game character about to be featured in a film. Goten reassures Trunks that they are not taking too much from Clean God because they are a team. The news report Goten receives about a major theft piques Trunks’ interest since it may imply a new task for them, but it turns out to be a case of identity theft perpetrated via a cyberattack. Meanwhile, in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88, Trunks complains that he can’t easily beat up scumbags online, prompting Goten to reply that he’s never been excellent with computers.
Trunks complain that all he wants to do is take on some “great evil” and defeat it in grand fashion, but he wonders if superheroes still have a place in today’s society. In response, Goten argues that a peaceful society is desirable, and Trunks grudgingly agrees. Chi-Chi then video calls Goten to remind him that he was expected to be home long before now. Goten begins putting on what is later revealed to be a high school uniform, and the narrator discloses that their actions are a secret to their family. Then, in Chapter 88 of Dragon Ball Super, Trunks suggests they, too, equip themselves with a transformation watch like Gohan’s, motivating Trunks to promise to have Pilaf create the necessary tools. While Goten wonders if this is really possible, Trunks is so sure of the plan that he wants to borrow Goten’s outfit. Goten then boards the Flying Nimbus and promises to meet Trunks the next day at school. The second descends to an alley, where he considers whether or not he should just fly back to his house while still dressed in his disguise.
Then he takes a sneak peek around a corner and spots his gran and grandpa in disguise, trying to make a quick getaway. However, Dr Briefs notices him, and this prompts Trunks to reveal his true identity as Saiyaman X-1. Then, Dr Briefs’ pet dinosaur goes up to Trunks and shows affection, which makes Dr Briefs concerned because the dinosaur only shows this behaviour with members of his own family. Before flying out without telling his grandparents goodbye, Trunks says their loss is everyone’s fault because of how much they adore superheroes. Then, Trunks considers how much trouble he’ll get into if his mom finds out he’s been slacking off in school so he can train to be a superhero instead.
Here we have Chapter 88 of Dragon Ball Super, titled “The Mysterious Mechanical Manipulation.”
Dr and Mrs Briefs are revisited in Dragon Ball Super episode 88 when Mrs Briefs inquires as to the presence of an intruder. For Dr Briefs, the voice belonged to a superhero. Since Pan has just begun kindergarten, Mrs Briefs wants to buy a bouquet to mark the occasion and wants to know which flowers her husband prefers. Then Dr Briefs inquires as to what present he should give, and soon after, his pet dinosaur begins barking at something. Suddenly, he spots his CapsuleCorp aide robots speeding away along the street. Suddenly, a zombie-like figure approaches Mrs Briefs, scaring her to the point of screaming, and the issue flips to the next day at Capsule Corp. as our hero wonders what’s going on. The scene opens with Trunks following up on a request from Pilaf, who appears to be working for Capsule Corp as a mechanic or technician at this point. Pilaf claims that while one of the watches is complete, Goten’s won’t be till the next day.
Trunks are grateful to Pilaf, who has asked that he not tell Bulma that he stole the Dragon Balls. In Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88, Trunks promises to keep this a secret so long as he and Goten maintain their superhero status a secret. When Bulma unexpectedly comes and demands to know what they are plotting, Pilaf reassures the small lad that not even Shu and Mai know. Trunks try to brush it off, but Bulma quickly points out that he’ll be late for class if he stays. But before he leaves, he runs into Mai and offers to assist her to carry the package she and Shu just bought. After Shu pleads for further assistance, Trunks asks Mai if they can talk after he comes home from school, ignoring him in the process. After he leaves, Pilaf remarks on how unusual it is to find so much energy so early in the day. Afterwards, Bulma admits that she had caught Pilaf on video stealing the Dragon Balls from her chamber and demands that he return them.
Meanwhile, Trunks is on his way to class after stopping for a hot dog at a food truck. When the seller points out that he’s late, Trunks assures him that it’s all right to enter via the window. The next scene in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88 has him arriving at Blue Hal High School and attempting to enter the building through a window before being caught by his professor, who scolds him for being late. His classmate Kompas teases him for being late to class, and his teacher tells him that if he keeps it up, he might be expelled. Trunks claim he’s been busy and won’t clarify, so Kompas calls him “Mr Future CEO” and says that’s not an acceptable answer. Trunks go on to say that running a firm would be dull and that he wants more excitement in his life. Later, in the corridor, he is approached by another student, a girl named Rulah, who asks if he is seeking adventure and excitement.
According to her disclosure and Kompas’s confirmation that the hockey team saw a ghost, she claims that paranormal activity is widespread. As the events of Chapter 88 of Dragon Ball Super continue, a third student reveals that they have manifested close to the forsaken house on Mt. Butterfly. Trunk’s buddies are disappointed since they say he no longer wants to get out with them even though Kompas keeps trying to indicate they are in. Meanwhile, Trunks appears to be terrified of ghosts, ghouls, and “all that frightening trash.” Meanwhile, Trunks tracks down Goten after school and asks if he wants to re-engage in video game play at Trunks’s place. Next, it is shown that the two are playing the Clean-God video game, which prompts Trunks to declare that he wants to combat crime in real life as well. The conversation begins when Goten remarks on how eager he must be to utilise his transformation watch, causing Trunks to admit that he has already put it to use.
He goes on to say that he got two first-day tickets to see Clean-God by transforming into a superhero and flying to the theatre during his free period. They provide a chance to meet the movie’s star in person. Even though Trunks owes Goten a favour, he confesses that he could only acquire two tickets, and he plans to ask Mai out first before giving the second to Goten. Later in the issue, Trunks revisits the mechanics bay to check on the progress of the day-old help-bots that were brought there for maintenance. After describing the movie to Mai, Trunks approaches her and asks her out on a date. Pilaf admits that working on the helper bots isn’t her forte, but she thinks it’s necessary for the remainder of the month.
Trunks’ romantic sacrifices in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88
Pilaf tells Trunks in Dragon Ball Super chapter 88 that Mai can’t even take one night off to go out to dinner and a movie. Pilaf then explains, grudgingly, that in order to keep their jobs at Capsule Corp, they need to contribute in some way. In light of Bulma’s discussion with Pilaf this morning, this is even more so, says Shu. In Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88, when additional helper bots are brought in, it is discovered that they have stopped following their masters and have wandered away from home, prompting Trunks to inquire how long it would take. Pilaf swears he didn’t make any blunders in making them and that someone must have tampered with them.
Then, Shu says, “it’s been said that as the sun goes down, strange folk arrive to interfere with the helper bots.” Then, Trunks understands that he can prevent the recall by catching the gang, so he rushes out to seek Goten’s assistance. The two are later spotted walking about at night in plain clothes in the suspected appearance neighbourhood. Before Trunks’ phobia of ghosts and other supernatural phenomena is disclosed, they start debating whether or not the rumour is genuine. When Goten points out that both of their fathers have died and returned as “ghosts or whatever,” Trunks insists that, as the son of a scientist, he has no reason to believe in ghosts. Although he immediately runs across another individual who looks like a zombie, Trunks insists that it is not the same.
Now that they have their suspect, Goten explains, Trunks runs away and claims he does believe. The zombie guy then walks past a helper-bot with its owner, clicks a button on the remote, and the helper-bot starts racing away from its owner in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88. The man is still there, along with the remote control, when suddenly Goten and Trunks witness him get into his car and drive off. They hop in the air and follow him till he returns to the deserted mansion on Mt. Butterfly that he and his pals had been talking about earlier. Goten wants to go in, but Trunks is too scared, so Goten brings up Mai and Trunks’ purported lack of belief in the supernatural. Before catching up to Goten, he stops to consider if his love for Mai or his dread of ghouls and ghosts is more powerful. In the following chapter of Dragon Ball Super, we observe a group of zombie-like humans directing the helper bots as they assemble bento boxes. When one of the zombie men recognises them as the pre-packaged sushi that has just become popular in West Capital, Trunks gets the hint.
The two run for cover, but it turns out that the man was speaking with Kompas, who was hiding out in the packaging room with Rulah and the other student. When Goten realises they are Trunks’ classmates, Trunks threatens to change shape and rush them. His watch may be defective at first glance, but it serves to facilitate his metamorphosis into Saiyaman X-1. The third, unidentified student comes and tells the zombies his name and that he is a big admirer. The zombies charge Trunks, but he takes them all out save for the one on the “Alpha” jersey. When Trunks hits Alpha, he explains that he is “designed” to withstand more damage than the others and that this makes him unique. Then, in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88, when Trunks is getting ready to strike, his classmates are shocked to see him as Saiyaman X-1 when his outfit is abruptly sucked back into his watch. The three students are saved by Goten’s fast thinking, as he opens the door and blows the power box for the lights, allowing them to escape the estate.
After re-introducing himself, Goten explains that everyone witnessed the same illusion and came to the same conclusion: Trunks is not Saiyaman X-1. Once Goten is freed, the others flee, but not before Trunks admits that he can still see Alpha in the darkness. He then transforms into Super Saiyan, resuming his heroic identity, and knocking out his opponent with a single blow. The lights come back on, and Goten explains that he dealt with Trunks’ classmates. After realising they are out of luck for information gathering now that all of their opponents are unconscious, the two go off to investigate and ultimately find a safe. When Trunks unlocks the safe, he finds a disc of Dr Gero’s marked “confidential,” which corresponds to the events of Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88.
In Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88, Krillin arrives on the scene dressed as a police officer, just as the two have the disc in hand and are ready to depart. When Krillin asks if they’ve spotted any zombies around, the thought of genuine zombies causes Trunks to panic. Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Super Hero movie character Dr Hedo enters and is startled to discover his “entire Alpha series” decimated. The zombie in the Blue Hal crest jersey says they were beaten by a high school student who stole the jersey during the battle. Hedo promises that he will get them back online in no time, but then he notices that Dr Gero’s disc has disappeared. Dr Hedo bemoans the loss of the disc and then wonders who at Blue Hal High School may be responsible. After stating that they have completed their current home base, Dr Hedo explains that he must find alternative means of funding his study, as proceeds from the selling of sushi will no longer be sufficient. After revealing that the recall was called off, Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88 jumps ahead to the next day at Capsule Corp., where it is revealed that they must repair a number of helper bots that were discovered in pieces in the Mt. Butterfly house. At the issue’s conclusion, Trunks is frustrated with his own carelessness.
Dragon Ball Super Chapter 88: Conclusions
Chapter 88 of Dragon Ball Super offers a great glimpse into the future of the popular manga series. Goku and Vegeta are presently preparing to defeat Black Frieza, and that’s all the news readers need to know, thanks to this issue. Even if this training storyline wasn’t given much attention, the fact that the show’s heroes are Goten and Trunks more than makes up for it. It’s also nice that Goten and Chi-Chi, as well as Trunks and Bulma, mirror the story of Gohan and Bulma throughout his high school years as Saiyaman. With the addition of Dr Hedo to the manga, Dragon Ball Super chapter 88 looks to be going back to the series origins. Dr Hedo appears to have secured funding for the eventual restoration of the Red Ribbon Army, leading directly into the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero film as was previously stated. Although it isn’t explicitly stated in Dragon Ball Super chapter 88, the story’s status as a prologue to the film and other contextual factors strongly imply that this is the case.