Dragon Ball Z Shuts Down Super Saiyan 4 Goku Theory Ahead of 2026 Comeback

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It’s surprising that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is still receiving large updates almost six years after its initial release on January 16, 2020. The newest DLC, Dragon Ball DAIMA – Adventure Through the Demon Realm Part 2, finishes the story from the Dragon Ball DAIMA arc. While the expansion has closely followed the anime so far, this final part adds its own unique elements, including a new ending and extra details about Super Saiyan 4 Goku.

In Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 20, Goku strongly suggests he achieved the Super Saiyan 4 transformation after his battle with Kid Buu at the end of Dragon Ball Z. He explains, “Buu was incredibly powerful, so I trained extensively afterward. I wasn’t certain if it would pay off.” This “it” likely refers to becoming Super Saiyan 4. However, the game Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot has changed this established story with a new scene after the credits. According to the game, Goku didn’t first transform into Super Saiyan 4 until Neva assisted him.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Confirms Goku Didn’t Unlock Super Saiyan 4 Until Dragon Ball DAIMA’s Final Battle

The latest cutscene from the Dragon Ball DAIMA DLC for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot reveals a surprising detail. Goku tells Panzy he’s just recently gotten used to being small, even achieving Super Saiyan 4. This implies he hadn’t transformed into Super Saiyan 4 before his fight with Gomah, which changes how we understand his previous statements in the Dragon Ball DAIMA anime. It now seems Goku’s uncertainty about Super Saiyan 4 wasn’t about its strength against Gomah, but whether he could even reach that level of power.

This approach aligns well with how Dragon Ball typically presents its characters’ transformations. While Saiyans often achieve new Super Saiyan levels without being shown, the most important transformations almost always happen on screen. For example, Goku and Gohan first become Super Saiyan 1 and 2 during their climactic fights against Frieza and Cell, respectively. Dragon Ball GT also made a point of visually showcasing Goku’s initial transformation into Super Saiyan 4.

Although we don’t see Goku achieve Super Saiyan Blue in the Resurrection ‘F’ movie, he does first demonstrate Super Saiyan God and Ultra Instinct on screen. The story emphasizes that Goku only reached Super Saiyan 4 with help from Neva, which makes the final battle in Dragon Ball DAIMA feel more important and gives that transformation a greater impact. However, it’s a little strange that Goku can so easily access Super Saiyan 4 after regaining his adult form.

A Dragon Ball Super Remake Will Have To Reconcile Super Saiyan 4 Goku in a New Battle of Gods Saga

If Dragon Ball Super comes back in 2026 with a new anime series, some key parts of the Battle of Gods story will likely need to be changed. In Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, Goku tells Beerus that Super Saiyan 3 is his most powerful form, and Vegeta only transforms into Super Saiyan 2 after Beerus hits Bulma. These moments don’t fit with the story of Dragon Ball DAIMA, which shows both Goku and Vegeta using their own versions of Super Saiyan 4 and Super Saiyan 3.

If a remake of Dragon Ball Super comes out, the Battle of Gods arc will be crucial in determining whether DBS and Dragon Ball DAIMA exist within the same timeline. Specifically, if Goku only transforms into Super Saiyan 3 during his fight with Beerus, it would suggest that Dragon Ball DAIMA takes place in a separate timeline from Dragon Ball Super. This could create a confusing series timeline and potentially relegate Dragon Ball Super to the same non-canon status as Dragon Ball GT. This is because Akira Toriyama only provided outlines for Super, while he personally wrote the story for Dragon Ball DAIMA.

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2026-01-15 02:34