One Year Ago Today, Dragon Ball Turned Its Most Controversial Transformation Canon And Better

The Dragon Ball franchise, with its latest installment, debuted a new aspect of an already existing controversial transformation on this day one year ago, and made it better than fans had ever expected. Transformations in the Dragon Ball franchise have always been a hallmark that excites fans. Across its different installments, the series has introduced numerous transformations, keeping the franchise fresh and engaging. Even decades later, Dragon Ball continues to expand on this aspect, with new transformations still being depicted. While many characters have their own transformations, those related to the Saiyan race have consistently stood out.

With Goku and Vegeta representing the Saiyan race, they have continually showcased the unparalleled potential of their kind. What began with the Super Saiyan form expanded into numbered transformations, and the Super era further introduced the God transformations associated with Super Saiyans. While the Super Saiyan God transformations are the strongest and canon, there is also a controversial Super Saiyan-related transformation. This is the Super Saiyan 4 transformation, which has divided the fanbase for various reasons. However, Dragon Ball Daima, the franchise’s latest installment, surprised fans by incorporating this controversial transformation, making it canon and improving it in the process.

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Dragon Ball Daima Brought Back the Iconic Controversial Transformation One Year Ago Today

Dragon Ball GT, an installment in the franchise, has long been considered the black sheep due to not being a canon entry, as its events take place outside the continuity established by Dragon Ball Super. Since fans widely regard Super as canon and not GT, the entire installment has remained polarizing. With GT itself not being considered canon, the iconic transformation it debuted, the Super Saiyan 4 transformation, has also been a point of division among fans. While many still appreciate it for the authenticity of its design, it continues to divide the fandom for various reasons. As Super continued to focus on the Super Saiyan God transformations, Super Saiyan 4 became an iconic form that fans never expected to see recreated in modern animation.

However, the franchise’s latest installment, Dragon Ball Daima, surprised fans by bringing this form back with an iconic debut. Exactly one year ago today, on February 14, 2025, Dragon Ball Daima released its 18th episode, titled “Awakening,” which debuted this transformation and shook the anime industry with its inclusion. In the episode, Goku is suppressed by the Supreme Demon King, Gomah, and his magical power, and just as he is about to lose, Neva, the legendary Namekian, intervenes to magically assist him. This results in Goku embodying the iconic Super Saiyan 4 transformation from the GT installment. With this episode, Daima didn’t just make Super Saiyan 4 canon; it also refined the nuances of its design to better align with what the transformation is meant to represent.

Dragon Ball Daima Didn’t Just Incorporate Super Saiyan 4 But Also Improved It

In GT, Goku achieved this transformation through a different phenomenon that altered his DNA from within, granting him the Golden Ape transformation. Once Goku was able to control the rogue form, it resulted in the Super Saiyan 4 transformation, whose distinct design from other Super Saiyan forms represented the primal, raw nature of the Saiyan’s ape-like heritage. While Daima doesn’t debut this transformation through the same phenomenon, it does so in a similar way, as Neva’s magical assistance ultimately alters Goku’s DNA from within and awakens the primal rawness of the ape, which is immediately reflected in his transformation. While Daima’s Super Saiyan 4 design is quite similar to GT’s, it is essentially an improvement upon the original.

Since this form is meant to embody the raw heritage of the Saiyans, Daima’s design elevates that concept with additional details. These are highlighted in Goku’s forearms being larger to emphasize ape-like anatomy, while Goku also has a uniform color across his body to represent a single entity rather than a mix of human and ape. These details position Daima’s Super Saiyan 4 as not just a return of an iconic design, but a carefully refined version that feels more complete. The final element that makes Daima’s Super Saiyan 4 better is that, since Daima is considered canon, this iconic transformation that fans wanted canonized is now officially part of the continuity.

That said, Daima’s position in relation to Super is still unclear. If Daima is meant to be canon within the same continuity as Super, then its omission in Super makes little sense and doesn’t fully bridge the gap between the two installments. Perhaps with Daima, the franchise is opening the thread of canon events in two different universes. If that becomes official, a sequel to Daima could further expand the foundation it has built with its narrative. In that case, the controversial Super Saiyan 4 would not only be canon but exist in a universe where Vegeta can also transform into Super Saiyan 3, allowing the Dragon Ball franchise to take its narrative in a different direction with a multi-universe concept, and we would be here for it.

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