Why Dragon Ball Daima May Make Super Saiyan 4 Canon

Dragon Ball Daima is only a few weeks from premiering its first episode and while there are still plenty of questions surrounding the new anime series, the latest trailer gave shonen fans far more than they were expecting. The upcoming television series might not be a sequel to Dragon Ball Super but it is incorporating aspects of its story from several elements that have appeared in the franchise’s spin-offs. Both Dragon Ball Heroes and Dragon Ball GT have been touted as having components that will appear in Daima, as miniature versions of the Z-Fighters and the Demon Realm have been featured. Keeping this in mind, might Super Saiyan 4 be a part of the anime as well? There’s a possibility. 

If you need a refresher on the transformation known as Super Saiyan 4, it first appeared as the next level of Super Saiyan in Dragon Ball GT. Rather than achieving the form by experiencing severe loss or intense training, Goku managed to take on this transformation with a little help from the Kaioshins. In the face of the new threat known as Baby, Son had his tail brought back by the Kais and in doing so, unleashed the true power of the Saiyans. With the Planet Earth acting as the moon, Goku first became a Golden Oozaru, only to get a handle on his body and transform into the Super Saiyan 4 we’ve come to know today.

Super Saiyan 4 In Daima?

While far from confirmed, there is reason to believe that Super Saiyan 4, or some sort of iteration of this form, might make its way into Daima. Taking place between the death of Kid Buu and the beginning of Dragon Ball Super, “Mini Goku” and his allies are looking for ways to get their old bodies back in the upcoming anime. Thanks to a conspiracy taking place in the shadows, Goku is setting out to find the dragon balls and return to normal. This story outline sounds quite familiar to that of Dragon Ball’s Grand Tour and while it doesn’t see Trunks and Pan joining Goku’s quest, many anime fans believe that Daima might have been a way for deceased creator Akira Toriyama to put his own spin on the franchise’s spin-offs, making them his own. 

On top of the Dragon Ball GT elements, some major aspects of Daima have key tenets of Dragon Ball Heroes within them. First appearing as an arcade game in Japan, Heroes would go on to receive a manga and anime adaptation, allowing for almost any and all elements from the shonen series to be incorporated into its multiversal, time-traveling exploits. The Demon Realm was a pivotal part of the spin-off’s story, routinely giving the Z-Fighters both allies to team-up with and enemies to fight against. As has been revealed in recent trailers, Daima is incorporating the underworld realm into its story and seeing Goku paying a visit to this locale that featured so prominently in Heroes.

How Would Super Saiyan 4 Work Today?

Since Goku and his allies are transforming into younger iterations of themselves, the Saiyan members of the Z-Fighters might be seeing their tails making a comeback to boot. While they most likely won’t be utilizing the power of Super Saiyan God, Ultra Instinct, or Ultra Ego based on the timeline, Super Saiyan 4 could potentially be in the heroes’ grasp due to this loophole in their new bodies. Even if the transformation does appear in this side story, the form being unattainable in their adult forms, thanks to not having tails, could be a swerve as to why it is never referenced in Dragon Ball Super. 

As we’ve witnessed in the latest Dragon Ball Daima trailer, Goku can still transform into a Super Saiyan despite his smaller stature. Keeping this in mind, the Z-Fighter utilizing transformations is another feather in the cap of the ape-like form making some sort of appearance. Toriyama was well aware that Super Saiyan 4 was a part of the franchise, despite not creating Dragon Ball GT himself, having shared art in the past of the unique form. Incorporating the form could be the manga artist’s way of once again taking on elements of the series that he never had attempted before. 

We still have several weeks to debate what parts of the franchise will make up Dragon Ball Daima as the first episode premieres on October 11th. As of the writing of this article, there has been no reveal regarding whether Daima will receive a second season or if Dragon Ball Super will make a comeback following the next anime chapter. Regardless, the Dragon Ball Super manga will return according to artist Toyotaro, meaning that there are more Z-Fighter stories on the way both in the anime and on the printed page.

Want to see if Super Saiyan 4 makes an appearance in Dragon Ball Daima? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the Z-Fighters.