Warning: Contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Daima episode #18.Dragon Ball Daimahas finally done what no one thought possible: it made Super Saiyan 4 canon. For decades, Super Saiyan 4 has been cited as one of the best parts ofDragon Ball GT, if not the best, and even withGTbeing non-canon, fans have always wanted at least Super Saiyan 4 to be worked into canon in some way.
People have wanted a canon Super Saiyan 4 for decades, and it’s finally come to fruition withDragon Ball Daima. When it became clear thatDragon Ball Daimawas remakingDragon Ball GT, a common theory was that the series would make Super Saiyan 4 canon in some way, and sure enough,Dragon Ball Daimaepisode #18 finally made Super Saiyan 4 canon by having Goku use the form in the fight against Gomah. There are plenty of differences between the canon form and the original, but regardless, it’s still the most exciting development inDragon Ball Daima, to date.
How Goku Obtained Super Saiyan 4 In Dragon Ball Daima
How Super Saiyan 4 Works In Canon
Dragon Ball Daimais the first canon appearance of Super Saiyan 4, and it, of course, has a different origin fromDragon Ball GT. InGT, Goku unlocked Super Saiyan 4 in the battle with Baby Vegeta, the form a result of Goku turning into a Golden Great Ape after using the Earth as a substitute for the moon. InDragon Ball Daima, however,Goku obtained Super Saiyan 4 after Neva cast magic on him in the fight with Gomah to give him a power boost, although unlike inGT, Super Saiyan 4 doesn’t turn Goku back into an adult.
Dragon Ball Daimaepisode #18’s interpretation of Super Saiyan 4 is probably the most organic way that it could have been brought into canon. A common theory aboutDaimawas that Goku would use magic to unlock a new form of Super Saiyan, and because of that,Dragon Ball Daimamaking Super Saiyan 4 Goku a product of Neva’s magic was the most organic way of making it canon within the confines of the story. That makes its appearance even better, and it’s bound to go down as the anime’s biggest highlight, by far.
Dragon Ball Daima’s Take On Super Saiyan 4 Is A Great Combo Of Super & GT
The Perfect Fusion Of Dragon Ball GT & Dragon Ball Super
What’s especially notable aboutDragon Ball Daima’s take on Super Saiyan 4 is how it bridges the gap betweenDragon Ball GTandDragon Ball Super. InGT, Super Saiyan 4 was presented as the Super Saiyan form of the Legendary Super Saiyan, but that was retconned bySuperwith the creation of Super Saiyan God. The new version of Super Saiyan 4 has far more red compared to the original, however, meaning thatDragon Ball Daima’s version of Super Saiyan 4 can be seen as a visual fusion ofGTandSuper’s differing takes on the Legendary Super Saiyan.
That idea also works on a thematic level, of course. One problem with Super Saiyan God’s design inDragon Ball Superis that it doesn’t do a great job of presenting itself as the pinnacle of Saiyan power with its simplistic design, something that, conversely, is perfectly conveyed inDragon Ball GTwith Super Saiyan 4’s wild and animalistic appearance. Because of that,Dragon Ball Daima’s take on Super Saiyan 4 works on a thematic level by adding the aesthetic of Super Saiyan 4 to Super Saiyan God; it’s unknown if that was intentional, but regardless, it works exceptionally well.
Why Does Goku Never Use Super Saiyan 4 In Dragon Ball Super?
Did Dragon Ball Daima Just Contradict Dragon Ball Super?
As great as it is for Super Saiyan 4 to be canon, it does create an issue withDragon Ball Super. Much likeSuper Saiyan 3 Vegeta, Goku never uses Super Saiyan 4 duringDragon Ball Super, and in his fight with Beerus, Super Saiyan 3 is framed as the strongest form he has access to, even though Super Saiyan 4 should be far stronger. Because of that,Super Saiyan 4 Goku being canon creates a clear continuity issue withDragon Ball Super, and it’s one that’s hard to ignore.
That being said, the issue is fairly easy to resolve. While Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta might be hard to explain, Goku obtained Super Saiyan 4 through Neva’s magic, thus making it a magical transformation in nature, soGoku probably never used Super Saiyan 4 inDragon Ball Superbecause the canon interpretation can only be used when magic is involved. Ideally, the last few episodes ofDragon Ball Daimawill clarify the issue, but whatever the case, it doesn’t make it any less exciting for a form as iconic as Super Saiyan 4 to finally be canon.
