A big moment in Dragon Ball Daima episode #6 that excited a lot of fans might have been well executed visually, but it actually perpetuates a major issue with the franchise that the new series must address in the coming episodes. In an attempt to prove himself to Goku, the mysterious Majin Glorio challenges him to a duel, but is easily defeated when kid Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan. Goku’s ability to unlock this transformation in kid form was also a major grievance among critics when it first happened in the controversial Dragon Ball GT series.
One of the initial appeals of GT, and now Daima, was that by Goku becoming a kid again, the Saiyan’s strength could diminish or, in the best-case scenario, no longer achieve Super Saiyan. Many fans undoubtedly found this prospect appealing since it would have required Goku to win battles without relying on any of his Super Saiyan forms. Now in Daima, Goku has already proven that he can transform, and it allowed him to easily best Glorio in battle just like almost every other fight in Dragon Ball.
Goku Couldn’t Transform Into a Super Saiyan as a Child, So Why Can Kid Goku Transform?
Gomah’s Plan Is Not as Effective as It Seemed
During GT‘s original broadcast, fans had more of a reason to be aggravated by the prospect of Goku transforming into a Super Saiyan when he battled the villain General Rilldo. If Goku couldn’t transform when he was a kid, then he shouldn’t be able to do so now after Pilaf’s wish made him one again. However, this was explained much later when Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama provided the controversial retcon of S-Cells much later in 2018. In the new canon, Saiyans can transform once they have a certain number of these cells, which are dependent on both battle power and a Saiyan’s attitude.
With that additional context, it makes sense that Goku could transform into a Super Saiyan even as a kid in Daima and GT, since it’s unlikely that his becoming a kid would cause him to lose any of the S-cells he gained later on in life. However, this does not change the fact that this is a big missed opportunity for the new series. As seen in the battle against Glorio, Goku is clearly stronger than anything that the Demon World has thrown at him until now. Super Saiyan just makes things worse, even if it was unlikely that the franchise got rid of such an iconic aspect.
Daima Could Have Made Super Saiyan More Difficult for Goku
The Protagonist Needs More Hurdles on His Path
That said, Daima had already introduced a concept in earlier episodes that would have easily explained why Goku couldn’t achieve Super Saiyan. As originally explained by Glorio, the Third Demon World’s unique atmosphere affects everyone’s movements. It could have been very plausible to say that the atmosphere also made it more difficult for Goku to transform, thus adding at least a hurdle to his path. Moreover, this could have been connected to the infamous power displayed by Majin Buu, who can disrupt Fusions with the gases inside his body. As Buu’s origins are also tied to the Demon Realm, it would not have been absurd to give that world’s atmosphere another “nerfing” power.
However, much like how Goku already managed to easily overcome these limitations in battle, this unique environment has no negative effect on his ability to transform into a Super Saiyan. There’s still a chance that Dragon Ball Daima could introduce some new complication that prevents Goku from transforming, thus making it so he no longer has to rely on his Super Saiyan transformation in battle. But until then, fans will just have to endure yet another Dragon Ball story or arc where Goku is overly powerful even though he’s a kid again.
Dragon Ball DAIMA is the fifth overall series in the action-adventure anime franchise. It features most of the classic cast members as de-aged versions of themselves, including Goku, Vegeta, and Bulma. The series was announced at NYCC 2023, with creator Akira Toriyama returning to handle DAIMA’s run.
- Seasons
- 1
- Writers
- Akira Toriyama
