Dragon Ball fans worldwide are buzzing with excitement as the official character designs by the late Akira Toriyama for two legendary forms, Super Saiyan 4 (Goku) and Super Saiyan 3 (Vegeta), have just been unveiled. This rare reveal celebrates 40 years of Dragon Ball’s journey in Weekly Shonen Jump.
Classic sketches emerge from the archives
At a major event in Japan, Shueisha thrilled fans by showcasing the final character sketches Akira Toriyama created before his passing. The highlight was the official designs of Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta from the Dragon Ball Daima project.
Although SSJ4 appeared in Dragon Ball GT, this is the first time fans have seen the “authentic” version directly designed by Toriyama for the official storyline. His subtle artistic touches bring a fresh yet powerful vibe to these iconic transformations.
The impact of Dragon Ball Daima: Secrets unveiled
Initially, Dragon Ball Daima faced mixed reactions for turning the main characters into children. However, the series’ final episodes delivered explosive moments, rewarding fans with unprecedented transformations in the official anime timeline.
One of the biggest surprises was Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta. After the Majin Buu saga, the Saiyan prince secretly trained to unlock this form. He mastered it in the shadows and only revealed it when facing extreme enemies in Daima. Meanwhile, Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 form takes on a mystical tone, achieved through intense training combined with magical influence.
Why didn’t Goku use SSJ4 in Dragon Ball Super?
The appearance of SSJ4 in Daima sparked intense debate. Why is such a powerful form completely absent from Dragon Ball Super?
The answer partly comes from supplementary materials and the game Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. In one dialogue, Goku admits that reaching Super Saiyan 4 is linked to being in a shrunken body state due to a magical curse. He says, “It sounds crazy, but I just got used to being small and then suddenly reached Super Saiyan 4.”
This suggests SSJ4 is a unique power variant that can only activate under very specific conditions during the Daima era. Once Goku returns to his adult form and enters the God era (Super Saiyan Blue), his power system shifts, explaining why the wild “wolf-like” form disappears.
Revealing these designs not only answers story logic questions but also pays deep tribute to Akira Toriyama’s legacy. Though he has passed, his creative vision and passion continue to inspire Saiyan warriors to reach new heights.