Akira Toriyama’s latest work, Dragon Ball Daima, has made a big splash with its unique story, bringing Goku and friends back to their child forms. During their journey to the Otherworld, Goku revived the Super Saiyan 3 transformation and later Super Saiyan 4 (SSJ4).
Although SSJ4 first appeared in Dragon Ball GT, Daima reintroduces it in Toriyama’s style and changes everything we thought we knew about it.
Super Saiyan 4 in Daima: A Fusion with Neva
Recently, director Aya Komaki shared key insights about the SSJ4 transformation during production, unveiling the secret behind this form. This information comes from a newly released SSJ4 guidebook in Japan. Komaki explained that Goku (Mini)’s SSJ4 transformation in Episode 18 was not something he achieved through his own training, but rather the result of harnessing Neva’s power.
Komaki said, “In Episode 18, when Goku (Mini) becomes Super Saiyan 4, it’s because Neva’s power is being channeled through him. We didn’t want it to look like he just powered himself up, but more like ‘Neva’s power flows into Goku (Mini) and blossoms within him.'”
She also explained the use of red elements in the transformation: “Super Saiyan 4 has a strong ‘red’ image, so we wanted to add red tones even to the Kamehameha, which is usually blue. We carefully discussed with the production team and animators how to incorporate this effectively in each scene. I think the result is a classic yet uniquely fresh expression for this series.”
The Role of the “Trigger Element”
Executive director Akio Iyoku also highlighted the importance of the “trigger element.” He said, “In the storyline, there has to be some development or trigger factor. If we want him to transform, we also want to surprise the audience with how it happens.”
Super Saiyan 4 is designed differently from other transformations, so Goku can’t simply awaken it through training or battle stress. When transforming, Goku was already powerful, but with Neva’s help, he gained enough strength to fight Gomah. In some ways, this transformation is similar to how Goku first awakened Super Saiyan God in early Dragon Ball Super, before he and Vegeta fully mastered it.
However, this time we only see Goku using SSJ4, and Vegeta doesn’t get another chance to shine after his SSJ3 transformation. Dragon Ball Daima offers a fresh take on SSJ4 but also leaves many questions open for fans.
Source: Comicbook