Dragon Ballis renowned around the world to this day for its exciting action and lovable characters, and most of what made the series a success occurred in theDragon Ball Zera. However, as excellent asDragon Ball Zis overall, its sometimes-contentious sequels have actually managed to surpass it, at least when they’re at their best.
There have been several different sequel series to follow upDragon Ball Zover the years.Dragon Ball GTwas the first, and is often considered not very good overall, although it still has some qualities that leave some fans loving it.Dragon Ball Supercame about almost 20 years afterZended, and kickstarted the rebirth of the franchise, bringing the characters back to manga and anime on a regular basis. Finally,Dragon Ball Daimawas only just released, but the close involvement of Akira Toriyama meant that it managed to recapture theDragon Ballspirit. Here are 10 moments where these series even managed to outdoZ.
Piccolo’s Final Death
Dragon Ball GT, “Piccolo’s Decision”
Piccolo doesn’t get much time to shine inGT, but this episode makes up for that by giving the beloved character a tearjerking sendoff. With Earth set to explode in 2 weeks due to the Black Star Dragon Balls, a desperate evacuation effort begins, with everything from spaceships to Goku’s Instant Transmission being used to transport people offworld. Piccolo finds one last child on Earth who needs to be saved, but Goku is too tired to use Instant Transmission again.Piccolo gives him energy and bids him farewell, opting to stay behind so that the Black Star Dragon Balls are destroyed as well.
Piccolo’s telepathic goodbye to Gohan is very moving, cementing the incredible relationship the two have had throughout the series. It’s a noble sacrifice for Piccolo, and one that doesn’t get reversed, giving it a lot more meaning than most.
Gogeta vs. Omega Shenron
Dragon Ball GT, “Super Saiyan 4 Fusion”
Faced with the shadow dragon Omega Shenron, Goku and Vegeta are struggling, even in Super Saiyan 4. They conclude their only option is to fuse, and so Gohan, Goten, and Trunks buy them the time needed to do the Fusion Dance. Gogeta emerges andeasily outmaneuvers Omega Shenron, much to the latter’s shock.Gogeta is able to reverse polarity on Omega Shenron’s Karma Ball, and then hits him with an impressive attack that frees the Dragon Balls and weakens him substantially.While Gogeta defuses before finishing the fight, it’s very impressive.
Gogeta is a fan favorite, so seeing him in the anime was an exciting moment, especially with the absurd power of Super Saiyan 4. While the short time he gets is a bit disappointing, Gogeta absolutely changed the course of battle in that time, proving how powerful he is.
Mini Goku Attains Super Saiyan 4
Dragon Ball Daima, “Awakening”
Faced with the Third-Eye-empowered Gomah, Goku uses every trick in his arsenal to gain an advantage, transforming all the way up to Super Saiyan 3, but it’s not enough. Even with Majin Duu and Tamagami Number One helping, they aren’t able to impart lasting damage.The Namekian Neva steps forward to an injured Goku and performs some sort of ritual, drawing out further power and allowing Goku to ascend to Super Saiyan 4. With this power, Goku proceeds to turn the tables on Gomah, just as Glorio summons the Eternal Dragon of the Demon Realm.
This was the epic canonization of Super Saiyan 4, finally bringing the form out ofGTand allowing it to be used again. Goku gets to use it again after returning to his adult size, and it absolutely makes all the difference. Many fans were thrilled, although it did cause some continuity issues withDragon Ball Super.
Goku Attains Super Saiyan 4 (GT)
Dragon Ball GT, “Back in the Game”
Goku is in his Golden Great Ape form, rampaging and having lost control of himself. Kibito Kai prepares for the worst, but Old Kai stops them, stating that if Goku regains control, he can ascend to a new level of power. Pan arrives on the scene with Mr. Satan, and shows Goku a picture of his friends and family, hoping it will help him.The memories come flooding back, and Goku slowly returns to a humanoid shape… but it’sa new form entirely: Super Saiyan 4.
Compared toDaima’s Super Saiyan 4 debut,GT’s feels a lot more earned, as Goku had to put in the work to not only reach the Golden Great Ape stage, but also to control himself and his emotions enough to unlock the form. Goku goes on to have a fantastic battle with Baby Vegeta in this new form, cementing its strength in the minds of fans for decades.
Vegeta Takes on Tamagami Number Two
Dragon Ball Daima, “True Strength”
In the Second Demon World, Goku and friends arrive at the location of Tamagami Number Two, and it’s Vegeta’s turn to fight. The battle gets off to a rough start for Vegeta, nearly getting eaten by a Kraken, but he manages to find his footing as Super Saiyan 2. That’s keeping him on even ground with the Tamagami, but he’ll need more than that to win.That’s when Vegeta finally does something we’ve never seen him do: transform to Super Saiyan 3.In this form, Vegeta easily overpowers the Tamagami, forcing it to surrender.
Many fans had assumedVegeta was incapable of Super Saiyan 3, so this scene was monumental when it occurred, proving that Vegeta had access to every ability Goku does. Vegeta even managed to actually use Super Saiyan 3 successfully in spite of its disadvantages, redeeming the transformation in the eyes of many.
Vegito Returns to Take on Goku Black
Dragon Ball Super, “Showdown! The Miraculous Power of Unyielding Warriors”
With Goku Black and Zamasu having fused, Goku and Vegeta begin to realize they might need to do the same if they’re to overcome this divine being.They eat Senzu beans and borrow Gowasu’s Potara earrings,transforming into Vegito, who immediately goes straight to Super Saiyan Blue.By taking advantage of the fact that Zamasu’s two halves are in conflict due to one’s mortality, they’re able to deal substantial damage to the villain. Unfortunately, they once again defuse before finishing the job, leaving the final blow to Future Trunks.
Seeing Vegito again for the first time in over 20 years was a great moment, especially using all the new powers that Goku and Vegeta have obtained in that time. It was an excellent use of fusion that made perfect sense given what they’re up against.
Goku Takes On Hit
Dragon Ball Super, “A Developed “Time Skip” Counterstrike? Here Comes Goku’s New Move!”
In the Tournament of Destroyers,Hit was a very dangerous opponent. His time-skip ability made it near impossible to land an attack, while his sneaky, assassin-like techniques were equally difficult to dodge.Goku uses a wide array of techniques in this well-animated battle, including an unusual combination of the Kaioken and Super Saiyan Blue, boosting his power to levels never seen before. Goku’s overcoming of Hit’s time-skip is very impressive, and even more interesting is their joint rebellion against the gods, each deliberately losing to throw the tournament.
Hit vs. Goku is an incredible fight, so it’s no wonder that Hit would return a few more times after this. Hit also made for a rather unique opponent, fighting with a different style than most martial artists that Goku faces. This also sets the stage for the Tournament of Power, making it a critically important moment in the series.
Gogeta Forms to Face Broly
Dragon Ball Super: Broly
In theBrolymovie, Goku and Vegeta manage to trick Broly into fighting Frieza for a while, so that they can regroup and attempt the fusion dance. Goku and Vegeta have a little difficulty with the technique at first, but soon form thetrue version of their fusion, Gogeta.Gogeta returns to the arctic to do battle with Broly in an epic animated sequence that left fans’ jaws on the floor. Gogeta whips out some powerful techniques, and may well have killed Broly had Cheelai not wished him away at the last moment.
The wholeBrolyfilm is excellent, but this fight scene is absolutely what sold tickets. It’s an incredible battle that will have fans captivated, both by the animation and Gogeta’s power. Broly’s survival may actually be the best part, though, as it has allowed him to come back in theSupermanga as a new ally.
GT Bids Farewell to Goku
Dragon Ball GT, “Until We Meet Again…”
After Goku miraculously defeats Omega Shenron, the real Shenron appears, and heals Goku. He says that these events have left him unable to grant many wishes for a while, but Goku gets him to revive all those killed by the Shadow Dragons and Super 17, “for old time’s sake.”Shenron invites Goku to come with him, and the two prepare to leave Earth so that the chaos caused by the Dragon Balls will no longer be a problem. He entrusts Earth’s safety to Vegeta, showing how much their relationship has grown. Goku becomes one with the Dragon Balls, and he and Shenron leave.
WhileGTas a whole is a rather underwhelming series, many fans adore this final episode, seeing it as a fitting conclusion to theDragon Balluniverse. WhileGTwas eventually supplanted byDragon Ball Super, many still consider this the true finale, and it’s not hard to see why.
Goku Reaches Ultra Instinct Against Jiren
Dragon Ball Super, “A Transcendent Limit Break! Autonomous Ultra Instinct Mastered!”
As the Tournament of Power reaches its climax, it’sGoku against Jiren, with Goku beginning to tap into Ultra Instinct Sign for the third time. Those watching gaze on in wonder, eager to see if the mortal will be able to master the divine technique of the Angels. As their battle heats up, Goku begins to glow brilliantly white, and is soon outmaneuvering Jiren.Beerus and Whis confirm it—Goku has taken on the perfected Ultra Instinct state.Goku turns the tables on Jiren, and they clash with powerful attacks until finally, Goku’s transformation gives out, and he’s shockingly saved by Frieza.
Goku’s battle with Jiren was one of the most hyped events in anime history, with fans around the world dying to see if Goku could surpass even the limits of mortals. While Ultra Instinct alone didn’t win the day, it was a key element of Universe 7’s eventual victory, and it so stunned and impressed the audience, including Zeno, that no one could take their eyes off the clash. This is arguablyDragon BallSuper’s most iconic moment, and it’s easily worthy of being put up against the very best ofDragon Ball Z.
