Released 20 years after the original manga’s ending, Dragon Ball Super serves as a sequel to the story, set four years after the Buu Saga. The sequel announcement created a lot of buzz in the fandom, as many expressed their excitement over Goku continuing his new journey. Written by Akira Toriyama and illustrated by Toyotaro, the series was an instant hit. In the same year as the manga’s debut, Toei also released an anime sequel, with the first 27 episodes being adaptations of the films Dragon Ball Z Movie 14: Battle of Gods (Episodes 1–14) and Dragon Ball Z Movie 15: Resurrection ‘F’ (Episodes 15–27). After Toriyama’s death, the manga went on an indefinite hiatus, with Toyotaro promising to take over the helm.
On the other hand, the anime has yet to announce another season since its ending in 2018. However, about a year before the anime was over, Dragon Ball Super delivered one of the greatest transformations of all time, the Ultra Instinct. Released on October 8th, 2017, Episodes 109 and 110 were aired as a one-hour special, causing streaming services like Crunchyroll to crash due to overwhelming viewer traffic. It remains one of the most iconic moments in Shonen history, with fans on social media commemorating it by sharing clips from the episode.
Goku Awakens Ultra Instinct During His Fight With Jiren
As someone who surpassed his own universe’s God of Destruction, Jiren, from Universe 11, is one of the strongest enemies Goku has ever fought, and he went all out to fight for his universe. The stakes were high during the Tournament of Power Saga, and the participants weren’t simply fighting for their lives but also for that of their universe, since the losing team’s universe was erased from existence. The battle arena was created in such a way that the fighters were able to fly, unless it was an ability they were born with.
If someone were to fall from the arena, they would be immediately eliminated and teleported to their universe’s spectator bench. In Episode 109, Goku launched a powerful Spirit Bomb by borrowing the powers of his team members, but Jiren was able to push it back at him, making Goku fall from the arena. He was supposed to be eliminated, but since he didn’t appear on the spectator’s bench, his friends feared the worst had happened after taking a hit from Jiren.
However, just when everyone was worried about his situation, Goku flew back into the arena after awakening a form he had never used before. While everyone else was confused, Whis couldn’t help but hide his excitement after seeing Goku master an ability that only deities have used so far. The fight between Goku and Jiren continued, and this time, the significant gap in their power had closed, and they were fighting on almost an equal level.
Ultra Instinct Treads the Line Between Technique and Transformation
One of the most confusing parts about Ultra Instinct was whether it’s actually a technique or a transformation, but in Goku’s case, it actually falls into both categories. Ultra Instinct is a rare and advanced technique that even deities have a hard time mastering. Also known as the “State of the Gods,” Ultra Instinct allows a user to sever the link between their consciousness and body, allowing them to dodge any attack subconsciously. When Whis decided to train Goku, he immediately wanted the Saiyan to learn this ability, although he was unsure if a mortal could accomplish something that even most deities couldn’t.
However, despite his limitations as a mortal, Goku managed to achieve this state, even after training for a short period of time. Ultra Instinct is the opposite of Super Saiyan, a form fueled by rage, since it relies on a state of calm and emotional control, allowing the body to move on its own. It allows Goku to break through his limitations and tap into the potential that lies deep within him. While it’s primarily a technique, just like Kaioken, it can be used to enhance Goku’s abilities, even in a transformed state.
For example, while his hair and eye color remained the same in Episode 110, he later achieved a new state known as Perfected Ultra Instinct, which gave him white (or rather silver) hair, thereby classifying it as a powerful transformation. It’s also worth noting that all angels in DBS have white hair since they are always in the Ultra Instinct State. In the manga, Goku continues to master this ability, reaching further heights as a mortal while reducing the drawbacks caused by it.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
