Let’s be real for a second. For over two decades, if you mentioned GT Super Saiyan 4 in a room full of Dragon Ball fans, you were essentially picking a fight. People loved the design but hated the "non-canon" baggage of Dragon Ball GT. It was the black sheep of transformations—striking, savage, and yet relegated to the "what if" corner of the franchise.
Then 2025 happened.
The arrival of Dragon Ball Daima didn't just give us a nostalgia trip; it fundamentally broke the internet by reintroducing the form under Akira Toriyama’s final watch. Suddenly, the "Grand Side Story" wasn't so side-story anymore. If you've been confused about how this furry, red-eyed powerhouse fits into the current lore alongside gods and angels, you're definitely not alone.
The Weird Origins of the Red Fur
Unlike the golden-haired forms we grew up with, GT Super Saiyan 4 wasn't just another multiplier stacked on top of a base form. It’s a total biological pivot. To get there, a Saiyan has to go through the "Golden Great Ape" (Oozaru) phase. Basically, you turn into a giant gold monkey, lose your mind, and then—if you're lucky—pull your consciousness back from the brink of primal rage.
It’s a "condensation" of power.
Instead of a skyscraper-sized ape, you get a humanoid with crimson fur and a tail. It’s honestly the most "Saiyan" a Saiyan can get. While Super Saiyan 3 was famous for draining energy so fast it was almost useless in a long fight, this form is surprisingly efficient. It doesn't leak ki like a broken faucet. It’s stable.
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Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, the legendary character designer at Toei, is the actual brain behind the look. For years, people thought Toriyama drew it first. He didn't. Nakatsuru wanted something that looked "heavy" and "wild," a contrast to the sleekness of previous forms. Toriyama liked it so much he actually drew fan art of it for a DVD box set back in 2005, calling it a "wonderful design."
Is It Actually Canon Now?
This is where the 2026 debates get heated. In the Dragon Ball Daima era, we see Goku tapping into this primal state again, but the rules have shifted. In the original GT run, you needed Blutz Waves—essentially moon radiation—to trigger the change. You needed a tail. You needed a machine if you were Vegeta.
The modern "Daima" interpretation suggests that this form is a branch of evolution tied to the Demon Realm and Saiyan biology that doesn't necessarily require the God Ki we see in Dragon Ball Super.
Important Note: Dragon Ball now operates with multiple timelines. While the GT Super Saiyan 4 we saw fight Omega Shenron exists in the GT continuity, the Daima version essentially canonizes the concept of the transformation itself.
So, yes, it's canon. But no, it's not the same "GT" timeline. It’s complicated, kinda like trying to explain the Zelda timeline to someone who’s only played Mario.
Super Saiyan 4 vs. Super Saiyan Blue: The Power Scaling Nightmare
You can’t talk about this form without the "Who would win?" question popping up. It’s the law of the fandom.
For years, the consensus was that Super Saiyan Blue was vastly superior because it used "God Ki." However, looking at the Super Dragon Ball Heroes promotional anime and the recent Daima scaling, that gap isn't as wide as we thought.
- Super Saiyan Blue: Focuses on ki control, calm mind, and divine energy.
- Super Saiyan 4: Focuses on raw physical durability, primal instinct, and "S-Cells" working in harmony with the Great Ape soul.
In Xeno lore, we've seen Super Saiyan 4 (Limit Breaker) go toe-to-toe with Blue. The reality is that the writers make these forms as strong as the plot needs them to be. But if we're being honest? GT Super Saiyan 4 feels more threatening. There’s a certain "I’m going to actually end you" vibe to the dark eye-shadow and the deep, raspy voice Goku adopts in the form.
Why Fans Still Obsess Over It
It’s the design. Seriously.
The gold-to-blue-to-pink-to-silver hair-dye phase of the late 2010s left some fans feeling a bit exhausted. Super Saiyan 4 feels like a return to the series' roots—literally. It brings back the tail. It acknowledges that Saiyans are, at their core, space-faring monsters.
Technical Details You Probably Forgot
- The Eyes: Goku gets yellow/gold irises, while Vegeta gets blue/green ones.
- The Clothes: One of the biggest "plotholes" in GT was how Goku’s clothes would magically change or reappear after he transformed. The creators basically said "don't worry about it" because it looked cool.
- The Multiplier: While never officially stated in the manga (since it's not in the original manga), various guidebooks suggest it's a massive jump beyond the 400x base of Super Saiyan 3.
What This Means for the Future of Dragon Ball
We are moving into a phase where the franchise is no longer afraid to "pick and choose" the best parts of its history. Seeing GT Super Saiyan 4 get a second life in modern media proves that the fans' voices actually matter.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the Dragon Ball Super Divers arcade updates and the second season of Daima. There are heavy rumors that Vegeta might finally get a "clean" version of the transformation without needing Bulma's Blutz Wave generator.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch Episode 35 of Dragon Ball GT: If you haven't seen the original "first" transformation in years, go back and watch the Japanese sub. The music and the tension are still top-tier.
- Check out the Dragon Ball Daima "Demon Realm" Arc: This is where the new lore for the form is being built. It recontextualizes everything you thought you knew about why Saiyans have tails.
- Stop arguing about "canon": With the multiverse and branching timelines confirmed by official staff, everything is "canon" to its own story. Just enjoy the red fur.
The "primal" path of the Saiyans is officially back on the table. Whether it eventually crosses paths with Ultra Instinct remains to be seen, but for now, the king of the 90s is back on his throne.