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As the wait for new Dragon Ball anime content comes, more and more fans are turning to alternative mediums to get their fix for the classic battle shonen series. The recent announcement of Budokai Tenkaichi 4 has given fans something to look forward to in the far future, but fans have nothing to quell their cravings in the meantime.
This has caused many fans to turn to reading the Dragon Ball Super manga as they wait for new television and theatrical anime projects to be announced for the franchise. Likewise, these fans are learning for the first time just how different the Super manga series is from its television anime adaptation of the same name.
In fact, one particular event relatively early on in the series’ publication history has fans questioning everything they knew about Son Goku from the anime. Follow along as this article fully breaks down exactly how the Dragon Ball Super manga series confirms Goku to be a worthy God of Destruction candidate, even if only at the most basic level.
Goku’s use of Hakai in Dragon Ball Super manga series shows first-time readers a brand new side of him
In the Dragon Ball Super manga’s “Future” Trunks saga, fans see one major difference from the anime series during the final stages of the arc’s climactic fight. In the manga, Goku fights Zamasu one-on-one, and eventually, in chapter 25, uses the Hakai technique to temporarily destroy half of Fused Zamasu’s physical body.
While Goku isn’t able to fully destroy Zamasu with the Hakai like a true God of Destruction would be able to, his use of the Hakai technique and its associated energy is still impressive. It also shows that, at the most basic level, he has the potential to become a God of Destruction candidate.
This is a stark departure from how Goku’s potential is characterized and set up in the Dragon Ball Super anime series, which sees him primarily learn from and train with this. Likewise, the Ultra Instinct technique is one which is associated with angels rather than the Gods of Destruction. The manga has also shown this, especially recently with the introduction of Ultra Ego Vegeta.
Goku’s candidacy is further supported in the overall Super canon by Whis even offering both him and Vegeta the opportunity to become chosen as God of Destruction candidates. The only explicitly stated prerequisite for this is being extremely powerful, or at least one of the most powerful beings in one’s own universe. Goku and Vegeta both obviously qualify in that regard.
In terms of the personality of a God of Destruction, however, Goku is significantly lacking based on what’s seen of him in both the Dragon Ball Super manga and anime adaptations. In this way, Vegeta is the more appropriate candidate, and also the one among them more likely to become a God of Destruction candidate.
However, only Akira Toriyama and Toyotarou themselves know exactly what will happen in the series as the creative minds behind both the anime and the manga. Likewise, fans can expect to be left guessing and debating on the subject for many years to come.
Be sure to keep up with all Dragon Ball anime and manga news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
