Twenty years after the original Dragon Ball manga finished, Dragon Ball Super continued the story, picking up four years after the defeat of Buu. The announcement of the sequel thrilled fans, who were excited to see Goku’s adventures continue. Created by Akira Toriyama (writer) and Toyotaro (artist), the series quickly became popular. In the same year the manga began, Toei Animation released an anime sequel. The first 27 episodes adapted the events of the movies Battle of Gods (episodes 1-14) and Resurrection ‘F’ (episodes 15-27). Following Akira Toriyama’s passing, the manga was put on hold, but Toyotaro has vowed to continue the series.
Despite ending in 2018, the anime hasn’t been renewed for another season. However, before it finished, *Dragon Ball Super* introduced one of its most memorable moments: the Ultra Instinct transformation. Episodes 109 and 110, which aired as a special one-hour event on October 8, 2017, were so popular they overloaded streaming services like Crunchyroll with viewers. The episodes remain a legendary highlight in the Shonen genre, and fans continue to share clips online to celebrate it.
Goku Awakens Ultra Instinct During His Fight With Jiren
Jiren, a warrior from Universe 11 who once defeated his own universe’s God of Destruction, is one of Goku’s most powerful opponents. He fought with everything he had to protect his universe during the Tournament of Power. The tournament had incredibly high stakes – the losing universe would be completely destroyed. The arena allowed fighters to fly, unless they naturally had that ability.
If a fighter fell out of the arena, they would be instantly removed from the competition and sent to the viewing area for their universe. In episode 109, Goku created a massive Spirit Bomb using energy from his teammates, but Jiren deflected it back at him, causing Goku to fall. Everyone thought he was eliminated, and when he didn’t show up in the spectator stands, his friends worried Jiren’s attack had seriously hurt him.
I remember everyone getting really worried about Goku, but then, suddenly, he burst back into the arena with a transformation nobody had ever seen from him before. Most people were confused, but I noticed Whis trying to hide a grin – it was clear Goku had somehow learned a technique usually reserved for gods. The battle with Jiren resumed, but it was completely different this time. The huge power difference that existed before had vanished, and they were actually fighting as equals.
Ultra Instinct Treads the Line Between Technique and Transformation
Watching Goku develop Ultra Instinct was really interesting because it wasn’t clear if it was a technique he *learned* or a *transformation* he achieved – ultimately, it seemed to be both. It’s an incredibly rare and difficult ability, so advanced that even gods struggle with it. They call it the “State of the Gods” because it lets you disconnect your mind from your body, letting you react and dodge attacks without even thinking. When Whis started training Goku, mastering Ultra Instinct was his main goal, though he wasn’t sure if a human like Goku could actually pull it off, considering how few gods had ever done it.
Even though Goku is a mortal with limits, he was able to master Ultra Instinct relatively quickly. Unlike the Super Saiyan form, which draws power from anger, Ultra Instinct requires a calm and focused mind, allowing Goku’s body to react instinctively. This lets him overcome his usual restrictions and unlock hidden potential. Like Kaioken, it’s a technique that boosts his strength, and it can be used even while he’s already transformed.
Goku’s appearance changed significantly as he grew stronger. Although his hair and eye color stayed the same in Episode 110, unlocking Perfected Ultra Instinct turned his hair white-silver, marking a major power-up. Interestingly, all angels in Dragon Ball Super have white hair because they’re constantly in the Ultra Instinct state. In the manga, Goku continues to improve his control over this ability, becoming even more powerful while minimizing its negative effects.
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2025-10-10 21:12