7 Dragon Ball Moments That Are Still Missing From the Anime

Few anime and manga franchises are as iconic as Dragon Ball. For more than four decades, Goku and Earth’s greatest heroes have fought against some of the most terrifying and powerful villains in shōnen history, and that hasn’t changed in recent years. Both Dragon Ball Super and Dragon Ball Daima delivered new threats to the ever-recognizable cast of fighters.

However, following the conclusion of the 2015 Dragon Ball Super anime, the series’ manga counterpart continued for quite a few years, further exploring Goku’s and Vegeta’s journeys deeper into divine power. Dragon Ball Super helped revive the franchise during the mid-2010s, and there are still a number of memorable moments from the series that need to be animated.

Vegeta’s Ultra Ego Debut

The Prince’s Most Powerful Form Has Yet to Appear in an Anime

Though Dragon Ball Super did what many fans once thought impossible by putting Goku and Vegeta on equal footing, it didn’t take long for the series’ protagonist to surpass his rival by using Ultra Instinct. The anime concluded with Goku once again being far stronger than any other fighter in the series.

However, the Dragon Ball Super manga did Vegeta justice by giving him his own unique level beyond Super Saiyan Blue. The prince’s Ultra Ego is his answer to Goku’s Ultra Instinct, and it’s a technique that suits him perfectly.

Ultra Ego is typically used by Gods of Destruction, and Vegeta’s appearance while in the form reflects that. Unlike other Dragon Ball forms and techniques, Vegeta is required to take damage while using Ultra Ego, and in turn, whatever damage he takes powers him up. It’s been four years since Ultra Ego debuted in the manga, and anime fans are still waiting to see it.

Moro’s Terrifying Entrance

One of Dragon Ball’s More Unique Characters Is Still Manga-Only

As Dragon Ball‘s heroes continue to find new levels of strength, villains will need more than raw power to be able to pose any sort of threat, and that’s exactly what Moro brings to Dragon Ball Super‘s manga. It’s a nifty writing trick from Akira Toriyama and Toyotarou to find new ways to keep villains interesting and dangerous when everyone has simply become too strong.

Moro enters the series as an old but powerful wizard, and he has one of the most intimidating introductions since Cell’s horror-inspired debut in the original Dragon Ball series. Just sensing him sent Goku into a panic, something that not many other villains have ever achieved.

Moro’s magic is what makes him an interesting character, having the ability to momentarily suppress others’ transformations and drain their energy. Purely from a visual standpoint, he also boasts a unique design compared to other traditional Dragon Ball characters, at least until he takes on his younger appearance.

Vegeta’s Return to Namek

The One-Time Villain Returned to Namek Where He Once Wreaked Havoc

Vegeta is one of the most popular villains-turned-heroes in anime and manga history. Having started as an evil, ruthless warrior, the prince’s gradual growth is one of the best parts of Akira Toriyama’s original Dragon Ball history. By the time Dragon Ball Super begins, Vegeta is a full-blown hero.

However, the damage he’s done throughout his time as a villain cannot be undone, and he’s well aware of that fact. During the series’ Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga, Vegeta returns to New Namek, after wreaking havoc on the planet during the original Planet Namek Saga.

This time around, Vegeta is conscious of the damage he did on Namek, and expresses guilt for his actions. The Saiyan prince is an incredibly likable character, and his latest encounter with the Namekians reflects just how drastically he’s changed throughout Dragon Ball.

Goku’s Ultra Instinct Giant Form

Goku Unveils a New, Ultra Powerful Ability While Fighting Moro

Just as Dragon Ball‘s villains need to evolve in order to keep the series fresh, the heroes must do the same, and Goku’s Ultra Instinct Giant Form is an all-new sort of ability entirely unique to him. Against the ropes while fighting a Moro who was all but invincible, Goku received an overflow of energy, causing his Ultra Instinct aura to manifest into a giant version of himself.

The avatar-like technique has the ability to attack, defend, and, as seen in the manga, hold off enemies while Goku lands a decisive blow. The ability seems to only be usable while Goku is in perfected Ultra Instinct, and it’s formed from the blue energy surrounding him.

While Dragon Ball has featured a number of Giant Ape transformations, the Ultra Instinct Giant Form is the first to make use of energy alone, separately from the user themselves. When dealing with a unique villain like Moro, Goku needed a unique move to secure victory, and that’s exactly what he got out of the Ultra Instinct Giant Form.

Merus’ Sacrifice

Merus Gives an Emotional Look at Dragon Ball’s Angels and Gods

When Merus is introduced during Dragon Ball Super‘s Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga, he’s a mysterious presence who later is revealed to be an Angel in training. Given his mostly cold and stoic demeanor, the reveal makes quite a bit of sense, as Dragon Ball‘s Angels are forbidden from personally meddling in the affairs of lower life forms.

However, like most characters in the series, Merus proves unable to withstand Goku’s charms, and begins warming up to Earth’s greatest heroes. After chapters of gradual growth, he eventually disobeys the rules of the Angels and decides to assist Goku in his fight with Moro, leading to his own erasure.

A surefire way to keep a four-decade-old franchise fresh is to continue adding likable characters, and Merus fits that bill. His sacrifice is an emotional high-point of the arc, and a moment that would work even better with high-quality animation and a powerful soundtrack to accompany it.

The Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego Team Up

Goku and Vegeta Fight Side by Side in Their Most Powerful Forms

Dragon Ball Super has quite a few Goku and Vegeta team-ups to offer, and no matter how many times the iconic duo fight side by side, it’s always a spectacle. As a villain, Gas brings a unique sort of opposition to the Saiyans, having used the Dragon Balls to become the strongest fighter in the universe.

The Saiyans are natural counters to a villain like Gas, having the ability to rapidly power up in battle. When Goku and Vegeta team up, sporting their most powerful transformations that are entirely unique to them, it signals that an all-out war is incoming.

The battle isn’t long, but it’s the first time Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego are used at their full power side by side, showcasing just how powerful Dragon Ball‘s leading Saiyans have become in recent years.

Black Frieza’s Overwhelmingly Powerful Entrance

Dragon Ball’s Most Iconic Villain Makes a Stunning Return

Frieza is arguably the most recognizable anime villain ever, and his return in Dragon Ball Super has been nothing but a success for the franchise. During the Tournament of Power, he was an integral part of Team Universe 7, and though he helped the heroes’ towards victory, he made sure to remind everyone he was still a villain at heart.

During the climax of the Granolah Saga, Frieza stayed true to his word, and returned to show off the terrifying power of his all-new Black form. After struggling greatly with Gas, Goku and Vegeta stood face-to-face with Dragon Ball‘s most iconic villain, and were immediately one-shotted out of their most powerful transformations.

Black Frieza has yet to be explored further in the manga, and it’s uncertain whether he ever will be. However, if the moment were to ever be animated, fans can be sure it would break the internet.