Goku’s Super Saiyan God Form Is Officially Weaker in Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, and the Anime Makes More Changes That Upset Fans

Beyond discussions about whether a remake was even necessary, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus generated plenty of excitement when it was first revealed thanks to its promise of delivering the definitive version of the anime. However, episode after episode, the series continues to stir controversy and divide fans with its narrative changes. For example, the latest episode made Goku’s Super Saiyan God form less powerful.

On Sunday, November 8, 2026, Toei Animation’s series returned with the premiere of episode 5. The events remain largely faithful to those in the 2013 movie and the 2015 anime, but there are a few changes here and there. And yes, a couple of omissions once again sparked debate among fans.

Goku’s Super Saiyan God Form Loses a Powerful Ability in Dragon Ball Super: Beerus

The animated series was announced earlier this year at Genkidamatsuri, an event where several video games and other franchise projects were also revealed. Those behind the project confirmed that this “enhanced version” of the 2015 anime would fix animation issues and modify certain scenes to improve the pacing.

However, some of those changes haven’t gone over well with a large portion of the community, and the recently released fifth episode is proof of that. This week’s installment picks up where the previous one left off, with Goku transforming into Super Saiyan God after completing the ritual with help from Videl, Gohan, Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks.

Episode 5 of Dragon Ball Super: Beerus focuses largely on the battle between Goku and Beerus, the God of Destruction. The fight is shorter, as the episode ends with the protagonist beginning to lose his new transformation. In the original anime, that doesn’t happen until several episodes later.

Naturally, several scenes were also cut to shorten the battle. The problem, according to fans, is that some of those sequences have direct implications for the story.

One of the most significant omissions is the moment when Beerus directly attacks Goku and severely injures him, causing Gohan and Goten’s father to fall toward Earth, nearly unconscious. At that point, viewers see the Saiyan’s wound heal on its own, allowing him to return to the fight.

As a result, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus removed the regeneration ability that Super Saiyan God granted Goku. Consequently, this version of the character could be considered weaker than the one in the original series. And yes, that’s not the only omission that diminishes the scale of the conflict.

In both the 2015 anime and Toyotaro’s official manga, the Supreme Kais explain that Goku and Beerus are so powerful that a clash between their fists could destroy the entire universe. This sequence highlights the immense strength of both characters and even forces the protagonist to counter their blows in a specific way to balance their energy and prevent the world’s destruction.

Dragon Ball Super: Beerus ignores all of this and removes those scenes entirely. While the omission makes the battle more dynamic, fans believe it also takes away some of the impact of the fight between the two gods.

“The ‘enhanced’ 2026 version of the anime completely ruined it by removing all those relevant scenes that highlighted the divine aspect of Super Saiyan God, making it more impressive than the non-divine forms that came before it. Dragon Ball Super from 2015, perhaps I judged you too harshly. I’m sorry,” one disappointed fan said.

Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Continues to Disappoint Fans With Each Episode

While fans of Akira Toriyama’s work have praised the impressive animation improvements compared to the original version, which premiered more than a decade ago, many regret the omissions that, in their view, damage the narrative and the series’ overall context.

“By focusing almost entirely on battles and action, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus paradoxically becomes a somewhat boring series. With fewer interactions between the characters than before, there’s not much substance beyond the punches. The series reminds me a lot of Super Dragon Ball Heroes, where we basically got action and little else,” one fan commented.

This week’s controversy isn’t an isolated case. Episode 3 disappointed some viewers by completely removing Vegeta’s Bingo scene and other comedic moments. Meanwhile, episode 4 divided the community over its music selection and the brief way it handled Videl’s pregnancy.

Despite the negative reaction from a large portion of the fanbase, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus has been a massive success on streaming platforms. According to available data, Toei Animation’s series has already surpassed 2 million views on Netflix alone, and its performance is likely even better on Crunchyroll, the only service offering a simulcast.

Episode 6 of the anime will officially premiere on November 15, 2026, and will bring the battle between Goku and Beerus to its conclusion.

But tell us: do the story changes and omitted scenes bother you? Which version of Toei Animation’s series do you prefer? Share your thoughts in the comments.