Dragon Ball Super continues to build upon Akira Toriyama’s successful shonen series by pushing its characters and storytelling to bigger and bolder places. Goku and friends are more committed than ever to protect their planet from malevolent forces, but this challenge has become increasingly difficult through the introduction of returning villains, new Gods and celestial deities, and a whole multiverse of mayhem. In traditional Dragon Ball fashion, characters experience intimidating transformations that help them ascend to powerful places.
Goku’s prolific Ultra Instinct transformation is one of Dragon Ball Super’s most memorable moments and it’s elevated him to unprecedented power that’s proven to be essential against recent villains like Moro and Gas. Gohan is a celebrated Dragon Ball character who occasionally struggles to get his due. However, he’s now finally on par with his father after his groundbreaking Beast mode metamorphosis. There’s still plenty of debate over whether Gohan Beast or Ultra Instinct Goku is the superior fighter, but there are many areas in which Gohan Beast naturally excels and holds the advantage.

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10 Gohan Beast Can Tap Into Anger & Channel Raw Emotion
Gohan Beast, as its name suggests, involves its user tapping into visceral emotions. Akira Toriyama has even referred to the transformation in the context of how “the wild beast within has been awakened.” A transformation can be valuable for many reasons, but there are times when the individual actively requires aggression and rage in order to get the job done, rather than strength alone. Ultra Instinct, while extremely useful and strong, blocks off these powerful emotions and requires that the user is in more of a blank state so that they can properly evade attacks and be in touch with their body.
There have been plenty of situations in Dragon Ball where raw emotions are essential to success and become the difference between winning or losing a battle. In fact, Gohan Beast is in such an incendiary state that it’s difficult for Gohan to draw out its full power because he’s worried that his anger will go too far and that he’ll snap and go berserk. Gohan has developed a workaround to this dilemma where he pushes himself to the brink – but not past it – and maintains this mental state.
9 Gohan Beast Is Safer To Perform & Doesn’t Risk Deadly Consequences
Gohan Beast and Ultra Instinct are both incredible transformations, but there’s a more grounded side to the former that inherently protects the user. Ultra Instinct is a big deal that’s rarely experienced by mere mortals. Those who tap into this power are said to be “trespassing in the realm of the Gods.” Dragon Ball Super’s anime explores the dangers of this process and that such power can come at a heavy price, much like the burden of increased Kaio-Ken use. Inexperienced Ultra Instinct use can cause the user’s body to break down if they go too far past their natural limits or maintain the transformation for too long.
Proper training is essential in this department and without it there can be ugly consequences, such as blood ruptures, dark ki shocks that cause pain and can make the user become unconscious, and even death in certain extreme situations. Admittedly, Dragon Ball Super’s manga doesn’t present the same risks with Ultra Instinct, but it makes sense that access to this godly ability would be temperamental and dangerous. Gohan doesn’t have to worry about Beast mode hurting him or resulting in his death if it’s impulsively activated.

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8 Gohan Beast Is More Suitable For God Of Destruction Candidacy
It’s rather remarkable that Goku, Gohan, and many of Dragon Ball’s humble heroes have reached a level of strength where they’re practically on par with Gods. Not only can they train and spar with these deities, but one of Dragon Ball Super’s ongoing storylines is Beerus’ desire to find a new God of Destruction candidate. It’s unclear what Beerus and Whis’ endgame entails and if they’re looking to abandon their pious roles and entrust them to someone else. However, any new transformation prompts discussion between Beerus and Whis over his potential God of Destruction candidacy. Gohan Beast is so impressive that Whis suggests to Beerus that Gohan might be the individual who he’s been looking for all along.
Beerus, however, isn’t convinced that Gohan has the proper mindset for this role. Alternatively, Beerus has repeatedly suggested to Goku that he take on the God of Destruction mantle, only for Goku to turn down the offer. There’s no doubt that Goku is strong enough to be a God of Destruction, but it also seems like Ultra Instinct fundamentally goes against many of the position’s principles. After all, Perfected Ultra Instinct is the primary state of Angels and it seems like Goku would be a better replacement for Whis, not Beerus. However, Gohan Beast – contrary to Beerus’ presumptions – carries the necessary rage and fighting prowess that’s essential for a God of Destruction.
7 Gohan Beast’s Actual Transformation Is More Destructive Than Ultra Instinct
Dragon Ball has featured some incredibly grandiose spectacles that surround a character’s transformation in order to reinforce its power and importance. Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 transformation, for instance, shows ripple effects and weather distortions carrying out across the entire planet. Ultra Instinct is a reverential influence of power that features a godly aura, but the transformation itself isn’t destructive or a danger to others. Alternatively, Gohan Beast’s debut showcases a ki eruption that’s manifested through a destructive geyser that partially destroys the surrounding environment.
Goku isn’t the type who wants to eliminate an enemy through pure aura power, but that’s not to say that there aren’t situations where such an ability is useful. Gohan could be pursued by hundreds of low-level soldiers and his Gohan Beast transformation would likely efficiently take them out on the spot so that he doesn’t have to worry. A similar situation is experienced when Frieza reveals his Golden transformation and takes out his Frieza Force army in the process.
6 Gohan Beast Betters Reflects Gohan’s Individuality Than Ultra Instinct Goku
Dragon Ball is full of powerful warriors – particularly its Saiyans – and so much of Goku and Vegeta’s dynamic was conveyed by these two friendly rivals continually matching each other’s milestones. There’s a proper sense of accomplishment when multiple characters can ascend to the same status. Dragon Ball Super has slowly broken away from this formula and instead opted for character-specific transformations that reflect a user’s individual triumphs. This is seen with Vegeta’s development Ultra Ego, rather than forcing himself into the right mentality so that he can experience Ultra Instinct, or Piccolo’s recent Orange Piccolo transformation. Ultra Instinct has become Goku’s primary transformation in Dragon Ball Super’s later chapters, but it’s not specifically a form that represents who he is or what makes him unique.
Other individuals, like Whis, Master Roshi, and possibly even Bardock, have experienced Ultra Instinct in varying capacities. Gohan Beast is a different situation and it’s recognized as a unique form that’s specific to Gohan and reflects how he’s evolved as a person, not a Saiyan. Gohan Beast builds upon his Ultimate Gohan state and expands upon the continued awakenings that he’s experienced since his childhood. Goku briefly considers that Beast mode might be a good fit for Broly until he recognizes that it’s the product of Gohan’s unique potential.

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5 Gohan Beast Can Perform A Unique Special Beam Cannon Maneuver
Dragon Ball transformations are powerful strength and skill multipliers in their own right, but they can also be accompanied by useful new techniques that were previously impossible to the individual. Goku has gained some crucial skills after he came in contact with God ki and its corresponding transformations. Ultra Instinct allows Goku to indulge in special abilities like cloning, fighting through a giant energy avatar, and new skills like Soaring Fist and more dangerous Kamehameha variations, like the Divine Kamehameha. However, one area in which Gohan Beast is superior to Ultra Instinct is that it helps Gohan execute his own Special Beam Cannon variation.
The Special Beam Cannon is Piccolo’s signature attack and it holds incredible significance, since it was technically used to kill Goku early on in Dragon Ball Z. Gohan has flirted with this ability in non-canon Dragon Ball material, like the series’ movies, but his Beast mode ascension is heroically punctuated by the application of this popular attack. Gohan Beast finally defeats Cell Max through an upgraded Special Beam Cannon that he refers to as his “Light of Death.” Ultra Instinct Goku likely has comparable energy attacks at his disposal, but he’s never executed a Special Beam Cannon before and Beast mode makes this possible for Gohan.
4 Gohan Beast Is Initially Activated Through Rage & Trauma
Another area in which Gohan Beast and Ultra Instinct is the manner in which these transformations are initially triggered. Gohan ascends to Beast mode status when he experiences pure rage over the possibility that Cell Max has killed Piccolo. Gohan confronts his raw emotions and allows them to transform him into something greater. It’s a principle that’s similar to the emotional catalyst that’s required for other Super Saiyan transformations and it’s a moment that’s intentionally reminiscent of his cathartic Super Saiyan 2 debut.
Access to Ultra Instinct has nothing to do with rage, pain, or trauma. In fact, those heavy feelings will actually prevent the user from tapping into this transformation. Ultra Instinct is a transformation that’s activated through a zen state of mind and intuitive evasions that help the user’s body act on its own and surpass its physical limitations. It has nothing to do with intense emotions. Each of these scenarios have unique advantages, but Gohan Beast is better at productively recycling pain into power.
3 Gohan Beast Is Easier To Maintain Than Ultra Instinct
Goku first experiences Ultra Instinct power during his battle against Jiren in the Tournament of Power. However, it’s a lengthy, difficult process before Goku finally masters the mechanics behind Ultra Instinct and can reliably turn to it for help. Ultra Instinct is even divided into different stages – Ultra Instinct Sign, or Autonomous Ultra Instinct – and Perfected Ultra Instinct. Goku also proceeds to add his own revision to the transformation, True Ultra Instinct, once he’s grown more accustomed to this state. A major disadvantage to Ultra Instinct is that it’s a temperamental transformation that can be lost without the proper focus and mindset.
Ultra Instinct’s accuracy fades over time and puts a time limit on the user, which is witnessed by Goku’s dwindling performance against Granolah, even though he’s in Perfected Ultra Instinct state. Gohan Beast doesn’t require the same degree of concentration and repression of thoughts and emotions. Additionally, once Gohan’s Beast mode is activated, it becomes easy for him to tap into it at will and he doesn’t run the risk of losing it mid-fight, like Goku’s early Ultra Instinct Sign experience. Gohan Beast can become progressively tired and still maintain the form, unlike Ultra Instinct.

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2 Gohan Beast Has A Ki Signature That’s Easier To Detect
It’s hard to believe that there was a point in Dragon Ball where its characters weren’t at a point where they could easily detect someone’s ki and recognize their power level in the process. Ki has evolved in compelling ways since Dragon Ball’s conception and characters have now reached the point where an individual’s energy can be recognized and locked onto from the other side of the universe. Goku is all the way on Beerus’ Planet when the battle against Cell Max breaks out. However, Gohan’s Beast transformation is so powerful that Goku is still able to sense his son’s ki and the incredible burst of power that it exudes.
These two characters are such a tremendous distance apart, which makes it truly impressive that Gohan’s ki can still reach Goku. This could also prove to be essential in the future if Goku ever needs to use Instant Transmission to find Gohan or escape to his location. Goku experiences godly divine ki while he’s in Ultra Instinct, which operates slightly differently than standard ki. God ki is harder to sense and can typically only be recognized by others who are in this divine state. This has its own set of advantages, but Gohan Beast stands out more when it comes to recognition and identification.
1 Gohan Beast Takes On A More Intimidating Look & Design
A transformation’s power is ultimately its most important element, but it’s hard not to get caught up in their designs and the look that a character takes on upon such a metamorphosis. An intimidating transformation can push an opponent into submission before the battle has even started. Ultra Instinct gives Goku a godly, serene appearance that’s clearly powerful, but almost calming in its design. It’s not actively frightening or a sign of doom.
Gohan Beast, on the other hand, adopts a significantly scarier look. Gohan gains fierce red pupils and generally looks more sinister than before. He also gains a deeper and more menacing voice that’s akin to what Super Saiyan 4 characters experience. On top of everything else, his intense aura is destructive, not calming, and he practically looks like a villain. Pan is even terrified of her father when she gets a look at him in his Beast Mode state.

Dragon Ball Super
With Majin Buu defeated half-a-year prior, peace returns to Earth, where Son Goku (now a radish farmer) and his friends now live peaceful lives.
- Release Date
- January 7, 2017
- Cast
- Masako Nozawa , Takeshi Kusao , Ryô Horikawa , Hiromi Tsuru
- Seasons
- 5