There are many notable shonen anime series that have made strong impressions and left undeniable influences on pop culture, but the popularity that’s been experienced by Dragon Ball Z is on a whole other level. Fandom and support for Dragon Ball have never completely died down, but it’s been reignited in big ways over the past few years thanks to Dragon Ball Super.

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The extension of the franchise has introduced many new transformations and abilities, but one of the most exciting has been the debut of the mysterious Ultra Instinct form. This new technique continues to grow and evolve, but there’s even more about Ultra Instinct and its enhanced form that eludes most fans.

10 It's Based On A Real-Life Martial Arts Discipline

Anime Dragon Ball Super Ultra Instinct Goku Smug

Dragon Ball Z is obviously a very heightened series that's gotten far away from the somewhat grounded place where the original series started. That being said, there are still occasions where Dragon Ball turns to real life for inspiration.

The Martial Arts practice of Mushin refers to a "no-mind" state of existence that is just like how Super Ultra Instinct operates. Actual Mushin practitioners experience a calmer change in demeanor and Goku goes through this same personality change when he taps into this power.

9 It’s Also Known As Autonomous Ultra Instinct

Goku after achiving completed Ultra Instinct in Dragon Ball Super.

There’s a long-running tradition within Dragon Ball for there to be multiple names for the same transformation as the series tries to figure out the most appealing nomenclature. There’s still lots of debate over Ultra Super Saiyan, Advanced Super Saiyan, and other forms and it’s easy to forget that Super Saiyan Blue was first called Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan. Accordingly, the perfected form of Ultra Instinct is known as Super Ultra Instinct, but it’s also frequently called Autonomous Ultra Instinct, in reference to how Goku can conjure the skill at will and not have it be a random occurrence.

8 It Can Kill Its User

Anime Dragon Ball Supr Ultra Instinct Tainted Ki Hurt

Super Ultra Instinct opens up a whole new plateau of power to the user, but it also comes at an exceptional price. Much like how Goku's Kaio-Ken Attack and Super Saiyan Blue transformation function, the use of Ultra Instinct puts extreme physical stress on the individual's body.

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This is even more pronounced with Super Ultra Instinct, wherein the misuse of this power has resulted in Goku's ki turning black and pushing him into a state of unconsciousness. Whis says that this behavior can even lead to the user's death.

7 It Was Designed By Akira Toriyama And Went Through Revisions

Anime Dragon Ball Goku Achieves Ultra Instinct White Light

It’s not unusual for the look of transformations to change during the production process, but this is especially true for the primary designs on Ultra Instinct. Super Ultra Instinct’s look was initially conceived by Akira Toriyama, but it's gone through many revisions over time that also reflects the various incomplete stages of this transformation.

Toriyama's initial design had a look closer to Super Saiyan God's style and a preference towards white hair. The approach to Ultra Instinct's aura, hairstyle, and color have subtly changed over time to the current silver look that's present for Super Ultra Instinct.

6 It Becomes A Controllable State

Manga Dragon Ball Super Super Ultra Instinct Goku Moro

One of the most frustrating things about Ultra Instinct is that Goku taps into this power in a way that seems to be beyond his control. Extreme danger and lucidity appear to be major factors and Goku struggles to even reach Ultra Instinct again through his experimentation.

The form is very fickle, but Merus of the Galactic Patrol explains that super Ultra Instinct can become a skill that’s easily called forward whenever the user wishes once it’s officially been mastered. It requires a ton of training, but it is possible to take ownership of Super Ultra Instinct.

5 It Gives Goku A New Form Of Kamehameha

Anime Dragon Ball Super Ultra Instinct Goku Divine Kamehameha

The Kamehameha has become Goku’s signature attack and it’s been entertaining to see how the Saiyan has managed to improve upon the technique over time. It appears that Ultra Instinct can trigger a new level of strength here since Goku unveils the Divine Kamehameha during the Tournament of Power.

Related: Dragon Ball: Does Jiren Have Ultra Instinct (& 9 Other Facts About His Powers)

This massive blast is able to take out Kefla and it’s even more powerful than Goku’s God Kamehameha. Goku can use the Divine Kamehameha in the imperfect Ultra Instinct Sign state, so it’s possible that his mastery of Super Ultra Instinct will lead to an even stronger form of the move.

4 It Requires Intense Control Of One's Emotions

Goku taps into Perfected Ultra Instinct in the Dragon Ball Super manga

The Super Saiyan transformations have been linked to emotion ever since their first appearance. Intense emotion and trauma are often necessary to trigger new Super Saiyan transformations, but the reverse is true when it comes to Super Ultra Instinct.

Goku's entire relationship with the different forms of Ultra Instinct has largely been accidental and it's come as the result of Goku being in extreme danger rather than him reaching some epiphany. Finally, after the passing of Merus, it seems like Goku finally masters Super Ultra Instinct and the deciding factor here is how he's gained mastery over his emotions.

3 It Gives The User A Double Voice

Anime Dragon Ball Super Ultra Instinct Goku Yells

The transformations from Dragon Ball put individuals through a tremendous change and while it’s easy to focus on things like their physical differences and how much stronger they become, there are also other factors that deserve attention.

Tapping into Ultra Instinct gives Goku an echoed double voice, similar to the effect present when characters go through fusion. Curiously, this echo effect is used in a less severe capacity for Super Ultra Instinct, which perhaps means that it’s an effect of the form’s imperfection. Dragon Ball’s dub retains the double voice for all of Ultra Instinct.

2 It Requires A Refinement Of Ultra Instinct Sign

Anime Dragon Ball Ultra Instinct Sign Goku Fierce

It's a very big deal when Goku first briefly taps into Ultra Instinct form during his fight against Jiren in the Tournament of Power, but this demonstration only highlights how there are various stages of Ultra Instinct, each with their own conditions.

Super Ultra Instinct is the perfected version of all of this, but it cannot be achieved until the body first becomes comfortable with Ultra Instinct Sign. It's only after Goku endures intense training in the state with Merus that he's able to eventually advance.

1 It Reaches The Power Of Gods

Manga Dragon Ball Super Ultra Instinct Transformation Earth Shakes

There’s a lot of discussion in Dragon Ball Super about whether characters have reached the power of Gods and it’s a debate that’s ignited ever since Goku obtains Super Saiyan God status. The first appearance of Ultra Instinct shocks the Gods of Destruction in a way where it seems like this transformation is finally at their level.

In fact, it’s not until Goku finally obtains Super Ultra Instinct in his fight against Moro that this gets confirmed. The transformation itself shakes the entire planet and Beerus admits that Goku may have reached God status.

Next: Doctor Manhattan vs Ultra Instinct Goku: Who Would Win A Fight?