Goku and Frieza’s First Fight in 10 Years Gets Major Remake
James Whitfield
3 min read
Goku and Frieza are preparing for their first confrontation in nearly a decade, and the upcoming remake promises to be a dramatic improvement over their previous encounter. The two characters last battled in 2017 during Dragon Ball Super's Universe Survival Saga, when Goku was assembling Universe 7's roster for the Tournament of Power. Now, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus will bring them back together for a reimagined version of their clash from the Resurrection F arc, expected to air before the end of 2026.
The original Resurrection F battle between the characters has long been considered one of the franchise's weakest animated sequences. The film version relied heavily on stiff computer-generated imagery that lacked fluidity, while the anime adaptation suffered from poor animation quality, awkward pacing, and substandard storyboarding. Footage from the recent Super Surge trailer for Dragon Ball Super: Beerus reveals a complete visual overhaul of the fight, with every scene reconstructed to modern standards. The remake features improved lighting, refined character models, and significantly more dynamic action choreography compared to the original Dragon Ball Super series.
The remake will serve as the centerpiece of Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, which is officially remaking the Battle of Gods arc, Resurrection F, and the Universe 6 Saga. By restructuring the narrative around these major story beats, the anime will naturally arrive at the Goku versus Frieza battle before year's end. The enhanced animation and direction should give the Super Saiyan Blue versus Golden Frieza matchup the visual spectacle it deserves, making the rematch resonate more powerfully with audiences who remember the original's shortcomings.
Dragon Ball Super: Beerus appears to be making substantial changes to the original Resurrection F narrative. The Super Surge trailer shows Goku transforming into Super Saiyan God during his battle with Frieza—a form that never appeared in either the film or anime versions of Resurrection F. The footage suggests Goku may cycle through Super Saiyan God before transitioning to Super Saiyan Blue, a tactic consistent with his fighting style in the Dragon Ball Super manga where he uses various transformations to assess opponents' capabilities. Since the remake will incorporate new scenes based on original creator Akira Toriyama's scripts and outlines, the production team may have added an entirely new confrontation between Super Saiyan God Goku and Golden Frieza.
This potential addition would serve multiple narrative purposes. It would allow Golden Frieza a moment of temporary dominance before Super Saiyan Blue's introduction, while simultaneously giving Super Saiyan God a more prominent role in the arc. The visual concept of Goku's godly energy manifesting as a storm during his clash with Frieza represents an inspired creative choice that elevates the sequence beyond its source material. For many fans, this could mark Super Saiyan God's final significant appearance before the form fades into the background of Dragon Ball's power hierarchy.
The significance of this rematch extends beyond the immediate spectacle. Goku and Frieza's relationship represents one of Dragon Ball's foundational rivalries, originating from their first meeting on Namek in Dragon Ball Z. While Vegeta has become Goku's most persistent rival, Frieza remains his most fundamental enemy. Dragon Ball Super revitalized the character by granting him a substantial power increase and positioning him as a genuine threat to a god-level fighter like Goku. The upcoming remake offers an opportunity to recontextualize their Resurrection F encounter with knowledge of future events, potentially foreshadowing Frieza's eventual transformation into Black Frieza, which occurs later in Dragon Ball Super.
The Dragon Ball Super: Beerus project demonstrates how modern animation technology and creative oversight can transform previously underwhelming material into something genuinely compelling. By combining improved technical execution with narrative enhancements drawn from Toriyama's original vision, the remake promises to deliver a version of the Goku versus Frieza battle that honors both characters' importance to the franchise while providing fans with the quality animation this confrontation should have received years ago.
