Dragon Ball, the iconic series by Akira Toriyama (RIP), is the grandfather of modern animes as it has been and still is an inspiration for anime creators and fans. Several elements have contributed to its enduring popularity and iconic status, and one that many symbolise the anime with is the Super Saiyan Transformations.
Who can forget the nostalgic and bone-chilling scene when Goku first transformed into a Super Saiyan against Frieza on Planet Namek or when Gohan turned into Super Saiyan 2 after Cell crushed Android’s 16 head? While we hate to bring this up to canon enjoyers, we also enjoyed witnessing Super Saiyan 4.
Nevertheless, these transformations have become a cultural phenomenon of characters breaking past their limit, and we will look at every Super Saiyan form revealed in the series.
Also Read: Ranking the 7 Best Isekai Anime of All Time
Every Super Saiyan Transformation in the Series
Super Saiyan
What better way to start things off than the debut of the “Legendary” Super Saiyan transformation when Goku witness the death of his best friend Krillin at the hands of Frieza? Every Dragon Ball fan remembers this scene as it was the first time we saw Goku lose his temper and even shouted at Gohan to leave before Namek exploded.
A Saiyan must survive intense training and embrace extreme emotional reactions to achieve this form. For example, Vegeta felt anger towards Goku and “Future Trunks” for becoming one before him and “Future Trunks” witnessing the death of his mentor and friend “Future Gohan”. For the sake of appreciating this form, let’s ignore how Goten and present Trunks achieve this.
Regardless, a Saiyan’s hair stands up straight and turns completely yellow, with teal eyes and a golden aura surrounding him. It represents a significant increase in power and aggression, as seen when Goku and Vegeta toyed with their opponents when they first transformed.
Ascended and Ultra Super Saiyan
Next, we have Ascended and Ultra Super Saiyan. It is similar to the base form, with only the increased muscle mass and power output separating the two. Vegeta first showed off this form after leaving the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and decimated the semi-perfect Cell before his pride got in the way again.
After seeing his iconic Final Flash deal nothing to Perfect Cell, Trunks stepped up and challenged the Android, but to no avail. To reduce the power gap, Trunks powered up to Ultra Super Saiyan, but when one demands power, they sacrifice speed, as mentioned by Cell when Trunks could not land a hit of the Android despite having a higher power level.
In one scene, we see Goku showing this transformation to Gohan but notices the witness immediately and tells his son to maintain a balance between speed and power. Thus, we never see this form again.
Legendary Super Saiyan
There is only one character you think of when one mentions Legendary Super Saiyan and the character is Broly. Sorry, Kale fans, but when Broly first appeared in the movie in this form and annihilated the Z fighters, it sent shivers up our spine.
Unlike Ascended and Ultra Super Saiyan, this transformation maintains muscle growth with the speed remaining unaffected. This form is unique due to its seemingly unlimited power potential and berserk nature, as seen by the greenish tint to the hair and a green aura.
Ok, Kale fans, here’s your spotlight. Before Kale achieved this state in the Tournament of Power, many considered this transformation non-canon as it was from a movie. However, thanks to the timid Saiyan from Universe 6 and a Dragon Ball Super movie featuring Broly, this form is now part of the canon universe.
Super Saiyan 2
The Cell Saga was an emotional arc in Dragon Ball Z, as we saw the sacrifice of Goku, Android 16 and the eventual explosion of Gohan. After Cell taunted the Z fighters with his Cell juniors and crushed Android 16, Gohan’s inner self erupted and transformed into Super Saiyan 2.
In this form, the hair is more upright and spikier than in the base form, with a more intense aura with electrical discharges. Gohan’s personality also turned an entire 180 as he decapitated Cell juniors one after another and punched Cell so hard that he threw up Android 18.
Super Saiyan 2 was also one of the main transformations in the next saga, as Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan showcased this form when confronting Babidi and his crew.
Super Saiyan Rage
Introduced a decade later in Dragon Ball Super Goku Black Saga, Trunks achieves this form resembling that of Super Saiyan but with a blue and golden aura. According to many, this form takes SS2’s power and multiplies it, making it stronger than the base SS2.
However, this is where power scaling comes into question. If Trunks in this form can stand his ground with Goku Black Super Saiyan Rosé, does it mean it’s stronger than SSB?
While we may never get the answer as Trunks has not appeared since the saga, many contributed his power to the unified hopes and bond he shared with the people of the future of finally eradicating Goku Black and Zamasu.
Super Saiyan 3
The Buu Saga was absolute cinema as we witness Vegeta sacrificing himself, the Earth Spirit Bomb to kill off Kid Buu and, of course, the iconic Super Saiyan 3 transformation by Goku. So far, only two have achieved this form, with Goku debuting the form and Gotenks somehow learning it after showing it to Goten and Trunks once.
However, this is not about them as the lung-bursting scream of Goku powering up, with the surroundings collapsing and the Earth shaking, makes it one of the most fan-favourite Super Saiyan transformations ever.
In this form, Saiyans undergo a significant change in appearance, including waist-length hair and the absence of eyebrows. As for the cost of this transformation, it demands tremendous energy consumption because Goku mentioned he could only attain this form due to the differing passage of time for those in the afterlife.
Super Saiyan 4
No matter how much you like or hate GT, can we agree that Super Saiyan 4 looks stunning? Unlike other transformations, Super Saiyan 4 combines Saiyan and Great Ape traits, resulting in a fur-covered body and a tail. The character’s hair is black (or red in some depictions), with red fur covering their body and a tail and red outlines on their eyes.
However, to achieve this state, one must regain control of his mind, as seen by Pan’s tears waking Goku from his Golden Great Ape form.
Besides Goku, Vegeta also achieved this before the fight against Omega Sheron, and the two then fused to become SS4 Gogeta, which many still debate is the strongest character ever made.
Also Read: Persona 5 Tactica Is Canon or Not?
Super Saiyan God
Debuted in the movie: “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods”, Goku achieved this form through a ritual involving five pure-hearted Saiyans. In this form, the Saiyan gains a leaner appearance with red hair, eyes, and a red aura. It grants godly ki, making the user undetectable to mortals as Goku and Beerus battle in one of the series’ most iconic fights.
Vegeta also achieved this form through intense training with Beerus and Whis and debuted it in the Broly movie. While this form was short-lived, with the upcoming form occupying most of Dragon Ball Super, the transformation was one of the purest seen yet.
Super Saiyan Blue
As mentioned above, SSB is the following form of SSG. To summarise, SSB is where Saiyans transform into Super Saiyan after attaining SSG but with a blue aura replacing the nostalgic gold aura.
Debuted in “Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F'” and later in Dragon Ball Super by Goku and Vegeta, it offers a balance of immense power and control, utilising godly ki with a calm but intense aura.
Vegito and Gogeta also achieved this form in the series, as the debate of the better fusion can only be decided in the following Dragon Ball Sparking Zero game.
Super Saiyan Rosé
Achieved only by Goku Black after Zamasu’s unhealthy obsession with Goku’s body and strength, Super Saiyan Rosé combines Zamasu’s own Supreme Kai power with Goku’s ability to transform.
The form relates to everything SSB but with Goku Black’s hair and aura turning pink with a dark, somewhat sinister aura.
Super Saiyan Blue Evolution
Last but not least, we have a form specifically for Vegeta. Thus, big dubs to the Saiyan Prince as he achieved this form in his fight against Jiren in the Tournament of Power arc. In short, it is an evolved form of SSB, further increasing Vegeta’s power and aura intensity with a deeper blue colour.
This transformation is significant for Vegeta’s character development, symbolising his unique path of evolution and determination to protect his universe and family. It reflects his pride and commitment to becoming stronger in his own way rather than following the same path as Goku.
For more anime or gaming-related news, follow our Twitter page for timely updates and announcements.
Author Profile
Latest entries
GAMING2024.11.25Strinova Agents Tier List: A Detailed Guide About the New Anime 5v5 Shooter- GAMING2024.11.25Antonblast: Everything to Know About the Action-Packed Platformer Before Its Release Date on December 3
- GAMING2024.11.22Guntouchables, An Online Co-Op Shooter Title by Ghost Ship Publishing, Is Launching Early Access in Spring 2025
- GAMING2024.11.22Platypus Reclayed, A Remake of the Original Platypus Game in 2002, Is Launching in 2025
