Son Goku, the protagonist of the Dragon Ball franchise, created by the late and great Akira Toriyama (R.I.P), has had a very long run. And as a result, he's had a lot of evolutions over the course of 40 years (40 years!!) Since the Manga’s publication, and 38 years since the adaptation of the Dragon Ball anime. Over the 40 years since Dragon Ball’s inception, we have watched him evolve from a child to the earth’s protector, and just as we've watched him grow up, we've watched him take on many forms borne from his Saiyan heritage.
For the sake of this article, I will only be discussing the anime as I haven't kept up with the manga. The list of forms that Goku, specifically, has achieved is as follows (not in order):
Base form
Oozaru
False Super Saiyan
Super Saiyan 1
Super Saiyan 2
Super Saiyan 3
Kaioken
Kaioken x2
Kaioken x3
Kaioken x4
Kaioken x5
Kaioken x10
Kaioken x20
Mastered Super Saiyan
Super Kaioken
Golden Oozaru
Super Saiyan 4
Full Power Super Saiyan 4
Ultra Full Power Super Saiyan 4
Super Saiyan God
God-like Saiyan
Super Saiyan Blue
Super Saiyan Blue Full Power
Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken
Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken x10
Super Saiyan Blue Kaiken x20
Ultra Instinct
Ultra Instinct Sign 1
Ultra Instinct Sign 2
Ultra Instinct Sign 3
Master Ultra Instinct
Perfected Ultra Instinct
These bottom 4 are specific to Super Dragon Ball Heroes but we’re still counting them.
Super Saiyan 2 Berserk
Super Saiyan Blue Berserk
Super Full Power Saiyan Limit Breaker 4
Universal Super Saiyan Blue
I am going to note that this list is formatted in as much as the listed form placements will be mainly based on circumstance/storytelling, and how it contributes to Goku’s development as a character. I will mention power levels in vague manners, but I would rather not be number specific.
1. Oozaru
All Saiyans have what’s called the Oozaru form. Essentially, all Saiyans are born with a monkey tail—this is one of the body parts responsible for facilitating the transformation since the glands needed to facilitate the transformation are located there. Similar to werewolves, Saiyans must look at the full moon to transform into their Oozaru form. This form will imbue them with significantly enhanced strength and insurmountable rage.
Goku was born with this form, but he only used it a few times before his tail was cut off, and we only see it from him twice in the original Dragon Ball series.
The first time he ever used it (though we didn't see it), he accidentally used it on Grandpa Gohan, killing him, having not fully understood his own power. Then, when trapped in a room with a glass ceiling, he accidentally activates it again on Bulma, Yamcha, Oolong, and Puar. The second time we see it, he transforms during the tournament saga.
I think this was the first really cool transformation in the franchise and, honestly, if you ask me, the sounds accompanied with the transformation trump the power-up sounds when Goku goes Super Saiyan. There's something more sinister and intriguing about the sounds his Oozaru form can make, which make it more pleasant to watch. While I understand why they didn't stay with it, I feel like if they kept Goku’s Oozaru form, it would have added something more interesting to his repertoire of abilities.
2. Kaioken
Kaioken is a technique that was developed by King Kai in Other World. When Goku died during the fight with Raditz, and he reached the other world, he learned this technique from King Kai, as well as Spirit Bomb. It should be noted that Kaioken is very, very difficult to learn, and impossible to master, the only two true masters being King Kai and Goku. Essentially, Kaioken increases an individual’s base power level, strength, speed, and senses for an instant by multiplying a user’s ki for a heartbeat.
Goku first uses Kaioken during the Saiyan Saga in an effort to save Gohan and Krillin from being killed by Nappa. He would go on to use it against Vegeta, pushing his limits to overpower him. From the Saiyan Saga on, Goku proceeds to use the Kaioken to boost other attacks against increasingly powerful villains.
If you ask me, Kaioken is underrated as a technique. I feel as though learning Kaioken was pivotal to Goku’s development as a fighter—and even though the ‘form’ for Kaioken isn't a drastic change, it’s a precursor to the other forms he learns. Essentially, what makes it so good is that it gave him the tools to later on achieve his full potential.
3. False Super Saiyan
This will be reiterated and emphasized more in the next entry, but Super Saiyan abilities are inherited through Saiyan heritage. Now, it should be noted that this is not a full blown Super Saiyan activation (hence the name). It can only be achieved when a Saiyan is close to death and manages to briefly manifest their Super Saiyan power—though it isn't quite enough to fully activate it, not to mention that it can't really be activated at will.
Goku managed to activate this ability during the fight against Lord Slug in the film Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug. Having run out of options, wounded, and rapidly losing his strength, Goku’s anger and frustration surged, which gave his power an insane temporary boost, which was the only reason he managed to win the fight.
I like to think of this form as a combination of Kaioken and Super Saiyan, since it has the appearance of Kaioken (except yellow and not red) and instead of a focused, controlled technique, it relies on anger in the same way that Super Saiyan abilities do. I'm a little disappointed that it only appeared in this film and then was never utilized again—I feel like it would have been a really cool thing to explore with other Saiyan characters (especially Gohan—there were a lot of potential things that could've been done to make his character more impactful, including this). It could have been an interesting facet to the story—imagine seeing one (or several) characters with Saiyan heritage use this form and work up to Super Saiyan 1.
Nevertheless, I respect the decision not to use this form again. I just wish I could have seen it more.
4. Super Saiyan 1
It should be noted, first and foremost, that any saiyan can become a Super Saiyan, but to become one requires a lot of S-cells (Barroso, Saiyan specific cells). Saiyans with more gentle natures tend to initially have much more S-cells than a Saiyan with violent natures, but the more a Saiyan increases their battle-power, the more S-cells they can gain. It should be noted, too, that an emotional trigger is often needed to transform.
Goku first used this form on Frieza during the Namek saga, after witnessing his childhood friend, Krillin, die. Using this newfound power, he fought Frieza, defeating him. Goku’s gentle spirit was demonstrated when, instead of outright killing Frieza, Goku gave him some of his energy, instead urging him to “live with his shame”. Naturally, Frieza repays that with another act of violence, only to be put in his place once again and left behind.
This is by far one of my most favorite transformations of Goku’s. It was iconic—when I initially got into Dragon Ball Z, I went into it blind. I didn't know what to expect, so as a kid, watching him transform for the first time after watching a friend get obliterated by Frieza, watching him realize just how important it is to become strong enough to defend earth, his friends, family, and himself, was a defining moment in his character development, in this anime, and probably a defining moment in Shonen anime. Many fans can agree that this is easily one of the most important forms because this was the gateway to Goku’s quest for power and strength.
5. Super Saiyan 2
The only way to clear a path towards Super Saiyan 2 is to unlock Super Saiyan 1, which is the very first thing to note. In order to unlock all other Saiyan forms (excluding Oozaru), you have to master Super Saiyan 1. That being said, we don't actually see when Goku officially unlocks Super Saiyan 2. We see his transformation for the first time—but we don't see the moment that he unlocks Super Saiyan 2. Essentially, it is Super Saiyan 1 with more power, and in addition, this form can be triggered more by desperation than by anger—for example, trying to save someone from almost getting killed.
Goku first used this form during the Buu Saga on Vegeta, whose stupid ass decided to let Babidi possess him, with the belief that it would give him that boost to finally beat Goku. Which, Majin Vegeta actually did beat Goku, but it wasn't necessarily an earned victory because Goku, at any time, could have crushed him with Super Saiyan 3 (which he had up his sleeve) but actively chose not to for two reasons; 1, because activating Super Saiyan 3 too early would send him back to the Other World, and 2, to honor Vegeta’s pride.
At first I wasn’t gonna list SSJ2…but then I rewatched the full fight scene where Goku transformed into the SSJ2, and it convinced me not just for the actual transformation but the context behind it, specifically. I feel like this is a very important fight/transformation for a few reasons. In order to explain why, I'm gonna do a little bit of analysis:
Goku spent most of his life on earth. He didn't have the concept of a ‘Saiyan’ until he was an adult and Vegeta came to earth. And obviously, Goku and Vegeta are on sight rivals right from the very beginning. Naturally, Goku cannot fully understand Vegeta’s reasoning for his need to fight him—time and again, Goku beats Vegeta, who after having to deal with the tyranny over the Saiyan people by Frieza’s people, who had to watch his home be destroyed, his people dwindled, only really has his pride left as a reminder of his homeworld. This fight is important, firstly, because it produces a certain kind of understanding between Goku and Vegeta—it’s the seeds to a friendship.
For another, it emphasizes a couple of things about Goku; for one, his compassion. He cared enough about Vegeta’s pride (without saying it) to indulge him in this fight and let him reclaim his honor, or at least try to. He already knew how to go SSJ3 but out of respect and understanding for Vegeta decided not to. For another, this fight/transformation showcases his cleverness. Goku, in many later iterations ( cough Dragon Ball Super cough cough) is depicted in an unflattering way. But I feel like this fight really, truly showcases his battle IQ.
6. Super Saiyan 3
https://youtu.be/3xojjc4GJJk?si=s8BfFm_vcHnrt7YP
Just like Super Saiyan 2, Goku at some point unlocked Super Saiyan 3 while training with King Kai in the Other World. We do not actually see the initial unlocking of Super Saiyan 3, but that didn't detract from the iconic transformation he faced.
Goku first used this form against Majin Buu during the Buu Saga, Majin Buu being one of the most interesting villain concepts (in my personal opinion) throughout DBZ. Technically speaking, this fight wasn't against Buu alone, but against Babidi as well, since Babidi was essentially his puppet master/owner.
This was probably one of my favorite fights, mainly because I feel as though, despite the circumstances of the fight, how serious it is in the scheme of the story, it genuinely seemed like a chance for Goku to have fun. Does that sound crazy? Probably. But what I mean is that Buu presented a challenge, but his childlike demeanor helped to take out the seriousness—making it more of a playful challenge, than anything. I do think that he could have easily just ended the saga there—but given the circumstances (especially given Piccolo, Trunks, and Goten’s situations) and how quickly Super Saiyan 3 drains ki, then it makes sense why Goku cut it short.
7. Super Saiyan 4
Super Saiyan 4 is a Super Saiyan form obtained in Dragon Ball GT. In order to access this ability, you need to have mastery over the Golden Oozaru form, which requires both a) a tail so that Oozaru can be activated, and b) mastery over the Super Saiyan 1 form. It isn't really accessible at will—conditions have to be met first, such as seeing the full moon while in Super Saiyan mode. The real work comes in when you have to regain consciousness over the otherwise untameable Oozaru form.
Goku managed to achieve this form during his fight with Baby in GT with the help of Pan. Her persistence in talking him down/talking him through the transformation led him enough control to hone the power of the Golden Oozaru into a form better suited for proper battle in place of mindless destruction. He would proceed to use this form to fight Baby, and he comes very close to winning—but since Bulma was infected by Baby’s tuffle parasites, she proceeds to assist in defeating Goku.
What I really love about this form is that it’s like a very advanced, controlled version of the Oozaru form. Now I'm biased because I'm obsessed with the Oozaru concept, but I'm even more obsessed with the fact that in order to achieve this form, you have to be able to transform into the Golden Oozaru, then gain control over it. It feels like the perfect metaphor for mastering your control over negative emotions.
Just hear me out: Oozaru, in its usual form, is essentially an amalgamation of boundless rage triggered by the full moon. This is compounded in the Golden Oozaru form—and the fact that you have to gain consciousness over it (since the Oozaru form inherently puts you in a trance) to me implies a significant amount of growth, which Goku had to face throughout Dragon Ball GT, having been turned back into a child. Look, I know DBGT got lots of mixed reviews but easily, this is one of my favorite parts of the entire DBGT series. Especially because as with Goku’s other transformations, he chooses Earth time and again. SSJ4, just as with both Oozaru forms and most Super Saiyan forms, has a tendency to weapon rage/strong emotions. Goku has every ability to simply give in to his pent up rage (that all Saiyans have), but because of his gentle nature, because of his upbringing on earth, and because he has enough sense to learn to control himself, he still chooses earth every time.
Not to mention, I absolutely love the character design for the SSJ4. It’s easily my most favorite Super Saiyan design in all of the Dragon Ball franchise.
8. Golden Oozaru
There are three prerequisites for this form to be possible at all; you must be a saiyan, you must still have your tail, and you must be able to access the Super Saiyan 1 form.
Simply enough, Goku achieved this form in the battle against Baby. When beaten into the ground, he was met with two things; the sight of the full moon, and the desperate, angry feelings just at the thought of not being able to protect earth. Because he had been physically reverted back to a child form, tail and all, he had access to the Oozaru form again—and given that anger and desperation are imperative for the Super Saiyan form, he sort of just accidentally activated the Golden Oozaru form.
My bias is about to show again because I also genuinely loved this form. Any time it shows up, I get ridiculously excited because I feel like it should have been utilized more. Okay, granted, right after this particular transformation, Goku would transform into the Super Saiyan 4, which I personally think trumps all Oozaru forms (despite my love for them). But Golden Oozaru, as a concept, is very pleasing for the fact that where Oozaru feels like a metaphor for unbridled rage, Golden Oozaru feels like a metaphor for love.
Now, I'm sure you're thinking what the hell kind of thought process is that? Simple; activating Super Saiyan requires strong feelings of desperation and hurt, especially over harm that comes to your loved ones. When we love something enough, the loss or harm of it (even just the thought of loss or harm) can force strong feelings of anger and fear.
In short, this is such a good concept (at least in the context of Goku’s growth) because it means that he loved Earth, and his life on it, enough that just the thought of losing it made him feel strongly; seeing the full moon gave him that boost in power to do something about it, while his mounting emotions made him go Super Saiyan.
9. Super Saiyan God
Just as emphasized throughout the rest of this article, this form requires Saiyan heritage. It’s said that this form is only achievable through a ritual performed by 6 righteous Saiyans, or through special divine training. This form will give you enough strength to surpass Super Saiyan 3 and its predecessors. The ritual requires 1 saiyan to be chosen to receive the power that the other 5 will provide in order to achieve God Mode—it requires the 5 others (who will need to be in Super Saiyan 1 form) to, instead of concentrating their ki, they instead “pour their hearts” into them.
During Dragon Ball Super, Goku is forced to become Super Saiyan God in order to be strong enough to fight Beerus. So, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, Vegeta, and Videl (who was pregnant with Pan) come together to imbue Goku with the strength and energy necessary to achieve this form.
I absolutely love this form because it emphasizes that strength isn't achievable just by yourself. It emphasizes the importance of asking for help. You cannot achieve god level without help from others—and I think that's just such a beautiful way to think about this mode. That goes without mentioning the insane power boost it can give the selected Saiyan (in this case, Goku).
I will say that I feel like Super Saiyan God deserved a more profound look—while the simplistic hair, eye, and aura color change does add something to the design, I feel that while this is a good form power wise, and with beautiful origins, it deserved more than what it got. That is not to detract from the impact this form has on the story. It's one of the ultimate signs of growth on Goku’s part—not as much as Ultra Instinct, but it feels like a direct acknowledgement of the fact that he couldn't have gotten where he is now without help from his friends and loved ones.
I also like this form and how one achieves it because it emphasizes, too, how much Saiyans can and do value community, which is a great cultural lore addition.
10. Super Saiyan Blue
Okay, first thing’s first; Super Saiyan Blue is a more transcended version of Super Saiyan God, which feels crazy to say but that's what's up. Essentially, to achieve this form, one has to receive godly ki training from a deity specifically. Doing so will allow the individual to achieve a base form that allows them to achieve Super Saiyan Blue.
Goku managed to achieve this by training with Beerus and Whis on Beerus’ planet. He ended up first using this form on Frieza in Dragon Ball Super.
Alright so—first thing’s first, the fact that he used this on Frieza of all people felt very important. Mainly because Frieza was the starting point, the true starting point, of Goku’s journey of strength. At the very start of the journey, Goku and Frieza were enemies, with Goku and Frieza trying to kill each other from the get go. It even goes down to the fact that SSB resembles SSJ1 with the exception being the coloring—it’s a full circle moment and I live for those. Even better, at the time of SSB, it’s like they've developed some kind of friendly rivalry—which proves that both of them have faced serious growth and maturation. They were using friendly banter and everything!
11. Super Saiyan Blue + Kaioken
Essentially, this form utilizes both Super Saiyan Blue and the Kaioken technique. Utilizing both of these techniques would give a serious edge of focus and precision, as well as refinement of an otherwise unknown or underused (in the history/lore of the anime, anyway) form. Essentially, the two power boosts are synchronized.
Goku achieved this very simply—he combined two techniques he already knew to give him an edge against Hit, the main antagonist of the Universe 6 Saga. Initially, he started to develop this technique to use against Beerus eventually but we first see it in action in this fight against Hit.
This particular form/use made me scream. It was so out of pocket that out of nowhere, Kaioken, which wasn't used for a really long time, would be used in conjunction with something like SSB. And I gotta be honest—the whole scene was a masterpiece to me.
The animation. The voice acting. It was different from watching DBZ or the 1986 Dragon Ball series, but it still made me feel like a kid again. And I'm gonna be so real—when Goku revealed that it was Kaioken ×10, the way his voice distorted had me damn near passing out, because that hit me in my soul.
12. Gogeta
Fusion, my beloved. I absolutely love the fusion aspect of DBZ. So essentially, fusion is attainable in about 6 different ways, the first being a special technique specific to Namekians. But in this context, I'll only discuss one method of fusion; The fusion dance. Essentially, two people complete a dance that will fuse them into one entity that gives their power a huge boost by combining the abilities of the two individuals who fused.
Goku learned the fusion dance in the Other World, and to achieve the form of Gogeta, performed it with him. Gogeta debuted in Fusion Reborn to defeat Super Janemba.
Hear me out. Hear me out, okay? I know that technically this isn't just Goku. But we’re counting it because Goku is still part of it—as much as this is a form for Vegeta, as much as this is a form in and of itself, it’s still part of Goku, too. So we’re gonna look at it story-wise.
Goku and Vegeta have been at odds for years by this point. Enemies and then rivals. The fact that these two, who were constantly fighting, constantly trying to one up each other (well maybe more like Vegeta trying to one-up Goku) would be willing to fuse together is one of the ultimate shows of growth for both of them.
I feel as though fusing gave Goku a better understanding of how to work with Vegeta.
This goes without mentioning the character design—I feel like Akira Toriyama was on to something here with this character design because to me, despite being a fusion, Gogeta was always one of the ultimate symbols of unity and strength to me, regarding Dragon Ball.
13. Gogeta Super Saiyan 4
As with the base form of Gogeta, to achieve this form is very simple; both Vegeta and Goku must be in SSJ4 form while performing the fusion dance.
So, in order to fight Omega Shenron in Dragon Ball GT, seeing that just in their SSJ4 forms, Vegeta and Goku fused to create SSJ4 Gogeta.
I'm gonna be real. I think I just really love monkeys. I go ape-shit (pun fully intended) whenever I see the Oozaru or SSJ4 forms in any capacity.
What I like about this form, like the original Gogeta form, is that both Vegeta and Goku are forced to control and hone their Oozaru forms into more condensed, rational paths into SSJ4, and even further than that, are forced to combine those unique abilities to receive that power boost. In Goku’s case, even though it's stated that Gogeta is controlled by Vegeta, I would say that it gives him a nice break from the serious—he gets to be a goofball for a few minutes, while also packing a deadly punch (with Vegeta’s help of course).
I absolutely love the character design, as always. It gives a kinda mystical/mythological vibe (which is fitting because Goku is supposed to be a parody of Son Wukong, the monkey king from Chinese mythology). He's supposed to be seen as otherworldly.
GT had a lot of problems. But I wish that SSJ4 was canon in general, especially SSJ4 Gogeta.
14. Kid Goku SSJ
As discussed before, Super Saiyan 1 is only achievable if you have Saiyan heritage. It is activated if a Saiyan is in enough emotional (and even physical) distress. However, if a saiyan is trained enough and/or has mastered the Super Saiyan form, they can tap into it at will.
Goku uses this form on General Rildo in Dragon Ball GT, a fight which Goku loses because General Rildo has plot armor and Dragon Ball GT’s writing is somewhat questionable.
The reason I included this entry on the list is that although it isn't the most powerful (far from it), I feel as though even though it's not canon, I think that it’s fascinating to look at Kid Goku like this.
Look—we saw in canon how much potential Goku had. Goku had SO much potential as a kid. GT Goku gives me the impression of a version of Goku that either a) didn't hit his head or b) hit his head but still retained some Saiyan instinct. Unless maybe I'm crazy for thinking that, it’s been a minute since I've seen GT.
I also think there's something weirdly powerful about seeing kid Goku going Super Saiyan and tapping into all that power he'd managed to build up over his life, which is the main reason why he's received this spot on the list. When I say Super Saiyan Kid Goku, I'm not just referring to the first form—I mean all the others, too.
15. Perfected Ultra Instinct
And now, finally…Perfected Ultra Instinct. This form harnesses the power of the Autonomous Ultra Instinct and it’s the form that made Goku one of the most powerful in the universe.
Goku achieved this form by resisting the Spirit Bomb that turned into a Black Hole during the fight with Jiren. His sheer will to survive and his strong ki helped him reach this point. He proceeds to use this form on Jiren.
My god. This form. Years ago, there was the concept of a Super Saiyan 5, which was a fan concept (I'm not sure if it's been made canon). This form encompasses several of the traits involved in the concept of a Super Saiyan 5 but exceeds them and honestly I think that's so cool.
The actual fight/scene is animated so beautifully. The reveal is astronomical. The way he emerged from the rubble and debris, to me, felt so powerful. Literally. The way he looked back at everyone, like seeing how far he's come from, the distance he's walked—it’s such a beautiful moment.
Final Thoughts
The Dragon Ball franchise is one of the most popular manga and anime series for a reason. Many fans can say that they grew up right alongside Goku—that to some degree, they were inspired by the story, the journey of growth that Goku went on. I think that I speak for a lot of anime fans when I say that in terms of Shonen anime, Dragon Ball really set the defining themes and takeaways.
It isn't just about the fighting, even though the fight scenes are cool as hell. It’s about having the resolve to persevere and grow strong enough for yourself and your loved ones to sacrifice things for their sake. It’s about putting aside differences and coming together, and learning that strength cannot come just from inside—you need your friends, too, because they can give you new perspectives.
Akira Toriyama left behind a true legacy. And even though he's gone, Dragon Ball continues to inspire the hearts and souls of fans both new and old. Through Goku, ironically, we are allowed insight into what it truly means to belong to the human race (even though Goku, himself, is not a human)—It means constant evolution. Our old selves can't suffice; we don't get anywhere if we don't push our limits.
And that's the true beauty of Dragon Ball.
