The Super Saiyan transformations are without a doubt the most iconic powers and techniques seen in anime. With each magnificent new transformation, the world would sit on the edge of their seats awaiting a showcase of unseen power. Each moment would come at a pivotal time when the heroes needed their strength the most, and every design would be ingrained into fan’s minds forever.
We had the epic original form, the monumentally powerful Super Saiyan God, and the shocking Ultra Instinct. From the first time Goku would ascend to his new state, and for every epic leap since, he would prove there is no barrier he could not overcome. A new state of power always lies on the horizon, and Goku is always ready to claim it. Here are all his Super Saiyan Transformations.
1. Oozaru
The first form Goku ever took on was not a willing one. As a Saiyan, every time Goku would look upon the full moon, he would transform into the great ape, the Oozaru. The lack of control cost Goku’s grandfather his life, a fact that Goku would not realize until years later. When Goku took on the form in Emperor Pilaf’s castle, he went on another rampage that almost did the same to his friends, only to be stopped by Puar cutting off his tail, regressing Goku back to the normal kid we all know and love.
His tail and the transformation would reappear soon in the World Martial Arts tournament, where Jackie Chun employs a slightly different approach to stopping it, destroying the very moon itself. Everyone was a little more careful after that, as this transformation was the first glimpse we got at how powerful Goku could truly be.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0teXomG0r902.Kaio-Ken
Kaio-Ken is a transformation that remains a classic to this day. Learned from and named after the legendary King Kai, this technique multiplies the user’s power and speed exponentially, putting such a strain on the body that Goku ended up being the only person to ever use this technique successfully.
The battle against Vegeta and Nappa would have ended quite differently had Goku not used the power of the Kaio-Ken to bring himself up to the necessary level of power needed to save the earth, and years later the technique would return in the battle against Hit, where Goku would combine it with his Super Saiyan Blue form to reach new heights.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQu2s80vWLg3. False Super Saiyan
Before he could achieve the power of Super Saiyan, Goku achieved this incomplete state when battling against Lord Slug. When Goku was near defeat, he was able to tap into this power to overcome his foe, he didn't have the emotional kick needed to achieve the full might of Super Saiyan but this form was more than enough to get the job done. Just ask Slug, who was on the receiving end of this power.
While the form was never seen past the Lord Slug movie, it remains an iconic moment that provided a great tease for things to come. Seeing this pseudo step would in retrospect, make the real transformation much more satisfying. It was even enough to fool King Kai into thinking Goku had hit the real mark.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24uIs1sTLhQ
4. Super Saiyan
The iconic transformation that started it all. We had long since heard the legend of the mythical Super Saiyan. the only thing the space tyrant Frieza would fear but it was just that, a legend. That is until Frieza committed the murder of Goku’s best friend Krillin, pushing him over the edge and giving birth to the moment that would change anime history forever.
His hair turned to gold, his eyes turned, and his power multiplied exponentially. With this mighty transformation at his disposal, Goku was ready to turn the tables on Frieza once and for all. When the battle truly took form, we all got to see what the legend was about and that Freeza was right to fear the righteous power of a Super Saiyan whom rage knew no bounds. A self-fulfilling prophecy if ever there was one.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMrgSp6WGmc&t=5. Ultra Super Saiyan
Visually similar to the Legendary Super Saiyan form taken on by Broly, that form has something in common in this one, unyielding strength. What do you get when you want solid, raw power? You get Ultra Super Saiyan, a form that’s emphasized muscles above all else. Goku took on this form when he trained to defeat Cell in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, but decided against it on account of the downsides, such as loss of speed, being far too great. It was something that the veteran fighters all knew, and something even Cell was privy too as well.
While Goku came to the realization through training, Trunks would have to learn this lesson the hard way in the middle of combat, as he took on Cell using Ultra Super Saiyan and all its might. With the loss of speed taking a huge toll on the battle, Cell emerged victoriously and Trunks would have to take a good hard look at what is needed beyond just power. That being said, despite its downsides, if you need to hit hard, you need Ultra Super Saiyan.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBb1t00S4HA6. Super Saiyan 2
The indestructible Cell had no equal, his power had overwhelmed even the mighty Goku and the fate of the planet rested in the hands of young Gohan. When pushed to the edge by the death of Android 16, Gohan did what was thought to be impossible, he found a level past Super Saiyan, known then as Super Saiyan 2.
Goku would soon achieve this power himself while training in Otherworld, and use it to put the beatdown on Majin Vegeta. What set Super Saiyan 2 apart was its versatility. While Super Saiyan sometimes wasn’t enough to get the job done, and later forms could best or sometimes only be used situationally, Super Saiyan 2 was always ready and raring to go.
Watch the scene:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quvJvFO_9uA7. Super Saiyan 3
When training in Otherworld, Goku sought to go even further beyond, and that he did when he attained the power of Super Saiyan 3. His muscles explode, and his hair grows exponentially, almost resembling his brother Raditz. Of course it’s not just his looks that change.
Trading long-form energy use for pure raw power (and of course the striking new hairdo) was what made Super Saiyan 3 a force to be reckoned with, as Babadi and Buu would find out the hard way. New forms come and go, but for its incredible transformation sequence, Super Saiyan 3 will always be remembered.
Watch the scene:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVdlBxdqv8s&t=8. Super Saiyan 4
With Dragon Ball GT, the series went in a surprising new direction by transforming Goku back into a child. While it was fun to see our hero in his nostalgic state, we feared the days of epic transformations were done. And then, Super Saiyan 4 arrived, blowing us all away.
Combining his Super Saiyan and Oozaru forms and aging Goku back into an adult, this new power was unlike we had ever seen before, and with threats like Baby and Super Android 17, it was certainly welcome. His body adapted traits of the Oozaru form, giving it a striking red to match his new design. The power didn’t cap off there as Vegeta would find his own way to take on the form, and the two would combine their powers together to become Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta, one of the biggest threats the Dragon Ball universe had ever seen.
Watch the scene:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV2O1A4TEf89. Super Saiyan God
After years of being off the air and shelves, Dragon Ball Z was ready to return in full force with the Battle of Gods movie. With it came the legendary Super Saiyan God transformation. Sought out by the God of Destruction Beerus to give him the battle he craved, the earth's fate was hanging on the line. Gohan, Vegeta, Trunks, Goten, and even the not yet born Pan all gave their energy to Goku, letting him ascend to this new state.
Goku put his new power to good use, earning the respect of Beerus himself in an unforgettable clash. While Super Saiyan God didn’t stick around too long, it was a sight to see every time it showed, with an eye-catching red resembling his Kaio Ken form, and an aura burning like fire, the design matched the uber-powerful look.
Watch the scene:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0wZ0EO21r410. Super Saiyan Blue
While turning into Super Saiyan God was a group effort, Goku was never one to have to rely on others to get stronger. Thankfully, his body had learned to tap into the immense power on its own, and he was able to attain the form known as Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan, or Super Saiyan Blue for short.
Taking his new toy out to play in the battles against Freeza, Hit, Black, and Jiren just went to show how powerful his almighty azure advancement could be. This form continues the Super Saiyan 2 trend of versatility, being able to be used without a downside or extra requirements. It was the go-to form for many situations, and when Goku and Vegeta brought their powers together as Super Saiyan Blue Vegito, he was even able to damage the immortal Zamasu.
Watch the scene:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KynXz0P03ag11. Super Saiyan Blue with Kaio-Ken
We knew the battle against Hit was going to be a spectacular one, but what nobody expected was the sudden return of Kaio-Ken and Goku combining it with his Super Saiyan Blue form. This surprise move stunned everyone, audience and character alike, but when we saw Goku put it to use, we could definitely see why. Goku used the power to do the impossible, and surpass Hit’s Time-Skip technique, turning the tide on a massive scale.
While new transformations are always welcome, this unique combo was something we had never seen before, giving us a glimpse into just how far Goku has come in the mastery of his own body, mind, and spirit. The physical strain that prevented the Kaio-Kens repeated usage was a thing of the past with this new limit broken. When you ask many fans, they will tell you that this is the first moment Dragon Ball Super truly captured them.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxlaQKLcQFs12. Super Saiyan Rosé
Using the body he forcibly stole from Goku, the being known as Goku Black was able to achieve a new level tapping into the power Goku would have used for his Super Saiyan Blue transformation. What was once an Azure Blue Hero is now a Magenta Pink Supervillain, who has no qualms abusing the transformation for his own gains. World after world fell to this form and would not stop there, with the multiverse itself placed at risk.
The result is Super Saiyan Rosé, an alternate transformation that surpasses the original Blue in power, used to great effect in defeating the heroes time and time again, ripping through hope itself and bringing untold destruction across all of creation. Don't let the name or appearance fool you, Super Saiyan Rosé is a force not to be taken lightly
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEgqaXOLyzs13. Ultra Instinct
It began with Goku using an incomplete version of the transformation, and even that would be a resounding boost to his power that shook the universe, with Goku tapping into it whenever the need became most dire such as his battle with Kefla. This new power would skyrocket even further when Goku would fully complete it himself, and his power would then be surpassing the gods themselves. Ultra Instinct is the greatest power in the DragonBall universe, and with Goku mastering it, he has proved to us all that there is no limit that can’t be broken.
Watch the scene:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXR0CJYQXfgYou may be interested in:
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