Summary
- There have been many different transformations used in Dragon Ball over the years, from Super Saiyan to Ultra Instinct.
- The differences between some of these transformations are subtle, and many are only used by one or two characters.
- New transformations are often being introduced in the Dragon Ball Super manga, so there are likely many more forms that lie ahead for Goku and friends.
Though Goku was the first one to reach the highest Super Saiyan levels in Dragon Ball, many other Saiyans (and Saiyan-like beings) have reached higher and more powerful levels throughout the series' storied history. There was a time when the always lovable Goku ascending to the level of Super Saiyan was a spectacle for Dragon Ball Z viewers. Now, multiple decades later, Super Saiyan has evolved beyond anything fans expected; with two different timelines, there are two vastly different lineages for the Super Saiyan transformations.
Nearly all Super Saiyan forms are superlative increases to raw power and combat ability. More often than not, the real reveal of these levels of Super Saiyan lies in the new look, and where these godly abilities take the respective Saiyan, particularly in storylines involving Goku's most powerful enemies. It's best that casual fans and even longtime viewers have a refresher course on which level of Super Saiyan fits in terms of strength. Some dangerous and powerful Super Saiyan forms might even surprise audiences in terms of where they land on the list.
21 False Super Saiyan Was the First Evolution of Super Saiyan
First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug
During Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug, one of many Dragon Ball movies made over the years, the eponymous villain shows up on Earth looking for trouble. He's quickly confronted by the Z fighters, who are easily dispatched. Even Goku has a hard time with Slug until he manages this power boost.
As False Super Saiyan is the weakest of the Super Saiyan levels, Goku's hair didn't turn yellow, but his pupils disappeared, and his aura gained a gold tinge. He also received a huge power boost, although he wasn't able to maintain it for very long. Technically, Goku was the only one who reached this benchmark, though Vegeta has shown off a technique that is similar. The form (also known as pseudo-Super Saiyan) was created before the first official transformation would take place, earning is a strange but notable place in Dragon Ball history.
20 Super Saiyan is Still Dragon Ball's Most Iconic Transformation
First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z, "Transformed at Last"
Every Dragon Ball fan remembers watching Goku transform into a Super Saiyan for the first time. A Saiyan is able to achieve this state through a combination of intense training and extreme emotional reactions. For Goku, it was watching his best friend be destroyed. For Vegeta, it was the anger that both Goku and Trunks had beaten him to it. Regardless of how the transformation is achieved though, it represents a jump in power unlike anything seen before.
In the first of the true Super Saiyan forms, the Saiyan's hair stands up straight and turns completely yellow. The Saiyan also displays a golden aura, which Akira Toriyama designed to make Goku easier to draw. The result created some of the most iconic moments and panels in Dragon Ball history. Super Saiyan laid the foundations for many of the best Dragon Ball movies.