Dragon Ball is a foundational shonen anime that’s celebrated for many reasons, whether it’s the eclectic cast of characters, its creative ki and power system, or its ability to facilitate constant combat through martial arts competitions and sinister showdowns. That being said, Dragon Ball’s Super Saiyan transformations have practically become synonymous with the series.
Super Saiyan Goku’s first transformation during his fight against Frieza was a groundbreaking moment in the series, but it’s almost comical to consider how far Dragon Ball – and Super Saiyan transformations – have come since their debut. Modern Dragon Ball loves stronger forms like Super Saiyan Blue or Super Saiyan 4, but there’s something to be said about the OG Super Saiyan 1.
10 Super Saiyan Bardock is a Non-Canon Reinterpretation of the Original SSJ Legend
Super Saiyan Bardock Faces Off Against Frieza’s Ancestor, Chilled
Bardock, Goku’s father, has experienced a curious glow-up in recent years, which is rather surprising for a character who is dead long before Dragon Ball begins. Canonically, Bardock never turns Super Saiyan as it’s far beyond his reach as a humble Low-Class Saiyan. Bardock’s appearances are limited to flashbacks, but Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock is a curious «What If?…» story that reveals that rather than being killed by Frieza’s Supernova, he’s instead whisked away to the past through a wormhole. It’s here that Bardock faces off with Chilled, Frieza’s ancestor, which prompts such anger from him that he becomes a Super Saiyan.
This is actually some clever retconning in the sense that Super Saiyan Bardock is what triggers Frieza’s fear of Saiyans, which was passed down through his family. This may not be considered to be proper canon, but it’s appreciated that Dragon Ball does attempt to connect these dots. This may be a remarkable accomplishment for Bardock, but he’s still going to rank as the weakest of Dragon Ball‘s Super Saiyans. Episode of Bardock exists in such a vacuum and Chilled is still likely weaker than the majority of post-Super Saiyan threats that are faced in Dragon Ball Z.
9 Super Saiyan Future Gohan Is Set Up To Fail In His Dystopian Timeline
Future Gohan Suffers From A Lack Of Stronger Role Models
Future Gohan is one of Dragon Ball’s more fringe characters, albeit someone who has still found a loyal following that’s helped the character gain new life in various Dragon Ball video games. Future Gohan is an older and more hardened version of the character who functioned as Future Trunks’ mentor in their tragic timeline.
Super Saiyan Future Gohan does a commendable job fighting 17 & 18, but ultimately dies in their final battle. A major deterrent against Future Gohan is that he believes Super Saiyan 1 is the apex of Saiyan power, due to Goku’s death and no one else pushing the concept any further. This limited mindset prevents Future Gohan from surpassing the power of the Saiyans in Dragon Ball’s prime timeline.
8 Super Saiyan Goten & Trunks Are Naturals
These Young Saiyans Turn A Powerful Milestone Into Child’s Play
There’s tremendous weight to the Super Saiyan transformation when it’s first introduced in Dragon Ball Z, but it’s turned into a progressively common occurrence, largely because of the franchise’s embellished power scaling system. Super Saiyan Gohan’s breakthrough at the age of nine was impressive, but still believable. Dragon Ball Z pushes things even further when Goten and Trunks turn Super Saiyan at seven and eight respectively.
There’s a substantial period in Dragon Ball Z’s Buu Saga where Goku truly believes that Goten and Trunks will defeat Buu and be Earth’s next great heroes. It makes sense that these two have more room to grow, but there have largely been diminishing returns for these two Saiyans. Goten and Trunks’ skills have stagnated throughout Dragon Ball Super and they’ve become gag characters in many respects. The rest of Dragon Ball’s cast have successfully pushed the standard Super Saiyan transformation to greater heights than these two, despite their head start.
7 Cabba, Kale & Caulifla Are Quick Learners
Turning Super Saiyan Is Effortless For Universe 6
One of the most exciting developments to come out of Dragon Ball Super’s multiverse concept is that Universe 6 still has a thriving Saiyan population. Goku and company meet a trio of Universe 6 Saiyans – Caulifla, Kale, and Cabba – who have never even heard of a Super Saiyan before their meeting. However, Universe 6 Saiyans evidently have a higher S-Cell count than Universe 7’s more aggressive Saiyans, which aids them in rather effortless transformations.
Each of these Saiyans casually become Super Saiyans and proceed to go even further. Caulifla even nearly becomes a Super Saiyan 3 on a whim. Universe 6’s lack of experience and aggression makes them weaker than some of the Universe 7 crew, but it won’t be difficult for them to flip this dynamic with enough training. Caulifla and Kale’s fusion, Kefla, holds her own against Ultra Instinct Goku in Super Saiyan 2.
6 Super Saiyan Gohan Is A Prodigy Who Highlights The Heights Of Hybrid Power
Gohan’s Super Saiyan Transformation Is A Natural Extension Of His Strength
The Dragon Ball franchise has always been Goku’s story, but there are substantial periods of Dragon Ball Z that focus on Gohan’s potential and how he’s destined to surpass his father’s strength. Gohan’s trajectory as a martial artist and Saiyan has been especially interesting and hardly conventional. Gohan does hit certain Super Saiyan milestones, and at an early age no less, but he later shifts over to other transformations and power-ups that celebrate his individuality, rather than his Saiyan lineage, like Ultimate Gohan and Gohan Beast.
Nevertheless, Gohan still gets a lot of mileage out of his Super Saiyan form and it’s even a transformation that he continues to use in Dragon Ball Super after he’s unlocked his Ultimate upgrade. Super Saiyan Gohan’s powers are hardly insufficient. However, his years of passivity and a minimal interest in fighting make him weaker than the other Super Saiyans who are actively training.
5 Future Trunks Becomes A Super Saiyan Standout Who Helps Save Two Timelines
Future Trunks Explores The Full Power Of Super Saiyan Strength
Future Trunks is a fan-favorite character who still has one of Dragon Ball’s most memorable introductions, largely because his Super Saiyan transformation comes as a complete surprise and immediately makes him so much more interesting. Future Trunks turns Super Saiyan in the anime upon finding his mentor, Future Gohan, slain by Future Androids 17 and 18. Trunks’ training with Vegeta in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber significantly boosts his abilities and he becomes a major supporter of the Super Saiyan Second and Third Grade forms.
He even continues to turn to them in Dragon Ball Super at a point when everyone else has accepted their shortcomings and found superior alternatives. Future Trunks eventually unlocks Super Saiyan 2 in Dragon Ball Super, but he mainly sticks to SSJ1. It’s easy to view Future Trunks as one of the strongest standard Super Saiyans, considering all that he accomplishes in this form.
4 Super Saiyan Vegeta is a Force to Be Reckoned With
Vegeta Understands How To Push His Body To Peak Power
Vegeta becomes obsessed with the notion of becoming a Super Saiyan long before there’s even one in Dragon Ball Z. Vegeta experiences a humbling identity crisis when Goku turns Super Saiyan before him, which makes him more determined than ever to reach this milestone. Vegeta does eventually become a Super Saiyan, with his own jealousy and rage becoming a motivating catalyst during this transformation.
Vegeta does proceed to unlock stronger Super Saiyan transformations as the series continues. He still manages to get the most out of the original Super Saiyan form – particularly Super Saiyan Second Grade – which he dubs “Super Vegeta” out of pure confidence. Vegeta’s superior transformations don’t always make the first Super Saiyan form practical, but he’d still be able to do serious damage with this transformation if it’s all that he was able to use.
3 Super Saiyan Goku is Hard to Top
Goku is Always Blazing New Trails With His Super Saiyan Forms
Goku is hardly the youngest Super Saiyan, but he’s the first character to tap into this power and is therefore exposed to it the longest. It’s no surprise that Goku is the one who suggests that he and Gohan maintain their Super Saiyan forms for as long as possible as a way to break through to a new level of power. Goku is largely correct about this theory, which results in Super Saiyan Second and Third Grade’s introduction, as well as the well-balanced Super Saiyan Full Power state.
Goku is typically the first character to unlock a new Super Saiyan transformation even though his recent efforts have largely shifted over to the principles of Ultra Instinct. He’s more than capable of using the basic Super Saiyan form to cause extreme damage if he’s otherwise short on energy and needs to conserve his strength. It’s still difficult to find a singular character who better understands the transformation’s mechanics, limitations, and advantages.
2 Vegito & Gogeta Are The Ultimate Synthesis Of Super Saiyan Strength
Goku & Vegeta’s Fusions Pack Extreme Power
Fusion is a polarizing battle strategy that allows two or more characters to combine their strength and skills into one superior fighter. Goku and Vegeta experience this process with the Potara Earrings to become Vegito, but they also become Gogeta through the Metamoran fusion dance. Vegito and Gogeta both achieve Super Saiyan Blue strength – while the latter also becomes Super Saiyan 4 – but they also spend considerable time in the original Super Saiyan state.
It stands to reason that a fused character, let alone a combination of Goku and Vegeta, would be among Dragon Ball’s strongest Super Saiyans. It’s comforting to know that the heroes will typically have this tool at their disposal, especially if Gotenks’ fusion becomes increasingly unreliable. Vegeta may hate to admit it, but he and Goku are at their best when they’re truly united as one.
1 Legendary Super Saiyan Broly Puts Him At Another Echelon Of Power
Legendary Super Saiyan Broly Fights At A Godly Level
Goku and Vegeta repeatedly set new Super Saiyan milestones, but it’s more or less impossible with their standard Super Saiyan states to compete with Broly, a Legendary Super Saiyan. A Legendary Super Saiyan is born once every 1000 years and Broly possesses such raw strength that his power level as a baby was already 10,000. Goku and Vegeta need to turn to Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan Blue power to keep up with Broly. Even their fused form, Gogeta, struggles and needs to ascend to Super Saiyan Blue status to gain the advantage.
A fused Super Saiyan Blue against an introductory level Super Saiyan shouldn’t even be a challenge, but Broly’s power is just that remarkable. There are certain video games that treat the Legendary Super Saiyan status as its own transformation tier with unique evolutions of its own. However, Dragon Ball Super basically implies that this is just Broly’s standard Super Saiyan form once he learns how to control and restrain this wild state.
Dragon Ball
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