Transformations are a big part of anime, especially in Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball. Transformations and power-ups are used throughout each chapter in the franchise as a suspenseful way to raise the stakes in battle. Dragon Ball was fairly light in transformations before Goku's fateful clash against Frieza on Planet Namek. There were rumors of a certain Super Saiyan, but until there was any confirmation of this it didn't seem as if a Saiyan's Great Ape state would be topped.
There's been no stopping Toriyama since the original Super Saiyan reveal and the transformation has turned into a slippery slope when it comes to storytelling. There's something inherently ridiculous about new echelons of power that are signified by a change in hair color and other silly aesthetics, but it's hard to argue with the success of these displays of strength. Super Saiyan transformations have become such an iconic element of Dragon Ball that many other anime series have mimicked them, either to cash in on the popularity or to parody the over-the-top genre staple.
Updated on September 15, 2022 by Daniel Kurland: There are constant highlights in Dragon Ball that continue to entertain its dedicated audience as well as bring in new viewers. However, the unbelievable transformations that mark characters’ accomplishments routinely receive the most attention. Dragon Ball has gradually introduced new tiers of power that aren’t restricted to certain species, such as Ultra Instinct, Ultra Ego, and the recent reveal of Gohan Beast in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. All of these new forms just create greater nostalgia for the many levels that make up the Saiyans’ path to power.
15 The First Super Saiyan Transformation Establishes A New Precedent For Power
As far as audiences know, Goku is the first Saiyan to achieve the Super Saiyan form in the last hundred years of Saiyan history. There's actually a reason for this: Goku's gentle soul. The Saiyan fights for good and cares for his friends and family. He's able to produce the necessary S-Cells to trigger the transformation, with Krillin's death acting as the emotional catalyst.
This transformation was epic when it first occurred and it finally pushed Goku to the necessary places to defeat Frieza. However, it's now become the bare minimum and a milestone that even children can achieve. This isn't to say that it's weak, but it just pales in comparison to the rest. When a Saiyan becomes a Super Saiyan, it multiplies their power by 50. In other words, this transformation becomes even stronger based on its user's base power.
14 Super Saiyan Second Grade Applies A Healthy Power Boost
Otherwise known as an Ascended Super Saiyan, this form is what happens when a Saiyan pushes the limits of the standard Super Saiyan transformation. This isn't quite Super Saiyan 2 strength, but it's definitely an upgrade. This is less of an official form and more of a forced increase of power output. It utilizes the Saiyan's ki to inflate their muscles, which significantly increases their speed and strength.
Super Saiyan Second Grade is somewhat useful during training within the Cell Saga, but it's nothing compared to an actual ascension to Super Saiyan 2. Not only does it burn through ki reserves quickly, but it's also just a parlor trick at the end of the day. It merely adds to the Saiyan's power rather than multiplying it like other Super Saiyan forms. It helps Vegeta and Trunks hold off Semi-Perfect Cell, but otherwise, it's just a stepping stone to the next level.
13 The Bulky Super Saiyan Third Grade Isn't Worth The Extra Power
The next tier of power is Super Saiyan Third Grade, a form that is even more dangerous to use than the Second Grade ascension. Like the previous upgrade, the Super Saiyan Third Grade form further inflates the user's muscles to utilize 100 percent of the Saiyan's stamina and strength.
There is, however, a huge drawback to this form, which is a lesson that Trunks learns the hard way. Super Saiyan Second Grade has a good balance of speed and strength increase. The Third Grade form only increases strength, while the massive increase in muscle mass causes a huge drop in speed. In fact, while the form might technically be the "strongest" of the "in-between" forms, it is actually far slower than the regular Super Saiyan form. The huge muscles weigh down the Saiyan and decrease their maneuverability in a fight.
12 Super Saiyan Full Power Perfects The Classic Before Its Next Level
Though it might not look much different from the regular Super Saiyan form, the Full Power Super Saiyan is actually much stronger. Super Saiyan Full Power is what occurs when a Saiyan completely masters the ways of Super Saiyan. Goku and Gohan manage to master this form by maintaining their Super Saiyan state for an extended period of time.
The advantage of the form is that all the negative effects are bypassed. A Full Power Super Saiyan does not feel fatigued while in the form, plus their uncontrollable emotions are much more in check. Ki consumption is also much less rapid, which allows them to utilize the strength and power of the Super Saiyan for longer periods of time. Mastering this form is essential in Gohan's journey to become Super Saiyan 2.
11 Super Saiyan 2 Is The Start Of Something Special
Gohan is the first character to tap into Super Saiyan 2 strength, which is triggered by the intense anger that he feels towards Cell's negligence. It's a chilling moment that mirrors Goku's initial Super Saiyan metamorphosis. It's an exciting change of pace that Gohan is the first to reach this milestone and secure the big victory against the saga's villain.
Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 transformation is satisfying on a storytelling level, but it's also an extreme upgrade in strength. The first Super Saiyan form acts as a 50x multiplier of a Saiyan's base power, but the Super Saiyan 2 form multiplies their strength one hundred-fold. This power increase allows Gohan to obliterate Cell twice and more recently it's helped Future Trunks defeat Zamasu in Dragon Ball Super.
10 A Radical Shift In Strength And Style Comes Forward with Super Saiyan 3
Super Saiyan 3 is the trump card that Goku keeps secret in the Buu Saga. While it is extremely powerful, it comes at a great cost. The Super Saiyan 3 form, which has only canonically been achieved by Goku and Gotenks, is a 400x multiplier of a Saiyan's base power. The transformation also utilizes 100% of physical stamina, which is what causes the form's primary drawback: massive fatigue.
Super Saiyan 3 is an immense power-up, but it takes a physical toll on the user. For one thing, the form has only been achieved by those with "altered" bodies. Goku is dead when he ascends to Super Saiyan 3 state and Gotenks has the combined power of two Saiyans to handle the physical stress, but even they have issues maintaining the form without getting fatigued. This suggests the form may not be achievable by living or non-fused Saiyans.
9 Super Saiyan Rage Gets Triggered Under Periods Of Intense Stress
This transformation is a bit of a wild card. However, it's definitely stronger than Super Saiyan 3 since it's able to properly hold its own against both the God of Destruction Beerus as well as the determined efforts of Fused Zamasu. Super Saiyan Rage is triggered through intense emotion, typically anger.
As a result, Super Saiyan Rage delivers a substantial increase in power, but for a short, concentrated burst. Vegeta gets pushed to this place after Beerus slaps Bulma, which puts him at the level of 10% strength Beerus, an enemy who otherwise needs to be handled by Goku.
8 The Golden Great Ape Is An Unstable Transformation Towards Greater Things
Dragon Ball GT still has a controversial reception within the fandom, but it introduces some creative Saiyan transformations into the fold. These forms are overlooked in Dragon Ball Super, but they've found a dedicated following in certain Dragon Ball video games. One effective decision that the sequel series makes is to return to the basics of the Saiyan's Great Ape transformation, albeit with a powerful twist.
The Golden Great Ape is the result of a standard Great Ape going Super Saiyan. This result is pure destructive power. That being said, the limits of the Golden Great Ape remain nebulous since it doesn't come up often in Draogn Ball GT and is more of a stepping-stone to Super Saiyan 4 strength.
7 Super Saiyan 4 Becomes One Of The Saving Graces Of Dragon Ball GT
Super Saiyan 4 is the natural evolution of the Golden Great Ape and what many fans consider to be the saving grace of Dragon Ball GT. This intimidating form brings the Saiyan's back to their primal roots with a radical redesign that requires their people's signature tail as one of its defining characteristics. It's somewhat shaky how these Dragon Ball GT transformations stack up against their Dragon Ball Super equivalents.
However, it's speculated that this Super Saiyan form functions as a 4000x-10,000x strength multiplier. This is a staggering increase from Super Saiyan 3. The form is a Super Saiyan pushed to their very strongest, but its place in the canon remains questionable.
6 Super Saiyan God Gives The Warrior Race A Celestial Upgrade
In the world of Dragon Ball, there are two types of ki: normal mortal ki, and godly ki. Both can be trained and utilized in similar ways, but godly ki is far more powerful and possessed only by the Kai and Gods of Destruction. There is, however, one way that a mortal, specifically a Saiyan, can access this godly power. A special Super Saiyan God ceremony can be performed by six pure-hearted Saiyans, granting one special individual a godly ki upgrade.
Initially, this form might not look like much. It makes Goku appear much younger and leaner, but it is actually far beyond any other Super Saiyan transformation. Goku could previously keep up with Beerus when his peak strength was as a Super Saiyan 3. As a Super Saiyan God, Goku comfortably forces the God of Destruction to use 70% of his power. This indicates just how much of an upgrade godly ki delivers over the standard.
5 Super Saiyan Blue Pushes The Godly Transformation To Deadlier Heights
The Super Saiyan God form unlocks an even more powerful transformation, Super Saiyan Blue. While initially referred to under the clunky title of Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan, the old name gives the audience a pretty good idea of what the transformation entails. A Super Saiyan metamorphosis with the godly ki that the previous form provides results in this startling shift in strength.
Super Saiyan Blue functions a lot like regular Super Saiyan. It's a 50x power multiplier, but instead of increasing regular power, it instead multiplies the Saiyan's godly ki. Accordingly, the already powerful Super Saiyan God form is made even more destructive. Toriyama has stated that this form is the most powerful of all Super Saiyan transformations. This might be true to an extent, but there are still a few other forms that have their own unique advantages.
4 Super Saiyan Rosé Is Pure, Innate Power
When a Saiyan obtains godly ki, it turns into the blue aura and hair of Super Saiyan Blue. This is because it is being filtered through a mortal body. It is also because Goku and Vegeta obtain godly ki, but were not born with it. However, if a God switches bodies with a Saiyan, then their natural godly ki results in a unique Super Saiyan transformation that's similar to Super Saiyan Blue, but offers its own distinct brand of terror.
Goku Black is the only one to undergo such a strange series of circumstances. Zamasu successfully steals Goku's body and the result of his transformation is Super Saiyan Rosé. The form appears to have a slight edge over its Super Saiyan Blue equivalent since it's the product of refined godly ki. Goku Black's intimidating Sickle of Sorrow also doesn't hurt.
3 Berserker Super Saiyan Relinquishes Control At The Cost Of Power
Dragon Ball has only introduced two female Super Saiyans at this point, Kale and Caulifla. Kale is a meek, gentle Saiyan most of the time, but there's a fiery power that's hidden deep inside of the Universe 6 warrior. Kale shifts into a ferocious Super Saiyan state similar to Broly's. She experiences a huge increase in muscle mass, her eyes turn white, and her hair and aura take on a green and gold tint. However, all of this comes secondary to the transformation's uncontrollable rage.
Kale's Berserker Super Saiyan form is as powerful as it is hard to control. It becomes one of the most dangerous forces during the Tournament of Power and even dwarfs Goku in his Super Saiyan Blue state at several points. Kale can't control her rage, but the heavier mass doesn't slow her down and all of her stats are maxed out here.
2 Super Saiyan Blue Evolved Status Strikes Fear In The Entire Multiverse
Goku and Vegeta have recently veered down different paths in the forms of their Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego transformations. However, before this schism, Vegeta managed to push the powers of Super Saiyan Blue to unprecedented heights during the Tournament of Power.
Vegeta's Super Saiyan Blue Evolved doesn't look discernibly different from its prior state, but the user's blue aura takes on more celestial properties along with bulkier muscle mass. It's also telling that the emergence of this transformation is what prompts the Oracle Fish to warn Beerus that these Saiyans may soon get close to approaching his God of Destruction power.
1 Broly's Legendary Super Saiyan State Is Still Said To Be The Strongest
A Legendary Super Saiyan is essentially a form that comes from a Saiyan mutation. It's a fluke of sorts that results in a different evolutionary path of the Saiyan's transformations. This form and its subsequent upgrades are only seen in Broly, a character who's finally entered the proper Dragon Ball canon following the events of the feature film, Dragon Ball Super: Broly.
The true extent of Broly's strength has yet to be seen, but he holds his own against Super Saiyan Blue Gogeta, which is not something that many people can claim. Broly mostly sits out the newest movie, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, but Toriyama has stated that the overwhelming strength of the incomplete Cell Max is close to Broly's power level. This gives a good indication of just how much strength is carried by a Legendary Super Saiyan.