One of the most impressive elements of the Dragon Ball series is the transformation into a Super Saiyan. The sight of overwhelming enemies with golden shining hair and a green aura has continued to captivate many fans from the 1990s to the present.
The Super Saiyan first appeared in the Freeza saga of Dragon Ball Z and has since spawned various forms, including Super Saiyan 2, 3, God, Blue, and Ultra Instinct. Each form possesses unique characteristics and strengths, showing new possibilities as the story progresses.
This article comprehensively explains all types of Super Saiyans, from the basic forms to the ultimate forms that reach the realm of gods. We thoroughly compiled information related to Super Saiyans, including the characteristics, strengths, initial appearances of each form, and the characters that can transform into them.
A Super Saiyan is a transformation that brings out the potential of a Saiyan to its limits. Once feared as a **legendary warrior that appears once every 1,000 years**, many Saiyans have come to harness this power following Goku's awakening.
In the history of the Saiyans, the Super Saiyan was a legendary being. One reason Freeza feared the Saiyans was due to the existence of this Super Saiyan legend. However, for many years, no one was able to transform into a Super Saiyan.
The most significant feature of a Super Saiyan is the tremendous increase in battle power that far surpasses the normal state. Upon transformation, the hair stands upright and turns golden, emitting a green aura from the entire body. In this state, speed, power, and the amount of ki dramatically increase, allowing them to fight evenly against formidable opponents that they couldn’t even compete with in their normal state. There is also a tendency to become more aggressive due to heightened emotions during transformation, which can lead to a loss of composure.
To transform into a Super Saiyan, specific conditions must be met. The most basic awakening condition is **strong anger**.
Goku first transformed into a Super Saiyan when his best friend Krillin was killed by Freeza. This grief and anger triggered his awakening into the legendary warrior. Vegeta also transformed into a Super Saiyan from the humiliation and anger of being outpaced by Goku, despite being an elite warrior.
However, anger alone is not sufficient. To become a Super Saiyan, ** S cells need to be accumulated in a certain amount in the body. These S cells increase by having a gentle heart and a certain level of combat power. In other words, it turns out that Goku, who lived peacefully on Earth, and Gohan, who is a hybrid Saiyan, find it easier to transform into a Super Saiyan than pure combat-oriented Saiyans raised as a warrior race.
When transforming into a Super Saiyan, distinct changes occur in the body.
The most noticeable change is the hair color. Black hair changes to gold and the hairstyle stands up. This blond transformation is a characteristic that symbolizes the Super Saiyan, making it immediately recognizable that one is in the transformed state.
Next, an intense green aura is emitted from the entire body. This aura is a manifestation of the Super Saiyan’s energy and is proof of their strength. The shape and intensity of the aura vary from person to person, but essentially, it is always emitted to envelop the body.
The color of the eyes also changes; black eyes become a greenish-blue color. This change in the eyes can be interpreted as symbolizing the calm combat ability of the Super Saiyan.
In terms of combat power, it can gain up to **50 times** that of the normal state. This amplification rate is from the basic form of the Super Saiyan, and as one progresses to higher forms, the multiplier increases even more. Muscle mass also increases slightly, but not to the extent that it sacrifices speed. This exquisite balance creates the advantage of Super Saiyans in combat.
There are many transformation forms of Super Saiyans, ranging from the basic form to the realm of gods. It started with the basic form introduced in Dragon Ball Z and has evolved into forms that manipulate godly energy in Dragon Ball Super.
Each form appears in chronological order, and as the story progresses, the strength of the enemies has also increased, prompting the Super Saiyans to evolve accordingly. Here, we will explain the characteristics and strengths of each form in the order of their appearance.
This is the basic form of Super Saiyan and serves as the starting point for all transformations.
This form, which Goku awakened for the first time during his battle with Frieza on Planet Namek, revolutionized the Dragon Ball series. It is characterized by golden hair, a green aura, and teal eyes, and its combat power reaches **50 times** that of the normal state.
The biggest feature of this form is its excellent balance of power and speed. Since the increase in muscle mass is kept to a minimum, it can achieve overwhelming power without compromising mobility. This appearance, which overwhelmed Frieza, left a strong impression on viewers at the time.
Since its first appearance, many Saiyans, including Vegeta, Trunks, Gohan, and Goten, have mastered this form. It is the basic form of Super Saiyan, yet due to its high combat power, it is still widely used in many battles today. 【Related Articles】Dragon Ball Strongest Character Ranking | Comparing Combat Power and Strength
In the Cell Saga, this is the advanced form of Super Saiyan discovered by Goku and Vegeta while training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
The second stage, also known as "Super Vegeta," is a form that significantly enhances power by increasing muscle mass. The scene where Vegeta overwhelmed Cell's second form in this state was impressive. However, it has the drawback of a slight decrease in speed due to the increase in muscle mass.
The third stage is a form known as "Super Trunks," which further increases muscle mass. Trunks used it against Perfect Cell, and while its power was overwhelming, it was revealed that the extreme muscle growth significantly reduced speed, making it impractical in actual combat.
These forms demonstrate the important lesson that **true strength cannot be achieved merely by increasing muscle through brute force**. Goku discerned this flaw and embarked on developing another approach known as the Full Power form.
This form can be considered the perfected form of Super Saiyan, minimizing the burden on the body by maintaining the Super Saiyan state at all times.
Goku and Gohan mastered it after a year of training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, normalizing the Super Saiyan state. The greatest advantage of this form is that the burden on the body from transformation is almost zero. It allows for handling Super Saiyan power with the same feeling as in the normal state, which means there's no unnecessary consumption of energy during battles.
Its appearance is almost identical to that of a normal Super Saiyan, but the intensity of the aura is subdued, giving it a more stable impression. In this form, Super Saiyan power can be fully controlled, providing an overwhelming advantage in fine energy control and continuous combat.
Gohan mastered this form and successfully broke through to Super Saiyan 2 due to his anger, allowing him to defeat Perfect Cell. Super Saiyan Full Power occupies a significant position as a form that not only increases power but also pursues control and efficiency.
This form appeared as the next stage exceeding Super Saiyan, and Gohan awakened it for the first time during the Cell Saga.
The characteristics of this form are that the hair stands up even more, and sparks like lightning surround the aura. Its combat power reaches twice that of Super Saiyan and **100 times** that of the normal state, resulting in a dramatic increase in speed and power.
This form that Gohan awakened in anger following the death of Number 16 completely overwhelmed the previously invincible Perfect Cell. It demonstrated overwhelming power by annihilating Cell Juniors in an instant and severely damaging Perfect Cell.
After that, Goku and Vegeta also mastered Super Saiyan 2, and during the Majin Buu saga, it began to be used as a common combat form. Super Saiyan 2 appeared frequently during Vegeta's transformation into a Majin and as Goku's opponent, leaving a strong impression of the combat power of this form.
This was the strongest form exhibited by Goku during the Majin Buu saga.
The most notable feature of Super Saiyan 3 is its long golden hair that reaches down to the waist and the disappearance of the eyebrows. The aura becomes even more intense, releasing so much energy during the transformation that the entire Earth shakes. Its combat power reaches four times that of Super Saiyan 2 and 400 times that of a normal state, possessing enough strength to overwhelm Majin Buu.
Goku learned this form during his training in the afterlife, and used it in battles against Majin Buu during his temporary return to the ground. In terms of pure destructive power, it surpasses Majin Buu and allowed him to gain temporary superiority, but this form has a fatal flaw.
That flaw is its extremely high energy consumption. Maintaining this form with a physical body can lead to depleting energy within just a few minutes. Therefore, it's suited for short-term battles, but it's a disadvantageous form in prolonged fights. Goku himself acknowledged that "this form is not practical", and its frequency of use decreased in later series.
This is the Super Saiyan form that first appeared in Dragon Ball Super, having stepped into the **Realm of the Gods**.
The biggest feature of this form is that instead of golden hair, it changes to **red**. The physique also differs from the normal Super Saiyan, as there is a reduction in muscle mass leading to a slimmer body shape. This results from shedding unnecessary power and maximizing the pure quality of ki to its limit.
To become a Super Saiyan God, a ritual is required where **five Saiyans with pure hearts** join their powers and pour their energy into a sixth Saiyan. Goku learned this form in preparation for the battle against Beerus, the God of Destruction, drawing on the powers of Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, and the unborn Pan.
The strength of Super Saiyan God far exceeds that of Super Saiyan 3. Due to possessing divine ki, it cannot be sensed by ordinary beings, and it is the only form that can fight on equal terms with the gods. During battles, it also exhibits self-healing abilities, showcasing power that can rival Beerus, the God of Destruction.
Even though there is a time limitation, its overwhelming combat power makes it a critically important form as an entry point into the realm of gods.
This is the form where one has completely taken the power of Super Saiyan God and transformed further into Super Saiyan. The official name is "Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan," but it is commonly known as "Super Saiyan Blue."
The feature of this form is that the hair and aura change to a vivid **blue** color. By fusing the divine Ki of Super Saiyan God with the power of Super Saiyan, it became a form that possesses the strengths of both, reaching a top-class level of power.
Goku and Vegeta trained under Whis and independently mastered this form. Unlike Super Saiyan God, the ability to transform without a ritual is a significant advantage. They can also control their fighting power, allowing them flexibility to adjust their strength according to the situation.
Super Saiyan Blue is frequently used in major battles of Dragon Ball Super, such as the Resurrection of Frieza arc and the Universe Survival arc. It possesses the power to fight evenly against the universe's strongest warriors, such as Golden Frieza, Hit, and Jiren, and has established itself as the main form for Goku and Vegeta.
This form, which possesses divine Ki while also embodying the aggressive nature of Super Saiyan, can truly be said to be one of the highest peaks attainable by humans.
It is a variant form of Super Saiyan Blue used by Goku Black (Zamasu, who took over Goku's body in Future Trunks' world).
The greatest feature of this form is that the hair and aura shine **pink**. While it has power equal to or greater than Super Saiyan Blue, this form achieved a unique evolution through the fusion of Goku's body with the body of the God, the Supreme Kai.
After acquiring Goku's body, Goku Black awakened the power of Super Saiyan. However, since he was originally Zamasu, who is a God, he transformed into the unique form called Super Saiyan Rose instead of Super Saiyan Blue.
Its fighting power is at least equal to that of Super Saiyan Blue, and it caused trouble for Future Trunks, Goku, and Vegeta. In the Rose form, Black can also use his own techniques, such as Ki blades and clones. By teaming up with the immortal Zamasu, he became an even more threatening presence.
The greatest difference between Super Saiyan Blue and Super Saiyan Rose lies in the essence of the user.
Blue is a form achieved by a human (Saiyan) reaching the realm of God, characterized by blue hair and aura. On the other hand, Rose is the form taken by a God (Supreme Kai) transforming into a Super Saiyan within a human (Saiyan) body, characterized by pink hair and aura.
In other words, although both forms are Super Saiyan forms with divine Ki, the color of the hair changes depending on whether the user is a human or a God. According to Whis, when a divine being becomes a Super Saiyan, the quality of their Ki subtly differs, resulting in a change of color.
Regarding fighting power, both are nearly equal. However, Goku Black had little combat experience, so he rapidly grew through battles with Goku and Vegeta, eventually surpassing them in strength.
This is the strongest form that Goku acquired during the Universe Survival Arc in Dragon Ball Super, **at this point in time**. Strictly speaking, it is not a Super Saiyan transformation, but I will present it as the ultimate state that Goku, a Saiyan, has reached.
**Ultra Instinct** is a technique where the mind becomes void, and the body automatically performs the optimal movements. It is an extremely high-difficulty technique that even the God of Destruction Beerus has not fully mastered, and Goku awakened it during a fierce battle with Jiren, the strongest warrior in the universe.
In the incomplete stage called “Omen” (きざし), his hair remains black, and his eyes change to silver. Because the defense mechanism becomes automated, he can subconsciously evade any attack, but the attack must be performed consciously, so it is not complete.
In the “Complete” version of Ultra Instinct, his hair turns silver, and a silver-white aura emanates from his entire body. In this state, both attack and defense are fully automated, and there is no need to predict the opponent's movements. He demonstrated a level of power that overwhelmed Jiren and astonished the Gods of Destruction.
The battle power of Ultra Instinct far exceeds that of Super Saiyan Blue. However, it places an enormous burden on the body, making it difficult to maintain for long periods. Currently, Goku continues to train so that he can use this technique freely.
The Dragon Ball series features various derived forms of Super Saiyan beyond the main storyline.
Super Saiyan 4 is the form that appeared in Dragon Ball GT. By controlling the power of the Great Ape, one can transform, becoming covered in red fur, and their hair turns long and black. The tail regenerates, giving it a wild appearance. Its battle power far surpasses that of Super Saiyan 3, and it played a role as one of the strongest forms in the GT series. However, since GT exists in a separate timeline, it does not appear in the officially recognized sequel, Dragon Ball Super.
Legendary Super Saiyan is a special form used by Broly in the movie version. Unlike regular Super Saiyans, their muscles become abnormally enlarged, radiating a greenish-yellow aura. The battle power possesses the characteristic of increasing infinitely over time, causing Goku and others considerable trouble. In the new movie “Dragon Ball Super: Broly,” some setting changes depict it as an uncontrollable rampaging state.
Super Saiyan Rage (the new form of Future Trunks) is a unique form awakened by Future Trunks in despair. His hair stands up like Super Saiyan 2 and shines bluish-white. It possesses a power that lies between Super Saiyan 2 and Super Saiyan Blue, allowing him to counter the fused form of Goku Black and Zamasu.
Each of these derived forms has its own unique charm and strength, enriching the world of Dragon Ball even further.
Let's compare the various forms of Super Saiyan introduced so far based on their battle power. Here, I will present the strongest forms in a ranking format.
1st Place: Ultra Instinct (Perfected)
Shining in 1st place with overwhelming strength is the **perfected form of Ultra Instinct**. Both attack and defense are fully automated, and it has the achievement of defeating the universe's strongest warrior, Jiren. It is the ultimate technique that even the God of Destruction, Beerus, has not completely mastered, and can be said to be the strongest form at this point.
2nd Place: Ultra Instinct (Sign)
2nd place goes to the incomplete version of Ultra Instinct. While it does not reach the complete form, the automation of defense alone demonstrates a power that far exceeds Super Saiyan Blue. It is a powerful form that has saved Goku many times in battles against Jiren.
3rd Place: Super Saiyan Blue
3rd place is the **Super Saiyan Blue**. This form possesses the power of a Super Saiyan combined with divine energy, and as the primary forms of Goku and Vegeta, it has defeated many strong enemies. Its controllability and high practicality are also commendable.
4th Place: Super Saiyan Rose
4th place is Super Saiyan Rose. Its combat power is equal to or greater than Super Saiyan Blue, and its true value was demonstrated when used by the god Zamasu. Combined with Black's combat sense, it cornered Goku and the others.
5th Place: Super Saiyan God
5th place is Super Saiyan God. It is the first form to reach the realm of gods and possesses power that far exceeds Super Saiyan 3. It also has self-restoration capabilities and occupies an important position as the only form that can stand against the God of Destruction, Beerus.
Let's compare how much each Super Saiyan form amplifies its combat power from the normal state in terms of multipliers.
Super Saiyan (1st Grade): **50 times** the normal state. It, being the basic form, possesses enough power to overwhelm Frieza.
Super Saiyan 2: **100 times** the normal state (twice that of Super Saiyan). It unleashed the power to defeat Perfect Cell as lightning surged through its aura.
Super Saiyan 3: Has a power **400 times** greater than its normal state (4 times that of Super Saiyan 2). It possesses the power to overwhelm Majin Buu, but its intense energy consumption is a drawback.
Super Saiyan God: The exact multiplier is unknown, but it possesses power far exceeding that of Super Saiyan 3. It is estimated to be several thousand times or more.
Super Saiyan Blue: It is believed that there is an additional **50 times amplification** to transform into Super Saiyan based on Super Saiyan God. In other words, it has the power 50 times that of Super Saiyan God.
These multipliers combine official settings and estimates, serving as a guideline to understand the power differences between forms. It can be seen that as the Super Saiyans evolve, the rate of increase in battle power also rises exponentially.
The Dragon Ball series features many characters who can transform into Super Saiyans. They are introduced as pure-blooded Saiyans and half-breed Saiyans.
Introducing characters who can transform into Super Saiyans while being pure-blooded Saiyans.
Son Goku is the **first warrior in history to awaken as a Super Saiyan**. Since his first transformation during the battle with Frieza, he has mastered almost all forms, including Super Saiyan 2, 3, God, Blue, and Ultra Instinct. He is a being who constantly surpasses the limits of a Saiyan.
Vegeta awoke as a Super Saiyan following Goku as the prince of the Saiyans. Due to his pride and obsession with training, he constantly pursues strength equal to or greater than Goku's. He has also uniquely mastered the evolved form of Super Saiyan Blue known as "Super Saiyan Blue Evolution."
Bardock (Goku's father) is also depicted as having awakened as a Super Saiyan in Episode of Bardock.
It transformed when I time-slipped into the past and fought Frieza's ancestor, Chilled.
Half-Blood Saiyans, who are hybrids of Saiyans and Earthlings, are believed to possess higher potential than pure-blood Saiyans.
Gohan is the son of Goku and Earthling Chi-Chi. During the Cell Saga, he was the first to awaken into **Super Saiyan 2** and defeated Perfect Cell. He has particularly high potential among half-blood Saiyans and has also mastered a unique awakened form known as Ultimate Gohan.
Trunks (both future and present) is the son of Vegeta and Bulma. Future Trunks played a significant role during the Android Saga and also mastered a unique form known as Super Saiyan Rage. Present Trunks can transform into a Super Saiyan from an early age and fuses with Goten to become Gotenks.
Goten is the second son of Goku and Chi-Chi. He is known as the youngest Super Saiyan, having transformed into one at just **seven years old**. Like Trunks, he had an abundance of S cells from birth, making it easy for him to achieve the transformation.
Gotenks is a warrior formed from the fusion of Goten and Trunks. He has mastered up to Super Saiyan 3 and possesses the power to fight adequately or even surpass Majin Buu.
These characters each showcase their unique Super Saiyan powers, adding color to the Dragon Ball story. 【Related Articles】Dragon Ball Character Popularity Ranking | Official Vote 2025
The Super Saiyan is one of the most important elements that symbolize the Dragon Ball series. Since its first appearance in the Frieza Saga in 1990, it has continued to evolve for over 30 years. Starting from the basic form of Super Saiyan (Stage 1), through Super Saiyan 2, 3, and the divine realms of Super Saiyan God and Blue, to the ultimate Ultra Instinct, its evolution knows no bounds.
Each form has its own characteristics, and not only combat power but also energy efficiency and usage conditions differ. While forms, like Super Saiyan 3, possess overwhelming power yet lack practicality, others, like Super Saiyan Blue, are manageable and practical. This reflects the theme that strength is not merely about increased power, which Dragon Ball continues to convey.
Moreover, not only pure-blood Saiyans but also half-blood Saiyans have high potential and sometimes display strength that surpasses pure-blood Saiyans. Gohan's awakening into Super Saiyan 2 and Goten and Trunks' transformation abilities from childhood serve as proof of this. The introduction of the concept of S cells revealed an ironic truth for the warrior race of Saiyans: those with a gentle heart are more likely to transform into a Super Saiyan.
The allure of Super Saiyans is not merely about strength alone.
The story of growth, awakening triggered by anger or sadness, and acquiring new forms through training and experience has captured the hearts of many fans. Especially Goku's spirit of "there's always a higher level" represents the essence of the Super Saiyan who continues to surpass limits.
In Dragon Ball Super, the possibility of further new forms is also suggested. Expectations are rising for how Goku and Vegeta will evolve in the future and whether new Super Saiyan forms will appear. In games like Dragon Ball Super Heroes, various original forms have already appeared, and the possibilities of Super Saiyans are limitless.
Through this article, I hope you can understand all the forms and characteristics of Super Saiyans and enjoy the world of Dragon Ball more deeply. When rewatching the anime or manga, focusing on the differences and characteristics of each form might lead to new discoveries.
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