Super Saiyan

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Broly as Super Saiyan 1

A Super Saiyan (also referred to as SS as it is スーパーサイヤ人 "Sūpā Saiya-jin" in Japanese) is a special advanced and powerful state of the Saiyan race in the manga Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z and the anime Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT. This can be performed at at least four levels, each more powerful than the previous.

Super Saiyan: The Legend

The ability to become a Super Saiyan was once considered to be a myth, because it had not been performed for over a thousand years until Son Goku accomplished it when he was fighting Frieza on Planet Namek. The story goes that one day a Saiyan warrior would push the limits and change state into a superior individual. This fearsome being, a 'Super Saiyan' would wield exeptionally colossal power, and was told as he wouldn't be the first. There would be a dawn of a new era, starting with this legendary Super Saiyan: the dawn of the Saiyan saga.

Frieza feared the Super Saiyan legend (but moreso the ability for a Saiyan's power to over double in growth when they recover from the brink of death) and destroyed Planet Vegeta in the hope that the Super Saiyan legend would never be complete.

As Saiyans trained during the Z series, they discovered levels beyond Super Saiyan never seen before, completely unheard of. The appearance of a Super Saiyan is different in each form, more so in the fourth and final form.

It has been speculated that female Saiyans (Pan, Bra and females seen on planet Vegeta in the Bardock movie special) cannot make the transformation, however this has yet to be proven as fact. Some have claimed Akira Toriyama said females cannot transform in an interview, but this is a misinterpretation. His excuse he stated is that neither Pan nor Bra had the incentive to transform, and that he never drew female Super Saiyans because he couldn't figure out what they would look like. So females cannot transform in canon. Aside from this, all Saiyans still alive (as of the Freeza Saga) have managed to reach at least the first level (except old-school Paragus).

There are many stated rumors about the requirements of the transformation. One false theory is that in order for a Saiyan to transform, he must have lost his tail. Also, a very poor technicality theory is that if your father had previously been a Super Saiyan before the time of conception, you would be born without a tail, and have the ability to transform yourself at a very early age (Goten, Chibi Trunks). This is actually because they are half-Saiyans, and is a mere coincidence that Gohan (who was born before Goku had achieved form 1) didn't achieve form 1 himself until a later age than Goten. Gohan didn't reach it until he was 11, four years later than Goten did, but thats still very early and this theory should be disregarded.

Goten is proportionately weaker than Gohan, for both Goten and Trunks take after their human half, thus have no tail; Goten just looks like his father. Halflings bodies are weaker, and allow for transformation to the first 2 forms at a lower (easier to attain) power level that can be achieved at an early age, but they cannot transcend form 2. What you have to understand is that the body transformation is a mechanism to be able to continue a fight, harnessing all of the power at a new plateau. In general, it requires a purpose and formidable power to undergo the transformation. The power can be obtained from an intense rage (as is the case for all except Broly). The transformation takes place when the body needs to morph in order to handle all of the power, at least 800,000 (more than scouters can read).

Fans debate over the identity of the true Legendary Super Saiyan. While Toei animation stated it is Broly, many fans say it is Son Goku, because Goku was first seen turning Super Saiyan in the fight against Frieza. In the game Dragonball Z Budokai 3, the Super Saiyan form of Broly is stated as Legendary Super Saiyan, however Broly was not in the manga so he is considered Non-Canon, technically proving by omission that Goku is the true intended Legendary Super Saiyan.

Super Saiyan Levels

The following is a description of each Super Saiyan level, and the Saiyans who reached the level (in chronological order).

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Son Goku as Giji Super Saiyan

Giji Super Saiyan (Non-Canon)

(Also known as False Super Saiyan) This is a mid point between a Saiyan's regular form and Super Saiyan form. Goku reached this form in DBZ Movie #4, when he became enraged at Lord Slug. Goku used it again when he visits HFIL in Otherworld, after being killed by Cell. He uses it to quickly dismember the dead Ginyu Force. Certain features such as elevated hair from the power and a golden aura are evident, however, this is only just a small sample of the full transformation. This form cannot be retained for very long since stress can build-up enormously from the lack of complete transformation needed to maintain stability of the power. Broly also attain this form In movie #8. Broly achieved this level as a kid and achieved it again when he saw goku for the first time. He has spiky black hair with some purple tints and has a golden aura.

Achieved By:

• Son Goku
• Broly

Super Saiyan

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"I wont let you... get away with this..!" Goku as a Super Saiyan for the first time

Going Super Saiyan gives the saiyan a huge power boost along with golden hair that stands up on end and blue eyes. The first person we see reach Super Saiyan in the series is Goku when fighting Frieza. The transformation is triggered when a Saiyan experiences extreme, intense emotion, which empowers them to a point beyond the limits of power that their body can handle, forcing a transformation. With training, afterwards the transformation is controlled and happens at will with a smaller spike in emotion (usually includes screaming until they reach a level of mastery where it can be silent and without muscle straining or flexing movements). These Super Saiyan transformations 'taint' your heart or soul, which, for a time, disallowed Goku the ability to properly preform his Spirit Bomb technique.

Achieved By:

• Son Goku
  • Chibi GT Goku
• Future Trunks
• Vegeta
• Son Gohan
• Broly
• Son Goten
• Trunks (present)
• Gotenks
• Vegetto
• Gogeta
• Goku Junior
• Vegeta Junior

Super Saiyan 2nd Grade/Ultra Super Saiyan

This form is a much more powerful version of Super Saiyan. It increases muscle mass and is more powerful than the standard Super Saiyan level. This is the form Vegeta and Trunks use for the fight with Semi-Perfect Cell. We also see Goku in this form when he is training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Gohan.

Achieved By:

• Son Goku
• Future Trunks
• Vegeta
• Broly

Super Saiyan 3rd Grade/Ultra Super Saiyan 2

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"You should know, I'm much more powerful than my father" - Future Trunks on transforming to Ultra Super Saiyan 2

More commonly known as Ultra Super Saiyan 2, this is a midpoint between SSJ and SSJ2. At this stage a Saiyan's muscle mass dramatically increases, but they take a big hit in their speed. Goku demonstrated this to Gohan, during the Cell Saga inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Vegeta also noticed this disadvantage during his training. Trunks however failed to spot this, and this led to his defeat by Perfect Cell.

Achieved By:

• Future Trunks
• Son Goku
• Broly

Super Saiyan, Distinction

During the training time before the Cell Games , Goku comes up with an idea. He wanted himself and Gohan to try and remain as Super Saiyans for as long as they could, and so get their bodies used to the form. The result is that the Saiyan can stay in the form for long periods of time with little or no effort. It is mastery of the Super Saiyan 1st grade form.

Achieved By:

• Son Goku
• Son Gohan

Legendary Super Saiyan (Non-Canon)

In Dragonball Z movie 8, we see Broly, a Saiyan who has a different transformation, (i.e. his hair illuminates so you can see that it is purple and not black) but the gold aura is there so it is the Giji Super Saiyan state. The device his father attached to him automatically restricts him to not surpassing this form and is able to control, calm or power-down Broly to a certain extent when activated. Broly breaks it with sheer energy, and transforms into a true Saiyan. From there, he can bulk up and strengthen himself into what we call Ultra Super Saiyan, or what the Saiyans knew as Legendary Super Saiyan. His Legendary form is very similar to that of an USSJ, but he is definetly stronger and doesn't lose as much speed and it seems that his ki accumulates to the point he has to release it by expelling energy out of his body. Since he is not canon, his power is never stated. Some fans believe he is a super powered Super Saiyan 1 equal to SSJ3, in strength power only. His speed is that of a Saiyan. To FUNimation it seems he is the Super Saiyan among Super Saiyans, making his transfomation superior to them all.

Achieved By:

• Broly

Super Saiyan 2

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"Is that all you got?!" - Gohan to Cell after transforming to Super Saiyan 2

This stage is very similar to SSJ (in appearance), the Super Saiyan's energy has multiplied resulting in a very evident bio-electric field. The hair becomes spikier, longer, and perhaps finer. The irises obtain a hint of blue as well, resulting in a greenish-cyan. In this form power and speed are proportional to each other and increased several times from the first Super Saiyan stage. This jump in skills is greater than the jump from 2 to Super Saiyan 3. This form was first achieved by Gohan whilst battling Cell. It too is triggered by powerful emotions. It is the pinnacle of forms for anyone less than pure-blooded, not counting the Mystic form.

Achieved By:

• Son Gohan (as a teen and once as an adult)
• Son Goku
• Vegeta
• Vegetto

Mystic form

During the Buu Saga, Gohan breaks the mighty Z sword, releasing the Elder Kai. The Elder Kai then teaches Gohan the Mystic form by meditating over him for 24 hours. The Mystic powerup unlocks a fighter's hidden full potential, taking the base Saiyan form to it's limits, and because of this the Saiyan form was obsolete to Gohan. It didn't change the appearance of Gohan much at all, his bangs moved, he had a stern face and white aura. The Mystic form equals form 3 in speed and is 50% more powerful than form 2, so it is the half way step to form 3 while just in base form. The potential carries over to the other forms, if Gohan used them while already in Mystic, making him stronger than any one else on his level, except Broly. The ritual preformed on Gohan enabled him to act at his utmost maximum peak, and this is the same in Super Saiyan 1 or 2. But sadly for this warrior, after his death at Buu's hand, Gohan's potential relapsed, losing him his Mystic form, and his Super Saiyan form was used again, in its place.

Achieved By:

• Adult Gohan

Super Saiyan 3

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"I'm sorry that took so much longer than the others, but I haven't had much occasion to practice this one" - Goku on transforming into a Super Saiyan 3

This form is the strongest of all Saiyan forms in the manga. Only Goku and the fused body of Gotenks can handle it. It is characterized by very long, full hair and the Saiyan's eyebrows disappearing. Goku achieves this form whilst training in Other World after the Cell Saga. This form increases power and speed even more, but also uses a lot of power, so it cannot be maintained for very long. While Goku was in the Other World, he could maintain this form for as long as he wished, but in the real world, his living body could not handle it for very long. It can also be achieved by rage. This form is strictly unattainable by anyone without pure-blood status for they cannot handle the energy required, with the exception of Gotenks, whose exponential power due to the fusion and make-up of two halves of a Saiyan. The rise in fighting skills from Super Saiyan form 1 to 2 is far greater than the jump from form 2 to 3; although awesome, the change is less dramatic.

Achieved By:

• Son Goku
• Gotenks

Super Saiyan 4 (Non-Canon)

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"At long last, I have ascended." - Vegeta on transforming to Super Saiyan 4

The Saiyan's hair reverts to it's natural color for the individual, in Goku's case it turned black again, the tail is returned (only because you must be an Oozaru before taking this form, not directly because of it) and the body is covered in some shade of red fur. A Saiyan in this form also possesses a red shadow trim around the eyes and over the eye lids. The hair is lengthened and grows wild and untamed. This form can only be reached after transforming into a Golden Oozaru and then gaining conscious control over the form. This form was first achieved by Goku when battling Bebi. Super Saiyan 4 is the highest form achieved by a Saiyan in the official Dragonball continuty (this means no Super Saiyan 5 or 6). This form has the characteristics of a basic humanoid Saiyan and the "Ape"'s characteristics. This is why this form has natural color hair with Ape's fur and tail. This form harnesses the brute power of the Oozaru in the conscience hands of a Saiyan. Only possible for pure-blood Saiyans, and only Goku has achieved it unaided. This means Gohan, Trunks and any other halflings cannot. Vegeta, who was missing his tail, used a Blutz Wave emitting device(Bruits Wave in Japan) aid his transformation.

(Note that this form is non-canonical to the original manga and anime by Akira Toriyama as it only appears in the anime Dragon Ball GT and that this is the only form that was not actually designed by Akira Toriyama, but by Dragon Ball GT character designer Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru. However, Toriyama created several of the character designs for the series, and has stated that the series more or less went in a direction that he himself would have taken it. In the Japanese DVD boxed set of Dragon Ball GT, released in June 2005, a sketch of Super Saiyan 4 Goku by Akira Toriyama was included as an extra, thus sealing his acceptance of this form.)

Achieved By:

• Son Goku (black hair gold eyes, scarlet/cerise colored fur)
• Vegeta (brown hair, light blue eyes, blood red/crimson colored fur)
• Gogeta (fiery red hair, light blue eyes, burgundy colored fur)